Sdel has been awarded certification for the efficiency of its sidel matrix™ blower by one of the world's leading technical service organisations, tüv süd.
27 September 2016
27/09/2016
The new certification is an international stamp ofapproval for the energy consumption efficiency of the Sidelequipment. It provides objective validation of the blower'sperformance by an independent organisation and demonstrates thatthe Sidel Matrix blower complies with very high standards, is safeand sustainable - and has minimal impact on theenvironment.
An energy standard gaining worldwiderecognition
Efficiency of equipment and the reduction of any environmentalimpact is fundamental to Sidel's technical innovations and thecompany's commitment to sustainable practices. Within anyPET bottling line, it is the blowing machine that uses the mostenergy. This is why Sidel applied for the certification for thefirst time on its latest generation of Sidel Matrix blowers. "Wewanted to demonstrate how the energy consumption performance of ourSidel Matrix blowers is optimised, based on objective validationfrom a third party body," said Mathieu Druon, Sidel ProductManager. "We considered the TÜV SÜD energy efficiency certificatebecause it is becoming more widely known and consequently morepopular with beverage producers all over the world," explainedDruon. "At first, it was mainly recognised in Germany andsubsequently in Austria and Eastern Europe. However, the reputationof TÜV SÜD's standard for machines and plants has spread quicklyand is now well known throughout all of Europe and evenbeyond."
Sidel Matrix passes whole certificationprocess
The TÜV SÜD certification process is extensive. Experts initiatewith an audit, then assess the energy efficiency of the completemachine, its design and all its components, inspecting all relevantdocumentation and engineering procedures. They look at howdevelopments to improve energy efficiency of the equipment can bedemonstrated, also comparing the machine with the best availabletechnology in the market using benchmark data. Once therequirements of the TÜV SÜD certification have been met, thecertificate is valid for three years, with an annual audit toensure continued compliance.
The TÜV SÜD team started by visiting Sidel's production site,speaking to the Sidel Sustainability Officer and Blowing expertsalongside the machine being assessed. All were interviewedconcerning their knowledge of and commitment towards saving energyand the equipment was examined to determine its efficiency. Thegiven results of the blower's energy use proved precise andreproducible. Finally, further tests were performed on equipment inaction on a production line. "Lastly we visited a Sidel customer inGermany to perform a technical analysis and carry out measurementson a working Sidel Matrix blower equipped with 10 blowing stations(SBO 10). We calculated airflow, electricity consumption and thewater needed for the production process of the PET bottles. Theresults were competitive with the best within the industry," statedDruon.
The Sidel Matrix blower passed all four stages of thecertification process. "The independent TÜV SÜD team appreciatedthat, as a company, we are paying close attention to energyconsumption. This is particularly true of our last generationof blowers. We benefitted from our latest innovations, cuttingelectricity use by up to 45% with the Sidel Matrix Ecoven as itrequires fewer heating modules and lamps. Additionally, we canreduce the blowing pressure with the improved pneumaticarchitecture combined with packaging developments, as recentlydemonstrated with the Sidel Rightweight™ bottle. Our thoroughapproach has resulted in optimum energy efficiency of the Sidel Matrixblowers range without compromising the process window toachieve top bottle quality. With its high oven efficiency, itlowers the environmental footprint and this, combined with thegreatest uptime on the market, offers customers the lowest totalcost of ownership (TCO) possible".
Benefitting other blowing solutions in the Sidelrange
The Sidel Matrix blower is the only piece of equipment for whichSidel applied for TÜV SÜD certification. Although thiscertification only applies to regular blowing machines, therecognition is of indirect benefit to other blowing solutionswithin the Sidel range (electrical Heat Resistant blower,Preferential Heating blower, blower equipped with Predis™ drypreform decontamination module), as they share most of theenergy-saving technologies.