As more products enter the beverage market around the world every week, today's consumer is growing more selective - demanding products with greater individuality, variety and convenience. For the producer, this generally means the need for increased flexibility and more productive uptime in their PET bottling line, with the market challenge to produce innovative and different drinks resulting in shorter production cycles and faster changeovers.
Faced with this growing pressure to continually adapt and change, beverage producers need to monitor equipment efficiency in order to identify bottlenecks in the manufacturing process if they are to ensure optimum productivity. They must also control system performance to maximise uptime across the PET?complete line and implement sustainability measures - as they become possible - to lower the consumption of energy, raw materials and other resources, at the same time minimising costs. Ultimately, it is about achieving improved line performance, whatever the product, while optimising total cost of ownership (TCO), by working with a liquid packaging solutions provider that can offer a complete portfolio.
This constant pursuit of greater productivity and optimised TCO has prompted innovative challenges within the beverage industry that are making production lines ever more technologically advanced. Greater line automation is increasing performance possibilities and the standards of equipment efficiency are continuously rising to meet the demands of what is a very fast-paced industry. So producers are advised to monitor production closely to ensure every component within the line is always operating to its full potential to deliver real production quality and reliability.
Complete solutions for today and tomorrow
With current needs so changeable, it pays producers to consider the specific needs of any bottling line from the beginning whenever possible. This proves true whether they are making water bottles at high speed or packaging juices or dairy products with high sensitivity while ensuring the longest shelf life. That is why the industry is now taking a more holistic approach when installing new bottling lines, because finding the optimum solution for any line goes beyond a simple choice of equipment. It requires a flexible approach to the set-up of complete lines.
A central part of this approach is securing the provision of proactive support. When initial targets for line productivity, efficiency and performance have been reached, after-sales service and support is vital in maintaining the standards achieved. They can even help improve them in the future. The original full-solution partner that designed and built any line is generally the best placed to support it. After all, the original manufacturers will normally have a comprehensive understanding of the installed line, its component machines and their individual parts. A dedicated support team from the original manufacturer will usually be able to offer producers a tailored portfolio of services that can optimise the value of beverage production on the line over the longer term.
Making the right decisions
The layout of a completely new line involves the consideration of many different and diverse factors. Identifying and installing the right equipment is vital if the line is to run smoothly and can be flexibly adapted to meet future needs. The choice of technology, the size of the selected equipment, the definition of line controls and automation, the actual footprint of the line, the management of raw materials and other resources - these are all essential decisions in engineering a line that fully meets all the requirements of any producer.
Planning for future flexibility
Project management and engineering teams from today's leading PET packaging experts can work with line designs at any stage of development. Naturally, they recommend working closely with producers from the very beginning of a project, assisting customers in the detailed planning of equipment and the layout of the new bottling line.
With the correct packaging development, flexible and reliable equipment, tailored line design, efficient line supply and ramp-up, smart data and prompt after-sales support and service, full-solutions partners are able to ensure that a producer's investment has the versatility that is needed - both at the time of installation and also in the future.
Using feasibility studies, simulation modelling and 3D animations to ensure that lines are carefully planned, constructed and controlled, they are able to create completely connected networks that are easy to operate and manage across the whole organisation via user-friendly design interfaces.
Whether it is a new greenfield project, the renovation of an existing facility or the modernisation of an ageing line, leading solutions providers are able to create designs of bottling lines to suit any context or environment.
From packaging to continuous performance
Developing the right package is proven to boost a product’s performance throughout the distribution process. It also allows communication of brand values, enhancing its customer-appeal on the supermarket shelf and the consumer experience it delivers.
Customisation is central to the packaging design process, offering the flexibility required to meet the rapid pace of change in consumer demands. With raw materials accounting for up to 80% of a PET bottle’s cost, taking advantage of a bottle’s design features is also a way of substantially reducing costs.
Research has shown that lightweighting PET bottles and caps can lead to significant savings by creating bottles that use less energy, raw material and resources to produce, yet still appeal to today’s brand-conscious consumer. Staying strong, they also are more than capable of fully protecting the quality of the liquid.
Virtual bottle modelling with finite element analysis can assess the bottle design’s stability and rigidity before production actually starts. Full feasibility performance tests can validate and industrialise its strength, ensure it is suitable for the challenges of the supply chain and provide a great experience for the consumer.
How the liquid performs within its packaging is also an important element of developing the optimal product. Liquid package interaction analysis considers various features in determining the most suitable packaging. This includes analysing the PET resin, the bottle neck and the shape where significant performance improvements, as well as cost savings, can be realised through factors such as lightweighting and the tightness of the cap.
Designed for optimal performance and flexibility
For any beverage type, a full-solution partner can help producers choose the most appropriate, reliable and modular equipment for the customer's own specific needs - from blowing, filling, labelling and packing through to flexible palletising. In that way, they can ensure that the line is fully adaptable to get the most out of the producer’s investment.
When designing a complete project plan for the line, experts will evaluate layout, technologies, features of the building housing the line, utilities and production cycles. To meet project deadlines a collaborative approach is required, with project and site management teams working closely with sub-suppliers, as well as each other. Extensive tests should be performed in-house during manufacturing and on pre-assembled equipment to provide high quality and reliability. This reduces installation time and offers fast and safe commercial ramp-up.
Smarter choices by monitoring productivity
After initial ramp-up - once the line is up and running - constant, real-time monitoring can keep productivity at its best. Bottlenecks can be spotted and potential inefficiencies highlighted. This helps to identify areas that might need improvement or cost optimisation. It enables changes to be implemented as soon as technological advances make them possible. By doing so, producers can be sure that they are maximising the lifetime of the line, thereby achieving the lowest TCO and making the most of their investment.
Some line experts utilise 'smart data' in their performance monitoring. To improve reactivity of employees, the data can be intuitively displayed at all levels across the customer's organisation. Managers use these real-time data solutions to view comparisons and process information for a complete overview of efficiencies. Engineers can source performance details to monitor line flow and maintain stability.
Maintenance personnel can access the system to trace problems and reduce downtime by instigating fast repairs. The information from such structured data can also help to accelerate SKU (stock keeping unit) changes on the line by automatically adjusting equipment and conveyors to prepare for the production of new products. Changeover times can be reduced by around 20% with overall costs lowered and uptime increased.
Proactive support is key
By monitoring performance, downtime can be pre-planned and fast, corrective maintenance provided in the event of unwanted stoppages. However, the reality is that, without proper intervention and maintenance, performance will naturally decrease over time as continuous high-speed action causes many fast-moving parts to wear. By helping producers to predict and resolve issues before they affect production, planned remedial maintenance will ensure the longevity of the line by replacing parts that wear over time. This, together with a proactive approach to spare parts management by the customer, can also help optimise overall operational costs and TCO.
Producers need the flexibility to adapt production by adjusting existing lines for planned new products, recipes or change of packaging, as consumer demands change. With original moulds from an expert in PET packaging for liquids, line conversions can give the producers increased uptime due to the implemented changes, along with reduced costs and greater overall production flexibility.
With other options and upgrades for every step of production, a competent support provider can make sure equipment is able to benefit from new technologies that can boost the performance of the line by replacing only selected modules. In addition, training in new methodologies and procedures by experts - on-site, online or at designated centres - can also increase operators’ skills as well as improve productivity and efficiency rates.
All-around expertise in complete line solutions
By collaborating with a full solution partner that is expert in liquid packaging when considering a complete new line, beverage producers gain access to a thorough understanding of the entire supply chain, from current market trends and changing consumer tastes to the challenges of beverage distribution and local regulations all across the globe. They benefit from the manufacturer's experience of designing and installing complete line solutions - and real expertise in PET production over many years.
Some of today's leading suppliers of PET bottling lines have an extensive knowledge of the blowing, filling and labelling processes and manufacture reliable and high quality, modular and sustainable equipment to reduce costs and the consumption of materials and resources. It is also important that they have the technical know-how to industrialise packages on behalf of beverage producers while reducing costs and ensuring outstanding performance throughout the entire supply chain. Then there is the increasingly selective consumer to consider, with the need to catch the eye in a competitive market and deliver a great consumer experience. Expertise is required in a number of different areas to achieve the full potential of a complete line solution.
