MOSCOW (MRC) -- Health Water Bottling Company (HWB, Riyadh / Saudi Arabia), part of the Saudi Olayan Group, has acquired a complete PET production line from liquid packaging and equipment supplier Sidel (Hunenberg), said Plasteurope.
The machinery representing the latest generation of Sidel’s Matrix brand products is claimed to have one of the world’s fastest turnover rates. From February 2015, HWB will be able to produce PET water bottles in 330 ml and 600 ml formats at a speed of 134,000 bottles per hour.
The bottling line will be equipped with two Sidel Matrix Combis, integrating blow-fill-cap in one enclosure. Because of the neck-handling and positive transfer of bottles between blow moulding and filling, Sidel said its machinery is not bound by the limitations imposed by air conveyors. Its use will offer HWB greater design freedom in terms of bottle shape and the ability to package lightweight bottles at high speeds. Moreover, the overall efficiency and design of the machinery, along with its lower energy consumption will contribute to “real cost reductions,” the Swiss company added.
Due to its growing population, Saudi demand for bottled water (both still and carbonated) is said to have risen by 52.4% between 2007 and 2012, from 1,063 to 1,620 million litres sold, and is forecast to grow even further in the coming years.
As MRC wrote before, beverage packaging equipment supplier Sidel (Le Havre/France) developed a PET bottle base for still drinks, which is says is stronger, lighter and cheaper to produce in August 2013.
Sidel is a manufacturing company providing packaging for liquids such as water; carbonated and non-carbonated soft drinks; and sensitive beverages like milk, liquid dairy products, juices, nectars, tea, coffee and isotonics; as well as edible oil, beer and other alcoholic beverages. Sidel manufacturers and services equipment that enables other companies to package such liquids using one of three main materials: plastic (especially PET, and also HDPE and PP).
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