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27 April 2017
27/04/2017
Producers of carbonated soft drinks (CSD) today requireproduction lines that are flexible and smart, without compromisingon quality, speed and efficiency. These solutions allow foroptimised production uptime, reduced resource consumption and quickstock keeping unit (SKU) changes, while keeping the OverallEquipment Efficiency (OEE) consistent. Such an approach is the keyto winning the challenges of today's CSD market, effectivelyrecognising the roles that packaging, equipment, line design,clever automation, smart data management and on-going services allhave to play.
With a growing global population and increasing urbanisation,changes in demand include a preference for smaller, on-the-go sizesto fit in with consumers' busier, urban lifestyles. Worldwide,increasing concern for personal diet, health and fitness is alsodriving a move from traditional sugary soft drinks to healthieroptions. Consequently, many CSD producers are now investing in awider choice of new beverages with natural, low-calorie sweeteners,sports drinks and carbonated juices, as well as beverages targetinglocal and traditional tastes. Meeting production needs in such afragmented and evolving market requires smarter solutions andinnovations. "Rapidly shifting conditions and the demands theindustry is currently experiencing mean that manufacturers needflexibility from their PET bottling lines," explains DamienFournier, Category Marketing Director CSD at Sidel. "The ability toadapt production quickly and effectively while still ensuring topbeverage quality and the best consumer experience when launchingnew products is essential if producers are to capitalise onopportunities that arise."
With more than 40 years of experience in complete solutions forcarbonated soft drinks and the world's largest installed base ofintegrated blow-fill-cap systems, Sidel provides producers withfull control and transparency throughout the process. "SuccessfulCSD production requires a focus on flexibility and overallefficiency, as well as branding opportunities" adds Fournier. "Thisis why innovative packaging solutions, which are able to performoptimally across the supply chain and ensure high quality and theexpected shelf life, are an essential consideration when choosingthe right equipment supplier for a bottling line."
Innovative solutions and optimised bottle performance,validated by in-house experts
With the aim of improving bottle strength and performance whilereducing costs and ensuring the brand stands out on the shelves,Sidel scientists and in-house packaging designers work on more than8,000 new bottle designs and drawings every year. At 5 packagingcentres and 4 in-house R&D laboratories around the world, theyhelp producers to define, qualify and industrialise the packagingsolutions that fit best with consumer expectations. This oftenleads to customers and partners relying on Sidel's expertise, toolsand processes to develop their packaging solutions and relatedvalidation procedures. Creating and evaluating bottle samples andperforming many different tests, the Sidel laboratories take careof the safety and quality of the beverages, as well as ensuringgreat product performance throughout the supply chain, ultimatelyenhancing the consumer's experience.
The company's expertise led to the recent development of SidelStarLite™, the unique PET base design that increases bottleresistance and stability while lowering both package weight andenergy consumption. Through this solution - which can even beapplied to existing lines - overall costs are lowered withoutaffecting beverage quality. Sidel's StarLite Tropical base -recently added to the range of the StarLite bottle designs - isdesigned for CSD containers subjected to harsh environmentalconditions, such as those produced and distributed under hightemperatures or in humid climates. Its optimised geometryreinforces all the zones that are more susceptible to stresscracking. Offering a flexible solution for CSD in sizes from 0.25to 3 litres and with all standard levels of carbonisation, the endresult is a PET bottle that offers improved resistance as well asbetter stability throughout the supply chain.
Moreover, carbonated soft drinks represent one of the mainbeverage applications for which the company developed Sidel Actis™(Amorphous Carbon Treatment on Internal Surface) - a pioneering,plasma-coating barrier technology for PET bottles to extendbeverage shelf life while offering the potential for packagelightweighting. The barrier solution was designed for smaller sizeor single-serve PET containers (typically less than 700 ml), whichare especially susceptible to gas exchanges such as those involvingthe ingress of oxygen (O2) and the loss of carbondioxide (CO2).
Compact and flexible production
Sidel's fully integrated, hygienic and innovative solutions helpproducers to optimise uptime and operating costs. The portfolioincludes a range of modular equipment and components, able toincrease line efficiency and speed while ensuring food safety,flexibility and hygiene.
However, every production line has its ownindividual requirements in terms of location, utilities, processesand packaging. Sidel designs PET production lines with a focus onfunctionality, efficiency, ergonomics and productivity, taking careto ensure they all work together seamlessly to create a solutionthat meets each customer's specific needs. The company'sengineering capability is a multidisciplinary combination ofspecialists, experts, proven methods and processes - with designand simulation tools developed to deliver the optimum PET lineproductivity and performance.
The Sidel Matrix™ Combi, offers blowing, filling and cappingprocesses in one machine, optimising the production line layoutwith a smaller footprint. It efficiently combines the benefits ofthe Sidel Matrix blower with those of the electronic volumetricSF300 FM filler. By offering faster changeovers with savings inpower consumption, labour, raw materials, maintenance time andspare parts, the Combi lowers operating costs by up to 12%. Moreimportantly, the solution provides high performance with efficiencylevels up to 4% better than standalone machines.
More accurate, consistent and sustainablemixing
For controlled mixing, over 2,000 Sidel blenders have beeninstalled and certified worldwide, delivering great taste profilesand long-lasting and homogeneous carbonation in soft drinks. TheSidel Matrix SM500 mixer allows for improved beverage quality,delivering premium drinks which fully respect the original recipe.For increased flexibility, it is based on a modular platformenabling several configurations, such as a single or double waterdeaeration, and optional upgrades.
Additionally, the mixer can be combined with the Sidel MatrixSF300 FM filler via the Blendfill configuration, for excellentcarbonated soft drinks quality. Using the mixer beverage tank as ashared tank with the filler, this solution consumes lessCO2. Also, it allows for reductions in costs, beveragewaste and footprint, as well as quicker recipe changes withoutcompromising on consistent quality of the beverages.
Designed for optimal hygiene and lowconsumption
Sidel PET complete lines for CSD are engineered with food safetyand sustainability in mind. Clean-in-place (CIP) dummy bottles helpto automate the cleaning process, while the external beverage tankis easy to clean, offering savings in both time and associatedcosts. External cleaning (with self-draining surfaces) is designedand built to ensure effectiveness and requires a low consumption ofboth water and chemical agents, further reducing costs andimproving safety and sustainability of production. Hygiene is alsooptimised by the reduced filling enclosure, some 80% smaller thantraditional solutions and whose volume is under controlledconditions.
Giving the final package a memorable look
Labelling is an essential factor to ensuring a product standsout on supermarket shelves. Roll-fed technology uses thin plasticlabels, which have physical and functional qualities making themvery attractive to consumers and beneficial for beverage producers.The Sidel Matrix SL70 efficient roll-fed labelling station deliversprecise and controlled handling and application for containers ofany shape. With 30% faster changeover times for containers, thisergonomic system maximises uptime and productivity. It uses up to40% less power and also reduces maintenance time by 40%.
Flexible pack configurations, quick changeovers andoptimised transportation
The secondary packaging - the finished pack that the consumersees at the point of sale - represents a strong opportunity toreinforce brand recognition and so needs to be appealing, durableand functional to catch attention. Carrying the labelled bottlesonto the secondary packaging process, Sidel's smart conveyors canbe automatically adjusted to handle different formats. Gentlyfeeding the bottles to maintain consistency and quality, thepackers also optimise the use of heat, glue, cartons and film. Thisminimises overall costs, as well as ensuring that protection of theproduct throughout the supply chain from changes in weather,pressure and temperature is not compromised. All Sidel's packersensure quick changeovers for flexible handling of multipleSKUs.
Sidel palletisers, both traditional and robotic, allow fast andeasy SKU changeovers in layer formation to organise the rightnumber of single bottles onto - for example - trays or dollies, orpacks onto pallets. To supplement and further enhance itspalletising solutions, Sidel offers Place & Pal Designer™ -user-friendly software to automate configuration of thepalletisation platform, with two different integration optionsavailable to maximise flexibility. It can be directly integratedinto the palletisation island's Human Machine Interface (HMI) or,alternatively, through automatic connection on the supervisorserver in remote mode. Adopting the software as part of thepalletisation process offers a number of benefits, optimising thechoice of existing patterns and making it easier and quicker todevelop new and potentially more efficient ones. It enables thecreation and management of a dedicated database with the capabilityto make direct entries of new formats. The programming of newpatterns is accelerated through the capacity to refer to previouslystored patterns while the software also automatically checks thesuitability and stability of pallets for chosen patterns. In thisway smart pallet patterns of various sizes and formats of bottlescan be achieved, in order to optimise efficiency duringtransportation and storage.
Maximum uptime and minimum operationalcosts
Once a line is up and running, Sidel Services™ offers a tailoredportfolio to help build maintain, regain and even improveperformance throughout the equipment's lifetime. From customisedmaintenance, through to line improvement, to spare parts andlogistics services, the company combines customer proximity withglobal experience to shorten lead times and improve customers'efficiency.
However, it is difficult to improve what is not being measured.The market is looking for systems with "built-in intelligence"capable of proactively translating raw data into actionableinformation. Sidel's Efficiency Improvement Tool (EIT™) handlesproduction issues to meet ongoing challenges and also anticipatesthem through trends and forecasts.
"By taking a global view of the Overall Equipment Effectivenessand the entire working life of a production line, as newtechnologies and solutions are developed, Sidel offers existingcustomers options and upgrades, line conversion and trainingservices. This ensure that installed equipment does not get leftbehind, while strengthening operators' skills in order to boostperformance. In this way the company is always working to helpproducers optimise operating costs and reach the lowest possibleTCO, as well as ensuring sustained performance over time" addsDamien Fournier.
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