IDM ¦ Packaging
Bickford’s Australia invested in one complete, versatile PET line, managing both sensitive products and CSD (photo: Sidel)
packaging capabilities. To streamline our decision process, they provided
many bottle design alternatives and great conceptual designs
with current labels as well as new prototypes. Considering the productivity
advantages we gained and the high consumer acceptance
around our redesigned containers, we are planning to strengthen
the cooperation with Sidel further and launch a 1 L format for sparkling
products, for water as well as CSD,” concludes Reeves.
Extensive flexibility for greater product variety
Refreshed designs within a diversified, premium portfolio are answering
the needs of a niche market, which is why Bickford’s is targeting
small batch production; an approach perfectly supported by the Sidel
low-speed aseptic line. To install the new set of equipment, Bickford’s
reorganised the production set-up and raw material localisation: for
instance, by removing two out of three hot-fill lines they had, they
gained empty floor space to be dedicated to the new complete line.
The challenge for Sidel’s team was to complete the installation without
disrupting the production routines, while also securing the very
high hygienic requirements needed in aseptic production.
The new versatile PET line, set-up at the Adelaide plant, includes
Tetra Pak Processing Systems technologies, guaranteeing
full product safety and maximising uptime starting from the process
step. Additionally, the Aseptic Combi Predis is completed by
the Capdis system for dry cap decontamination, while the CSD
Combi features the compact and hygienic BlendFILL configuration,
combining carbonator and filler in a single system for reduced consumption
of CO2. Gebo OptiDry, a fully washable, stainless steel
drying system with a proven efficiency of over 99% is integrated.
As part of the line, the customer opted also for Sidel’s proven Roll
Adhesive labeller, ensuring great stability and precision in the process,
plus a sleever intended to handle PSL.
Bickford’s hyper-flexible line manages both aseptic and regular
PET packaging on two different Combis, thus dealing with products
featuring two different bottle necks, namely 28 mm for CSD
14 · May 2020 ¦ international-dairy.com
and 38 mm for the aseptically-bottled products. They chose to use
one single End-of-Line (EOL) solution to optimise the TCO while
leading to maximised uptime, as changeovers are very easy. This
EOL includes a VersaWrap wrap-around case packer and a PalAccess
palletiser. Both pieces of equipment are designed with multiformat
versatility and fast and simple format changeovers in mind,
therefore perfectly suiting Bickford’s needs.
The line is now running at 12,000 bottles per hour (bph) for the
aseptically filled drinks and up to 18,000 bph for the CSD products,
with a greater efficiency than the one committed on the purchasing
agreement, thus contributing to a production capacity reaching
approximately 60 million bottles per year.
Safe and cost-effective solution around the clock
“It is important to note that this fantastic opportunity to switch from
one product to another is not compromising the sterility of our production,
rather the opposite. The PET aseptic line in our factory runs
ten hours per day and Sidel managed to keep the product in the filler
under complete food safety conditions between the last shift of the
day and the first one the day after, meaning for more than twelve
hours,” highlights George Kotses, Operations Manager at Bickford’s.
“By shifting from hot-fill to aseptic PET applications, we are
benefitting from an optimised TCO. Namely, the Combi Predis offers
a very competitive cost-efficiency ratio and a great environmental
footprint because it does not consume any water and uses
only very few chemicals. The solution allowed us to drastically reduce
the bottle’s weight,” he continues. Lastly, the reduced need
for cleaning in place (CIP) lowers maintenance costs.
Bickford’s first sellable product from the new line was introduced
to the market in the summer of 2019. As a final point in this successful
journey, the treasured brand celebrated the opening ceremony
for the line commissioning in September in the presence of Australian
Prime Minister, Scott Morrison, and Premier of South Australia,
Steven Marshall.
/international-dairy.com
/international-dairy.com
