Issue 28 | Cooler Innovation by FoodBev Media Ltd

COOLER innovation

foodbev com A world of food and drink

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Pure intentions

INSIDE

How UK water treatment systems distributor Aqua Cure is making its name internationally

SPECIAL REPORT

Water cooler technology

BUSINESS INSIGHT

FOCUS

MARKET PROFILE

Packaging design and function From concept to exit strategy Asia’s diversity PLUS latest cooler industry innovation, business and technical news © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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Issue 28 - August · September 2010

Inside this issue 6 6-16 17-18 19 26-28 29-32 57

20 61 65 69

70 72 74

The editor’s view

COVER

46 STORY

A word about the issues in the industry.

Pure intentions

Cooler business For regular industry news updates, visit www.foodbev.com/cooler

We talk to Aqua Cure about its quiet success in Europe, and why it can be heard in the US.

Business Innovations Events Drinking water Watershorts Vending news

Event preview special

SPECIAL

35 REPORT

EBWA trade fair and convention.

Making waves

Business insight Taking a business from concept to conclusion.

In-depth look at water cooler technology, old and new.

Cooler views Mike Hurst explores cooler industry questions.

EPDWA News from the European Point of Use Drinking Water Association.

Cooler work

FOCUS

Packaging, design & function

A day in the life of the cooler industry workplace.

Marketplace

Bottles, caps and labels under the microscope.

Cooler Innovation products and services guide.

Light at the end Waste water company gets the green Bug.

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Cooler news and opinion

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MARKET

58 PROFILE © Marina Kryukova | istockphoto.com

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Asia’s diversity Regional overview of water consumption and water cooler penetration.

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

CONTENTS 3

The editor’s view

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Event is the buzzword

ight now, the word in the office is ‘event’. This is due in part to the forthcoming IBWA-supported InterBev Awards (featuring the Beverage Innovation Awards, organised by FoodBev Media), but it’s due mainly to EBWA’s tabletop show and convention in Prague. It’s not until October, but the buzz is building. These thing are always a bit of fun, and there’s something comforting about seeing the returning brands and managers we know; in hard economic times it’s a reassurance that the industry is alright, it’s a proof of staying power. But while those of us in the old network are catching up and shaking hands, how should we be reacting to newcomers, new products and new displays? For some it might be confronting - after all, how many more entrepreneurs can the industry ship hold when it’s already navigating rough seas?

introductions and offer advice. But whether you’re nervous about the added pressures on the industry or eager to tell your old cooler jokes to new ears, the arrival of new wellinformed businesses is basically, fundamentally, good news. Sensible new ventures have done their research and due diligence, and fresh faces at any trade show or conference should be considered a positive. It generally means that not only is the industry holding its own, it’s innovating and changing with the climate; and it’s still growing - or has room to. There are customers out there.

Most of course will be delighted, and will probably be lining up to make

Business Insight looks at what it’s like to be a start-up company and what it takes,

be it a start-up or an existing but simply stagnant business, to get going. And our Special Report looks at water cooler technology and the evidence that we’re still researching, designing and innovating to grow customer base and individual businesses, which can only boost the industry as a whole. The feature touches on tried-and-tested technologies and explores more recent developments and modifications. Some of these - new businesses and emerging technologies - will no doubt be on show at the EBWA trade fair; although, as we discuss in the Event Special preview inside, while the trade show might make the most noise the conference addresses the ongoing

Rachel Delahaye

rhythm of the industry and what the future score looks like. There’s no doubt the landscape is changing, but the cooler industry’s major advantages are the creative minds that it attracts and the sense of community it has developed - so although as individuals we can’t predict the future, adapting to make the most of the opportunities and continuing to communicate how we do so will help to protect it. Enjoy.

Correction Cooler Innovation would like to make an apology to Aquis Systems and Activewhere for a misprint on page 9 in Issue 27 which stated that: “Aquis clients will be able to upgrade easily and at no cost to Activewhere,” when in fact the information should have read: “Aquis clients will be able to upgrade easily to Activewhere with no loss of functionality.” We offer sincere apologies if this error has inconvenienced or misled.

COOLER innovation

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EDITORIAL 5

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International cooler industry news

Business Changes in 2.7 million unit West Europe water cooler market

fter two decades of strong growth, the West European water cooler market dipped by 0.6% during 2009 to 2.69 million units at the end of the year, according to new research from Zenith International.

“Against the backdrop of a widespread economic downturn, the cost saving potential from mains-fed was a major factor in this big change,” said Zenith Senior Market Analyst Charmaine Holmes. The UK and Italy remain the largest markets in West

Europe, with a combined unit share in excess of 40%. More countries recorded net declines than in 2008, with many customers tightening their cooler requirements in order to save costs. Austria, Greece and Denmark were the strongest performers, making solid gains in terms of overall placements. Traditionally, bottled water coolers were found in the boardroom and mains-

Source: Zenith International

West Europe cooler countries 2009

Total 2.69 million units

Source: Zenith International

Mains-fed coolers continued their advance, rising by 10% to a 35% share, while the number of bottled water coolers fell back again by 5%.

West Europe cooler numbers 2005-09

fed on the factory floor. Yet in recent years, the two sectors have become increasingly intertwined. Both are now found in a wide array of outlets and the majority of cooler operators offer both formats. The importance of mains-fed is increasingly being recognised by industry associations, which are in turn helping raise standards within the industry. The UK and Italy are also the largest mainsfed markets in West Europe. For bottled water coolers, 2009 was a particularly

difficult year: “It’s not surprising to see a further decline in more mature markets such as the UK, but 2009 also saw previously strong growth markets such as Spain and Greece especially hard hit by the severe economic conditions,” said Holmes. Zenith forecasts that the combined cooler market in West Europe will have grown to 3.2 million units by 2014, 480,000 more than in 2009. Mains-fed is expected to continue making gains on bottled coolers up to a share approaching 50%.

Water Coolers Direct wins Olympic deal

ater Coolers Direct has agreed a contract with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games to provide mains-fed water coolers to Olympic administrative offices and transport offices.

stationed at Churchill Place in Canary Wharf and the transport office at the Olympic Delivery Authority. They remain in place until 2013, to cover the build-up, the event itself and the closing of the London 2010 Olympic Games.

Fred Cairns Palmer, told Cooler Innovation: “To be seen to supply major organisations such as this has an enormous value to a medium-sized company that started in a loft conversion six years ago.”

Winix Samsung coolers and Zip hyrdrotaps have been

The Managing Director of Water Coolers Direct,

The family business has 20 staff, with more than

11,000 of its coolers in use across the country. The Olympic arrangement follows a recently secured three-year contract to supply all of the corporate offices and some of Barclays’ flagship branches up and down the country.

6 NEWS

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Oxygenator Water Technologies licenses technology

xygenator Water Technologies (OWT) has announced that it will license its Dissolved Oxygen Generator (DOG) water oxygenation technology for use in the cleaning and sanitisation equipment industries. The patented OWT technology optimises the real-time production of microbubbles and nanobubbles of oxygen in water, so small that they are unable to break water surface tension. OWT’s patented approach means the water becomes oxygen-saturated.

Vivreau’s new heights

ollowing Vivreau’s selection as an eco-friendly drinking water solution for London’s Hotel Rafayel earlier this year, the company has since been chosen to supply the latest addition to the Biohotels group - Hotel Ucliva, situated high in the Swiss Alps. A spokesperson for Vivreau said: “The hotel’s manager chose to install a Vivreau drinking water system in order to take advantage of their local mountain spring water which as you’d imagine is of excellent quality. With Vivreau’s Bottler the hotel is able to filter and bottle this water, eliminating any need to transport water and create plastic or glass packaging waste. Hotel guests have been particularly impressed by Vivreau’s beautiful carafe-like designer bottles used to serve the water and by the hotel’s own branding which appears on the bottles.”

Vivreau Switzerland’s Francois Courvoisier believes there’s huge potential for the company in the Swiss hospitality sector where most hoteliers serve pre-bottled water as a matter of course, despite the ample local supply of excellent drinking water. He said: “It’s taken concerns about climate change and the need to cut their carbon footprint to enable hoteliers to see the logic of using a main-fed system like Vivreau’s, but now they’ve understood they’re eager to kick the bottled water habit. In a country like Switzerland where quality and service really matters, Vivreau are the natural choice.”

Jeff Brink, President and CEO of OWT, said: “Our innovative electrolytic hydrolysis technology is a very dark shade of ‘green’ - we create oxygen from the water itself and require only small amounts of energy. This highly efficient technology is scalable from

small, hand-held units to large, industrial equipment. “As a result, we believe OWT’s patented oxygenator technology offers a great platform for chemical-free cleaning and sanitisation equipment for commercial, industrial and consumer markets.” Under its branded Water DOG Works group, Minnesota-based OWT has launched a portfolio of products aimed at the light commercial and residential water treatment markets and has engaged 3DBD as an exclusive licensing agent. OWT is looking for strategic partners.

Microfilter expands residential RO production

icrofilter has recently expanded its residential RO membrane elements production line in Korea. According to a Microfilter spokesperson, the expansion is due to the global, increased demands of their customers. The expansion provides RO membrane capacity to support the increase and allow the company to meet customer’s delivery expectations.

8 NEWS

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Kleena Coola branches out

leena Coola has moved into newly built business premises, comprising warehouse and offices double the size of its former home. Managing Director Ian Devine said the move will improve customer service and efficiency. “A very simple philosophy lies behind the success of Kleena Coola,” Ian Devine said.

to our customers, many of whom not only are looking for a fast delivery, but also sound advice.”

“’Quality assured service’ has been the keystone in becoming a major player and a reliable trusted supply partner for many cooler suppliers in the UK, Ireland and Europe. We are here to perform a service

The move is in tune with Kleena Coola’s expansion plans, the company having recently teamed up with new manufacturers such as Canaletas and LabelTech, and the broadening of its product range.

Global water treatment market shows growth

he global residential water treatment market is showing significant growth, according to research carried out by Verify Markets. The areas of significant growth are Asia and Latin America, where the combination of health education, poor water quality, economic growth and more heavily advertised products means filtered water is on the radar and being taken more seriously. While the fastest growth may come from this region as it plays catch-up, the US, Japan and Western Europe are still, technologically, global leaders in the water treatment market; and in terms of revenue the largest markets in 2009 were Japan with $2.22 billion; the US, $1.85 billion; China, $1.13 billion; South Korea, $716 million; India, $588.1 million.

According to the report, double-digit growth is expected over the next seven years for China and India, where the purchase and innovation of gravity purifiers are an increasingly popular option due to the poor population base and relatively costly UV or RO water purifiers. Verify Markets forecasts that market revenue for pointof-entry (POE) products will remain flat in the coming years. The largest markets for mains-fed systems are currently in the US, Japan, South Korea and China. Countertop units are the most popular units in most regions, globally, followed closely by under-sink units.

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

NEWS 9

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Smurfit Kappa attains sustainability certification

murfit Kappa UK is the first UK manufacturer to achieve Chain of Custody (CoC) certification for its entire UK corrugated and paper manufacturing capacity. The successful twoyear programme of CoC certification is one of the first to take an integrated, company-wide approach. The certification programme began in April 2008, encompassing Smurfit Kappa’s UK major operations, which comprises two recycled paper mills, 15 corrugated facilities and paper mills, including large integrated factories, and sheet plants, as well as specialist plants for sheet feeding and paper printing. Certification approval enables Smurfit Kappa to offer its customers fully certified packaging solutions on over 95% of its products. Ian Naylor, Strategic Development Director

for Smurfit Kappa UK, responsible for overseeing the packaging aspect of the programme said: “Sustainability is a far reaching issue that affects every corner of our business and we’re proud to be the first UK paper and packaging manufacturer to attain this wide-ranging span of certification. “It’s far more than just being able to apply approval logos to our products - our approach is to deliver a credible guarantee to our customers and support them in front of their customers (consumers) by confirming that all packaging supplied by Smurfit Kappa UK use materials originating from well-managed forests,

controlled sources, reclaimed materials, or a mixture of these.” Certification approval will enable Smurfit Kappa to offer its customers fully certified packaging solutions on over 95% of its products. Martin Ferrari, Sales and Marketing Director UK & Ireland, Smurfit Kappa Paper UK said: “This

BWT buys Culligan International

uropean water treatment company Best Water Technology-Group has announced its acquisition of Culligan International (UK), a UK affiliate of the US based Culligan Group. Under the acquisition, Culligan International (UK) will be renamed BWT UK and will be a UK provider of domestic and commercial water treatment products and bottled water. BWT CEO, Andreas Weissenbacher, said: “This deal sets one of the last important milestones

for BWT’s geographic expansion in Europe. We cordially welcome 160 new employees in the UK to our BWT family.” Jon Wicks, MD of Culligan International (UK), said: “We’re excited by the opportunities that the BWT product range brings, to offer enhanced solutions to our customers in the

domestic and commercial marketplaces. “BWT mirrors our UK market approach, and their wealth of experience and technical expertise will allow us greater growth opportunities.” This follows the sale in June this year of Culligan International Company’s vended water business, operated by Culligan Store Solutions (CSS), to water retail company Primo Water.

commitment to Chain of Custody certification is highly relevant to paper and pulp production and with our UK Recycled mills now certified alongside our Kraft mill at Piteå in Sweden (Europe’s largest Kraftliner producer) Smurfit Kappa are able to offer our customers the highest levels of certainty concerning sustainability compliance.”

Nestlé Waters Poland opens Dar Natury factory

estlé Waters Poland has opened a new Home & Office Delivery water bottling factory in Rzeniszów, close to Krakow. The factory will support the development of the company’s Dar Natury bottled water brand by providing new water resource capacities close to the big distribution centre areas. The factory produces large bottles of 18.9 litres of water and will produce more than 40 million litres a year.

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Angel Springs drives marketing solution

ngel Springs has collaborated with vehicle body-builder Bevan Group to supply a moveable marketing solution to its delivery trucks. Angel Springs has taken delivery of the first seven units from an order for 15 new Isuzu 7.5-tonners with automatic transmissions, fitted with Bevan’s curtainslider bodies, designed for fast access. The vehicles arrived via Angel Springs’ long-term contract hire partner, fleet management group Fraikin. Curtainslider bodies are tensioned from front to back and have locks at both ends, so to gain access drivers simply concertina back the curtains. The trucks also have rear-mounted and interchangeable 2 metre square panels which are being used to publicise the latest marketing initiatives supplied to the Bevan Group by Angel Springs.

Technicians from Bevan’s aftercare team take the new panels out to the Angel Springs locations where vehicles are based, fit them and return to base with the removed panels. Angel Spings National Operations Director Kevin Matthews said: “My marketing colleagues originally wanted to change the vehicle liveries on a regular basis, but I explained to them that apart from the cost, I couldn’t afford to take my vehicles off the road for weeks at a time so the work could be done. “This is a fantastic solution though, because the panels look great and it takes no time at all to swop them over. It’s also very cost effective

- in fact, Bevan’s production and associated costs for this exercise are a good bit lower than I thought they would be.”

vehicles but others represent a further extension to the company’s fleet of 60 trucks and vans, the vast majority of which are 7.5-tonners.

Angel Springs’ first seven trucks are all based at its depot in Tring, Hertfordshire; the remaining eight will operate from its headquarters in Wolverhampton, and from Halifax. Some of the new trucks will replace older

“We’re very busy right now and our depots are delivering record volumes of water, so we need additional vehicles to meet the demand,” said Mr Matthews. “Our drivers make up to 45 drops per day and they love these new trucks.”

Blupura’s Greenpeace approval

ater cooler manufacturer Blupura has been listed in the Greenpeace document entitled Cool Technologies: working without HFCs - 2010. Blupura was the first water cooler manufacturer to incorporate a compressor using R290, a natural refrigerant gas with zero carbon emissions. Managing Director of Blupura, Luca Costantini commented: “In our industry all other watercoolers are still using the HFC R134, that

contains fluoride, one of the major causes of the global warming, and actually named in the Kyoto Protocol as 12,500 times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming. “Blupura is proud and delighted that such an important independent organisation such as Greenpeace has recognised

its efforts and investments in being the pioneer of natural gases in the water cooler industry. “The environment is not just fashionable small talk for us, but a real company philosophy based on conviction. Every Blupura water cooler is designed and produced using as much recycled material as possible and with energy saving technology.”

12 NEWS

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WaterPure International enters West European market

aterPure International has announced the appointment of Brian Lappin, Aquamagic, County Armagh, Ireland as the exclusive distributor for their WaterCycle Atmospheric Water Generator (AWG) in Great Britain and Ireland. WaterCycle AWGs extract moisture from the atmosphere and through a condensation process purifies it to create drinking water. The distributor agreement requires a minimum order of 200 units over 24 months which are expected to be sold to schools, factories, government offices, hospitals, homes and offices.

Paul Lipschutz, Chairman of WaterPure International, stated: “As drought situations prevail in many parts of the Isles, we are excited to place our WaterCycle AWG with a distributor in the area and offer a solution to the problem. “For less than 10 cents per gallon, our unique WaterCycle AWG can

IBWA’s model presentation

he International Bottled Water Association (IBWA) has posted its newest video, The Real Story of Bottled Water, on its consumer-oriented YouTube channel, Bottled Water Matters. IBWAs videos are a lighthearted but informative rebuttal to claims made by anti-bottled water activists. Tom Lauria, IBWA Vice President of Communications said: “In the past few months, activists have made claims that the bottled water industry ‘manufactures demand’ for bottled water. But the truth is that demand for bottled water is ‘consumer driven,’ and our video illustrates this important difference by giving viewers insightful background information about the industry and the true reasons of bottled water’s widespread popularity. “I expect that this video will be an eye-opener for some

people who may have only heard the false and inaccurate information being disseminated by activists.” Produced in-house, IBWA’s video uses claymation, with a talking 5-gallon water cooler bottle made from blue modelling clay giving her side of the story. It’s the latest addition to more than a dozen videos on IBWA’s YouTube channel, named Bottled Water Matters. “A lot of informationspin on the theory of the so-called ‘manufactured demand’ can be easily researched and debunked,” said Tom Lauria. “To save consumers time, we’re happy to do it for them.”

generate 7-12 gallons of 100% carcinogen-free pure water a day. It should be a win/win for all; truly a great marketplace for our WaterCycle AWG.” Paul Lipschutz told Cooler Innovation: “We are pleased that our global operations have expanded into the European market. In addition to Ireland and Great Britain, WaterPure expects to place distributors in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy enabling us to ship our WaterCycle AWGs in greater bulk at substantially lower cost. The WaterCycle will save

vital water in those regions providing a less expensive and purer water supply for residents.”

HaloSource teams up with DelAgua

lean water technologies company HaloSource has signed an agreement with DelAgua, the UK based water testing organisation, for the development of an emergency response mains-fed dispenser. The dispenser will use HaloSource’s HaloPure disinfection technology combined with its proprietary pre-treatment biopolymers, and will enhance the DelAgua kit which enables field workers to test water quality in remote areas - by providing on-the-spot purification, removing 99.9% of diseasecausing bacteria. John Kaestle, Chief Executive of HaloSource, commented: “We are particularly pleased to be embarking on this project with DelAgua as we firmly believe a HaloPure powered device can transform

water quality in the myriad of emergency response situations the world over. Being able to provide access to disease-free, safe water at a time of greatest need without the need for electricity or water pressure makes HaloPure a truly lifechanging technology.” The DelAgua kit is used by Oxfam, among other aid groups.

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Masafi’s massive pledge

iddle Eastern water delivery giant Masafi has launched a Corporate Recycling Programme. Under the programme Masafi has committed to collecting all plastic bottles, regardless of brand, from establishments with over 200 employees. According to Head of Marketing Natascha Edelmann, the bottles are cleaned and crushed and recycled into other forms of food packaging. This eco-conscious step follows a recent move by Masafi to biodegradable shrink-wrap packing for water bottles throughout the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait and Masafi hopes to use the same technology for its bottles and caps within two years.

Licenses cancelled for 18 Malaysian bottled water companies

ccording to Sun2Surf, The Malaysian Source for News and Lifestyle, the Malaysian Health Ministry has cancelled the licences of 18 companies involved in producing bottled drinking water for failing to follow guidelines and terms of the licence. Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai is reported to have said that action was taken against the companies after carrying out tests on the quality of water produced by such companies, and that the government

carries out random checks. The companies in question failed to follow the proper guidelines. Tap water is declared safe and drinkable because the contents are under the control and testing of the ministry.

Eden Springs in talks to buy Nestlé Waters unit in France

ccording to reports in the Israeli press, Eden Springs (Europe) SA is in talks regarding the acquisition of Nestlé Waters Direct France from Nestlé Waters. Nestlé Waters Direct France serves 36,000 business customers with its Nestlé Aquarelle-topped bottled water coolers. Eden Springs serves 60,000 customers in France and is seeking to increase its customer base. The moves comes around two months after Eden Springs in the UK took over the cooler customers of the collapsed Powwow Water company, which, after a period in private hands, had been previously owned by Nestlé Waters.

16 NEWS

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Innovations New M-90 Self-Cleaning Water Filter

orsta Filters has launched the new M-90. The automatic water filter offers a flow capacity of as much as 100 gallons per minute, and screen mesh available to 5 micron, with a single 1 inch flush valve. The M-90 uses under 2

gallons in the six second backwash cycle - and automatic backwash allows the filter to clean itself as needed, requiring almost no routine maintenance. Less than 12 inches tall, the M-90 is designed to be incorporated into nearly any piping system.

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Waterlogic’s Firewall against bacteria

ater cooler manufacturer Waterlogic has revealed its new patented UV purification system, UV Firewall. The technology is placed at the point of dispense and it has satisfied independent laboratory tests, protecting against even the most resistant of bacteria, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Legionella pneumophila.

Ecosmart water boiler

uropean manufacturer of filter coffee brewers and water boilers, Marco Beverage Systems has announced the launch of Ecosmart. The Ecosmart has a variable temperature control for brewing different speciality teas and coffees with the exact temperature and machine readiness communicated via an LED display. Temperature can be controlled within a band from 98°C down to 60°C. The Ecosmart also includes programmable portion dispense with pulsed delivery, which can be altered to cup sizes. Total water flow and filter life is also indicated via the LED.

Kleena Coola stocks Label Tech

s part of Kleena Coola’s expansion effort, it has teamed up with bottle label manufacturers Label Tech and now offers stock of long-life labels to the cooler industry.

Abbeychart stocks 3M

M’s new AP2-G water cooler filters are now available through Abbeychart. The mains-fed filters are compact and cost-effective, using enhanced filtration technology and 53% less plastic than previous filters.

Aqua Cure announces catalogue additions

TO-10F System and Cartridges from H2O Direct, incorporating an auto shut-off valve in the head, making filter changes quick and easy. The filter is rated down to 1 micron. Deb InstantFOAM and dispensers, available as 1 litre wall-mounted or floorstanding units or in pocket-size bottles. Mini leak detector that reacts to volumes of water small as a spoonful,

making it far more sensitive than a water block but effective inside the base of a cooler or inside a cupboard. The replaceable cartridge at the base of the unit reacts on contact with water, expanding and pushing a stop into the integrated pipe, blocking the flow of water. Once the leak/spillage has been rectified, the flow of water can be quickly restored by replacing the cartridge.

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PRODUCT NEWS 17

Innovations Linis launches Water Station coolers

Boomerang the bottler with give and take

nder the brand name Linis, US based Chester Paul Company has launched affordable ‘Water Stations’, which are mains-fed coolers with a solid four stage RO or micro filtration system and ‘electropolished’ stainless steel tank. Linis Marketing Manager, Scott Bailey said: “It was our intention to provide a high quality unit at a reasonable price, without extraneous features that add up to high maintenance costs for the dealer.”

Pure design a winner

inning a James Dyson award for design, the Pure Water Bottle uses a combination of a four micron filter and a windup UV system to provide a portable water sanitising system with 99.9% efficiency. The concept is the brainchild of Timothy Whitehead who, while travelling through Zambia, began contemplating the issues around purifying water. He found that, while chlorine and iodine tablets were available, it took half an hour to clean the water, and left an unpleasant aftertaste. According to the design notes: A fully working prototype has been produced and scientifically proven to sterilise 99.9% of bacteria and viruses. The following areas have been developed and tested: original filter designed, which filters

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learwater Manufacturing has created a mini waterbottling machine that sanitises, fills and caps glass and aluminium bottles of water on site for immediate sale and consumption. No larger than a hotel ice maker, it’s designed to be leased or sold to universities, hospitals, military bases, companies, theme parks and cruise lines. Named Boomerang Water Bottling System - with the tag line Think Ahead, Give Back it produces six bottles per minute of purified water, up to 2,800 bottles per day. The bottles can be purchased or returned, and the client has the option of putting a logo on the bottles.

“Boomerang is a WinWin-Win; the environment wins by eliminating landfill contribution and reducing Co2 emissions by 95% after the first return. Producing the bottled water in-house eliminates the need for trucks to deliver water, thereby eliminating vehicle emissions. The consumer wins with a convenient, sustainable bottled water product, and the Boomerang Machine owner wins with higher profits.”

A spokesperson for Clearwater said:

Aquatina, the collapsing water bottle any soiled water down to four micron in particle size (fully scientifically proven). A wind-up Ultra Violet light system has been produced, including a custom-designed PCB to monitor winding frequency and to give user feedback when the water is sterile. The casing has been designed for both prototype production and manufacture.

vailable through independent water cooler and water delivery company, The Water Delivery Company, the reusable Aquatina drinking bottle folds down to a third of its size between uses and is being launched alongside London’s ‘Find a Fountain’ campaign to provide an ecological solution to portable drinking water.

18 PRODUCT NEWS

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Event review Interbev 2010 When: 22-24 September 2010 Where: Orange County Convention Centre, Orlando, Florida, USA Info: www.interbev.com

LabelExpo Americas 2010 When: 14-16 September 2010 Where: Donald E Stephens Convention Centre, Chicago, Illinois

Attending the biennial event will be processors and distributors of all types of beverages, including: soft drinks, bottled water, dairybased beverages, sports drinks, 100% juice and juice drinks, energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, distilled spirits, neutraceuticals and powdered drinks. There will be opportunities to learn best practices, hear from industry leaders, see industry innovations first-hand and network.

With 400 exhibitors, 23 conference sessions and technology workshops and digital printing masterclasses, LabelExpo Americas 2010 is the largest show of its kind this year and will feature working presses, printing EBWA 16th Trade Fair and packaging displays and & Convention discussions on how to address When: 26-27 October 2010 the environmental issue in Where: Prague, Czech Republic the labelling industry. Info: www.ebwa2010.com EBWA’s only table top trade event this year, and convention, will take place in Prague. Dedicated to IWA World Water the European water cooler Congress and industry it provides an Exhibition opportunity for members and When: 19–24 September 2010 stakeholders to get together and share visions, ideas, Where: Montréal, Canada Info: www.iwa2010montreal.org challenges and opportunities. The conference will look at 4,500 water professionals the future of water coolers will gather to discuss the and how to exploit openings science and application of and opportunities within the water management, from European market. water, climate and energy to cities of the future, Vending Paris 2010 managing utilities and When: 27-29 October 2010 their assets, securing Where: Pavilion 4, Porte de new and traditional water Versailles exhibition centre resources for the future, Info: www.vendingparis.com water, ecosystems and catchments, and water This year’s Vending Paris and health. will take on a whole new

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dimension, with events and themes in tune with the latest market trends: quality-focused innovation, sustainable development, automatic canteens, with talks and one-to-one interviews with prominent industry figures.

Global Bottled Water Congress When: 1-3 November 2010 Where: Gleneagles, Scotland

Info: www.zenithinternational. com/events Keynote addresses from Danone, Nestlé and Tesco, and overviews from Highland Spring and Coca-Cola Hellenic Ireland with communication strategy from the Natural Hydration Council and production insights from San Benedetto, Niagara Bottling and Bericap. There will be contributions on sustainability from North and South America, on brand building in emerging markets from India and Africa, and on product innovation from Europe and the United States. A retailer panel discussion and market briefings from Voss and Zenith International will conclude the proceedings.

Event review Caffè Culture 2010 When: 23-25 June 2010 Where: Olympia, London Featuring the latest products and services in the café industry, with international exhibitors and a far-reaching programme of workshops, seminars, demonstrations and tastings, Caffè Culture hosted its biggest show, more than doubling previous attendance figures, with a record 11,363 visitors and just under 300 international exhibitors. The event also hosted the World Barista Championships, and the world finals of the SCAE (Speciality Coffee Association of Europe) competitions which ran alongside the SCAE Annual Conference. At the conference were

many expert speakers including Buck Hendrix, Starbucks; Doug Zell, Intelligentsia; David Schomer, Vivace; Kenneth Luciani, Baresso; James Wallman, The Future Laboratory and Lewis Allen, Portland Design. During the show it was announced that Upper Street Events, the organisers of Caffè Culture, and the SCAE are to go into partnership to host further events within Europe. The collaboration will see Upper Street Events organise the SCAE’s annual exhibition and conference. As part of the new initiative the event will be re-launched and rebranded, with the first edition taking place from 22–24 June 2011 at the MECC in the picturesque city of Maastricht, Holland.

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EVENT REVIEW 19

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EBWA trade fair and convention “Get the best from Prague. It is a meeting that can only be judged by who you meet there. Every handshake is a source of inspiration.” Yariv Shapira

This year’s only trade fair dedicated to the water cooler industry in Europe takes place in Prague, 24-27 October. We look at what exhibitors and visitors can expect for their Czech koruna in Cooler Innovation’s preview guide. The EBWA event is dedicated to bottled water coolers and mains-fed alike, and while the convention will address its view of the future of the industry and its external influences, its doors will open up more immediate opportunities to network and strengthen from within. For individuals and companies it’s a chance to talk for fun and for business. EBWA’S Chairman Yariv Shapira, said: “This year’s

Gustav Felix, EBWA Managing Director

Yariv Shapira, EBWA Chairman

EBWA Fair and Conference is the only event dedicated to the water cooler industry and again perfectly timed to allow our members and stakeholders to get together and share visions, ideas, challenges and opportunities.” The busiest part of the event will undoubtedly be the trade fair, traditionally high-volume in terms of footfall and chatter as old faces meet again and new faces make their introductions against the backdrop of display stands, latest products and newest technologies. But the preceding meetings of the Execo and the Committees, and the conference, which runs alongside the tabletop event, all have significance.

Still time to show For remaining trade show stand availability go to the Exhibition floor plan at www.ebwa2010.com

Skilled trade Paul Lawson of US strategy development consultants Myrddin Group tells us why trade shows are so important to business across the globe. “Well as with just about anything in business, when people don’t know what they don’t know they tend to run into the most serious kinds of trouble. A trade show helps suppliers deal with this dynamic when attendees at the show who didn’t know anything about them get the opportunity to find

out what the possibilities of working with them as a previously unknown supplier are. “This process is much more robust at a show than it is with an Internet search as people can get to talk to real people and touch real products. In our own promotional products company we had a presence at virtually all of the national, regional, and local table top shows all across the country. This is how we met new customers.”

20 EBWA

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

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“In this age of fast-changing consumer behaviour and increased global competition a strong brand and reliable customer service is an asset. Consumers are becoming more sophisticated, discerning and sensitive to quality and branding in West as well as in East Europe.” Yariv Shapira

Conference “What is clear is that the members believe in the value of live meetings. But they expect to gain the most beneficial networking and collaboration with their partners, and how to plan their day to day activity with the long term vision that adapts the evolution of the customer’s needs to our expertise and our comparative advantage in the markets. Flexibility, open mind and speed of execution should be our guidance,” said Yariv Shapira. While the meetings will address association business, the conference’s aim will be to look at how the industry can meet challenges, as an entity and as a collection of individual interests. To begin the proceedings, Charmaine Holmes, Senior Market Analyst at Zenith International, will present Zenith’s view of the cooler market trends and developments across Europe. This will give attendees a good overview of the current situation and a chance to see a bigger-picture illustration of how the industry is acting and re-acting to influences that affect the continent as a whole. The natural question and follow-on discussion is where it goes from here.

Hubert Genieys, Head of Corporate Communication, Nestlé Water, will look at the future of bottled water; and Roland Bengtsson, Honorary Chairman of the European Bottled Watercooler Association, will look at how he can open up new markets in Eastern Europe, which, while manufacturing mains-fed remains at present bottled water dominant. With the mains-fed share increasingly and invariably encroaching on that of the bottled water cooler industry in Western Europe, how the industry can and should accommodate the change is the hot topic and, for many, a hot potato. John Dundon, CEO of Angel Springs and Chairman of the Bottled Water Cooler Association, explores the relationship and the opportunities that can be extracted from it. A talk given by International Bottled Water Association (IBWA), President Joe Doss, will address industry challenges and the opportunities that can arise from maintaining effective communication, leaving listeners in no doubt as to the importance of their attendance.

Joe Doss Joe Doss is President and CEO of IBWA, founded in 1958, which represents the interests of bottled water cooler companies and small pack bottled water companies in the US.

Hubert Genieys On June 25, 2010, Hubert Genieys was appointed President of The European Federation of Bottled Waters (EFBW). Well qualified, with over 20 years experience in the water business, Hubert Genieys has served as Vice President of External Communications for Nestlé Waters since 2006.

Roland Bengtsson Often cited as ‘the founder of EBWA’, Roland Bengtsson is EBWA’s only Honorary President, honoured at EBWA’s 10th birthday celebrations in 2004 when eight of the organisation’s ten past Presidents gathered in Paris.

Presentation of the birthday cake, with: the compére; Michael Barnett; Roni Naftali; Ab Olde Scheper; Roland Bengtsson; Mike Hecker; Emmanuel Eeman; Richard Azera; and François Jolly

22 EPDWA

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Training sessions The EBWA event is designed to be one that visitors can take away with them - in terms of memories, contacts or potential business deals. But practical knowledge and accreditation? Hygiene Training for mainsfed and ‘Train the Auditor’ sessions are three-hour seminars - a small amount of time for what can offer operators and piece of mind, and their associations and customers an important certificate of accreditation.

Workshops Experts can inform, but they can also teach. And conference workshops are dedicated to expanding the knowledge base of participants and helping them think and work from different perspectives. With keynote speakers such as Alain Adler from Sipwell and Theodore Argyriou of

Zireia Bottling Company, businesses can look at improving operations inhouse and focus on looking for new opportunities on the horizon. Materials for bottles is topical, with Nestlé engineering expert Jean Hinschberger looking at the recyclables and Dr Melanie Mothrath, Chairperson of PC/ BPA Group, Plastics Europe, discussing BPA and the safety debate. Laurent Alozy of Op-Crate and Craig S Scott of Polymer Solutions International will talk about the logistics aspect of the bottled water business crates, racks and stacking being a component not only of storage but operational efficiency. And lastly, but certainly not least, one of the key considerations in the water business - hygiene; Dr Terence Child will be talking about best practice for bottling plant operation, and Mike Hurst will be discussing best practice in mains-fed installations.

Award winning entertainment As the sun sets over Prague, not all event-goers will be calling it a night. The Chairman’s Reception and Aqua Awards begins at 8pm in the InterConintental Praha Hotel at the acclaimed Zlata Praha Restaurant. While categories haven’t yet been announced for the Aqua Awards 2010, last year’s Barcelona event saw success in categories such as Best Plant Audit, Best Distributor Audit, Best Product Innovation, Best Promotion of Healthy Hydration, Best Environmental Promotion. © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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EBWA 23

Event preview

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“The hot summer of this year is a reminder of the importance of good hydration and of our dedicated customer service. Water provides a distinctive role as wellness drink being the number one dink for life-long health and we are proud that the water cooler industry is a part of it.” Yariv Shapira

Please note that this is not a complete guide to the event, but an overview. Details can be found online at www.ebwa2010.com, and a comprehensive guide will be published in the next issue of Cooler Innovation.

Important information Organiser European Bottled Watercooler Association Tel: + 32 2 210 20 34

Location Intercontinental Praha Hotel Tel: + 420 296 631 111 Email: Prague@ihg.com Info: www.icprague.com

Conference & Exhibition Office Idea & Marketing Tel: + 48 22 882 27 72 Email: ebwa2010@ideamarketing.pl

Registration The registration form can be found at www.ebwa2010.com with a 5% discount for online registration.

On-site registration is at reception desk in front of the Congress Hall, International Praha Hotel.

Registration Fees

charged at €30 net + 20% VAT. Please check for updated details and payment options at www.ebwa2010.com

Prices listed are for registration prior to 30 September 2010. Registration after that date will incur a price increase of 15% for on-site Conference registrations, Training Courses, Workshops, Chairman’s Reception & Aqua Awards and Trade Fair. All listed fees are subject to Czech Republic VAT (20%) which will be added to the final cost.

Trade Fair Free entry if booked before 15 October 2010. After that date the Trade Fair will be

EBWA member

Non-EBWA member

Conference, Workshops + Training (incl: “Train the Auditor” and “How To Improve Daily Operations and Implement Best Practice”)

€300

€450

Hygiene Training for POU

€60

€90

Chairman’s Reception & Aqua Awards

€85

€130

The Chairman’s Reception and Aqua Awards are being held at the InterContinental Praha Hotel at the Zlatá Praha Restaurant

24 EBWA

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About Prague

It’s been the political, cultural and economic centre of the Czech State for more than 1,000 years, and as its capital Prague is considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world - it’s one of Europe’s top six tourist destinations, attracting over four million visitors annually. The historic centre of Prague has been included in the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites, and contains one of the world’s most pristine and varied collections of architecture, from Art Nouveau to Baroque, Renaissance, Cubist, Gothic, Neo-Classical and ultramodern.

Filter Lock Seeking Strategic Partner and/or Licensee of Patented Filter Lock Features: • Simple and affordable filter protection. • Lock permits only authorised personnel from removing filter cartridge after installation. • Locking technology can be incorporated into virtually any filter system while maintaining current certifications (i.e., NSF, etc). • U.S. patent number 7,658,840; European Patent Pending.

Benefits: • Protects business model in the event of a criminal or terrorist attack via public water filters. • Allows greater flexibility in water cooler design and installation. • Provides customer with the most secure filters in the marketplace. • Proprietary technology provides an opportunity to take market share from competitors. For more information contact Zenith International Ltd 30 Old Kings Highway South, Suite 113 • Darien, CT 06820 USA Tel: 203-202-2068 • email: rcolbert@zenithinternational.com © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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EBWA 25

Drinking water issues

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Papua New Guinea’s lifeline to Australia

uccessful Australian entrepreneur Fred Ariel has signed a deal with the Papua New Guinean government that could see fresh water piped 3,000 kilometres to Queensland, Australia. and the destination point, Australia, is around 300 metres above sea level.

Despite the huge construction costs, Mr Ariel believes it would be cheaper than desalination plants and water recycling.

“So it will work on a gravity flow system, but our concept is to assist that, increase the flow rate by extracting hydro at the fall, the fall situation coming off the Tablelands, and using that power at pump stations along Cape York, so you’re actually drawing the water and solves problems such as pressure in the pipe and so forth.”

He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation: “It does not require expensive dams, it is flow of river access and the other advantage that it has is altitude, Mendi itself is 1500 metres, 1600 metres above sea level

Mr Ariel went on to say that the pipeline could provide six gigalitres a day to be used for consumption, irrigation or pumped into the MurrayDarling river system, which feeds other states in Australia.

So far, it’s just a feasibility study that’s been agreed upon; but Ariel says if it works - if the abundant fresh water of PNG could be piped to its thirsty neighbouring Australia - it could solve Queensland’s draught woes.

Australia seas water

ustralian authorities have announced that $13 billion will be put towards building desalinisation plants to provide up to 30% of the country’s drinking water. Ongoing draught in Australia has forced the issue of drinking water, and sea water is being seen as a solution to future shortages and climate change, although there is concern from environmentalists that the desalination plant itself will be an energy-guzzler.

Water, human right

he UN General Assembly has conferred, concluded and resolved that access to clean drinking water and sanitation is a basic human right. The Environment Programme run by the UN estimates that over 800 million people live without access to clean water, and that two million deaths each year can be linked to unsafe water. Bolivian envoy to the United Nations, Pablo Solon said: “The lack of access to

drinking water kills more children than AIDS, malaria and measles combined.” Of the 163 members of the United Nations, 122 voted in favour of the measure. It is reported that the United States, Great Britain and Canada lobbied against the measure going to a vote.

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Drinking water © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com. For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

19 mineral water brands declared unsafe in Pakistan

s many as 19 brands of bottled water out of a total 66 available in Pakistan have been deemed ‘unsafe’ by a government agency. The Ministry of Science and Technology’s Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) announced its findings after conducting a scientific analysis of samples of bottled water collected from 11 major cities. The scientific analysis was conducted by ISO17025 accredited National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in Islamabad for

physicochemicals and microbiological parameters. PCRWR Chairman Dr Muhammad Aslam Tahir pointed out that as many as 33 brands disappeared from the market after they were identified as unsafe earlier. “It is not clear whether they have come up with a new name and improved quality or not,” he said. “Moreover, 36 new brands have surfaced.”

Water plant could help Madras

new desalination plant in Madras is anticipated to be the answer to cheap drinking water. And if the reality meets expectations, it could be the template for further desalination plants in the country. (Spain). The governmentrun Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (CMWSSB) will buy the purified water for the next 25 years.

Natarajan Ganesan, Joint General Manager of Chennai Water Desalination, told the BBC: “We are using the advanced reverse osmosis technology. We are purifying the water by filtering it under high pressure. Unlike other desalination plants we are not boiling the water and as a result we are saving a lot of energy.”

Chennai’s water supply is erratic, depending in part on the monsoon season to fill lakes and around the city. The nature of monsoon means, however, that water falls very heavily for a short time, and much of the water runs into the sea.

It is suggested that the plant will supply 1,000 litres of drinking water for just over $1, taking 100 million litres of water a day from the sea and filtering under high pressure.

The plant cost $140 million, and is a joint venture between an IVRCL (India) and Befessa

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

NEWS 27

Drinking water issues

he Spanish town of Sierra de Yeguas in the heart of Andalucia has been without drinking water in homes for a month, after it was discovered that the water was contaminated with nitrates. So far, there has been no indication of when the water will be declared once again fit for human consumption. Frustration is escalating as citizens wait each day for tankers of water to arrive, but the council can offer no solution and is urging them to stay calm. As a result, shops are having trouble keeping up with sudden demand for bottled water.

EPA develops contamination software

he US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Department of Energy (DOE) have collaborated in developing software that enables a water system to detect contamination.

In a statement Paul Anastas, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Research and Development, said: “This cutting-edge technology helps to protect all Americans and secure our nation’s water supply from threats. The new software also improves our drinking water systems and allows water utilities to quickly advise customers when their water is not safe to drink.”

ottled water consumption in Poland is constantly increasing, but is still lower than in other EU states.

Bottled water makes up 41.1% of the soft drinks

loods that devastated Northern Pakistan’s Swat Valley have subsided. The Kabul river, over-filled by a torrential monsoon, swept away houses and livelihoods and over 1,500 lives.

Named The Canary, the software can prompt a ‘do not drink’ message on the detection of chemical and biological contaminants, such as pesticides, metals, and pathogens.

Poles drink less water than other Europeans

In the period June 2009 - May 2010, Poles drank 2.3 billion litres of bottled water, which cost PLN 2.4 billion - almost totalling PLN 150 million more than in the summer 2008/2009. However, the water market in Poland is slowly becoming saturated, shows a report by ACNielsen.

Pakistan’s clean water crisis

Spanish town relies on bottled water

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market in Poland and is the second biggest after fizzy drinks, whose turnover in 2009 amounted to more than PLN 2.5 billion. Danone, which owns Ðywiec Zdrój, is the most successful bottled water producer in Poland, holding a 33.6% share in the Polish water market. Next follows Nestlé Waters, which produces NałÐczowianka and Dar Natury, and Coca-Cola Hellenic, which has recently

conquered the Polish market with Kropla Beskidu. Although the sale of bottled water in Poland is constantly on the rise (in 2009, it increased by 9.1%), the consumption of bottled water in Poland is still low in comparison with other EU countries. Poland comes only 14th in the European ranking of water consumption. An average Pole drinks 66 litres of water a year, while in Italy that number amounts to 197 litres.

For the four million people who are now looking at the devastation, basic supplies such as clean water will be a huge issue. Joseph Prior Tio, a worker with the aid group Medecins Sans Frontieres, told US news station CNN: “We are fighting to get safe water to many areas. There is simply no electricity anywhere in the entire valley. All over the valley there are about one million people who depended on electricity to get basic services such as safe drinking water.” Oxfam has begun work on repairing damaged water systems, but the need is more immediate. In a press release, Oxfam’s Country Director Neva Khan said: “We are providing water purification sachets to people who are reduced to drinking from ponds and dirty standing water. At the same time, we are training people on how to clean the water and how to stay as hygienic as possible in such a chaotic and dangerous environment.”

28 NEWS

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

Watershorts

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Water Cube bottled water makes another splash

long with the so-called ‘Bird’s Nest Stadium’, the Water Cube is one of the iconic structures built for the 2008 Games. Officially known as The National Aquatics Centre, it has recently opened its doors as a public-access water park and swimming pool facility.

with main sponsor The Coca-Cola Company). The water for Water Cube bottled water came from

Canada’s Natural Glacial Waters, which also sells its Icefield Natural Glacial Water in China.

Also relaunching is the affiliated Water Cube bottled water brand, which was previously only available at the facility during the Olympic Games (due to the contract

ADVERTORIAL

Kleena Coola is expanding New address: Unit 12 Weston Industrial Estate, Honeybourne, Evesham, Worcestershire, WR11 7QB

Now six years old Kleena Coola (KC) has outgrown its old home and moved to new premises, double the size. Managing Director Ian Devine talks about his business expansion. It’s unclear whether the company has entered adulthood or puberty but the move signals the ongoing success of this water cooler trade focused supplier. Ian Devine (ID), founder and Managing Director, certainly has not entered adulthood!

What the customers say

A very simple philosophy lies behind the success of KC, “Quality assured service” has been the keystone in becoming a major player and a reliable trusted supply partner for many cooler suppliers in the UK, Eire and Europe.

“At Eden Springs UK Ltd we’ve worked with many suppliers for over 13 years and built up relationships with many of these including KC. KC is a good company to deal with, very good at providing that personal touch which provides confidence. We are pleased that KC provide their services to us.”

We are here to perform a service to our customers, many of whom not only are looking for a fast delivery, but also sound advice, with 21 years water cooler experience ID can offer a balanced, informed opinion. Over the years ID has gained experience in every aspect of the water cooler trade, from delivery, sanitisation, installation to running a major sales team in the UK.

“Greencare would like to wish ID and KC the best of luck in their new business premises. KC are the perfect partner for all our service cleaning materials.”

“Swithland Spring Water Ltd has used you for many years, but you continually surprise by what you are adding to your wide range of products. You look after our account extremely well, and offer cost effective pricing on our day-to-day consumables, with an exceptional turn around time from order to delivery. Good luck with the move.”

Key growth One of the key issues in the growth of KC has been the constant inclusion of new products that ID identifies as being useful in the day to day job of sanitising and installing coolers, recently we have added 15mm copper tubing, available in 3m lengths, also 16mm trunking to compliment the use of John Guest parts in lengthy installations. We are now able to offer calcium magnets for mains-fed installs where scale is a problem, these have a choice of push-fit or compression fittings and will benefit the supplier in a number of ways, the use of a standard filter with no scale inhibitor, which will save money every exchange, and the reduction in scale build up in the cooler and on the taps, making sanitisation quicker. Last year we teamed up with Canaletas to offer this superb range in the UK, to coincide with our move we are very happy to offer some great prices on the coolers, so please get in touch. As part of our expansion we have teamed up with Label Tech the manufacturers of high quality bottle

labels to offer these superbly made long life labels to UK companies. I am sure you will appreciate the benefits of Label Tech labels, and am confident that the pricing will be a very pleasant surprise, and you do not have to order millions! The new unit is only 100 yards away, so the only thing changing is the unit number, to 12, all other details remain the same, so phone +44 (0)1386 840008 or fax +44 (0)1386 841487. To celebrate, we are giving a free box of KC anti-bacterial wipes (12x100) with every order over £100 ex vat and carriage. In order to take advantage of this fantastic, unbelievable, earth moving offer you must quote: “Oi Devine there is as much space in your warehouse as there is between your ears”.* *Offer only valid during September 2010

So we now look forward to the next chapter in our story, where we hope you will join us on the journey and have a bit of fun along the way.

www.kcoola.co.uk

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

NEWS 29

Watershorts

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Dreamliner bails out of bottles

Potty shrimp

hile humans are medicating to combat depression, their antidepressants aren’t having such a happy effect on some of the sea’s inhabitants. become five times more likely to swim towards light than away from it. That

According to science site I09: Exposure to the antidepressant fluoxetine causes shrimp to radically alter their behaviour. While normal shrimp are more likely to avoid swimming towards light because it’s often associated with prey like birds or fishermen, those exposed to fluoxetine

change in behaviour places them in harm’s way, and if enough shrimp are exposed to the antidepressant the entire population could be at risk.

oeing has announced its plans to use pointof-entry ultraviolet water purification systems on all its Dreamliners - new $125 million 787 commercial aircraft set to take off later in the year. The new systems, developed by Zodiac Aerospace’s Monogram Systems division, will possibly replace bottled water, meeting all the EPA guidelines for in-flight water safety, and the system will be continually monitoring and cleaning water throughout the cabin.

30 NEWS

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Watershorts © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com. For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

Swimming dangerously

niversity of Illinois researchers have discovered that chemicals used to disinfect swimming pool water has the potential to cause genetic damage to mammalian cells. BiotechDaily reported that the researchers used a mammalian cell genotoxicity-analysis technique to compare samples of swimming pool water to tap water, and all of the disinfected pool water samples were found to induce more genomic DNA damage than the source tap water. It is discovered that the disinfectants in pool water interact with disinfection byproduct (DBP) precursors that include natural organic substances, in addition to bathers’ own personal and

applied products, such as urine, sweat, hair, skin and cosmetics and creams. Senior author Dr Michael Plewa, Professor of genetics at the University of Illinois, stated: “Care should be taken in selecting disinfectants to treat recreational pool water. The data suggest that brominating agents should be avoided as disinfectants of recreational pool water. The best method to treat pool waters is a combination of UV treatment with chlorine as compared to chlorination alone.”

Taiwan to cut down on cups

uthorities from the Taiwan’s Environmental Protection Administration have announced plans to seek co-operation from soft drink vendors to cut down on paper and plastic cups to reduce pollution.

The effort will require incentives, and from January 1, 2011, stores selling takeaway drinks will offer discounts to customers who bring their own cups. The discount will be a set amount dictated by the Administration. Vendors not wishing to co-operate with the discount scheme will instead be expected to recycle cups, by paying one Taiwan dollar for every two cups handed in by customers. Taiwan vendors dispense 1.5 billion plastic and paper cups each year.

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

NEWS 31

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Recycled truth in a bottle

report by SRI Consulting (SRIC) entitled ‘PET’s Carbon Footprint: to recycle of not to recycle’ has suggested recycling bottles may not be the universally green solution. The independent evaluation looked at the carbon footprint of PET bottles, with an analysis of secondary packaging from cradle to grave and from production of raw materials through to disposal. It concluded that for countries with adequate space and little recycling infrastructure, disposing of bottles in landfill generates a lower carbon footprint than recycling or incineration. In a press release SRIC stated: Recycling programmes using curb-side collection typically displace less than 50% of new PET. Community programmes with plastic bottle takeback, mandated separate collection, or deposits on bottles tend to report much higher displacement rates. For regions that already have a recycling infrastructure, the aim should be to boost recycled

PET (rPET) displacement of virgin PET (vPET) significantly above 50%. Mike Arné, Assistant Director, SRIC’s Carbon Footprint Initiative, commented: “The key to this is not in raising collection rates, but in improving yields, especially in sorting and to a lesser extent in reprocessing. For countries without a recycling infrastructure, the best choice may well be to landfill bottles.”

The report finds: Shipping distances are not footprint critical the common practice of shipping baled PET bottles to China for recycling does not significantly affect the footprint. Incineration creates the highest footprint - burning used bottles in waste incinerators converts them largely to the greenhousegas carbon dioxide. Even if power and heat is generated from the incinerator, the net effect is still carbon positive. PET recyclate has a lower footprint than new virgin PET - manufacturers making product from recycled PET - such as straps, films and fibres - should be able to claim that they are lower-carbon than alternatives made from new PET.

NEWS

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YOUR innovation partner cooler innovation 6 issues a year bottled water mains-fed coolers emerging technologies water innovation 6 issues a year packaged water still and sparkling ďŹ&#x201A;avoured and functional

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Making waves

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Page 37

Page 42

Purifying water

Unit appeal

Page 38

Page 44

Hygiene

What is technology?

Page 41 Temperature

The desire for difference or the trigger for change - which comes first? It seems one begets the other, and while technology is shaping the way we consume, so consumers are demanding, or expecting, more research and development, and more up-to-date, problem solving technologies. In the last ten years the water cooler industry has undergone huge technological change, from dispensing and chilling, to hygiene and user-friendliness. We look at the pioneers and providers of modern technologies - some we’ve come to rely on and others that are striving to break the mold.

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

SPECIAL REPORT 35

Making waves

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The panel

Ebac Laura Newby (LN), Sales Manager

Mistral - Thomas Liccioni (TL), Business Development Director

SIP technologies - Derek Callaghan (DC), Director of Sales & Marketing (EMEA)

Vapura Peter David (PD), Chief Operating Officer

Waterlogic Chris Garner (CG), Marketing Director

Wonbong Victor Lee (VL), Director

Zerica - Antonio Zerilli (AZ), Commercial & Marketing Manager

Business Link, UK Government

Cosmetal Federica Diotavelli (FD), Marketing Manager

“New products and services are the lifeblood of all businesses. Investing in their development is crucial to business growth and profitability.”

Victor Lee, Wonbong

Canaletas Paz Ausin (PA), Export Manager

Asset Water Technology Joe Scaramucci (JS), Marketing Director

“The best innovations are often simple measures that do not increase the service complexity of the equipment.”

36 SPECIAL REPORT

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Purifying water SIP Ozone Pioneer: SIP Technologies What’s ozone technology? O2 in the air is converted into O3 (ozone) by use of an electrical charge, which splits the O2 molecules apart and reforms them as ozone. SIP’s patented micro bubble technology then disperses the ozone into the cooler’s reservoir eliminating all bacteria before returning back into its original stable state of O2. This process means no residual ozone remains in the reservoir when the SIP cycle is completed and ensures a clean, biofilm-free reservoir every single night. How was it developed? Sip Technologies began around 1996 thanks to an American water chemist and inventor named Kenneth Davis. He began his career working in quality control for a local bottled water company and became aware first hand of the high bacteria counts found in water coolers and began the process of developing an ozone system that could address the bacteria problem and sanitise the water cooler each night. His first patent was awarded in July of 2000. SIP Technologies was formed around this patent. How does it work in water coolers? SIP’s Omega, for bottled water coolers, has the ozone production capabilities built into the bottle water cooler’s no-spill device to allow for quick and easy installation at the customer’s premises. The SIP 2000, for mains-fed, has the advantage of controlling the cooler’s compressor, which allows SIP to shut down the mains-fed cooler throughout the night thus saving energy while still ensuring the nightly sanitisation process takes place.

UV Firewall Pioneer: Waterlogic How does it differ to other UV systems? I believe that there are other watercoolers out there that have filtration at the point of dispense but we are the only water cooler company with UV at the point of dispense certainly to this level of purification. There is of course inline UV but Firewall dramatically improves upon in-tank UV systems (repositioned to the point of dispense) and renders in-line technology redundant.

Vapura Cold Vaporisation Pioneer: Vapura What does it do? In very simple terms, our systems ‘remove pure water from source waters’ using a low temperature evaporative process, which occurs within a negative pressure chamber. Current distributors see the Vapura Rainmaker (RM) systems as a technological improvement over the traditional distillers, reducing electricity consumption by over two thirds and delivering the systems in user-friendly dispensers, without the typical heat generated by traditional water systems. How does it work? The water enters a vacuum changer, where it is heated by the waste heat produced from the refrigeration system. It starts to boil, producing a pure water vapour. The vapour then travels though a number of baffle plates, used to prevent splashing of contaminated water. This vapour then condenses onto a cold coil (condensing coil) to form pure water droplets. The purified water is continuously monitored for guaranteed quality, with an alarm sounding should the machine be tampered with. How was it developed? The original RM systems were developed in a small R&D facility in Sydney. In 2005 a Technology Transfer License was executed and Kambo Security Products established a purpose-built manufacturing facility for the original RM30. Kambo then undertook a series of 18 significant product improvements to the original system to make it production and market ready. The factory has also redesigned the technology and launched an additional four production models.

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Hygiene Direct Dispense System Pioneer: Ebac How does it work? Direct Dispense only filters the water at the point of dispense, meaning the water retains its anti-bacterial properties for as long as possible for fresher, cleaner drinking water that is less susceptible to stagnation or bacteria growth. It revolutionises the sanitisation of mains-fed coolers and reduces the risk of micro-biological contamination by up to 98%.

BioCote Pioneer: BioCote; exclusive to Waterlogic for water dispensers

The Watertrail Pioneer: Ebac What is Watertrail? Developed in 1994, Ebac’s revolutionary Watertrail has grown to become the most popular method of sanitisation in Europe and delivers many benefits over using an ordinary reservoir system. Customers enjoy cleaner, fresher water with minimal disruption through faster sanitisation and leak prevention for peace of mind. What are the benefits? • No sanitisation during installation: all water contact parts are supplied brand new and in self contained packaging. • No air exchange: drinking water is stored without air contact meaning water is cleaner and less susceptible to stagnation or bacterial growth. • Guaranteed 100% sanitisation every time: Watertrail goes beyond sanitisation by completely replacing all parts in contact with drinking water. • Sanitisation in seconds. • Closed system: Watertrail is a completely closed system meaning it will work with collapsable one-trip bottles and bag-in-boxes as air pressure remains constant. • Leak prevention: Watertrail’s ‘no leak manifold’ includes a fail safe air valve, meaning water bottles will never leak - even with pin holes!

What is it? A silver-based compound with antibacterial properties, which prevents build up of micro-organisms on the exterior surface of the machine. We add it to key parts of our dispensers at the manufacturing stage. BioCote additive is a powder, pellet or liquid form (depending upon what polymer it is being added to) and is mixed into the master batch before molding.

Anti Bacteria Cooled Valves (ABCV) Pioneer: Asset Water Technology What does it do? The electromagnetic valves are inserted directly in the head of the carbonator, without any useless pipes or connectors that would only worsen both the productivity and the risk of proliferation of bacterial load. Thus the low temperature inside the head of the gas generator/producer is transferred by thermal conduction to the electromagnetic valves; therefore the low temperature inside the electromagnetic valves considerably reduces the possibility of bacterial load proliferation within the circuit, ensuring an absolute hygienic quality. Moreover this solution significantly reduces the water content inside the hydraulic circuit of the dispenser. Added to the polymer mixture (used by Asset to print both the head of the gas generator/producer and the electromagnetic valve block) is a bacterial load destroyer (bacteriostatic) - produced by BASF - to optimise and improve the performance.

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Canaletas Canvap System Pioneer: Canaletas

HygienGuard Tap Protection

What is it? A complete and tested sanitation system comprising steamer, connectors and coolers.

Pioneer: Wonbong

What does it do? Steam flushes out biofilms and kills any remaining bacteria without any residues. It works especially well on metal surfaces, including difficult to sanitise direct chill coolers. Unlike most other systems Canvap is guaranteed to work. Canaletas submitted Canvap to official EBWA ‘protocol’ tests for the removal of biofilm and the total elimination of deliberately introduced Pseudomonas. aeruginosa contamination - with 100% success. How did it come about? Few chemicals can achieve this result without physical agitation or abrasion. Biofilms provide food and protection to organisms such as Legionella and Pseudomonas. aeruginosa, more common in mains water systems than generally realised. Canaletas looked for a more effective, quick and chemical-free method of sanitising coolers.

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What is it? A simple antibacterial plastic cover that protects the taps against bacterial contamination. As is well known, the tap end of the cooler is the most exposed area to touch or airborne contamination.

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Hygiene Self-Sanitising Technology (SST) Pioneer: Cosmetal What is it? A trailblazing solution that has the capacity to inhibit the proliferation of bacteria throughout the entire water path of the Avant range, from the bottle to the tap, for a duration of 12 months, without recourse to traditional sanitisation. As a result it reduces the need for sanification to once a year, versus the traditional bottled water coolers that need to be sanitised every three months according to associationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; guidelines.

O3 Tech - Ozone Nozzle Sanification Pioneer: Asset Water Technology What does it do? One of the most difficult issues to solve - as regards to the proliferation of the bacterial load inside the distributors - is the stagnation of water within the circuit. After each water supply, a small amount remains trapped within the nozzle point of delivery. It is theoretically possible that the user cannot use the dispenser for a few days (eg during holidays or weekends) and the water in the nozzle, which is in contact with the environment, may become unpleasant. To solve this problem, Asset has invented O3 Tech - Ozone Nozzle Sanification. How does it work? This revolutionary technology consists in the complete drain - after each water supply - of both the electromagnetic valves and the circuit that connects them to the point of delivery; the last part of the circuit supply is sanitised using Ozone, which is produced within the dispenser itself. In case the dispenser is unused, a series of periodic cleaning is still carried out. In this way we obtain the drastic reduction of the bacterial load developed in the nozzle.

How does it work? The technology consists of producing all the materials the water comes into contact with - no-spill system, reservoir, water separator and pipework etc - with a plastic compound that leverages the natural antimicrobial properties of silver. For thousands of years, the Egyptians used silver in their drinking-water containers to help retain the purity of the water. Over the years, scientific research has confirmed the effectiveness of silver as an antibacterial agent. By making use of SST, Cosmetal aims to reduce as far as possible the inevitable proliferation of bacteria inside the cooler - which causes degradation in the quality of the water dispensed - without altering the water itself. SST has been validated by the European Bottled Water Association (EBWA). How was the technology developed? The project was made possible thanks to the collaboration between Cosmetal and the AgION Technologies Inc in America, specialists in the manufacture of antimicrobial products intended predominantly for use in the medical and food & drink industries.

BIB Dispensing Technology Squell BIB 100 Tapping technology Pioneer: Squell What is it? Squell provides premium juices and water in an 8 litre bag-in-box, together with a co-ordinated dispenser

and cooling technology. The dispenser features hygienic taps connected directly to the bag inside the cooler. This means that cooled drinks flow contact-free into the glass, rather than via a hose or after cooling in a tank. You can tap from two

BiBs at the same time while a third one is being cooled. The beverages which are cold, aseptically filled do not have contact with air inside the bags and have an optimum shelf life of up 14 months and up to one month after opening.

ÂŠ Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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Water temperature High Performance Direct Chill (HPDC) Pioneer: Zerica How did HPDC come about? Zerica began using Direct Chill at the beginning of the 1980s, and the technology has since become a global standard. However, Zerica has gone on to introduce second generation systems. HPDC is more evolved, efficient and ecologically sound than before. What does HPDC achieve? HPDC is not only higher performing but also uses 70% less energy than Direct Chill, chilling water in just three minutes compared to the 20-40 minutes required by traditional systems. Less energy equals less environmental impact. How else does it differ? The research which led Zerica to this truly innovative system also covered materials selection with the aim of improving durability and hygiene levels. As a result of this work, Zerica started using a special type of copper. Clinical studies show this copper is an excellent inhibitor of bacterial growth.

The Hot Tank Pioneer: Ebac How was it developed? Ebac developed an award winning hot tank to address the typical large power consumption discrepancy between cook & cold and hot & cold coolers. Hot Tank uses 89% less energy than competitor hot tanks at 0.12KWhrs a day on stand-by costing from just £4.38 per year. An Ebac hot & cold cooler dispensing 20 litres per week costs just £15.33 a year to run. How does it work? Based on the thermos flask concept, Hot Tank is constructed from robust stainless steel and features a vacuum-insulated jacket to minimise heat transfer. Electronic proportional control ensures hot water is accurately maintained at a steady temperature of 93 degrees.

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Unit appeal The Stop Max

FloodGuard Inlet Solenoid protection

Pioneer: Ebac What is it? The Stop Max, patented by Ebac, has been developed exclusively for the Fmax mains-fed to give maximum protection against floods caused by damaged or defective coolers and inter-connecting pipe work. How does it work? Ron Paterson, Technical and Engineering Manager at Ebac, said: “It achieves this by literally switching off the water supply whenever the cooler is not dispensing. It is almost like somebody is physically turning off the tap after use. The way it works is that when the customer presses the tap to dispense some water, an electrical current is sent through the data cable to the Stop Max, signalling the solenoid to open and allow water through. As soon as the tap is released the solenoid closes, resulting with no water being able to pass through.”

Pioneer: Wonbong What does it do? It greatly limits the risk of flooding with mains-fed coolers. How does it work? The FloodGuard Inlet Valve is closed in its natural position and only opens when water is dispensed from the tap. It closes again once the dispensing stops, and thereby limits the amount of water inside the cooler to what is in the tank and pipes. Any potential leak is therefore no longer open to the mains water pressure, but limited to the few litres of water inside the cooler great peace of mind for any installer!

Elementary overview Direct Chill

Ultraviolet Light (UV)

The water passes through a stainless steel coil, which is in contact with a copper evaporator coil containing a refrigerant gas and so chills the water, with continuous flow.

UV light destroys the growth of bacteria by destroying its DNA core, thus rendering it incapable of reproducing. As the water has a low level of colour the UV can pass through without being absorbed.

Reservoir cooling system

Maintenance-Free System Pioneer: Ebac How does it differ? Ordinary hot & cold coolers use one filter, typically containing polyphosphate, to treat both the hot and cold water. This reduces the build-up of calcium in the hot tank, but since the cold water is also treated an unpleasant scum can be left on the surface of the cold water. How does it work? The Fmax mains-fed Direct Dispense system features two separate filters for hot and cold water allowing the use of the ideal filter for each application. The cold filter is the same 0.5 micron filter which can be found in the cook & cold cooler whereas the hot filter contains Ion-exchange material, which prevents scale from entering the hot tank. The Ion-exchange material totally eliminates scale and ensures the hot tank requires no regular maintenance.

Water supplied from the mains or from the bottle is conducted into the insulated reservoir, which has a low temperature and so chills the water. Cooling time is dependent on the temperature of the water at the inlet.

Ice Bank Two coils are immersed in the cooler reservoir water. The first coil contains a refrigerant gas to chill the water in the reservoir and the second to transfer the chilled drinking water, so water flows continuously and efficiently.

Ozonation O3 is an unstable molecule and so readily releases one atom of oxygen. This creates oxidisation, toxic to most waterborne organisms. Ozone is made by passing oxygen through ultraviolet light or a cold electrical discharge. To use ozone as a disinfectant, it must be created on-site and added to the water by bubble contact.

Electronic management A maintenance and management system with electronic controls and indicators.

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he nature of many cooler technologies allows for alteration and customisation - which could also be interpreted as innovation, when looking at modification as a tool for increased efficiency and marketing opportunity. Thomas Liccioni from Mistral, talks us through some of Mistral’s Direct Chill optimsations. Efficiency: “Direct Chill technology is designed to continuously circulate fresh water, using two coils: one leading hot water and the other cold. Over the years, Mistral Constructeur developed this technology by optimising the contact area between the two coils - a perfect interleaving between the water coil and the cold coil, establishing a larger contact surface for more efficient and instantaneous cooling. Security: “The coaxial traditional Direct Chill (meaning that the water pipe is inside the cold pipe for better refrigeration capacity) shows a water circuit risk of contamination by the refrigerant gas in case of regulation problem. An advantage of the Mistral Direct Chill is the separation of double pipe containing water, versus cooling gas. In case of leak from one pipe, it is impossible to have a pollution or contamination of water through the double wall.” Hygiene: “Mistral Constructeur uses copper as a material for coils. Despite a higher cost, we chose copper for its

medical virtues - copper is recognised and approved as an antibacterial agent able to fight against the bacteria proliferation. Surface copper kills all bacteria of infectious origin in fewer than two hours. Using copper as a pipe material, we provide the customer a guarantee of restricting the bacteria proliferation and bio-film slowdown.”

Federica Diotavelli, Cosmetal

Customising existing technologies

“Reservoir is the classic system which stands out for its simplicity of operation. It is particularly suitable where there is a high consumption of water and in those countries where higher temperatures affect cooling capacity.”

Q&A: the meaning of technology Define Technology. LN: Technology is a constant form of progression. At Ebac we are always striving to uncover new technologies which we can use in our products. By keeping up to date with new technologies available on the market we are best able to meet the demands of modern society. JS: Technology should first simplify our lives but technology can also refine business processes and make business models more efficient. Remaining competitive is an ongoing process and maintaining that momentum should include regular technology assessments. Technology can really change, diminish or render your business model obsolete: if your business model and technology are misaligned, it’s going to have negative consequences. FD: The word technology comes from the ancient Greek technología (τεχνολογία) - téchne¯ (τέχνη), a skill or a craft and -logía (-λογία), the study of something. It refers to the study of solutions to improve the living standards minimising complexity. In

the water cooler industry it means the research and development of solutions to provide unlimited, pure and fresh drinking water wherever you are, offering an efficient alternative to bottled water and respecting the environment. CG: Technology to Waterlogic is the application of science, design and engineering in order to create a genuine breakthrough. Our approach has always been consistent: to give our designers and engineers the freedom to set a new performance yardstick. With the Waterlogic 4 (as the 4th generation dispenser), the design brief was clear: to extend the boundaries of performance and purity, but also to set new industry standards in areas such as design through significantly improved looks and usability. The resulting technologies that we develop are genuinely valuable developments. DC: Technology is the application of science to develop society. VL: Innovation does not have to be complex. In fact the best innovations are

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Does your technology come from customer demand or the desire to be one step ahead of them? DC: For SIP, the phrase ‘necessity is the mother of all invention’ neatly encapsulates where the development of our technology came from. LN: Definitely customer demand! Ebac are very much focused on customer satisfaction and as a result we are always striving to develop products incorporating new technologies which can make our customers’ lives easier. The revolutionary Direct Dispense System is a perfect example of this: designed to reduce the time spent in the field sanitising coolers dramatically.

Joe Scaramucci, Asset Water Technology

FD: It comes from both. It is the result of a sort of collaboration between Cosmetal R&D and customers’ suggestions and requirements.

“The genius of understanding customer demand is profound and effective.”

AZ: HPDC came from our decision. Customers had no idea of differences they were only informed about tank chill solutions, not Direct Chill nor High Performance Direct Chill.

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CG: Technology ‘push’ - where a solution is developed, and is looking for a need - is an easy trap to fall into. It can be great, but you must always understand the real need. This is where you get technology ‘pull’ - ie, the demand gives rise to the development (and not the development looks for a demand). A focus on the customer, and on the genuine market need, is the way to stay ahead of the competition.

Derek Callaghan, SIP Technologies

often simple measures that do not increase the service complexity of the equipment.

“Technology is the application of science to develop society.”

JS: Well, both of them. The genius of understanding customer demand is profound and effective. Values are typically generated inside out, based on interpretations of customer expectations or a lofty vision. Customer demands on the system are the real deal. The power of customer demand is that it is constantly changing. As customer demand changes so should the organisation be allowed to change too. DP: The origin of the Vapura RM systems came from a real world problem in Australia, where the technology was developed to purify drinking water for a large Australian agribusiness homestead whose ground water had become contaminated by crop spray chemicals.

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cooler innovation interview Where did Aqua Cure begin? The forerunner of Aqua Cure actually began in Cambridgeshire some 25 years ago as Water Purification, the founder Mr Minoo Karani having the vision for water treatment products in the UK, having seen the market developing in the US. He took on a Cuno product distributorship all those years ago. Where is it based?

Mark with Scott Bailey

Introducing Mark Brown

ark Brown was born to be in business. It’s what he’s always done, and his history in sales goes back to his teenage years where he worked with his father in the family business - weekends, holidays, any time he could. At school he took a savvy concoction of Maths, Economics and Russian A-Levels and followed it with a Business Studies course, before joining the family motorcycle trade business full time allowing a second retail branch to be opened. While it set him up with shopfloor experience, the motor trade would only take him so far. “As much of our business hinged on the mining community in South Yorkshire, at the time of

the decline of mining I saw the need to get out on the road. Starting in field sales, I went on to General Management in the wholesale drinks trade,” said Mark. “This led me across the Pennines, with a new role with Boddingtons group running three wholesale businesses, serving the licensed trade in the North-West. This gave me extensive sales and management experience but also experience in soft drinks and dispense sector, quite relevant in today’s role with the growth of water dispense systems in the office/boardroom environment.” When Boddingtons brewery became the takeover target of the Greenalls/DeVere group, Mark moved away from the company. But

new doors were already opening. “One of the three sites I ran was a satellite warehouse in Southport, through which I met the owner and founder of Aqua Cure. In conversations and networking while looking for my next career move, I was made aware of expansion plans with Aqua Cure to develop their manufacturing and trade distribution aspirations.” Mark joined Aqua Cure as Sales Manager, and then as Sales Director, developing business and new markets. 15 years later as Sales & Joint Managing Director, Mark Brown tells us about the silent successes of Aqua Cure and why we’ll be hearing more about it.

We’re now based in Southport, Merseyside. Mr Karani moved to Southport with other business interests. Following the Southport move, Water Purification Limited changed its name on 11 December 1987 to Aqua Cure Limited. Further expansion took place - a move across town to larger premises - and Aqua Cure was incorporated on 22 March 1989. Around the same time a local salt company known as F J Berry was acquired, and with this acquisition Aqua Cure picked up their associated history dating back to 1859. We now have two sites, following the acquisition of CTR plastics, a plastic injection molding business. This business operates from a stand-alone site on the east of Liverpool with 27 plastic injection molding machines. Initially this business was acquired to take us further back in the manufacturing chain, as previously CTR produced the plastic components for our inline filter assemblies and filter housings from the Aqua Cure ACV range. These items

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still feature in our catalogue, though various sets of new mold tools have been produced in the UK, and spin welding machines for inline filters have been purchased from Taiwan. What does Aqua Cure do?

certification for this product and produce in a number of pack sizes and styles to support the needs of our trade buyers in the UK, Ireland and through Europe.

Aqua Cure facts

To the readers of cooler innovation and the many companies in the trade, Aqua Cure is a manufacturer, distributor and supplier to the water cooler Industry of filters, fittings, sanitising fluid and much much more to complete the installation and servicing of water coolers. Though the water cooler sector is our largest single market, we have extensive activities - again filtration and installation associated - with installer/operators in vending, coffee, catering, water softening and many other markets.

• Established 25 years

We have our own marketleading brand for sanitising water systems, Aqua Dosa, which won a Green Apple Environment award in 2003. Mr Karani and I received the award at the Houses of Parliament - quite an exciting day in Westminster for us, actually. We now also hold NSF

• Exhibited at the last seven Aquatech fairs

• Founder members of the EPDWA, members of BWCA • Europe’s highest volume manufacturer of inline water filters • Main distributors for manufacturer partners including 3M Cuno, Doulton Ceramics, John Guest Speedfit, Everpure • Partner supplier to NIVO, Vending Buying Group • Works with WRAS for approval of own manufactured products • NSF approval on Aqua Dosa

How many employees does it have? Today, around 110. Our plastics business runs 24 hours per day, so a three-shift system runs the molding machines day

and night. The Southport site operates the telesales business for water treatment products, servicing our various markets five days a week with a next working day delivery service for products from our Trade Buyers Catalogue. Also from the Southport site we control all sales ledgers, purchase ledgers, wages and credit control functions for both sites. It makes for an efficient way of running a two-site business. When did Aqua Cure branch out from supply to R&D of its own, and why? Probably as the trade catalogue and manufacturing business started to grow. We’ve worked with key suppliers like John Guest and Cuno for many many years, and also Doulton and now 3M (owners of Cuno) for several years. Our stockholding means a next day delivery service to the trade works for our customers, but we always see the gaps, the best example being the lower cost type inline filter. Aqua Cure had history of 20 years making inlines for the domestic and caravan market, but a

Aqua Cure machinery in action

higher specification range of carbon block was needed and we saw the opportunity. This led us to invest tens of thousands in new tooling and spin welding machines to both help us ramp up production capability but also to greatly widen the range of products we can produce. Now we produce inlines, HYDRO+ branded with various end fitting styles to suit not only the water cooler market, but also vending, domestic, caravan, water boiler and may more niche requirements that come our way. Having this facility means again we can meet customers’ demands and produce relatively low volume production runs without the long lead times associated with products coming from the US or Far East.

Aqua Cure’s catalogue includes a range of water filter systems, leak detectors and install rails © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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customer hitting the phone as his goods didn’t arrive and he had a major install planned. At least it gives the chance for alternative goods to be offered or install held back.

Aqua Cure - an essentially British company - has close connections now with the US; can you explain how and why you are now selling products in America? Aqua Cure is a totally British owned company. The share ownership changed hands in 2007 when the founder/ owner decided his future was in semi-retirement in the Bahamas. New North-West based business investors purchased the shareholding and premises, and the Aqua Cure business continued almost seamlessly under the existing day to day management. Aqua Cure has had a long standing relationship with Chester Paul Company in the US, and for a couple of years we’ve discussed the opportunity for our leading sanitising range and brand Aqua Dosa. The decision was taken between our two companies to now roll out Aqua Dosa to the US market. The timing was perfect for Chester Paul. They were about to roll out their own range of mains-fed water coolers, Scott Bailey had joined the company from the mains-fed market (having been with PHSI) and their launch was about to take place at the WQA trade show in Orlando. Samples were sent across and I worked the show with the guys; the first main bulk shipment left Southport a couple of weeks after the show. It’s an exciting future for us both with the Aqua Dosa product and its introduction to the US market aided immediately with NSF certification now in place.

How has the business shaped since conception?

The team inspect a water treatment cartridge

Business as usual Where does your feedback come from? The sales team and the customers. Our telesales team of busy guys and gals get to speak to a tremendous number of customers each and every week. Customers ask for products they would like us to source, and sometimes a throw away “if only you could do’’ comment can get fed up the line to R&D under the control of Phill Mayer (Trade Director) and new products can be born in days sometimes. Aqua Cure seems to operate under the publicity radar. How do you market? Primarily through our trade catalogue and a very proactive telesales team. The catalogue goes to many many markets where water filtration is applicable but in each case only to trader resellers. Many customers in many markets means we’re a volume product mover but with less overall visibility in any particular sector, other

than perhaps the water cooler market. We like to believe we’re the major player for filters, fittings, sanitising, installation and supporting products. This ‘cooler’ activity extends to the cooler activities for the vending companies that offer water coolers alongside their vending machines.

We have a loyal customer base, and our philosophy is service, service, service Is repeat custom a big driver? We have built a loyal customer base over many years, and our philosophy is service, service, service. Most catalogue stock is available for next day delivery, but we do have out of stocks; in these cases it’s important to us to let the customer know - the last thing we want is a

It’s gone from strength to strength with growth year after year - sales growth, staff growth, even the addition of the plastic injection molding site along the way. Some years have been steady growth, some years exciting ‘hang on’ growth of 30% per annum. The only exception was 2009. The last quarter of 2008 showed a distinct slow down and this really hit hard in the first quarter of 2009. Though it recovered in quarters 2, 3 and 4, we never recovered the shortfall on budget for Q1 and 2009 became the first year of no growth. Though 2010 is tough we’ve set a growth budget and currently at the half-year we are ahead of budget. What are your work ethics? To make things as efficient and professional for the customer as we possibly can. For instance, we have a 24/7 sales order system available for registered trade customers. They can place orders, check stock availability, see prices and any volume purchase price breaks via the web 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 52 weeks a year. It works well for many smaller companies and service engineers who might need to place an order early in a morning, or in an

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evening or weekend when they are planning the week ahead.

Industry insight What are Aqua Cure’s biggest challenges? Competition, particularly ‘cherry pickers’ - small low cost players that choose to source low cost products, like popular products, and dump them into the markets. Legitimate competition like Aqua Cure, which has professional premises, full ranges of stock (quick moving, but also the slower moving stock that is part of the ‘one stop shop’ deal) have plenty of resources, people and stock - all costly elements to a business. The one-man ‘in it today while I can make a quick buck‘ importers don’t have these costs. An example of this could be the low-cost pushfits from China - these items don’t have the WRAS approvals, aren’t the same quality materials and don’t give the service life; then when fittings fail in a short service life, the leaks (and sometimes disasters) reflect badly on the water cooler market. The water cooler industry has gone through a tough time recently – what are you comments and thoughts on that? Yes, for sure, it’s been tough since Q4 of 2008. With the water cooler sector being our largest market, any downturn can have resulting impact. We feel we’ve responded proactively to the demands from the market. Some companies have found it necessary or chosen to cut

costs and perhaps move away from more costly twist fit filter assemblies with the associated higher set up costs, where filter head investments can be costly, and move to inline filters. Our HYDRO+ range of British made inlines have WRAS approval and come in various formats to meet the needs of many users. We’ve also built a strong position on sanitising products, as even with a sales slowdown of new machines, the tens of thousands of machines already established in the marketplace need sanitising to schedule. We try to be proactive and cost conscious, bringing cost effective and bulk container options to meet market demands.

The future What new trends/styles/ concerns will be affecting the cooler industry in the future? Though we aren’t a volume distributor of the actual water coolers we do act as a sub distributor for the WINIX machines to the vending market. We started work with Apuro from their day one around 12 years ago supplying all their filtration and installation needs; this

The Aqua Cure office in action

arrangement brought about a deal for us to offer their product (even back to its original branding of Samsung, then ACIS) under the WINIX range. This continued even today and works well with our long term relationship with Nigel Elwick. Apart from this, many of the trends and styles are led by the machine producers - unfortunately water filters aren’t a trendy or sexy item. Are there plans to expand the business? Yes, very definitiely. With the new investment team from August 2007, these guys aren’t in to stand still. They are a team of three, but with one lead contact on a month to month basis, with various complementary skills and contacts - but they are all North-West based, allowing contact as and when required but never interfering (while we perform of course!). At the moment we’re at the final stages

of completion on a new assembly and distribution warehouse across town in Southport. This 14,000 square foot site will allow us to relocate all assembly, goods in, despatch and product services in a new facility, linked from the sales and admin offices by today’s technology. Acquisition is also an area of opportunity, so we’re always looking to make contact with trade supplier proprietors who might be considering retirement or just feel they would like to be part of a larger organisation, yet doing the same thing. I’m always looking to find these people to introduce to our lead investor. A third area of growth is also mainland Western Europe. We have the blueprint plan, established mid 2008, to set up a lookalike business with a catalogue translated into the relevant language and set up a new business; again, this could be based around a strategic acquisition in Europe. The blueprint is back in the drawer for now but I’m sure it will see the light of day early 2011 once the warehouse and distribution site move is complete. What will Aqua Cure’s R&D department be focusing on to meet future demands?

Aqua Cure’s own Aqua Dosa range

New products, improved variants, the green debate - bringing recyclability into cooler technology - and cost-effective solutions generally. We’re very proactive but when we need to be reactive, we can respond instantly and make decisions swiftly.

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COVER STORY 49

Packaging design & function Click here to subscribe It may be the technology that makes the industry noise, but it’s the packaging that holds it together. Cooler Innovation looks at trends and developments around the water cooler.

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Bottles ontaining the essence of the bottled water cooler business, bottles are the most visual and functional of packaging elements outside of the cooler unit. We look at what, apart from water, goes into them.

Discussion panel Stanislaw Lubos (SL), Blow Molding Technical Manager, Greif Michael Frick (MF), Sales Director, Capsnap Nicola Scaramuzza (NS), Sales & Marketing Manager, Siapi What considerations are there pre-manufacture? SL: Bottle designers have to take into account many specific requirements limiting the freedom. Those requirements are: performance required for 5-gallon bottles - eg, the top load strength, the stress crack resistance or the drop impact resistance, in addition to ensuring proper washing and sanitisation; and compatability with elements of the 5-gallon system, like caps and coolers. Besides that the bottles have to work with different washing and filling machines. Many times different bottles are mixed on the same filling line.

MF: In addition to compatability, the target market - home or office has an influence on design, features and filling volume of the bottle. NS: Once the application sector has been defined we start with geometrical and volume considerations, and then consider the performance requirements, such as top load, side wall rigidity, implosion resistance, crystallinity, handle pull out and other factors. The final phase considers the blowing of the container itself, starting from the preform, optimising the geometric form in order to guarantee its blowability and a suitable distribution of thicknesses. We also often consider requirements regarding the filling line such as the type of transport or the possible use of nitrogen. Siapi has four container designers. How is a bottle designed? SL: Nowadays most of the designing work is

done with computers. There is plenty of powerful software that allows us to visualise all important aspects of the bottle. The computer programmes can also simulate the bottle performance. NS: Siapi has four 3D CAD (computer-aided design) stations dedicated to container design with the extension of surface modeling packages that can create advanced aesthetic effects. Container rendering makes it possible to provide our customers with threedimensional images, complete with a label, cap and any grip or handle. What difficulties does the bottle manufacturer face? MF: The main challenge with a new bottle model can be the initially lower production volumes during the market introduction phase. Clients may want to start with smaller numbers of bottles until the new product is fully rolled out. This could result in smaller production batches and consequently more frequent mold changes.

NS: The information we receive for developing a project comes from the customer and normally includes aesthetic and performance requirements such as transportation resistance or the extension of a product’s shelflife. The collection and critical analysis of all this information may be laborious, also with regard to the geographical area of interest.

Stanislaw Lubos

“Polycarbonate has been the material of choice for water cooler bottles for nearly 40 years.”

What new materials are you working with? SL: Greif is working on lightweighting projects - the aim is to provide lighter bottles with the same performance. Practically it means we have to provide bottles with similar performance and appearance but made from different material. Many

“Siapi can create advanced aesthetic effects.” © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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NS: The development of applications currently in glass, PC or HDPE or tin cans makes it necessary to select materials with barrier characteristics. Siapi is developing containers with various blended PET for O2, CO2 and UV light barriers, PP and multilayer PP. What added features are possible? SL: New shapes and volumes are an option and we work with customers if they want to develop own-brand bottles.

Glossary BPA: Bisphenol-A HDPE: High-density polyethylene PET: Polyethylene terephthalate PC: Polycarbonate PP: Polypropylene LDPE: Low-density polyethylene

MF: Capsnap by Greiner offers bottles made in both technologies: injection stretch blow molding and extrusion blow molding, which offer different possibilities in regards to added features, such as grips and handles.

“The aesthetic aspect is always important as helps to identify and differentiate a product and gives it visibility in the market.”

NS: Functional features can be added during the container project development phase. The most common are gripping zones and handles to be inserted under the support ring or on the container body during and after the blowing process. Bottles and containers can also be enhanced with particular finishes and personalised logos. Where is demand going? SL: The 11 litre is going to be more and more popular. Specifically in the US the most popular 2010 bottle is a 5 gallon round bottle with handle, but made out of copolyester. MF: A bottle where we can see an increasing demand and popularity is our new 10 litre bottle. This bottle offers a very attractive design, convenient handling with a handle located ideally in the shoulder area and very light weight. NS: Traditional HPDE and PC containers, but in Siapi’s PET alternative.

Greif

MF: Currently, the main focus is to find suitable PC substitute materials, due to the ongoing discussions about the safety of food packaging containing BPA. We particularly benefited from our long-standing experience in the production of BPA-free baby bottles - we collected a lot of know-how for processing alternative raw materials. We have already finalised the development of 5-gallon bottles made of a promising new copolyester, Tritan from Eastman Chemical. It has been used in the US for some time now, but we are awaiting EU Food Contact approval.

The other possible options are different colors.

Nicola Scaramuzza

people are asking for BPAfree bottles today, and now we can produce bottles made out of copolyester with fully acceptable performance.

“Most of the design work is done with computers”

Capsnap’s design process

1. Graphics and 3D animations will be drafted for visual illustration.

2. As soon as the final design has been chosen, we create within a very short time a prototype of the bottle. A life-size prototype bottle can be presented to the client’s management, sales and marketing team and even end users for market and marketing analysis.

3. The next phase is the mold construction. We offer modern tool-making technology from our own mold production.

4. The last step is to support our clients with the implementation of the finished bottle to ensure smooth running on the bottling lines.

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Bag-in-box

e ask Market Development Manager for Scholle Packaging Asia Pacific, Randall Pearce about how BIB is ticking the boxes in the water industry. Is bag-in-box really suitable for water? Water by its very nature will pick up the slightest level of taint, which will be picked up by the consumer quite easily. Scholle has spent many years in development providing taint-free water packaging. Our 2PURE film uses proprietary technology to enable the film to withstand the effects of ozonation, and this has opened up a whole new market for those companies who previously could not use BIB because the ozonation process tainted their water. What are the design considerations? The type of fitment and how the product is to be used. Will it be connected to a dispensing system? What is the preferred packaging size? Will it be marketed as a premium or value package? What difficulties does the manufacturer face? In today’s environment, a BIB manufacturer needs to be flexible and like most

Natural tap

Flextap

packaging manufacturers will be continually looking for ways to remove cost. To provide better products without adding cost is the major challenge. What added features are possible? Taps provide an excellent differentiator. Ergonomic design and different colours can make an impact on how the product is perceived. Premium water companies may look to use the Scholle Flextap, whilst others may look to the value spigot type. Both provide the consumer an easy to use, non-spill means of dispensing the product. What are you currently developing? We are continuing to work with some dispenser groups on implementing Scholle’s patented device that allows for BIB to be connected to standard type water dispensers. A one way HOD offering is something the market is looking for, and BIB provides a means of doing that in the most hygienic method possible.

It’s in the bag

nside the box there’s a bag of clever technology, as Kevin Heath of Smurfit Kappa explains.

Bags are manufactured from a range of films with the most predominant being EVOH (Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol). The bag works as an impermeable oxygen barrier ensuring the water stays uncontaminated from bacterial growth that can sometime occur as a result of exposure to outside air. With bag filling conducted under aseptic conditions the long-term purity of the water is ensured and could extend its shelf life. Smurfit Kappa Bag-in-Box water

box bags and Vitop taps offer exceptional levels of hygiene and quality assurance. Assembly of the Vitop taps and the production of bags is undertaken in a ‘cleanroom’ environment incorporating pressurisation and air filtering to ensure the lowest levels of environmental pollutants such as dust, airborne microbes, aerosol particles and chemical vapours meet strict food industry requirements.

Cardboard and water?

aper and water doesn’t sound like a recipe for success. Kevin Heath explains why it is.

Paper has long been known as having good insulating qualities and the corrugation technique captures pockets of air between layers of paper to stop the transmission of ambient heat to the water, reducing the energy required to maintain the chilled temperature of the water. A further benefit of corrugated board is that

it offers significant crush resistance allowing greater stacking potential during transport. Working with Aqueduct Investments International, Smurfit Kappa has designed and produced a pack that chills water through direct contact with a chilling plate within a dispenser. This is a unique solution to an ageold problem.”

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Caps and closures

n the bottled cooler industry it’s quite literally the cap that takes the full weight. We look at how caps have fitted the changing requirements of the cooler and consumer.

Discussion panel Stella Vavouli (SV), Export Manager, Krystal Molding Enterprises Douglas Hidding (DH), President, Blackhawk Tim Stephenson (TS), European Design Manager, Portola

How have caps evolved over time in the bottled cooler industry? TS: The original plastic cooler caps were made as a replacement for cork stoppers in glass bottles in the 1950s. Over time the introduction of water coolers led to the introduction on the Non-Spill plug system to improve convenience for end users. Today’s closures are required to perform on faster filling lines, offer increased tamper evidence and security, and with the addition of a custom printed label design the caps also serve as a platform for product branding.

SV: While a few years ago the only need for the cap was to keep the water in the bottle, now the needs have changed. Krystal Molding, following the evolution of the market and even more to exceed the expectations, is now offering innovative SafeWater and Protection Guard valved caps of high quality to ensure perfect flow, zero leaking. DH: Originally, the function of the cap was to seal the bottle and avoid leaking. The next generation was the valve-actuated cap – an inner cap that worked with the probe in the cooler to effectively prevent spillage during assembly to/from the cooler. This allowed cooler manufacturers to upgrade their coolers to a closed reservoir system. Blackhawk subsequently introduced the Kleen Peel label to further protect the top of the bottle until the label is peeled off and the bottle inserted on to the probe. What’s your latest cap invention? TS: Our NSL 2 Flow-Seal closure uses a sealing material specially developed for our water closures to provide a high performance seal without risk of tainting the product. SV: Single-stick/nonadhesive labels, inner valve and Sem-Free (without Azodicarbonamide)

foam liner, which provides the excellent quality and fitting of the caps, eliminates the migration of foreign substances and ensures the natural hygiene of the water. Each cap is specifically made for one-time use further ensuring the sterility of the component. DH: Blackhawk is in the process of final commercial testing on a new cap called the Universal 5 (U-5). This cap will work with any type of cooler and will accept any type of probe, thus the name ‘Universal’. The U-5 cap is an innovative variation of the current ‘puncture’ type of closures, eliminating any potential issues with probe damage during assembly or removal from a cooler probe and its innovative design allows for a nearly spill free removal of the bottle. Currently, this cap is only available in the US. What’s your most popular to date? DH: The Safegard cap has sold in the hundreds of millions and is used in at least 35 countries. SV: Krystal’s Non-Spill Cap, produced in a variety of colors, and with customised labels with specified name and artwork for the clients. This is provided at no extra charge. TS: Our Non-Spill closure is manufactured globally by Portola and has provided reliable consistent

performance throughout the market. What developments are you working on? SV: Our latest product is the new Non-Spill Dispenser Valve which provides easy access to always water directly from the bottle, allows fast flow without undesirable leaking and stays clean of reservoir or biofilm growth. DH: We are using an additive that reduces the carbon footprint and improves the sustainability of our products. We call these caps ‘Plus’ caps. One of our largest US customers has been using this new‚ ‘Safegard Plus’ for over a year, reducing the amount of resin used in their closures by over 100,000 pounds. Blackhawk is looking for a partner to introduce the product in Europe. TS: Our latest focus has been to ensure consistent closure performance in different climatic conditions, from very cold in winter to very hot in the summer.

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Masafi’s shrinking footprint

M Labels

ithout a label it’s hard to know what you’re dealing with. We speak to Maxine Chuwen, Sales Director of Labels Plus, about the labelling trends that stick. Are there any particular requirements for water bottle labels? Our premium water labels have a base material, laminate and adhesive construction created to suit the requirements of

the water industry. This construction is designed to last the life of the water container and makes our labels scuff and scratch resistant, enabling them to withstand the harsh conditions of the sterilising unit, including

iddle East bottling giant Masafi is filling out its reputation as an environmentally aware company with its packaging choices. It has introduced oxobiodegradable shrinkwraps and handles, so far for its 1.5 litre bottles - but in the next two years it hopes to extend the technology to its caps and bottles. Oxo-biodegradable technology is a relatively new process that adds a small amount of metal salts to plastics. These salts speed up the degradation of the plastic when it is exposed to specific environmental conditions. The process is decreased from hundreds of years to about 24 months as the plastic breaks down into water, carbon dioxide and biomass after its first exposure to the sun. Masafi’s Head of Marketing, Natascha Edelmann told Cooler Innovation: “We want to offer gratifying premium natural products in a socially responsible and sustainable manner.”

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customers’ specifications. Once packed, we despatch the labels to single or multiple destinations within the UK as instructed. Our labels then get hand- or machine-applied directly onto the water containers, depending on the facilities available on site. What are research and development departments working on in labelling?

The package: bottle, label and a cap designed by Krystal

washing temperatures of up to 70°C. What ink is chosen and why? To ensure colours remain vibrant and images clean and sharp throughout the life of our labels, we only use inks of the highest UV resistance and the latest printing processes. What do labels undergo before they are affixed to the bottle? Labels are put through the press, printed with our customers’ designs and reeled according to our

At LabelsPlus, we are constantly seeking new material combinations to offer our customers a bigger range. Our latest addition is a bright silver foil material construction to add a new dimension to the labels, from a design point of view. Are there emerging label trends? Digital printing is quickly becoming the process of choice for small, shorter runs with multiple sorts, as it offers total flexibility on full colour printing with no expensive set up or plate costs. By using the latest technology like the new Xeikon 330 digital printer, the quality of our digital labels is now on a par with conventional flexographic presses.

Sticking a label on the future

ndy Thomas, Editor of Labels&Labelling magazine, tells us what he sees to be the emerging trends in the industry, and where it goes from here. “If we look at key trends in the labels industry, the most important are the growth of digital label printing, and the whole field of brand protection, counterfeit deterrence, authentication and tamper-evidence. In terms of the end-use applications for labels, the food/supermarket sector is becoming even more dominant. We are tending to see decreased life cycle for new products and an increase in product variants, which could further favour digital printing technologies in the future. In terms of technologies in the water segment, we have seen label printers offer a much wider range of products and solutions, including selfadhesives, wrap-around film and sleeve labels, with a significant trend towards the use of clear film. In addition we see the label industry under great pressure to become

’greener’ - to adopt green policies, implement ISO 14000, to reduce wastage, CO2 emissions and improve energy efficiency. In terms of bottled water labels, those using paper have moved towards one of the main ‘sustainable’ labelling schemes - either FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) or PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification). In terms of film materials, we see greater experimentation with films made from non-oil sources (eg plant based bio plastics), as well as a move towards making wraparound film labels easier to remove in a recycling network. A major issue is that the label material, most commonly polypropylene, is not compatible with PET, which is used most widely for manufacturing water bottles.”

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Vending news

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A round up of news from the vending industry

Smile, it’s Unilever’s ice cream giveaway

nilever has launched the world’s first ever smile-activated ice-cream vending machine.

The machine, developed by SapientNitro, responds to smiles through an ‘attractor screen’, which draws the attention of passers-by, prompts them to smile and then measures the smile response with an electronic smile-o-meter. The machine takes a snapshot and, with permission, uploads it onto Facebook via 3G technology. The consumer can pick out his or her free ice cream by using the touch-screen interface. “We’re really excited about the possibility this new technology holds for Unilever. It offers a revolutionary new way for consumers to buy ice cream and, simultaneously, a revolutionary brand experience,” said Ian Maskell, Global Brand Development Director for Wall’s at Unilever. Kim Douglas, Managing Director of SapientNitro UK, said: “You would

Old cigarette machines sell packet-sized literature

erman publishing company Hamburger Automatenverlag (Hamburg Automatic Publishing) has given old cigarette machines a puff of new life. Instead of tobacco, the machines deliver a variety of books - novels, picture books and poetry - condensed to the size of a cigarette packet. New cigarette vending machines are being created to comply with Germany’s strict tobacco regulations, comprising electronic systems

and identity scanners, rendering the old coin-slot machines redundant. Instead of hitting the scrap heap, they are being reconditioned to sell pocket books, much the same way as Art-o-Mat in the US, which replaced cigarette packets with artworks.

Coining in on wine

lthough Pennsylvania, US, has some of the strictest alcohol laws in the country, it’s the launchpad location of vending’s newest, most intoxicating tipple: wine.

expect nothing less from Unilever, a company highly respected for innovation, than to introduce an industry-leading brand experience. We are thrilled to work with Unilever on this, and look forward to seeing the vending machine being rolled out into other markets around the world.” SapientNitro also developed the graphic language, interface design and the unique animation style for the vending machine. Samsung was the screen provider and Sanden Vendo supplied the vending machine.

The wine vending machines are made by Simple brands. CEO James Lesser said: “You can now buy iPods and hi-tech gadgets in vending machines at airports. You can now get your tickets at self-service checkouts. Self-service has just really become more popular.” The wine vending machines hold 700 bottles,

temperature-controlled, and offer a variety of quality and price. At present, the machines are being tested at supermarkets before more are rolled out throughout 2011, each with a proofof-age checker and a built-in breathalyser. CCTV cameras will be monitored by state officials.

Gold rush

vending machine in Abu Dhabi has begun dispensing small gold bars and coins in exchange for cash.

The ‘Gold to Go’ idea was dreamt up by German entrepreneur Thomas Geissler, who fist trialled the ATM in Germany. However, Geissler chose Abu Dhabi’s Emirates Palace Hotel for the official launch. Geissler told The Daily Mail, UK: “All the gold is imported from Germany, and soon we will have a customised

gold bar with a print of the Emirates Palace logo, which will be a nice souvenir for guests to take home.” The exterior of the machine is coated with a thin layer of gold and offers customers 320 items to choose from, ranging from gold bars that can weigh up to 10g, to customised gold coins.

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NEWS 57

Asia’s diversity

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have no objections to this arrangement. In other words, a strong cooler branding effort is not needed. It is an industry to support the bottlers, not a stand-alone business.”

The clean water issue

So why is bottled water so popular? It depends on where in Asia you’re drinking. Japan-based Alex Ng, Sales Director with Oasis, says: “Asia is a vast continent and we can not really amalgamate to any degree. Countries like Japan have a very strong requirement for health and wellbeing and are willing to pay for this. However other countries have more basic requirements and require a dispenser which is a no frills product.” Asia’s need for water remains constant, although the reasons differ as much as its landscape

Asia is the world’s largest continent, stretching officially from Turkey to Japan, and from the tip of Russia to the bottom tip of East Timor. But the term ‘Asia’ was coined by the West - its inhabitants never considered themselves as a single civilisation, purely because they were so many, and so different. For that very reason, when doing any overview of Asia one can expect to see a spectrum of results, attitudes and habits - a natural reflection of its diversity. However, broadly speaking, Asia and the bottled water business have experienced a single-track, symbiotic relationship. According to some in the business, there has been nothing but growth - and although the reasons may differ, the combined reliance on bottled water and water coolers has remained unilaterally steady. Even in the credit-crunched hit of 2009.

Cooler’s role in Asia “There has never been any decline in the bottled water business in any country in Asia and the Middle East, contrary to the US and Europe,” says Ita Thaher, Director and Secretary General of the Asian Bottled Water Association. “And automatically, the impact also goes to the water cooler units.” The reason why water cooler units follow suit ‘automatically’ as opposed to standing up to the economic and consumer climate on its own industry feet is because,

as Ita Thaher explains, it’s not apparently or practically an industry in its own right. “Water coolers is not an independent sole industry like the one you see in Europe, US or Canada. The players are more of a home-industry type, which you might call small and medium-size manufacturers, and they also produce other household items such as kitchen cabinets, sinks, ovens etc. Bottlers come to them. The units can or may be labelled with the brand of the waters. The cooler manufacturers

Even in Japan, where municipal water is improving, Alex Ng adds, the preference is still with bottled water. It seems that safe drinking water comes down to a matter of trust. Ita Thaher, based in Jakarta, sums it up: “Tap water? Who drinks it, that is ‘poison’? Only few territories have government-operated tap water. The government is selling this service project to the private sector. Private complexes and apartments have their own water-treatment and filter system.” David Ilmoon Mook, President of Clover, Korea, says: “Tap water is not potable until it’s boiled or filtered, while there is strong reliability in bottled water quality.” With recent reports of floods in Pakistan, arsenic in India’s wells and draught ravaging

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In fact, according to research by beverage information specialists Canadean, it’s because of Asia that the bottled water category seems to have ridden out the worst of the global recession. Speaking of the future, the company statement continues: “Within Asia it will be China that boosts the regional and indeed the global performance . . . The market has been aided by hot weather in certain important parts of China and intense price competition, which has kept prices low.” Asia’s polarity in terms of wealth is also extreme, and while on one hand a lack of sanitation can drive mineral and bottled water sales, on the other hand so can a perception of luxury and associated veblen value. A response by The Sunday Times to Zenith International’s global bottled

(not expensive) and when electricity is available. Otherwise, they will use ceramic or plastic jars (complete with nozzles).”

the water supplies of China, Asia is clearly a continent of weather extremes with an ongoing history in some areas of contaminated water supplies. And even in countries where the municipal water supply is controlled and safety-checked by government or private bodies, like Malaysia, you will still also see a thriving bottled water businesses.

The future, the challenge

water report, said: “The relentless rise of Asia’s middle classes is poised to create an explosion in the global market for bottled water that will see the world consuming more than 280 billion litres annually by 2012 . . . The expected growth surge, which will be driven in large part by China, India and the Middle East, is expected to trigger what some are already dubbing a blue gold rush.”

Cooler specifics If there’s good, or at least steady business for coolers, then which coolers are we talking about? Asiandesigned units arrive in Europe, bursting with technology and cosmetic design appeal, but is that what’s important in Asia? “There is no need for fancy items. Asia and the Middle East need a practical workable

Asia’s cooler difference Water cooler brand isn’t as important in Asia, says Ita Thaher. And while Europeans are searching for new unique selling points, functions and styles, Asia’s needs filter down to a basic need: water, cheaply.

The key question is: (a) how many innovations can you launch in a year (b) how does the ‘new’ innovation affect the price (c) try hard to produce them locally to reduce expenses ie import duties and sales tax.

system at a reasonable price,” says Ita Thaher. “The key factor is price.” “Many people look for dispensers with energy efficient technologies,” says David Ilmoon Mook. “Korean people pay a close attention to their electricity bills.” Ita Thaher continues: “Practically no mains-fed. The municipal water quality is too poor. The mains-fed can never filter well, the design of any mains-fed available in the market is too simple - not sufficient filtering.” Such is the mistrust of mains water, mains-fed units do not have a significant portion of the industry share across Asia. “To date there is still a greater awareness of bottle coolers, however in certain markets as the mains-fed water supplies are improving then mains-fed is beginning to make some gains,” said Oasis’ Director of New Market Development, Willie McCaskill. Although energy efficiency evidently helps, for many environmental responsibility - a driver in the Western market - is one concern behind being able to drink clean water, or affording to. “Coolers will be used if the price is affordable

Asia’s basic need for clean drinking water and its flipside yen for wellbeing and health suggests that the bottled water market - and therefore the cooler industry - isn’t likely to decline any time soon. “Similar to most other global markets we are still seeing economic instability in certain markets,” said Willie McCaskill. “Similar to Western Europe we anticipate a growth in mains-fed and a more environmentally and sanitisation conscious customer base.” The predicted continued growth of the cooler industry, on the back of the bottled water industry, is a sentiment echoed by the Asian Bottled Water Association - although sales of coolers and manufacture of coolers do not always share the same root. “Supply from China remains the biggest competitive challenge,” said Willie McCaskill. “We are finding more and more Asian distributors willing to buy high quality European-made products that provide easy sanitisation options and very low maintenance for the long life of their cooler.” “BIB water is going to be the biggest challenge in the dispenser market,” says David Ilmoon Mook, who manufactures in Korea. “And decreasing margins against incurred costs.”

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MARKET PROFILE 59

From concept to exit strategy Click here to subscribe Whether it’s starting from scratch or just from stand-still, we look at the life and expectancy of business expansion. Business from the beginning A bright idea starts at home, but where does it go from there? We ask Rob Galkoff and Mike Michalowicz how to launch a concept into a company. Rob is Managing Director of The Business Consultants. Mike is an entrepreneur. He has started and sold multi-million dollar businesses and is the author of The Toilet Paper Entrepreneur. You have an idea for a business, what next? Rob: It’s really important to put down on paper what your aims and objectives for the business are. Think about your target market, the area you want to cover, immediate competitors, the price you can charge, some of the expenses you might have (transport, tools, parts, uniform, computer, telephone, accountant, salary, taxes etc). Once you’ve done this, work out how much money you need to take out of the business to live on. Do you think there are the customer numbers you need out there to make it work for you? Mike: Once you have an idea, you have to determine if it has legs. The best way to do that is using a method I call the Focus 5. First, research the competition and consumers - could you make $5 million in revenue in the next 5 years? Next determine how many direct competitors you will have when you start up; if it is fewer than five competitors and you can project $5 million in five years . . . then go for it! Go for it now.

advice from and this is essential before starting up any business. Business Link sites are a great place to start. They will give you practical (and often free) advice on how to set up your business and write a business plan. Accountants are also a good starting point. They’ll usually give you the first meeting for free and are worth talking to about tax liabilities and the administration of a business and the legal entity. Your local bank will generally have a business team and they’ll also be a valuable source of help and you’ll find plenty of businesses online who will allow you to set up your own company online, which will keep your costs down. Mike: Professional advice is a double-edged sword. It is a fantastic way of learning short cuts and avoiding mistakes,

You’re going to need something to put up as collateral if you borrow money and obviously that is good. The down side is that everyone, including the been-there-donethat professionals, has their own bias. Their suggestions may be perfect for them, but that doesn’t mean they will be perfect for you. Listen to the pros and if it resonates with you, then do it - take the advice. But if it doesn’t resonate with you, then trust your gut and go with it.

Is professional advice essential?

What do start-ups often forget when doing their business plan?

Rob: Yes! There are plenty of places to get some sound

Rob: The biggest mistake is around properly thinking about

Rob Galkoff and Mike Michalowicz the amount of money you are going to be able to take out of the business. The net problem lies in considering: 1) Expenditure - salaries and taxes are big ones here 2) Income - are you being realistic about the number of customers you can get in on a regular basis and the amount of money you can charge them? 3) Non-earning times - don’t forget your holiday and sick pay. 4) Competitors - you’re not going to be able to steal your competitors’ customers on day one, so what is your marketing strategy to get them, how long will it take and what are the costs? Mike: They forget the ‘tacking’ part of business. Tacking is a sailing term, and is the method of leveraging changing winds and avoiding obstacles by adjusting the boat’s direction in frequent increments. The boat covers ground by going in this zig-zag tacking pattern, and business plans forget this. Business plans just define one path but don’t account for the changing winds of the economy or the obstacles of competition, for example. So, a successful business plan is in fact a dynamic document. It is reviewed and adjusted every 90 days to keep the business aligned with its ultimate goals.

How do you best go about looking for funding / investors? Rob: The two can be very different. Funding tends to come from a bank or a form of Government Grant. However, you’re going to need something to put up as collateral if you borrow money. As for investors, well there are people around who are prepared to invest in small businesses. An accountant is a good person to help you here. One personal piece of advice is not to ask family and friends as the difficulties that will ensue if your business fails and they lose their money might put a serious strain on your relationship. Mike: The short answer is to present your request in the way the investor/lender wants it. When it comes to banks for example, they invest very conservatively and will want a ‘traditional’ business plan with projections for everything. Alternatively, if you seek out angel investors (high networth individuals) they often seek PPMs (Private Placement Memorandums) that compliment their existing investments, or an area of interest. You find them by networking with everyone you know. Is an exit strategy important? Rob: When starting a business the answer has to be no. You need to focus on building your business and must not be distracted by its worth in X

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INSIGHT 61

From concept to exit strategy Click here to subscribe years’ time. It takes a good 3-5 years to get a business up and running properly, so don’t think about the way out just yet! Mike: Yes you need an exit strategy, even if your strategy is to spend your last living day at the business. You simply need to know the direction you’re heading (even if that direction is not selling), because it puts that X on the horizon on where you want the business to be.

New business case studies Manufacturing: Blupura Luca Costantini launched his niche water cooler manufacturing business in January 2008. Had you started a business before? I started a business in Spain in the tourism business 20 years ago with third party capital. It was tough, but I wasn’t risking my own money. Blupura was the first business with my own capital (with Gianni Grottini). How did Blupura come about? Gianni and myself were in the water cooler industry for many years working as managers with another manufacturer. We could see niches in the market that big manufacturers weren’t interested in. Gianni and I had the same visions, and we knew we could get on well together. We decided, together with our families, to give a try to our thoughts and our plans.

and artisan associations. Our business plan was detailed enough, but the sole exit strategy was losing all our money, trying to start again somehow and somewhere. But this is the risk of an enterprise and we have always been conscious of this. How did you launch? We started Blupura with only one model: the Fontemagna Steel Fizz, a top of the range hospitality cooler with a fantastic design and innovative materials, with touch screen commands (first in the industry), and with natural refrigerant gas (R290 - again first in our industry) instead of synthetic gases (R134) used by other manufacturers. We could immediately differentiate ourselves. Was there anything in the startup plan you got wrong? We thought we could start producing and selling much more before we did, and this caused an imbalance in our cash flow. We solved the situation by adding more personal money and an extra bank loan. What advice would you give others? To have an innovative idea, to stick to it no matter what it involves, to believe in yourself, and to have few shareholders. Decisions should be made quickly, without having to listen and to agree with too many business partners. To be the owner of your own future is the greatest feeling!

What, if any, professional business advice did you have? We had an accountancy consultant, which was helpful in all the bureaucratic papers and documents we needed to start.

Russ Bullen opened his water cooler and mineral water distribution business in the credit-crunched September of 2009. What gave you the idea to start up a business? I have always had the desire to run my own company and as my employer at the time had made redundancies (and further redundancies and a possible buyout were possible), I created Hydration Nation as a safety net.

If you have an innovative idea, stick to it no matter what it involves, believe in yourself What was your previous experience? Eight years of sales experience with the last four years directly in the industry, two of which were as Regional Sales Manager with a large mains-fed manufacturer. How did you determine there was a market? Whilst selling mains-fed units I was regularly asked if we supplied bottled coolers or bottled mineral water. I did no direct research but my experience and feedback gain from field sales confirmed to me there was a demand. What was the next step?

Did you make a business plan? We did a lot of research about producing a good business plan to present to banks, and we spoke with a few industrial

Distribution: Hydration Nation

Luca Costantini

We were faced with an overwhelming list of tasks that included business plans, budgets, sourcing suppliers, insurances, sales strategies, administration processes, company vehicles, premises etc . . .

Russ Bullen

What was the hardest aspect of starting a business? Without doubt it was the time limit and financial restraints. Hydration Nation is 100% self-funded, and although this is great for the long term future of the business it did make it very difficult to start up and get through the first few months of trading. Was there anything you’d overlooked or didn’t expect? I had very little experience with the accounts and credit control role and I really didn’t anticipate that the collection of rentals and the payment of invoices would be so time consuming and tricky, with so many trying to push a standard 30 day term. What qualities should any person starting a business possess? Determination and the desire to succeed. Skills and knowledge essential to a start-up business can be gained by research or courses - or even by recruiting employees; but mental attitude is what will get a business off the ground and drive it forward!

Buying upwards and onwards When expansion starts with an idea and ends with acquisition, you need to know what you’re getting into for your money. Ross Colbert, a mergers and acquisitions director for Zenith International who has advised leading groups such as Nestlé,

62 INSIGHT

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

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Heineken and PepsiCo, talks us through it.

focus on the day to day core business.

What’s your view of expansion within the cooler industry?

What are the rewards?

Consolidation within the water cooler market has accelerated in the last six months. The economic recession coupled with the lack of cooler financing has forced many business owners to consider their strategic options - to acquire, merge or sell? A slower cooler market can make any transaction challenging, but companies that have a healthy balance sheet and financials, with capacity to grow and integrate, will have the best chances for success in any transaction. When is it the right time to consider an acquisition? It is difficult to predict when the right acquisition opportunity will arise, but the current market, driven by the lack of bank financing, favours ‘strategic buyers’ - the larger water cooler companies looking to do tuck-in acquisitions and build cooler account density. What stress will acquisition put on a business? Any transaction can be a major distraction for management and disruptive to daily operations, especially if the acquirer plans to merge the target’s organisations. It’s important for business owners (buyers and sellers) to allocate the proper personnel and resources to their ‘deal team’ - and not to lose

Beyond simply adding new cooler customers and greater revenues, the right acquisition can help strengthen an organisation, open up new markets and channels and provide significant economies of scale to the buyer. A buyer should always analyse the Return On Invested Capital (ROIC) - but there are often strategic benefits that are more difficult to measure. Should businesses seek professional advice? Yes. Having an experienced intermediary/advisor enables the seller to remain focused on running the company and not becoming overly

A good exit strategy begins when you start the business. It sounds odd but it works distracted by the sale process. An intermediary working for the seller can ensure the sale process remains on track and for the seller provides an important buffer in negotiations with a potential buyer. In my experience, the cost of hiring a sell-side advisor is more than offset by having someone to facilitate the divestiture process and maximise the business value for the seller. How do you go about proposing a sale, merger or acquisition?

Ross Colbert

The best approach is to attend water cooler trade events regularly and to network with business owners, suppliers, bankers and consultants. Develop your relationships with some of the larger, multi-national

cooler companies - it can take time before the right opportunity develops, and building trust with a target’s owner is a critical first step. Lastly, I recommend sitting down once a year with a strategic advisor, such as Zenith, to review your business plan and exchange ideas on the latest water cooler industry trends.

Closed for business Some see it as pessimism or greed, depending on the outcome, but others consider an exit strategy right from the start a crucial aspect of the business plan. Commercial strategy author Graham Watkins tells us why and how. Graham Watkins is the author of Exit Strategy and worked in the catering and refrigeration industries. Details can be found at www.exit-strategy.org A good exit strategy begins when you start the business. It sounds odd but it works. Planning your way out will help you built a better, more efficient business: a business that is more profitable and easier to run. A good exit strategy will help you grow your business and make it attractive to potential buyer when the time comes to cash in your chips and walk away. An exit strategy that is developed over several years will pay you back in spades.

Simple set ups for a good exit Remove obstacles to an easy sale before you put the business on the market. You don’t want to frighten away a buyer with an outstanding industrial tribunal, a dispute with a key supplier or a product liability fault. Find the right professional advisors, people that you understand and can work with under pressure. Learn where to find the good hired guns that can add value to your deal. Good advisors will help deal with confidentiality and protect you

Graham Watkins

from inquisitive competitors that just want to come and have a look. Learn how to keep your employees happy as you prepare to sell them. You don’t want to scare your staff - they are your biggest asset. Understand how potential buyers will value your business before you ask a price. Learn how the negotiation works and prepare your game plan to play for a better price. Watch out for due diligence. It’s when a posse of snoopers arrives looking for trouble and a trap that kills many deals. If you have followed your exit strategy plan, you can turn your buyers delving into a positive advantage.

Pre-exit checklist 1. What is your business exit strategy? Will you sell, pass it on to children, or take it public? 2. Is your business flexible? Is it transferrable or are you the business? 3. Do your investors have an exit strategy that needs to be timetabled?

Have you recently started up a business in the cooler world? We’d love to hear about your experiences at ci@foodbev.com

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

INSIGHT 63

Cooler views

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Guidance notes on the hygienic, day to day operation of bottled water coolers by Watermark Consultancy’s Mike Hurst. With a properly maintained, serviced and sensibly used bottled water cooler the quality of the water dispensed should be the same as that from the bottle just before loading - ie, the cooler should not contribute to the microbiological content of the bottle. Unfortunately, on occasions this is not the case because of cooler misuse or most likely the failure to remove the label/seal on the bottle cap at loading. A recent survey of bottles returned to bottlers showed that 20-25% of the bottles had been loaded onto the cooler without the label/ seal being removed first. This is alarming and needs considerable customer education to remedy matters.

Cooler protection The coolers in use in the European Bottled Water Industry are designed to be protected against airborne contamination during use. They must possess: 1. a bayonet/spike system to permit spill-free loading and to avoid customers putting their hands on the open bottle neck during cooler loading. 2. a sealed reservoir. 3. a 5 micron air filter to prevent dust etc from entering the cooler as water is drawn off. A slight lag in the bubbles appearing in the bottle is a good sign that the cooler is well sealed. Trials have shown that these features stop contamination entering the bottle during water take off, even if coolers are subjected to a bacterial aerosol.

Bottle protection Bottle caps are designed to give an airtight seal once the bottle is filled. The caps have a mechanism to enable them to be put onto the bayonet of the cooler without spillage. This mechanism is protected by a peel off label, the purpose of which is to stop dust etc getting into the cap valve. This label must be removed immediately prior to the bottle being put on the cooler. The purpose of the label is to stop dust and dirt getting into the cap mechanism and the bottle. Failure to remove the label at loading has the reverse effect! What happens if the cap label is not removed? • Dust, dirt and the label are driven into the bottle. • The bottle does not reseal properly and the bayonet well fills with water, which is open to contamination and can contaminate the next bottle loaded. • Attempts to remove the bottle result in water all over the floor or down the clothes of the person concerned. Dust in an office will contain amongst other things: fungal and algal spores, skin cells, airborne viruses, bacteria, organic matter (food for bacteria) and plastic.

Dust in hospitals can on occasion contain many unpleasant things including dried body excretions, skin cells and unpleasant organisms such as Norovirus, MRSA and Clostridium difficile - organisms that are causing widespread concern. Forcing dust into the bottle may - and sometimes does - result in one or more of the following: • Algal growth turning the bottle green

Mike Hurst

so determined to force the bottles onto coolers without removing the protection that coolers were damaged! Customer education is clearly needed.

• The presence of disease organisms

Other cooler misuse

• Unsatisfactory levels of bacteria

• Taps can be contaminated by dirty hands.

• The presence of unacceptable species of bacteria (contaminants)

• The practice of refilling ordinary drinking water bottles for use at the desk from the cooler is widespread but it often leads to contamination of the tap from the bottle neck – especially if the user is in the habit of swigging from the bottle. Cooler care staff quite frequently report lipstick traces on taps!

• Strange tastes • Cloudiness or foreign bodies

Cooler care staff quite frequently report finding lipstick traces on taps Developments in cap protection Caps were (and still may be) available with either hard plastic snap-out seals or aluminium protective labels. Despite the intended difficulty of loading bottles thus equipped onto coolers without removing the label, there were reports of clients

• Filling the cooler and or bottle with inappropriate drinks such as beer, wine and fruit juice can seriously contaminate a cooler with moulds and yeasts which then lead to intractable taste problems and contamination that is very difficult to eliminate. Some coolers thus misused may even have to be thrown away. Coolers must only be used with the water supplied. • Refilling of bottles from the tap. Bottles are not intended to be filled by the client. Dust enters when

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

EXPERT OPINION 65

Cooler views the bottle is refilled and the spill-proof system is no longer effective. • Inappropriate and careless cleaning has resulted in some coolers becoming contaminated. Beware of kitchen staff and contract cleaners or well meaning amateurs.

The importance of regular sanitisation Because of the mishaps mentioned above and the natural gradual build of biofilms on cooler water contact surfaces it is strongly recommended that bottled coolers are given professional sanitisation every three months or 13 weeks. Members of EBWA and EPDWA are required to sanitise coolers at this frequency. Sanitisation is described as the cleaning, followed by disinfection of the water contact surfaces of the cooler,

and especially the tap mechanism. The company responsible for the coolers will also wish to clean up the exterior of the cooler including the drip tray. A drip tray is not part of the water contact surfaces of a cooler and consequently does not need full sanitisation. A clean will do. Experience has shown that after the recommended sanitisation period has elapsed water quality begins to be affected by the unsanitised cooler, although the water will still be fit for consumption.

Keeping the cooler in top condition between sanitisation visits a) bayonet and bottle Those customers who wish to maintain their coolers in the best possible condition between sanitisations will be interested to note that there are now special antibacterial

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wipes and peroxide sprays that can be used on the cooler bayonet system and the taps at every bottle change. A sensible procedure at each bottle change is as follows: 1. remove the old bottle 2. dry out the bayonet and bayonet well using a clean paper towel 3. Either spray the well with one of the proprietary peroxide sprays or use a special cooler wipe 4. Remove the cap label (!) 5. Wipe or spray the cap as in point 3 6. Load the bottle carefully onto the bayonet. Neither of these methods leave any significant residues in the water so the cooler can be used at once without any special precautions or rinsing. (The peroxide breaks down almost at once and is harmless as only traces remain on the bayonet whilst the alcohol in the wipes soon disappears). b) Taps These should be attended to on a regular basis. The special wipes and sprays can be used on the tap handles and exterior whilst the sprays can be used to work peroxide into the tap mechanism. Some sprays can be adjusted to give a jet that will reach deep into the tap.

A note on the safety of peroxide

The neat sprays used are either 2.5% or 3% peroxide. This is very weak and any remaining traces are, of

course, heavily diluted by the water. To put the safety in context, mouthwashes are widely obtainable containing 1.5% peroxide and they are suitable to be put in the mouth neat! In addition, peroxide once diluted breaks down very quickly to form water and oxygen.

Personal hygiene Anybody changing a bottle or cleaning taps etc should wash and dry their hands first. Nobody with a stomach upset should be allowed to change bottles. All staff carrying out full sanitisations of coolers must have received formal, certificated hygiene training.

Summary Regular sanitisation is necessary to maintain coolers in good hygienic condition under normal conditions of usage. However it is clear that some coolers are not treated ideally. The simple procedure of removing cap labels before bottles are loaded is easily done and will go a long way to preventing some of the problems that originate from cooler misuse. Next time I will look more deeply into the role of sanitisation and look at cooler features which can reduce the sanitisation burden. I will also be commenting on my thoughts that some companies are becoming complacent about sanitisation. I deal with customer complaints most days and I can see trouble coming as customers have tests done to see what they are drinking.

www.foodbev.com/cooler Issue 28 - August · September 2010

EXPERT OPINION 67

EPDWA matters

Click here to subscribe From the EPDWA office

Membership Matters How important is your membership? Membership is so much more than paying fees and hanging a certificate on the wall in the office. The EPDWA speaks to potential members regularly about the benefits of joining our association. For each new member the reasons for joining change, however for most the core deciding factor is that they are joining an organisation that is at the very heart of the European water cooler industry. Members know that as our association is lead by people from the industry, it truly understands the requirements for competing in this market place, and that the association is always fighting their corner to ensure members are well informed and supported through all eventualities. Members understand that through the associations’

credibility and partnerships it has the strength to support the best interests of the sector as a whole and be a prominent mouthpiece for the industry, helping shape policy and raise awareness. The association helps new and evolving organisations with a clear path to accreditation, technical courses and training, standards and procedures as well as the prestigious audited logo, ensuring that all the members that have achieved this level of accreditation are clearly definable to their clients as attaining a truly worthy standard within the industry. It is imperative that our membership reinforces the standard; one potential member said that they had been in industry for some time and had never been asked for membership by a potential customer. A valid statement you may say,

but unless our members continually inform their customers and tender opportunities about what their membership entails and the benefits it immediately brings the client by selecting an EPDWA member, how will they be aware of the recognition of the high standards already achieved? The EPDWA accreditation has now become a de facto part of the UK’s tendering process contacts and the association has been drafted in on several occasions to help shape tenders by giving clear advice on standards and procedures prior to the issuing of tender documents to potential bidders. Members have also used the association in the past to contact the tendering organisation so that we can help guide the process from the start.

Becoming a member of the EPDWA may just start as a journey to gain access to larger contracts or to achieve higher standards, but it should not end there. Each of our members has a role to play in the future of the association, sharing knowledge and identifying future threats as well as strategic direction. While the association will continue to offer as much help and support to members it is imperative that members support the association by truly being part of the activity, debate and direction, not just hanging their certificate on the wall. We are always grateful for suggestions of what else we can do to make a difference and whilst we have lots on the agenda for the future more ideas are always welcome.

Name change We are pleased to inform you that there has been an overwhelming YES to the proposed name change to European Drinking Water Cooler Association (EDWCA). The detailed voting was as follows:

48.25% of the membership voted 86.8% voted YES 11.8% voted NO 0.4% abstained We are now in the process of implementing the name change and will inform you from when this becomes effective. In the meantime continue to use the existing logo, and eventually phase the new logo (above) in on your printed literature as and when you re-print. Although as an association we have now formally included bottled and boxed water, the EDWCA will of course continue to promote first and foremost the development of the fast growing mains-fed business everywhere. © Cooler Innovation 2010. Reproduced with the kind permission of FoodBev Media - www.foodbev.com For details about syndication and licensing please contact the marketing team on 01225 327890.

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EBWA 69

Cooler work

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A day in my job James Sugden, 24, has been with Trafalgar Scientific for two years. Cooler Innovation asks him about his job as Sales Executive. onsite rapid test kits ideal for companies without laboratories.

What training did you have? With a degree in Business Studies, I have also attended many microbiology courses and I regularly attend industry seminars and conferences as it helps me to stay up to date with current regulations and new products.

How important is it to the water cooler industry?

In short, what does Trafalgar Scientific do? Trafalgar predominately supply a wide range of microbiology products, ranging from laboratory consumables to

Advising on and supplying micro testing equipment helps to ensure that all water that is supplied and consumed is safe to drink. There are many potential areas that contamination of water can occur so it is vital that constant and regular testing is conducted.

What sort of situations do you come across in your working day? The majority involves being onsite with customers, looking at processes and procedures, as well as testing methods. Routine testing is an additional cost, and convincing people to carry out tests and use products can sometimes be challenging.

What variety of environments do you come across? In one day I can visit a small bottled water company and the laboratory of a multinational global organisation. I have meetings with all different kinds of people from managing directors to laboratory staff to product developers.

What's the hardest thing about your job? The most challenging aspect of my role is developing new markets. This requires time and effort spent researching the market sector and identifying methods and regulatory standards.

What do you love about your job? That no two days are the same! Being out and seeing customers, building relationships with people are all aspects that I love about my job. Recommending and implementing testing methods and products that are then implemented within a company is very rewarding.

A day in my life Alan Godfrey is founder owner of AGM Publicity Associates. He now specialises in water and vending industries in PR, advertising and marketing and runs day publicity courses. 8.00am

10.30am

First, I enjoy a nice cup of coffee, or two, to start my brain functions. I take a look at my emails and prioritise them - first clients. A friend said “It must be great being your own boss.” Although I am the boss, I have twelve bosses - they’re called clients!

My mail arrives. An important routine is to look through trade magazines to see what clients’ competitors are up to, and if they are advertising. My marketing role kicks in here, considering new ideas for promoting clients.

What do you love about your day?

11.00am

Sit on the M25 going 3mph.

9.00am Then I deal with the media emails, usually editors asking for information. Exhibition and editorial information requests for future features are collated and noted. I then seek opportunities for clients, using the magazine feature lists and media packs.

Having a client say ‘well done, we’ve got some business from that’.

What would you rather not do in your day?

I scan Facebook, Twitter and others to see what’s happening there.

11.30am Blow me down, I need to get in my car for a meeting and use my favourite motorway, just half a mile away, the M25. Meeting editors and advertisement personage is very important, after all they talk to a lot of

people. Client meetings are great because I feel part of the decision making. Buck stops usually with me if I get it wrong. Last time that happened was 1914. Early afternoon I get down to calling clients about new products and services or technical stories.

I discuss new ideas for their website or marketing literature. Late afternoon I might organise a photo shoot, or a press launch, or work on writing press releases and stories - I have a great technical writer who does most of this if I’m out.

70 BUSINESS VIEW

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Products and services

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Closures

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MARKETPLACE 73

Light at the end

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The lighter side of the industry

Waste water company gets the green Bug

ngineers from green energy company, GENeco, have discovered how we can run our cars alongside our other business. The Bio-Bug is the UK’s first VW Beetle that runs on methane gas generated from human waste, and waste flushed down the toilets of just 70 homes is enough to power the Bio-Bug for a year, based on an annual mileage of 10,000 miles. Mohammed Saddiq of GENeco said: “Previously the gas hasn’t been ‘clean’ enough to fuel motor vehicles without it affecting performance. However, through using the latest technology our Bio-Bug drives like any conventional car and what’s more it uses sustainable fuel. “The choice of car was inspired by students who took part in a workshop. They thought it would be appropriate that the poo-powered car should be the classic VW Beetle Bug because bugs naturally breakdown waste at sewage works to start the treatment process which goes on to produce the energy. “At the moment we are using waste flushed down the toilets in homes in Bristol to power the Bio-Bug, but it won’t be long before the energy will

also be generated through the treatment of food waste when we start recycling it at our sewage works.” Around 18 million cubic metres of biogas a year is produced at Bristol sewage treatment works. It is generated through anaerobic digestion - a process in which bugs in the absence of oxygen break down biodegradable material to produce methane. GENeco, a Wessex Water-owned company, said it would produce significantly more gas at its Bristol sewage treatment works in Avonmouth through recycling food waste from homes and businesses in the South West. Mr Saddiq added: “If you were to drive the car you wouldn’t know it was powered by biogas as it performs just like any conventional car. It is probably the most sustainable car around.” The Anaerobic Digestion and Biogas Association (ADBA) said the launch of the Bio-Bug proved that biomethane from sewage sludge could be used as an alternative fuel for vehicles.

The Bio-Bug - is this the future of eco-motoring? ADBA chief executive Charlotte Morton added: “We are delighted to see such ingenuity and commitment to maximising the potential of AD from the water industry.”

Bio-Bug under the microscope Using biogas as a fuel for motor vehicles is very unusual in the UK. Across many of the cities of mainland Europe, from Stockholm to Rome, from Reykjavik to Lille - biogas, from sewage and food waste, is an established and commonly used fuel in municipal buses and private cars. Less tax, less noise and less pollution makes it a very attractive alternative to petrol and diesel.

GENeco’s Bio-Bug is a conventional 2 litre VW Beetle convertible which has been modified to operate with both petrol and compressed methane gas. The car is started using petrol and when the engine is ‘up to temperature’ the system automatically switches to methane as its source of fuel. When the methane tank is low on fuel the car will automatically revert back to petrol. The conversion (carried out by the Greenfuel Company in Bath), takes the same time and is similar in cost to cars that are converted to the more conventional LPG. The fuel for the Bio-Bug has been produced at Bristol sewage treatment works in Avonmouth.

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