At Andina Pack, the International Fair for the Converting, Processing and Packaging Industry, the Sidel Group presented its latest innovations and complete line solutions for the industry in South America.
The Sidel Group - which is formed by the union of two strong brands, Sidel and Gebo Cermex - is a leading provider of equipment and services for packaging liquid, food, home and personal care products in PET, can, glass and other materials. At the event held in Bogotá, Colombia over four days from 7- 10 November, the Group demonstrated its innovations in services, equipment, engineering and end-of- line solutions - highlighting its very latest technological breakthroughs. These included: from Sidel - the Super Combi and from Gebo Cermex – AQFlex®.
The use of PET as a packaging material continues to grow, with its share of the Latin American beverage industry forecast to increase by 4% CAGR (compound annual growth rate) over the period 2014-2018. In terms of specific beverage sectors, bottled water is expected to provide the biggest growth at 6%, with CSD registering 2% 1 . Bogotá, as the capital of Colombia, provides the economic driving force for the country - some 25% of the total Colombian GDP is generated here 2 - as well as the city being a centre for the production of packaged food and a pivotal point in linking Central and South America for import/export with its major cargo air hub.
Optimising the cost and performance of lines at every step
From Stand 2529 (Hall 18-23), Ruben Ramos, Account Manager at Sidel in charge of Colombia, explained the reasons for Sidel advocating complete line solutions: “With consumer demand constantly changing, the key today for producers looking to increase both performance and longevity is to take a more holistic approach to production. The best solutions go beyond the simple choice of equipment. It starts at the very outset of any production line - with optimum results coming from the technical and technological know-how and packaging expertise of a full solution partner like Sidel.”
By partnering with the packaging expertise and experience of Sidel, producers get a thorough understanding of the entire supply chain, from current market trends and consumer tastes to distribution challenges and local regulations. Sidel will help producers choose the most appropriate equipment at each step of the production process - from blowing, filling and packing through to flexible palletising - ensuring that the line can be adapted to get the most out of the producer’s investment for any beverage type.
Single smart solution with continuous self-optimisation
A focus on the stand was the Sidel Super Combi. With its data-driven intelligence and advanced automation, it provides the answers for those producers of water and CSD beverages who simply want a solution that thinks and acts on their behalf. It is a ‘next generation solution’ integrating five process steps: preform feeder, blower, labeller, filler/capper and cap feeder. It has been engineered as a single smart solution - with intuitive interfaces, ergonomic design, compact footprint and clear guidance for ongoing high levels of performance and uptime. Autonomous regulation is achieved via Sidel Intelli-adjust™ controlling the system’s performance and automatically applying adjustments wherever they are needed. To ensure even more sustainable production, it has also been designed to minimise the use of resources.
With a strict focus on hygiene, packaging quality and beverage integrity, Sidel Super Combi ensures maximum food safety. The integration of innovative new technologies also minimises changeovers, which can be guided for improved speed and efficiency to keep the line running smoothly with minimal downtime. It is the ideal solution for maximising water and CSD production, increasing line efficiency and reducing TCO (total cost of ownership).
A step forward towards the factory of the future
Gebo Cermex - the Sidel Group’s business unit which is globally renowned for its expertise in line engineering and end-of- line solutions - also took the opportunity provided by Andina Pack to showcase the world’s first all-in- one product handling solution: AQFlex.
This new, intelligent solution delivers unprecedented packaging flexibility and performance. Encompassing all the advantages of existing conveying systems, AQFlex accommodates any product, whatever the application, whatever the market, in all container materials, formats and shapes, full or empty. It is even able to process fragile, unstable or premium containers. For optimum product traceability and continuous control of production quality, it works to an operating principle of ‘first-in, first-out’ (FIFO).
AQFlex offers a unique agility with smooth, contactless product conveying and accumulation in a very compact space. Most impressive is its ability to operate at any speed, from 1,000 to 100,000 containers per hour and deliver energy savings of up to 60%, without compromising high efficiency (99.5% even at high speeds) or sustainability, which is unprecedented. Product integrity is ensured by combining the single-lane, contact-free product handling and accumulation with advanced robotics based on a proven logic motion technology and centralised system architecture. At Andina Pack, Sidel and Gebo Cermex have shown producers how they can elevate their performance levels with future-proof solutions, market-tailored innovations and performance-based services.
