SIDEL, THE LEADING GLOBAL PROVIDER OF PET SOLUTIONS FOR LIQUID PACKAGING, HAS BEEN AWARDED THREE MAJOR NEW PROJECTS BY THE COCA-COLA HELLENIC BOTTLING COMPANY (COCA-COLA HBC). THE PROJECT WINS ARE IN NIGERIA (IKEJA), RUSSIA (MOSCOW) AND BELARUS (MINSK).
"The quality and safety of our beverages are our highest priority, which is why packaging is so vital. At the same time as protecting the liquid, we want our bottles to stay attractive across the supply chain and on the supermarket shelf, and offer a good consumer experience thereafter," said Costin Barbu, Engineering Director at Coca-Cola HBC. "We therefore work with our partners like Sidel to drive innovation and identify new ways to improve packaging that creates value for us and our consumers."
Another Sidel line for Moscow
In Moscow, where Coca-Cola HBC is already operating four Sidel lines - including two Sidel Combis - the new line will comprise a Sidel Matrix™Combi, a Sidel Matrix Labeller, a mixer, two packers, a handle applicator, a conveyor, a high-level linear palletiser and a stretch wrapper. It has the capacity to produce 500ml and 1,500ml PET bottles at a rate of 45,000 and 33,500 bottles per hour, respectively. Sidel is also providing Coca-Cola's operators with over two weeks of training, on-site technical support for six months and ongoing spare parts and maintenance support.
Bottle filler for Belarus
At the Coca-Cola HBC plant in Minsk, the capital and largest city of Belarus, the company again took delivery of Sidel equipment in February 2014. The acceptance test for the Sidel Eurostar, the mechanical pressure level filler for bottles and its accompanying Sidel rollfed labeller, has already been successfully completed and the line is now under way producing 9,000 2-litre bottles an hour.
New line for Nigeria
In Nigeria, the outlook for the soft drinks market is very encouraging and looks set to continue to grow, with all major categories showing the potential for robust growth in both total volume and current value sales. Both the national population and disposable incomes are increasing, with new launches, marketing activities, improvements in distribution and other favourable economic conditions favouring all drinks producers.
The complete new bottling line ordered from Sidel for the Coca-Cola HBC plant in Ikeja will be dedicated to the production of carbonated soft drinks. PET bottles in 500ml format will be produced at a capacity of 42,000 bottles per hour, with 1,500ml formats produced at 22,000 bottles per hour. The installation of the Sidel equipment in the Ikeja plant is starting in May. The first saleable products will then be coming off the new bottling line in early July 2014.
