As the largest US bottler in water production by volume, delivering one in three of all water bottles sold, Niagara Bottling LLC has built its success on supplying high-quality, low-cost water to major retailers from 25 plants throughout the US and Mexico. To do this, they rely on cutting-edge bottling technology – not least the new Super Combi from Sidel.
A demand for speed and efficiency
With more than 50 years of business experience, Niagara Bottling LCC understands how to achieve success in the water market by offering a high value product, which has the right taste profile and which is safe and clean to drink. Based on the positive trajectory the PET bottled water segment is showing in the US - it is projected to grow by a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 3% year on year between 2016 and 2020 1 – the company decided to install a new high-speed PET line that could deliver both performance and cost-efficiency.
Niagara Bottling has always been highly focused on LEAN production methods. With the Super Combi, the team recognised immediately how this new solution’s compact footprint and optimised raw material management could allow them to further reduce waste.
“Our focus is always going to be on reducing Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Our goal is to deliver a case of water to our customers, while removing any component and process which is not bringing added value to them. The Super Combi will let us take the next step in that evolution,” says Bill Hall, Executive Vice President of Manufacturing at Niagara Bottling LLC.
Ready for the next chapter of success
Niagara Bottling LLC has worked with Sidel for almost two decades and relies on Sidel’s equipment and expertise to maintain its leadership position in the low-cost bottled water market. “Sidel puts us in the most competitive position to produce a bottle and fill it with water. We believe that Sidel is one of the top players in the market place,” comments Bill Hall.
“The Super Combi concept is going to allow us to enhance our performance in a very smart way. In the past, we’d need a blower, filler, buffer conveyors and then maybe a couple of bottle aligners and labellers. With the Super Combi, we can have a blower, labeller and filler in one compact machine. This reduces inefficiencies, meaning we have fewer machines to maintain and a smaller working space to be controlled by less skilled operators. In this way, we can clearly drive down costs,” he continues.
Currently Niagara Bottling LLC has more than 15 complete PET lines from Sidel installed at its production sites. The two recently installed Super Combis - already producing bottled water for Niagara’s markets - will enable this ambitious bottler to increase efficiency through high-speed manufacturing and data management that can be used to guide information assessment and decision-making – from operator to management level. For their customers in the US, this means they can continue to enjoy the best value and highest quality bottled water on the shelves.
The Sidel Super Combi won the ‘Best Manufacturing or Processing Innovation’ category in the 2017 World Beverage Innovation Awards presented at the Drinktec trade fair in September. Designed to showcase the best in new developments and products from the beverage industry, this year’s Awards saw some 227 entries received from over 33 countries.
