To lower the total cost of ownership (TCO) of invested equipment, it is essential for beverage producers to optimise productivity and performance across the entire lifecycle of their PET bottling lines. Sidel, the leading provider of production equipment and services for liquids in PET, has announced new services for effective maintenance to help reduce costly downtime and turn it into profitable uptime.
For beverage producers to optimise productivity, regular maintenance is required. When this is effectively carried out, it enables performance to be maintained or regained and even improved throughout the lifecycle of the equipment on the PET bottling line. This allows producers to reduce costs, maximise profitability and achieve the lowest total cost of ownership for their investment.
Pavel Shevchuk, Vice President for Services at Sidel, comments – “With the support of a proactive service provider who understands the equipment and the opportunities it offers to optimise performance of a production line, beverage producers are able to achieve their productivity targets cost effectively. This approach is leading to many beverage producers taking a more holistic approach to maintenance, working with Sidel to help lower TCO, raise productivity and optimise performance across the lifecycle of a line.”
The cost benefits of proactive maintenance
By adopting a preventive rather than reactive approach, equipment is monitored, allowing pre-planning of scheduled downtime to carry out all essential regular maintenance.
Thereby the potential for long, costly and inconvenient shutdowns and loss of production are limited. It also helps to ensure that production schedules and targets are achieved,
with regular health checks helping to extend the longevity of the line. As important as recognising the necessity of maintenance, is the choice of the type of maintenance undertaken and the provider chosen to carry it out. Sidel has introduced new dedicated maintenance services to reflect this importance.
Sidel’s three-phased approach to maintenance
The reasons for intervention in any line’s production performance can often be put down to three different causes: the need for a producer simply to maintain the line performing with its current efficiency; the need to regain production capability in the case of a breakdown; and the wish to improve performance and/or productivity.
Maintaining performance over any length of time generally requires the provision of service support such as diagnostic visits, spare parts supply, targeted skills training and regular, efficient maintenance work. To regain performance in the event of a breakdown, effective action to fix the issue quickly is essential in restarting production. This is either through well trained employees resolving the problem in-house or via the service provider. Improved performance can be achieved through options and upgrades that add value. As new technologies and solutions are developed by Sidel, these offer line improvement solutions that can significantly increase quality, flexibility and production performance on installed equipment.
Another important factor in the effective maintenance of a bottling line, whether for emergencies or normal wear and tear, is the need for the timely provision of original spare parts, ideally designed, tested and certified by the same engineers who designed the machine. Sidel is therefore also aiming to encourage a more proactive approach to inventory management among its customers.
Comprehensive on-site and remote support
The right equipment must be backed with the expertise and speed of response of a team that can offer a genuinely comprehensive support service. Sidel offers a combination of knowledge and expertise along with ease of accessibility on a global basis.
Sidel undertakes some 1,400 diagnostic visits a year to ensure a true understanding of its equipment currently operating in the market, developing customised maintenance services and sharing its expertise. The company has a global team providing 24/7 technical support on dedicated hotlines, along with instant emergency troubleshooting via remote access.
Wherever on-site intervention is required, Sidel has more than 850 field service engineers in strategic geographic locations throughout the world locally available. In the event of any equipment failure, global field experts can be dispatched to provide hands-on assistance to quickly bring productivity back to target levels.
Equally, training can also play a vital role in keeping a production line running smoothly. When employees are well instructed and able to carry out fast and efficient maintenance processes, they too can bring the line quickly back up to speed once the necessary work is fully completed.
