Blue waters products has selected a highly efficient sidel complete line to bottle still water at its trinidad plant.
20 January 2016
The new line from Sidel, the leading global provider ofPET solutions for liquid packaging, will allow the Caribbeanbottler to boost production by an anticipated 40%, as well asminimise total cost of ownership (TCO) and increasesustainability.
Growing smart
Blue Waters Products is the preferred brand of bottled purifieddrinking water in the Caribbean. Starting from small beginnings in1999 in Trinidad and Tobago, the company has grown at a fast paceover the last 16 years to become a dominant force in themarketplace.
Currently, the company has more than 500 employees in the 23,200square metre plant in Trinidad, with 100 employees in the 3,700square metre St. Lucia plant, and continues to expand by makingsmart partnership choices. For example, earlier this year,Blue Waters Products collaborated with Sidel to add a highlyefficient complete line to its modern Orange Grove facility inTrinidad, where purified artesian water is bottled for distributionthroughout the Caribbean. By increasing operating capacity,Blue Waters Products aims to better serve existing customers,improve cost efficiencies, add new products, and enter additionalmarkets.
Partnering for the long run
After collaborating successfully with Sidel in the past on asmaller project, Blue Waters Products decided to invest again inSidel's innovative technology by adding a dedicated line for stillwater. The new complete line reaches a speed of 48,000bottles per hour (bph) - a high rate compared to local standards -and consists of a Sidel Matrix™ Combi, a Sidel RollquattroEvolution labeller, as well as end of line equipment (shrinkwrappers and palletiser).
"During the due diligence process for this project, wethoroughly evaluated several equipment manufacturers' offerings,and Sidel was the natural choice because of their PET expertise andtheir innovative solutions for water lines. The high-speedcomplete line solution we chose is simple, reliable, andeconomical, and it will allow us to increase our capacity andimprove our sustainability while lowering our production costs,"said Dominic Hadeed, owner and Managing Director of thecompany. "Having already experienced Sidel's outstandingcustomer service, I am also looking forward to continuing thecollaboration with their talented and dedicated team ofprofessionals. I never cease to be amazed by their staff'sresponsiveness and personal commitment to a job well done."
Selecting the optimal solution
Once the installation of the new Sidel water line is complete,Blue Waters Products estimates plant capacity will increase by 40%,allowing them to expand their presence in the Caribbean.
"We chose to invest in Sidel's complete line solution in orderto keep abreast with a constantly evolving marketplace," saidHadeed. "Quick changeovers and minimal maintenancerequirements are vital to maximising production uptime andefficiency when working with multiple beverage products on the sameline. The technology is easy to learn compared to that ofother suppliers, and the lower TCO will enable us to staycompetitive in a challenging market."
Taking advantage of innovative technology
The Sidel Matrix Combi brings together all the benefits ofSidel's blowing and filling innovations in a seamlessly integratedblow-fill-cap solution that is compact, flexible, efficient andsustainable. It also reduces total operational costs by up to12% compared to traditional lines.
The Sidel Matrix Combi also occupies up to 30% less floor spacecompared with traditional equipment and gives producers more designfreedom to differentiate their beverages while enabling bottlelightweighting at high speeds. As it has one simple controlinterface, it requires only one operator. Due to fasterchangeovers and minimal maintenance needs, the Sidel Matrix Combialso significantly increases production uptime and reducesoperating costs compared to traditional lines.
Sidel's Rollquattro Evolution labeller uses proven roll-fedtechnology to speed up accurate label application while reducingoperating and maintenance costs, and increasing the sustainabilityof the labelling process. The Rollquattro Evolution has acompact footprint, offers easy access to the labelling station, andcan be installed in various configurations. It can run up to60,000 bph and it works mainly with wrap-around plastic labels onPET containers of up to 2.5 litres and diameters ranging from 53 mmto 110 mm.
Headed for a more sustainable future
Technological innovation and line efficiency were not the onlyconsiderations in choosing the supplier for this expansionproject. Sidel's PET expertise and commitment tosustainability were also important factors in selecting a partnerfor Blue Waters Products.
"Although we already have one of the smallest environmentalfootprints in our marketplace, our company is looking to furtherimprove its sustainability by optimising bottle design and loweringresource consumption," said Hadeed. "Besides allowing us touse less raw materials by producing high-quality lightweightbottles, the Sidel Matrix Combi will also help us decrease ourconsumption of air, water, chemicals and energy, while the SidelRollquattro Evolution will allow us to use thinner labels and willhelp minimise our energy and glue consumption."
Sidel is dedicated to PET bottling solutions and its tailoredproduction systems cater for beverage producers' exact needs, aresimple, sustainable, efficient, reliable and easily adaptable tofuture technology. For more information about Sidel'scomplete line solutions, please visit www.sidel.com/equipment.