Sminow 2012/9

ƒ Lee Kum Kee

ƒ Source de Batna

ƒ ECCB Cavibel ƒ SMLC PepsiCo ƒ Wilmar Oil

LEE KUM KEE

Sauces

main players in Chinese cuisine

SOURCE DE BATNA, ECCB CAVIBEL & WILMAR OIL

Three lines

for Africa

Neck in Bottle the new stackable containers

European Business Awards SMI is finalist

F

or several years now, food and beverage manufacturers have to operate in an increasingly competitive and demanding field, which requires continuous improvements in terms of lower consumption of resources and reduction of production costs.

This result is a growing demand for simple, versatile, affordable and ecofriendly packaging solutions to which bottling and packaging line suppliers must respond promptly with increasingly innovative and technologically advanced products.

SMI believes that to keep pace with a changing market, it is essential to share expectations and objectives with its customers, in an ever more closely and integrated manner, to get to know their current and future needs through and through and, consequently, be able to offer solutions tailored to their growth

We wish to thank all those who have chosen SMI as a partner in the past 25 years

and development plans.

This “Sminow” issue is an opportunity to thank all those who have placed their trust in us during the 25 years of business we celebrated this year and have believed in our ability to offer solutions that are not only operationally efficient but also feature low environmental impact and excellent value for money.

In the “installation” section we talk about how SMI technology and professionalism have been able to respond effectively to requests from various market situations, each unique in its kind and reference sector.

In the “innovation” section, we talk about how continuous innovation has now permeated every aspect of the organization and business of Smigroup companies.

In fact, as concerns the design and production of hi-tech systems and machinery, for example, innovation has also been extended to after-sales services with the introduction of the “Smy Reader” App for Android mobile devices, which simplifies and speeds up our customers’ spare parts requests.

Trusting that everyone can find information and useful suggestions in this issue on how to improve their business, I hope you all enjoy reading it and I invite whoever is interested in learning more about SMI solutions to contact our sales office.

Paolo Nava, Chairman & CEO SMI S.p.A.

sminow I magazine Created by: SMI S.p.A. - Marketing Dept.

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Available in: Italian, English, French, Spanish and Chinese.

Enter our web site www.smigroup.it and fill in the form in the section news / Sminow magazine and you will get your copy by post as soon as possible.

Paper: Polyedra S.p.A.

Contributors to this issue: Lee Kum Kee - Source de Batna - ECCB Cavibel - SMLC PepsiCo - Wilmar Oil

Print Agency: Arte Grafica Saini S.r.l.

Product pictures in this issue are shown for reference only.

in this issue

China: Lee Kum Kee Algeria: Société Source de Batna Republic of Cape Verde: ECCB Cavibel Lebanon: SMLC PepsiCo Lebanon South Africa: Wilmar Oil

The new heat recovery system for the shrinking tunnel “Neck in bottle”: the new stackable containers Smy Reader: the App that simplifies spare parts requests Smipack: “ad hoc” solutions for packaging square and rectangular products > New ßP monoblock shrinkwrappers with dividers

“European Business Awards”: SMI is finalist SMI’s 25th anniversary: retracing the milestones Sales Network Convention: the 2012 edition exceeds all expectations 2012/2013: the unmissable events

Sauces: main players in Chinese cuisine - On the whole, the consumption of sauces is moderately growing.

The category which leads the growth is represented by “other sauces” such as soy sauce, oyster sauce, etc., used in the preparation or garnishing of different dishes from different ethnic cuisines. The consumption of mayonnaise is more stable while there is a slight increase in that of ketchup and mustard (see massmarket.it).

FOOD SECTOR Lee Kum Kee Food Co. Ltd. Jiangmen City, China Group: Lee Kum Kee International Holdings Ltd. Wrap-around casepacker Smiflexi WP 400 + PID

T

o understand the dynamics of the Chinese industry, you need to visit the area of the Pearl River, one of the busiest areas in the country that, based on a complex social, economic and industrial architecture, extends among the metropolises of Hong Kong, Shenzen, Macao and Guangzhou.

The development of these large urban centers is the result of a combination of various factors including government intervention, private business strategies and a series of local, national and transnational dynamics.

This is the economic context in which Lee Kum Kee was created and developed, now leader in the production and marketing of seasoning sauces the best known of which are the oyster-flavored sauce and soy sauce.

The Chinese company’s plant in Xinhui – with a production area of 1,700 hectares, is the group’s largest “factory”.

It has relied on SMI experience and technology for the packaging of its sauce bottles in completely closed cardboard boxes, performed by the Smiflexi wrap-around casepacker, WP 400 model, equipped with the preformed separators inserter.

Lee Kum Kee How an international brand is born

I

t’s hard to imagine that a small careless mistake during the cooking of oysters can lead to such international fame.

Yet this is exactly what happened to Lee Kum Sheung in the late nineteenth century, founder of the homonymous company, while working at a small restaurant selling oyster soup.

One day, when he was cooking oysters as usual, Lee Kum Sheung lost track of time and the prolonged cooking of the food emanated a strong smell throughout the kitchen.

It was only then that this chefinventor noticed, when he lifted the pot’s lid, that the oyster soup, normally liquid and clear, had

turned into a thick brown sauce that surprised him because it gave off an unparalleled and incredibly delicious aroma and taste.

This is how the idea emerged to market a new product that has become very popular over the decades and appreciated worldwide.

In 1888 the Lee Kum Kee company was set up for the mass production of oyster sauce, which has become the basic ingredient of many Chinese dishes as well as a fundamental dressing in Cantonese and southern

China cuisine.

Over the years, the company’s output has gradually expanded to include more than 300 varieties of sauces and condiments, among which soy sauce, hoisin sauce and chili sauce.

Through the use of high-tech machines, Lee Kum Kee also specializes in the production of herbal seasonings and health foods that fulfill the traditional Chinese culture, which is sensitive to one’s personal well-being.

The oyster sauce in Chinese cooking Oyster sauce is essential in Chinese cooking: obtained by boiling oysters, this condiment is very rich and tasty and is used both for meat and vegetables, especially in the Cantonese cuisine version.

It is a dark-colored sauce consisting of oyster extract and soy sauce that does not have a fishy taste, contrary to what one might think.

Its light salty taste does not add new flavors to foods but rather enhances the flavor of the dish it comes with, especially meat or fish; it is also used as an ingredient in some sautĂŠed foods.

Chinese cuisine between philosophy and medicine Lee Kum Kee was also named the most popular on-line brand and has received prestigious awards and prizes.

Lee Kum Kee has a long business tradition, based on values such as pragmatism, integrity and constant resourcefulness.

Since its origins in the nineteenth century, the company is committed to creating high quality products that promote at best Chinese food worldwide, thereby building a culinary and cultural bridge between East and West.

Chinese cuisine distinguishes “yin” food, feminine, soft and refreshing such as legumes and fruit, from “yang” food, masculine, fried, spicy or meat-based that has a warming effect on the body.

In fact, a quality meal must be able to harmonize flavors and find a balance between hot and cold.

Moreover, meals have always had a strong social impact throughout the thousands of years of Chinese culture, to a point that the plates are often pooled on a round table, sometimes surmounted by a turntable on which they are laid.

Traditional Chinese cuisine is based on a few essential ingredients: in addition to rice and phyllo dough, the one thing that can never be missing is definitely the sauce, be it soy, oyster or other kinds.

Today, 124 years after its foundation, the company has significant market shares at national and international level.

In fact, Lee Kum Kee is a well-known brand even outside of China.

It has become synonymous with Chinese entrepreneurship and a symbol of quality and trust.

In fact, all the business activities of this Chinese company revolve around the concept of “taking into account the interests of others” as well as the principles of pragmatism, integrity and commitment.

The two corporate missions, namely “promote Chinese cuisine in the world” and “modernize and promote its traditional healthy Chinese herbalbased products” have given the Lee Kum Kee group its worldwide success, with a product range of more than 300 sauces and seasonings distributed over 100 countries on five continents.

The company is headquartered in

Some interesting facts Lee Kum Kee was founded in 1888 in the city of Nanshui, in the Zhuhai prefecture, whose name in Chinese literally means “sea of pearls” because it is located in the delta of the Pearl River, the third-longest river of China (2,400 km) after the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers, and the second for its flow rate.

Pearl River is also known as Yue Jiang, or “River of Guangdong”.

Its name comes from a rock that outcrops in the bay of Canton and that now is situated along the bank due to the change of the river’s flow.

Pearl River flows into the South China Sea between Hong Kong and Macao.

The estuary is called “Tiger Mouth”, name given to it by the Portuguese due to an islet that looks like a tiger squatting.

The Tiger Mouth is crossed by the Humen bridge, a suspended structure 888 meters long that connects the Nansha district of Guangzhou with the city of Humen.

Hong Kong but its products are sold throughout China and in many foreign markets including North America, Europe, Southeast Asia and Australia.

Production takes place at five production units located in the cities of Xinhui, Huangpu, Hong Kong, Los Angeles and Malaysia.

Innovative packaging

and high productivity

T

he Smiflexi WP series wraparound casepackers installed at the Lee Kum Kee factory are automatic machines that package various types of containers in diversified packages, highly innovative for the marketing of the product.

The containers can be packaged both in completely closed corrugated cardboard boxes and cardboard trays.

After purchasing the first packer in 2008, the Chinese company has once again turned to SMI technology for the recent supply of a new automatic machine capable of packing 12 glass bottles of various sizes (from 250 g to 905 g) in the 4x3 collation in completely closed cardboard boxes.

The wrap-around packaging system allows the use of a single machine, the “wrap-around casepacker�, to form the cardboard box around the group of containers inside it.

The package is formed through continuous operation without stopping the machine, therefore reaching high production speeds to the advantage of the efficiency of the entire line.

Thanks to their wrap-around system, the Smiflexi WP series casepackers ensure wide flexibility of use, high production speed, no collision

PID - preassembled Partition Inserting Device The PID SBP® and relating magazine containing the preassembled separators are located at machine infeed, above the package-formation area. Compared to the traditional method of inserting unassembled corrugated cardboard separators, the PID SBP® allows you to: • reduce the purchase cost of the separators by about 20% and their storage volume by at least 60%; • maintain the same space of a standard wrap-around casepacker, because both the separators magazine and the insertion device are mounted in the upper part of the packaging machine; • speed up the separator insertion process and the loading of the relevant magazine, since separators are preassembled; • decrease the separators’ sensitivity to moisture and climatic variations.

between blank and containers, better package stability, easy management of packs from a logistical point of view and remarkable graphic customization of the package to market the product.

The role of the secondary packaging is not limited to the mere functional aspect of protecting the product inside, but assumes primary importance in attracting the final consumer through advertising or promotional campaigns designed for this particular purpose.

Lee Kum Kee also decided to equip the WP 400 wrap-around casepacker, recently installed by SMI, with the PID

(Partition-Inserting Device), which consists in inserting preassembled flat cardboard separators inside the cardboard boxes in order to provide maximum protection of the packed containers from damage or breakage and also to preserve their labels from erasure.

THE WORD TO THE CUSTOMER Interview with Fan Xiao Gang, Chief Executive of Lee Kum Kee Xinhui From the left: Jack Lee, SMI Machinery Beijing Co. Sales Account Manager with Mo Guo Dong, Lee Kum Kee Production Manager and Fan Xiao Gang, Lee Kum Kee Xinhui Chief Executive.

Lee Kum Kee Group is a well-known Chinese company that provides a wide variety of sauces and seasonings to more than 100 countries on five continents. What is the key to your success? “For years, Lee Kum Kee is committed to the continuous improvement of its organization; its main goal is to keep gaining market shares to become a reference point, where it is not already, for millions of families struggling with food choices. At the heart of Lee Jum Kee’s success there

is a true vocation in meeting the needs of all customers and, to put into practice the principles of the company founder Lee Kum Sheung, a special dedication in the search for new products and the adaptation of existing ones to the new tastes and preferences of our vast market. This is how Lee Kum Kee has developed more than 300 different successful products that, marketed in a thousand different packings, give our customers the possibility of choosing the format that best suits their needs and our company the possibility

Above: the Chairman of Lee Kum Kee Sauce Group, Charlie Lee (in the middle), receives the “1st Outstanding CSR Entrepreneur Award” from “The Mirror Magazine”, on behalf of Lee Man Tat, Chairman of Lee Kum Kee. of intercepting opportunities”.

increasing

sales

What role does the partnership with SMI play in your entrepreneurial success?

“A Smiflexi WP 450 model wraparound casepacker is currently installed at our Xinhui facility that SMI supplied in 2008, which works in an automatic production line and helps to increase the production efficiency of the plant. The recent purchase of a second SMI wrap-around casepacker, this time a WP 400 equipped with the PID (Partition-Inserting Device), has enabled us to meet the new packaging needs that require the insertion of preformed cardboard separators between containers packed in cardboard boxes. The flexibility of the packaging machines offered by SMI is a key element for Lee Kum Kee that can now bring to the market its wide variety of products packed in multiple configurations and collations. Moreover, packaging

is often an important advertising vehicle, which our company can make the best of thanks to the extensive printable surface on the boxes produced by the Smiflexi WP series casepackers. Therefore, it is natural that in the future Lee Kum Kee will continue to choose SMI as its trusted partner”.

What are the main challenges that the food & beverage industry faces today in China?

“The fact that China is the second largest economy in the world has had enormous influence on the development of better quality standards for the life of the Chinese people, which have led to a growing demand for consumer products. In the face of these trends, Chinese food & beverage manufacturers, including Lee Kum Kee, must constantly evolve to obtain the full satisfaction of their customers and conduct research and market surveys to keep improving the quality of products and services

offered. Therefore, it is evident that providing the right product in the right package and at the right price has become an imperative priority to retain existing customers and convince potential customers to purchase our products. In addition, among the greatest challenges facing the Chinese food industry, we must also consider the constant modernization and expansion of the automatic packaging systems that allow effectively managing the frequent changeovers of the production lots, formats and packages, impossible to achieve with the systems of old design”.

How important is it for Lee Kum Kee for SMI to be present in China with local branches and staff?

“For our company, a direct presence of SMI in our country is essential, as is the presence of a Chinese staff that shares language, culture, traditions, etc. with us. Thanks to the professionalism and availability of SMI’s employees in China, Lee Kum Kee knows it can always count on adequate technical and commercial support both when it comes to studying new projects to expand our production capacity and also when it comes to obtaining qualified technical support to manage at best the SMI packaging machines installed in our plants; without forgetting the importance of being able to receive spare parts in a short time directly from the deposits of SMI’s local branches”.

WATER SECTOR Société Source de Batna Fesdis Batna, Algeria Group: Groupe Industriel Attia Salah • • • • • •

10,000 bph PET line Smiform SR 6 Stretch-blow moulder Smiflexi LSK 35F Shrinkwrapper Smipal APS 3050P Palletizer Smiline air and chain conveyors Smipack HA 40 Handle applicator High and low pressure compressor, rinse-fill-cap monobloc, labeller, inspection systems, electrical distribution.

A

lgeria is a country with unexpected charm.

Overlooking the southern shores of the Mediterranean, it has two strong points: the Roman ruins and the spectacular Sahara landscapes that alternate their beauty thanks to countless archeological sites and unique natural scenery.

The natural landscape is very varied and fascinating: leaving behind the shores of the Mediterranean, there is no need to enter into the heart of the Sahara to be captured by the magic of the desert: it will suffice to cross the region of the Atlas Mountains to discover the beauty of the Algerian territory.

The Atlas Mountains stretch for about 2,400 km across Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco, making up a real natural boundary between the Mediterranean Sea and the Sahara Desert and creating a spectacular natural environment where, nearby ancient Arab villages, there are important sources of wealth for the local and national economy. Water that comes from these mountains is indeed a precious resource, especially because water scarcity is a problem known since ancient times in many Algerian regions.

Between history and nature

I

n the eastern part of Algeria, east of the Saharan Atlas Mountains, are the Aures mountains, from which water bottled by the Société Source de Batna flows naturally. In order to increase the production capacity of its PET line for filling its 0.33 - 0.5 - 1 and 1.5 liter size bottles, the Algerian company recently turned to SMI for the engineering study and installation of a new 10,000 bph PET line. The new system includes an SR 6 rotary stretch-blow moulder for producing PET bottles of various sizes, a

rinse-fill-cap monobloc, a rotary labeller, an LSK 35F shrinkwrapper, conveyor belts for moving bottles and packages and an automatic APS 3050P palletizing system. For this project, SMI has provided the customer with a turnkey system that includes, in addition to the aforesaid machines, various auxiliary equipment such as the compressor, control systems, etc.

The Société Source de Batna manufactures and markets the still and sparkling mineral water with the same name, which is highly appreciated not only for its taste and

lightness but also for its digestive properties, which arise from a particular chemical composition and which were already known to the ancient Romans. It has many benefits for the kidney and liver functions and in the treatment of obesity; it is also recommended for children, the elderly and pregnant women.

Initially the Algerian company was state-owned; in 1990 a devastating fire destroyed the factory, which was rebuilt with major efforts and then sold to private entrepreneurs. Since

2005, the SociĂŠtĂŠ Source de Batna is part of the important Algerian industrial Attia Salah group.

The Groupe Industriel Attia Salah, based in Batna (Algeria), is an industrial complex operating in the beverage industry with the production of the Batna mineral water and in the construction sector with the production of tiles and wire mesh.

A new line

to increase market competitiveness

T

he entire PET line for the bottling and packaging of Batna still and sparkling mineral water was designed, manufactured and installed by SMI. Operational flexibility, reduced operating costs and energy efficiency are the three priority objectives SMI received from Société Source de Batna during the study and design of the new production plant, which was added to other SMI machines already in operation in the Algerian bottling facility: an SR 10 rotary stretch-blow moulder, an LSK series shrinkwrapper and a handle applicator.

In the “system engineering” study

of the new complete 10,000 bph line and following a careful analysis of its customer’s expectations, SMI presented an integrated solution that includes the installation of SMI-produced advanced technology machines and some systems implemented by selected and reliable partners.

Operational flexibility is a characteristic common to all machines chosen by SMI engineers for this project, which will allow Batna to meet the growing demands of the market quite effectively.

In fact, the Algerian company had highlighted the need to be able to

Batna water is widely appreciated for its taste and for its lightness, as well as for its digestive properties

Batna ... where to sleep tonight!

Batna is the main city of the province of Batna (or Wilaya of Batna) that, with 286,000 inhabitants (as of 2004) is the fifth largest province in Algeria.

It is also a major center of the Aurès region, called like this by the Romans who named it after the highest mountain range in the area.

The whole region is full of picturesque landscapes and ancient beautiful cities such as Batna; the origin of the name of this town in unknown, although most historians agree that it is a mixed Arab-Berber word that can be translated as “where to sleep tonight”.

In 1844, the French turned it into a military garrison with the strategic task of creating a permanent and guarded access to the main road to the Sahara.

Initially, the city was called “Nouvelle Lambese” but a year later it was renamed Batna. Geographically, Batna is located on a natural pass of the Atlas Mountains, so well hidden that the Romans themselves were unable to find the passage during the first phase of their invasion.

The Algerian city is located in the north-east of the country, not far from Constantine and from the Tunisian border, and has a remarkable variety of Eastern and Western architecture, all imbued with the local style. Batna is also known as the “City of rest” due to its calm and quiet environment that reflects the character of its inhabitants.

have more versatile and efficient production systems that would be able to quickly change pack formation by means of a few simple operations.

All the machines supplied by SMI in this turnkey line, from the SR 6 blow moulder fitted with 6 moulds to the 48-valve filler, from the automatic packer to the palletizing system, are equipped with an automation and control system.

This system coordinates the movements and functions of each line, in such a way as to create perfect synchronization among all the machines in the line and an

uninterrupted and linear production flow.

In the Batna facility, the existing Smiform SR 10 stretch-blow moulder will be used for the single-size production of only the 1.5 liter PET bottle of still mineral water, while the new bottling line supplied by SMI will process 0.33 – 0.5 – 1 and 1.5 liter PET bottles of still and sparkling mineral water.

In addition to all the machines that make up the new production plant, SMI has also designed the shape of the PET bottles for bottling sparkling water.

Line management and automation: how to optimize the system The automation and control system of the complete line provided by SMI in Batna was implemented with the support of SMITEC, which for years has been involved in multi-axis automation of industrial plants.

Through the careful study of the line layout and the customer’s production requirements, SMITEC has designed and assembled a technologically advanced hardware/software integrated system, called VLS (VaryLine System) PRO, for the management, automation and optimization of the new bottling and packaging line.

This is a latest generation PROFIBUS fieldbus-based product, which allows the running of the inverter-controlled motors of the machines in the line and which incorporates, in a single control station, both the PC that controls the conveyor belts and the man-machine multilanguage interface equipped with a touch screen and simple and userfriendly function keys.

With its compact size, this control station can also be placed in the production system’s most strategic point.

At the top From the left: Emanuele Leggeri, SMI Service Area Manager; Fouad Attia, Société Source de Batna Production Manager; El Hassane Taaissat, SMI Sales Area Manager and Lamine Zerghina, Société Source de Batna Technical Manager.

Above Salah Attia, Société Source de Batna Chairman and CEO.

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INSTALLATION / Source de Batna

Turnkey PLANTS The solution offered by SMI

B

atna mineral water is bottled into 0.33 – 0.5 - 1 and 1.5 liter cylindrical PET bottles by a monobloc that rinses, fills and caps the bottles that are produced by the Smiform SR 6 stretch-blow moulder.

Once labeled, the bottles enter a Smiflexi LSK 35F shrinkwrapper that packs them in shrink film only.

The packs leaving the packer are then conveyed to a Smipack HA 40 handle applicator, which applies a handle to the packs in the 3x2 collation (six 0.5, 1 and 1.5 liter bottles) but lets those in the 4x3 collation (twelve 0.33 liter bottles) pass without applying the handle.

At the end of the line, an automatic Smipal APS 3050P palletizing system palletizes the previously produced packs in 1000x1200 mm pallets

and inserts a cardboard interlayer between one layer and another of each pallet.

All SMI machines are manufactured using high quality materials that ensure operational reliability and durability.

The use of wear resistant components also reduces cleaning and maintenance, thus cutting overall management costs.

The Smiline conveyor belts, which move the loose containers and finished packs, allow the production cycle to run smoothly and steadily, adjusting its flow to meet customer requirements.

The complete solution provided by SMI makes use of the latest generation automation and control system that, combined with the use of sophisticated sensors, allows to maintain high levels of operating efficiency during the entire production cycle.

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ECCBC CAVIBEL SETTORE BIBITE Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company Praia, Capo Verde Group: Cobega • • • •

7,200 bph PET line Smiform SR 4 Stretch-blow moulder Smiflexi LSK 35F Shrinkwrapper Smiline air and chain conveyors Rinse-fill-cap monobloc, premix, labeller, inspection systems, electrical distribution.

VIDEO

GEO LOCATION

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INSTALLATION / ECCBC Cavibel

T

he first production of CocaCola in the islands of the Republic of Cape Verde dates back to 1997.

Since then, the industrial business linked to the famous carbonated soft drink has evolved considerably and now occupies a prominent position in the local economy both for the jobs it offers (the Cavibel plant in Praia employs more than 100 persons) and the allied industries this activity creates in the surrounding area.

The increase in sales of Coca-Cola in the Republic of Cape Verde has recently led the Equatorial CocaCola Bottling Company to buy a new production line for bottling and packaging Coca-Cola and Fanta in PET bottles.

The new 7,200 bottles/hour system was entirely designed, built and installed by SMI, which integrated its own machines such as the Smiform SR 4 stretch-blow moulder, the Smiflexi LSK 35F shrinkwrapper and the

Smiline conveyor belts with machines made by selected partners, such as the filler, the premix, the labeller and the control systems.

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CAVIBEL The “bubbles” in the island of Santiago

C

avibel is located in the urban area of the city of Praia, capital of the Republic of Cape Verde and main city of the homonymous County, which is located on the island of Santiago in the Sotavento archipelago. The name “Praia” means “beach” not only in Portuguese but also in different Creole languages of the Republic of Cape Verde.

With a population of just over 127,000 inhabitants (as of 2009), Praia is the largest town in the archipelago and is

24

INSTALLATION / ECCBC Cavibel

also the main commercial, harbor and touristic hub. It also hosts one of the country’s two international airports.

In Praia they speak a Creole language called “Crioulo de Santiago” (Santiago Creole).

The historic city center is situated on a small plateau in the immediate vicinity of the harbor and for this reason the raised platform overlooking the bay is called Platô.

Santiago is the largest island of the Republic of Cape Verde and was

Coca-Cola was invented thanks to American pharmacist Dr. John Stith Pemberton who developed the formula for this cola-based drink for medicinal purposes in the late nineteenth century. The patent was bought

the first to be populated after the Portuguese discovered it in the fifteenth century. Of volcanic origin, the island’s territory is characterized by various mountain ranges and deep valleys of rare beauty that, alternated with the rugged coastline and white sandy beaches, offer a natural spectacle of great charm.

in 1886 by entrepreneur Asa Griggs Candle who started marketing in glass bottles what would become the most famous and popular drink in the world in 1899. Currently the company that owns the formula, The Coca-Cola Bottling Company of Atlanta, Georgia, produces only the concentrate which it then sells to licensed Coca-Cola bottlers throughout the world; they hold exclusive territorial contracts for the production of the soft drink and its packaging in cans and bottles. Today Coca-Cola is the best-selling or one of the most sold soft drinks in supermarkets, convenience stores, restaurants and vending machines in more than 200 countries on five continents.

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Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company

and the Cobega Group T

he Cavibel plant in the Republic of Cape Verde belongs to the Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company (ECCBC) that has operations in 13 countries and operates 14 factories with a production volume of about one billion liters in 2011. ECCBC started its production business in Africa in 1989 with only 6 persons and a

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INSTALLATION / ECCBC Cavibel

production volume of about 300.000 liters. Today it is a joint venture between Cobega and The Coca-Cola Export Co. employing 6263 persons.

Cobega, the largest business unit of the homonymous Spanish group, includes bottlers and distributors of Coca-Cola products in Catalonia, Aragon, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands and Portugal.

Cobega among culture, sport and territory For over half a century, the companies of the Cobega Group have been actively involved in many activities of social interest associated with the area they belong to: they organize educational and sporting events for school-age children and support local initiatives in cultural, sporting and educational contexts. In 2010, the Cobega Group has supported 7467 initiatives and socially useful events in various ways.

Company) includes production facilities in Central and Northern Africa: Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, Gambia, Guinea Conakry, Guinea Bissau, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ghana, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé y Príncipe.

In addition to Cavibel in the Republic of Cape Verde, the ECCBC business unit (Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling

ECCBC operates 14 factories with a production volume of about one billion liters

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Investing in modern technology to enhance competitive strength

C

obega is constantly aiming to be among the best CocaCola bottlers in the world and an important reference point in the Spanish market, adopting business strategies capable of emphasizing its economic excellence.

Cobega conducts its business with rigor and determination in order to reduce production costs and improve its efficiency by investing in the continuous improvement of processes and structures in addition to equipping its facilities with the best technologies available on the market.

These investments have enabled all the companies of the Cobega Group to expand their production capacities and increase their market shares. The recent expansion of the Cavibel ECCBC plant in the Republic of Cape Verde is part of this process through the installation of a new complete line provided by SMI for the bottling of PET bottles of various sizes (from 0.33 to 2 liters) containing Coca-Cola and Fanta branded products.

More specifically the new plant, producing 7,200 bottles/hour, includes a Smiform SR4 rotary stretch-blow moulder, a rinse-fill-cap monobloc and

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INSTALLATION / ECCBC Cavibel

Did you know that ...?

1. Coca-Cola is the brand that the Spanish population associates with the concept of happiness (according to a survey conducted by the Sondea Institute on a representative sample of over 2,000 persons) 2. Coca-Cola is the Football World Cup sponsor since 1978 3. Coca-Cola uses recycled materials for packaging 4. Coca-Cola Spain recycles 84% of its waste and in one year alone has reduced the waste of its own plants by 12% 5. For over 50 years, Coca-Cola Spain promotes writing among young people through a special short story competition; since 1969 more than 10 million young people have participated 6. Coca-Cola and Spanish bottlers actively participate in the United Nations Global Compact for the protection of human rights. relating premixer, a rotary reel labeller, a Smiflexi LSK 35F shrinkwrapper for the film only packaging of 0.33, 0.35 and 0.5 liter bottles in the 4x3 collation and 1, 1.5 and 2 liter bottles in the 3x2 and 2x2 collations. In addition, SMI provided all the conveyor belts both for the loose containers and the packaged product, the control systems and the electrical distribution.

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Automation for customer benefit

S

miline’s conveyor belt systems offer many advantages to the end user thanks to the innovative technology used for the automation and control of plant management operations.

Among its main features, the following are worth mentioning: • competitive price, thanks to the use of inverter-based distributed architecture with built-in motor that require less space for electrical panels and simplify machine wiring; • simplicity of use, thanks to the presence of a single industrial PC (POSYC) with both control and operator interface functions; • compact size of the control station, which can be positioned in the line’s most strategic point; • time and cost of wiring the line among the lowest in this category;

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INSTALLATION / ECCBC Cavibel

• modularity, which allows installing multiple VLS stations within the same system; • multilingual man-machine interface with touch-screen display;

• operational flexibility; • quick size change; • reduced maintenance; • low energy consumption.

Innovative solutions to protect the environment The line engineering solution proposed by SMI allows the Cavibel ECCBC plant to optimally manage product flows; in fact, during the project study stages, SMI designers performed a thorough analysis of product build-up, distribution and handling dynamics to ensure fluid and constant production flows as well as maximum operating flexibility of the installed machines.

The use of the latest generation automation and control system, which entails the use of sophisticated sensors positioned in the line’s most strategic points, allows to maintain high levels of operating efficiency during all production cycle phases.

All machines provided by SMI are electronically controlled and have been designed in full compliance with the environmental policy of the CocaCola Group.

For example, all the motors are equipped with inverters to reduce energy consumption: the Smiform SR 4 stretch-blow moulder is equipped with a system that recovers the compressed air used during the blowing process and Smiline conveyor belts are lubricated with silicone material which allows considerable saving of water and reduced release of organophosphates in the drains.

In addition, the air conveyors between the blow moulder and the filler have filters designed to prevent contamination among the conveyed empty bottles.

31

SMLC

PEPSICO SETTORE BIBITE Société Moderne Libanaise pour le Commerce Beirut, Libano Group: PepsiCo International Smiflexi SK 600T Shrinkwrapper Smiflexi SK 450T Shrinkwrapper Smiflexi LSK 35F Shrinkwrapper

GEO LOCATION

32

INSTALLATION / SMLC PepsiCo

2

012 is a year for celebration for the Pepsi Cola brand in Lebanon: in fact, the Société Moderne Libanaise pour le Commerce SMLC, historical bottler and distributor of the popular American soft drink celebrated 60 years of strategic partnership with PepsiCo on

May 23, 2012 with a very special event held in Beirut at the elegant complex of Le Pavilion Royal in Biel, which was attended by over 800 guests invited by Walid Assaf, CEO of SMLC. The event was a great success among the guests and confirmed the professionalism and commitment of the Lebanese company that also received the important award of “Best Pepsi Cola bottler in the world” in 2011.

33

SMLC and SMI The origins of a success lasting 60 years

L

The Société Moderne Libanaise pour le Commerce is a prestigious client for SMI; the origin of the collaboration between the two companies dates back to 1995, when SMI supplied the first automatic shrink film packer to the Lebanese bottler.

In the following years, trade relations were further consolidated with the supply of 5 more shrinkwrappers for the packaging of Pepsi Cola branded products.

The following Smiflexi packaging machines are currently installed in the Beirut production plant:

34

INSTALLATION / SMLC PepsiCo

• three SK 450T shrinkwrappers, for the packaging of 0.5 – 1.25 – 2.25 liter PET bottles and 0.185 – 0.25 – 0.33 liter cans in a variety of pack collations in film only, pad+film and tray+film configurations; • one SK 600T shrinkwrapper, for the packaging of PET and glass bottles; • one LSK 35F shrinkwrapper, recently provided to meet the growing production requirements of the PET and cans line.

SMLC pays particular attention to market trends; in fact, in order to meet new consumer demands adequately, it relies only on partners such as SMI and Novadim, SMI’s agent in Lebanon that acts promptly, thanks to its own local staff, to provide adequate after-sales commercial and technical support.

Société Moderne Libanaise pour le Commerce (SMLC) was founded in 1952 by Toufic Assaf and his brothers Youssef, Salim and Anis who that year obtained the first license to bottle Pepsi Cola products in the East.

Today, after 60 years, SMLC is one of the largest companies in the Lebanese

market, with a broad portfolio of products including Pepsi Max, Diet Pepsi, 7UP, Mirinda, Tropicana, Lipton Ice Tea and AMP. Continuous investments in new production technologies are a cornerstone in the development plans that the company has adopted from the very beginning.

35

These investments have allowed SMLC to become an important resource for the country in terms of jobs and economic growth.

To celebrate this Lebanese Pepsi Cola bottler’ 60 years of business, festivities could not be missed and indeed took place on May 23, 2012,

36

INSTALLATION / SMLC PepsiCo

during which two important awards were presented to Walid Assaf, CEO of SMLC, by PepsiCo USA: the first was awarded by Sanjeev Chadha, PepsiCo MEA Chairman and the second

by Aamer Sheikh, VP Finance and CFO of PepsiCo MEA.

Above Walid Assaf (on the right) receives two important awards from Sanjeev Chada (on top), President of PepsiCo MEA, and from Aamer Sheikh, VP, Finance and CFO of PepsiCo MEA.

Beirut: economic and cultural center

On receiving both awards, Walid Assaf took the opportunity to extend his thanks to all those who contributed to the success of the company’s development process, emphasizing that the results achieved would not have been possible without the dedication and efforts of all SMLC staff.

Société Moderne Libanaise pour le Commerce is located in the beautiful city of Beirut, capital of Lebanon.

Beirut is the main financial, banking, insurance and trade center in the Middle East and, thanks to its cosmopolitan history, is a very important cultural and academic center.

Beirut is considered one of the most important cultural capitals of the Middle East and in 1999 was named the “capital of Arab culture”.

It hosts universities, museums, cultural centers, art galleries and festivals, which make it an international city both in actual fact and in the collective imagination of the West.

Beirut is also the seat of ESCWA (United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia) and the regional offices for the Arab world of UNESCO’s International Labour Organization.

Beirut was named the “capital of Arab culture” in 1999

37

Pepsi Cola A special story

A

s attested by its truly special story, Pepsi Cola is a revolutionary drink that has spanned ages and countries, has been around the world and won the favor and support of millions of people fascinated by its unique flavor.

It all began back in 1898 in a small North Carolina town, in the United States, where pharmacist Caleb Bradham sought to create a colabased drink that was healthy, refreshing and, above all, digestive;

38

INSTALLATION / SMLC PepsiCo

from his experiments came the drink that is still known around the world as Pepsi Cola, the name of which is derived from the “pepsin� enzyme used to produce it.

The success of the new product was so sudden that in 1903 Bradham decided to expand his business outside the confines of the small town of New Bern and found the Pepsi Cola Company.

Since the early days, the company, set

up for the production and marketing of Pepsi Cola, had two essential priorities: attention to the packaging and attention to the consumer.

In 1907 the beautiful and practical glass bottle was launched, which decreed the success of this drink throughout half of all the United States; with a production capacity of 250 bottling plants, Pepsi Cola Company expanded internationally in the 30s to Latin America, Canada and the Soviet Union and moved its headquarters to Long Island, near New York City.

In the fifties the advent of supermarkets and department stores changed market rules and Pepsi was ready to seize the tremendous growth opportunities opened up by the creation of the “consumer society”.

In the fifties even the Société Moderne Libanaise pour le Commerce was started up and began producing and marketing the drink, which is now renowned worldwide, in Lebanon and in the Middle East.

This is the Pepsi Cola story, all in “one gulp”: a drink, a brand, a company that was able to build a solid, dynamic and fun relationship with the consumers of its products.

39

WILMAR OIL OIL SECTOR Wilmar Continental Edible Oil and Fats (Pty) Ltd Randfontein, South Africa Group: Wilmar International Limited Smiflexi LWP 25 Wrap-around casepacker Smipal APS 3000 Palletizer Smiline Conveyor belts

GEO LOCATION

40

INSTALLATION / Wilmar Oil

I

n South Africa, 45 kilometers west of Johannesburg in the province of Gauteng is the town of Randfontein, founded in 1890 with the aim to serve the recently discovered gold mines.

Even though Randfontein was developed in the twentieth century as a strategic area for the extraction of gold, today the local economy is based on important metallurgical, textile and food industries.

Among them is Wilmar Continental Edible Oil and Fats, one of the leading South African manufacturers of sunflower seed and other seeds oil.

Since the company recently installed a new PET line for the bottling of oil in 350 ml and 500 ml bottles, SMI

provided a Smiflexi LWP 25 wraparound casepacker, an automatic APS 3000 palletizer and the Smiline conveyor belts for connecting the machines together.

41

Investing in technology to meet market demands

W

between

42

ilmar Continental Edible Oil was founded in 2011 from a joint venture Wilmar International

INSTALLATION / Wilmar Oil

Limited, Asian group leader in the food industry founded in 1991 in Singapore, and Continental Oil Mills (Pty) Limited, one of the major South African industrial companies involved in the production of edible oil whose origins date back to 1968. In that

year, in fact, current CEO Abdul Kader Moosa started up his own company in the production and marketing of edible oil, drawing on the experience gained earlier in this field.

largest company worldwide in terms of turnover and number of employees.

Over the past few years, Wilmar Continental Edible Oil and Fats has embarked on a large-scale expansion program that made it necessary to commission to SMI the engineering study, through its local agent Caltech

In subsequent years, the founder’s three sons – currently Chief Executive Mohammed Ferouze, Operations Manager Fayyaz and Sales & Marketing Manager Asif – joined their father in the management of Continental Oil Mills (Pty) Limited.

Since the Moosa family has always been at the forefront in driving the evolution of the cooking oil production industry, it made huge investments since the very start to equip its factories with the most modern systems.

The company is well known throughout South Africa for the Excella, S’Lite, Pan, Canola oil brands and the Conti mayonnaise, which are sold in retail stores, supermarkets and through mass retail channels.

For these reasons the Continental Oil Mills plants of Randfontein and Viljoenskroon, which are located 60 km east and 90 km south-east of Johannesburg, respectively, have always had cutting-edge high-tech machines.

Continental Oil Mills also specializes in the production and marketing of a wide variety of products for wholesale companies as well as the hotel & catering industry.

Agencies, for the optimization of its line-end operations in the new 10,800 bph production facility in Randfontein, which bottles and packages the 350 ml and 500 ml PET bottles.

The SMI supply includes a Smiflexi LWP 25 wrap-around casepacker, which ensures high quality packaging in completely closed cardboard boxes, and the Smipal APS 3000 automatic palletizing system that arranges the 3x4 collation packs from the wraparound casepacker on the 1000x1200 mm pallets.

Their lines produce the main sunflower and other seed oil brands, the distribution of which will be further expanded through the recent agreement with the U.S. multinational Walmart Stores Inc., owner of the homonymous chain of retail stores, which recently launched a marked investment plan in South Africa.

Walmart Stores is the largest retailer in the world and, in 2010, was the

43

The Smiflexi LWP casepackers manufactured by SMI are suitable for packaging a variety of containers in corrugated cardboard boxes or cardboard trays through the continuous wrap-around system and feature a simplified modular design.

The entire cardboard blanks magazine is located beneath the machine’s infeed conveyor so as to greatly reduce the overall dimensions of the LWP and to allow it to be installed even in manufacturing plants with limited space available.

The Smiflexi LWP series is equipped with a motorized oscillating sorter, placed on the infeed conveyor, which facilitates the channeling of loose containers towards the grouping area in the format selected by the operator, thus preventing abrupt stops in the feeding flow.

44

INSTALLATION / Wilmar Oil

The group of containers to be packaged is formed by means of a reciprocatingmotion mechanical system.

A synchronized separator bar receives the products from the pneumatic separator, places them in the required format and accompanies them the box/ tray forming unit, making the packaging process extremely smooth and precise.

The manual format changeover is simple and fast since it is not necessary to replace any of the machine’s mechanical or electronic parts.

After completing the required mechanical adjustments, the operator only needs to select the new format via the POSYC control terminal.

Even switching from a small to a large pack or vice versa can be performed quickly since the operator can easily change machine pitch, which is indicated by the colored position indicators located on the chains.

The Smiflexi LWP casepackers are managed and controlled through the POSYC operator panel that not only allows instant access to the machine’s manuals but also allows you to update/change the set working parameters and monitor the entire packaging process.

The LWP casepackers are easy to use even by less skilled operators thanks to their user-friendly graphical user interface, touch screen and real-time advanced diagnostics and technical support.

South Africa: the largest open-air museum in the world Colors, charm and freedom.

Inextricable maze of traditions, peoples, languages, lifestyles and fascinating contradictions: this is how South Africa welcomes its visitors, who will bring back home memories, images and feelings that are impossible to forget.

South Africa is also the largest open-air museum in the world: extraordinary animals that live together with ancient trees, incredible sunrises that fade to become breathtaking sunsets and then the mountains, deserts, tropical forests and grasslands.

All this in a journey full of discoveries, thoughts and dreams to live.

This huge country is also populated by a fantastic fauna: in fact, many of the largest national parks are home to the African “big five”, i.e. the big mammals: elephants, buffaloes, lions, rhinos and leopards.

And if this were not enough, with its more than 20,000 species of plants, South Africa is a small plant paradise and, not least, the cradle of mankind: in fact this is where the oldest fossils that mark the origin of man were found.

These fascinating landscapes coexist with the modernity of cities and industrial centers thanks to the diamond, manufacturing and mining businesses (especially gold and uranium).

South Africa’s internationality and technological development has allowed it to host the 2010 World Cup, during which the country’s infrastructures were further improved.

45

End-of-line automation for flexible palletizing systems

T

he Smipal palletizing system installed at the Randfontein plant of Wilmar Continental

Edible Oil and Fats (Pty) Limited belongs to the APS 3000 series that includes

automatic

systems

for

palletizing cardboard blanks, bundles, trays and packs in general.

The

palletizing systems offered by Smipal set a new standard in the panorama of robotic palletizers with man-like movements and are characterized by the fact that they are highly flexible and easily adaptable to any logistics condition of the line-end area in a wide range of sectors: beverage, food,

chemical,

pharmaceutical,

detergents, glass, paper and many others.

The central pillar of the APS palletizing systems is driven by brushless motors that

ensure

harmonic

and

extremely precise

dynamic, movements

thus ensuring high reliability, reduced maintenance and low management

46

INSTALLATION / Wilmar Oil

costs for the entire process.

In

addition,

the

accurate

System management is made even design

easier

by

the

use

of

advanced

of the column and the horizontal

graphics, touch screens and a wide

beam, together with the sliding on

range of diagnostics and technical

recirculating

support

ball

blocks,

ensure

available

in

real

time.

fluid and continuous movements with

Finally, entering the specifications of

minimal dynamic bending and virtual

the packaged pack, size and number

absence of vibrations: this is the key

of layers, the system automatically

to ensuring a long lifecycle of the

proposes all the possible palletizing

mechanical components.

layouts on the operator panel screen.

Automation and on-board control of Smipal palletizers rely on innovative technology based on Sercos fieldbus through

which

quickly

and

the

operator

can

manage

all

easily

palletizing operations at the end of the line using a simple and userfriendly

man-machine

interface.

Phelophepa, the health train.

Presented for the first time in 1994, the “health train” (in fact Phelophepa means “healthy, clean”) is a 16-wagon train that travels nine months a year throughout South Africa, stopping in many towns and small villages to provide medical assistance to people.

In this way, thousands of persons, who in the past were forced to walk for days to reach the nearest emergency unit, for the first time in their lives can now receive adequate medical care in the place where they live.

47

interwiew

THE WORD TO THE CUSTOMER Interview with Fayyaz Moosa and Fanie Hotzhauzen of Wilmar Continental.

From the left: Floh Thiele of Caltech Agencies with Fayyaz Moosa, Wilmar Continental Operations Manager

Fayyaz Moosa, Operations Manager, and Fanie Hotzhauzen, Plant Manager of Wilmar Continental Edible Oil, state their expectations on the new SMI supply to Floh Thiele of Caltech Agencies during a business meeting.

“For this new and relatively small production line, we decided to invest in machinery of excellent quality” says

Fayyaz

Moosa,

Operations

Manager of Wilmar Continental Edible

48

INSTALLATION / Wilmar Oil

Oil, adding that “the investment was needed to meet the rapid growth in local demand. We are well aware of the cutting-edge technology that all SMI machines feature and trust in the support of their local agent Caltech Agencies”.

During the interview, Fayyaz Moosa comments on the technical solutions designed specifically by SMI to meet their

specific

requirements

and

the study and development stages of new projects as well as after-sales service” concludes Fayyaz Moosa, company Operations Manager.

Below: Continental Oil Mills (Pty) Limited and Wilmar International Limited announce their joint venture to form the Wilmar Continental Edible Oils and Fats (Pty) Limited company.

The managing staff of Wilmar Continental: (From the left) Rob Abendanon, Vice-Chairman; Mohammed Ferouze Moosa, Chief Executive; AK Moosa, Chairman; Asif Moosa, Sales & Marketing Manager; Fayyaz Moosa, Operations Manager. explains why the reasons for choosing

production center to cover the whole

competent partners continues to play

southern hemisphere market, which

a crucial role for Wilmar Continental.

aims to be among the most advanced

“Since our company merged with the

in

Wilmar International group, we have

Moosa, who has a long experience

witnessed a strong growth of our

in the transformation process that

business. Our production capacity

goes from the seed harvest to the

has expanded considerably and we

production and marketing of edible

expect

oil.

significant

growth

in

the

our

sector”

continues

coming years.

“Quality,

The new Randfontein plant takes

technical support and quick response

the credit for a substantial part of

times are among the decisive factors

this large-scale expansion, which is

that we take into consideration when

equipped with high-speed machines

choosing

for

wide

by the main suppliers” adds Fanie

range of products of our portfolio,

Hotzhauzen, Plant Manager of Wilmar

subsequently marketed by numerous

Continental

retail distribution centers.

pleased to be able to count on the

the

production

of

a

reliability,

Fayyaz

the

machines

Edible

Oil.

exceptional

submitted

“We

are

market

strong support of SMI and Caltech

competition, our company is also

Agencies and on their presence in

planning

our production sites, both during

To

address to

growing build

an

integrated

49

THE NEW shrinking tunnel heat recovery system

T

he system for recovering the heat produced by the Smiflexi shrinkwrappers shrinking tunnel is part of the Research & Development of innovative, environmentally sustainable, energy-virtuous solutions capable of increasing the efficiency of the production systems of SMI’s customers.

The installation of this new system that recovers heat generated by shrinkwrapper shrinking tunnels or by combined Smiflexi machines – both new and existing and already installed at our customers’ facilities – makes it possible to reduce the consumption of electricity during the packaging stages.

Energy savings derives from the possibility of reusing a part of the hot air generated by the heating elements inside the shrinking tunnel; in fact, hot air at tunnel outfeed is conveyed through suitable pipes to its

50

INNOVATION / HST Series

entrance so as to require a lower amount of heat when shrinking the film only/pad+film or tray+film packs arriving from the shrinkwrapper.

To avoid heat loss, the structure of the shrinking tunnel was equipped with an entire set of technical features able to ensure maximum thermal insulation.

Even the tunnel’s final section was thermally insulated in order to avoid heat loss when the packs exit from it and also to allow the recovery system to convey most of the heat to the entrance of the tunnel.

The new system is equipped with a special probe that measures the amount and temperature of the hot air recovered and reintroduced into the system.

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: PRODUCTION COSTS WITH AND WITHOUT HEAT RECOVERY SYSTEM

Comparative studies have shown that with the new heat recovery system implemented by Smiflexi, production costs, expressed in Watts/hour per bottle, decrease compared to traditional solutions.

This savings was detected through tests carried out during the heatshrinking of a 3x2 film only pack of 1.5-liter bottles inside a 3-meter long tunnel.

Just as an example, the comparative analysis mentioned above is plotted in fig. 1, where the red line identifies the consumption curve of the shrinking tunnel that is NOT equipped with the heat recovery device, while the blue line refers to a tunnel that mounts this device.

FIG. 1

ACTIVE TUNNEL HEAT RECOVERY NON-ACTIVE TUNNEL HEAT RECOVERY

Hourly bottle output being the same, the consumption line in a tunnel fitted with the heat recovery device remains lower than that of an equivalent tunnel lacking this feature, not to mention that it was noticed that the consumption in Watts/hour per bottle was halved on reaching an hourly production rate of 10,000 bph.

51

Neck in bottle The new stackable containers

I

n order to maintain their competitiveness in the international market, companies operating in the beverage industry must experiment with new packaging solutions and innovative applications that provide significant cost and energy savings and ensure high levels of efficiency.

It should also be remembered that the packaging of the product plays an increasingly crucial role in the orientation of consumer’s purchasing decisions since the recognition and visibility of the brand on supermarket shelves are decisive factors to keep growing and increasing sales volumes.

From these premises, the development began for a new type of stackable container called “Neck in bottle�.

Compared to a standard bottle, the bottom of the new container has a

52

INNOVATION / Neck in Bottle

much deeper recess, which allows to perfectly fit more layers of bottles.

In fact, thanks to the new design of the bottom, the neck of the bottles of a specific pallet layer is inserted without difficulties into the crook of the bottom of the bottles of the overlying layer.

This new system, also applicable to PET containers of large capacity (from 3 to 10 liters), offers the greatest benefits with the traditional 0.25 to 1 liter-bottles, which enable palletizing multilayer patterns; with large capacity formats, for example, you can create pallets with 4 layers as compared to a traditional 3-layer solution, thanks to the fact that the cap of each bottle enters the bottom

of the bottle above.

Once the bottles blown by a Smiform stretch-blow moulder have been filled, capped and labeled, they are conveyed on Smiline belts to the Smipal palletizing system.

Innovative solutions to optimize output 4-layer pallets can be achieved with a 5-liter “Neck in bottle” stackable container; otherwise, only 3-layer pallets can be made with a traditional solution.

The new “Neck in bottle” container is an innovative solution that ensures significant benefits to the bottling industry.

As a matter of fact, it: • is a compact solution that allows, for every palletizing layer, to

recover the space occupied by the bottles’ neck since it fits into the bottom of the bottles of the overlying layer and to stack more containers on the pallet;

to stack the containers without the need for cardboard blank interlayers between layers, thus reducing the cost of the packaging material;

• is an economical solution since the “Neck in bottle” system allows

• simplifies storage since, by letting you stack a greater number of

53

layers on each pallet, it allows to load on more bottles each truck than in traditional configurations and thereby optimizes transport costs and storage spaces in supermarkets; • reduces waste thanks to the fact that the wedgedin system allows to strongly reduce waste caused by the breaking of the bottle necks during the palletizing stage; • has a nicer visual appeal since the pallet, made up of bottles stacked and wedged one inside the other, is more compact and offers greater possibilities for promoting the product by playing on the packaging’s graphics.

my Reader The App that simplifies spare parts requests

I

t is now easier and faster to maintain the machines supplied by SMI at the highest level of efficiency thanks to the QR (Quick Response) marking present on all original SMI and SMITEC spare parts.

What is Smy Reader?

Smy Reader is an application for Android devices designed and built for users of SMI-produced case packers, blow moulders and palletizers, which allows you to: • instantly identify the machine’s spare parts; • view the price of the selected items in real time; • automatically generate a spare parts list (cart);

54

INNOVATION / Smy Reader

• send your request to SMI’s spare parts dept.

• To use Smy Reader, simply download the App from Google Play free-of-charge (by framing

the QR code displayed in the image shown below), install it on your Android smartphone or tablet, frame the QR code of the spare parts of your interest by using the camera of the device and start your internet connection.

Available on

How do I logon to Smy Reader?

To be able to take advantage of the significant benefits of this new service, simply use your Smipass username and password (for registered and authorized users) or ask SMI for logon credentials.

For any further information, please watch the demo of this service, which is available on our website http://www. smigroup.it/smyreader_help.php

55

SMIPACK T

he “packaging” market is very heterogeneous, requiring quite versatile, compact, economical and environmentally sustainable packaging solutions and equipment.

SMIPACK’s ßetaPack (ßP) series automatic shrinkwrappers have been designed to respond precisely

56

INNOVATION / Smipack

to these market demands and are characterized by the compact monobloc structure.

Depending on which model you have chosen, the ßetaPack series shrinkwrappers are particularly suitable for packaging bottles, cans, boxes, trays, jars and many other products in various pack sizes.

These automatic case packers also meet the production requirements of different market segments such as: beverages, canning, chemicals, wine, spirits, cosmetics, detergents, wood, textiles, graphics, etc.

“ad hoc” solutions for packaging square and rectangular products

T

he SMIPACK ßetaPack series packaging machines have recently been the subject of careful reengineering studies, which led to the implementation of several technological innovations.

Among the main novelties, what certainly stands out is the integration of an automatic divider at shrinkwrapper infeed, which guarantees optimal results and high performance in the packaging of square and rectangular containers.

As such, the ßetaPack sealing bar shrinkwrappers range was enriched with three new models, equipped with automatic dividers at infeed

that channel square and rectangular products in multiple rows: • ßP802AR 280R-D, for film only packaging solutions; • ßP802ARV 280R-D, for the packaging of a wide variety of film only containers, which differs from the previous model (ßP802AR) by the presence of a second chain pusher equipped with inverter and encoder. This pusher, together with the pneumatic lateral guides system, accompanies the formed product beyond the sealing bar, allowing the formation of higher quality packs;

• ßP802ARV 280R-DP, that technically is the same as the ßP802ARV 280R-D model, is able to package a variety of products even in pad+film (as well as shrink film only). This new model is equipped, in fact, with an automatic device for the insertion

57

of a cardboard pad at the bottom of the package that, in case of need, can be deactivated easily and rapidly to package with film only. Size change is quick since all you need to do is deactivate the cardboard blanks magazine and adjust the flow surface.

Technically speaking, the main innovation of the new series of machines offered by SMIPACK lies in the fact that the divider is an integral part of the infeed conveyor at 90°: an innovative, compact and economical solution, which allows channeling & distributing the loose products directly on the infeed conveyor from 1 row at infeed to 4 rows at outfeed.

This design choice allowed SMIPACK to develop a conveyor belt with integrated divider only 3 meters long, much shorter than that required by a conventional solution that occupies at least 5 meters.

In the latter case, in fact, the packaging system requires special conveyors that can channel square

58

INNOVATION / Smipack

or rectangular products, arriving on a single-row conveyor, on multiple rows.

The immediate benefits of the new SMIPACK solution are significant, namely: • savings on the initial investment since the system requires fewer conveyor belts as compared to a traditional solution; • greater production efficiency since the product grouping stage is faster and the packaging process can therefore be run at higher speeds.

The divider can not be not sold separately because it is builtinto the structure of the ßetaPack shrinkwrapper infeed conveyor and is equipped with a standalone control panel.

Products are distributed on multiple rows by means of an inverter- and encoder-controlled electromechanical system and are conveyed by motorized conveyors that are also controlled by inverters and encoders; this technology permits

the count and dimensional control of the processed items.

The new ßetaPack shrinkwrapper models with built-in dividers also feature: • a sensor that checks product flow at shrinkwrapper infeed, which must be regular and constant to exert an adequate pressure on the loose product at machine infeed; • sensors that check build-up at divider outfeed and that allow the checking of the product feed and presence on each row.

Main features ßP802AR 280-D » » » » » » »

-

ßP802ARV 280R-D

-

ßP802ARV 280R-DP

Maximum output: up to 20 packs per minute (*) Pack typology: film only and pad+film (only ßP 802ARV 280R-DP model) Sealing bar: 760 mm Height of workable product: min. 70 mm – max. 380 mm Minimum workable diameter: 40 mm Tunnel conveyor: fiberglass bars Number of rows at divider outfeed: from 1 to 4

(*) according to container and pack configuration.

59

is the finalist in the “European Business Awards”

S

MI S.p.A. was selected among the 30 Italian national finalists for the European Business Awards 2012/2013.

Specifically, SMI competes in the “UKTI Awards for innovation” category, dedicated to European companies that stand out for their commitment to developing innovative solutions as a strategy to promote economic growth.

The European Business Awards is the most prestigious competition involving European companies; this totally independent initiative is supported by organizations strongly involved in the promotion of business goals that put the spotlight on the economic, technological and environmental development of European industry.

In this initial phase, the jury of this award selected only 627 companies, named “National Finalists” for their respective countries, among the 15,000 companies nominated.

SMI participates in this initiative with the SACS (Stella Alpina Cost Saving) project, a compact bottling line of new design that saves on energy and raw materials and is environment-

60

friendly.

The new mineral water bottling system was implemented by SMI at the Stella Alpina di Moio de’ Calvi plant (Bergamo).

The production site, which spreads over an area of only 800 square meters, produces up to 14,400 bottles/hour; compared with the existing system, the new SACS line

INFORMATION / European Business Awards

offers substantial savings: • up to -30% in the consumption of plastic (PET) used in the blowmoulding of bottles; • up to -50% in the consumption of secondary packaging material (shrink film); • up to -90% in the consumption of

designed for low power consumption and reduced environmental impact”.

water for cleaning the machinery; • up to -40% in the consumption of electricity for each bottle produced.

Paolo Nava, SMI Chairman & CEO, said: “For SMI it is an honor to have been chosen as finalists for the European Business Awards.

This is another important international recognition of the validity of the innovative technologies we have introduced in the packaging field, thanks to which we are now able to serve our clients, mainly those in the food & beverage sector, with solutions and complete packaging systems

Adrian Tripp, European Business Awards CEO, stated: “This is the first year in which the European Business Awards was held consisting of a first phase in which the national finalists were appointed.

This new selection process was introduced for two main reasons: first of all, it gives competitors more opportunities to ensure that the results they achieved may be recognized by other companies, politicians and the media of their own nations; the second reason is

that in this way it is easier for judges to access information about rival organizations and then be able to define an accurate judgment on those which are truly the best European companies.

As organizers of the competition, we are sure that this is the best strategy to make the European Business Awards become the most respected and significant event in determining the best European companies”.

For any further information on the European Business Awards, please visit www.businessawardseurope.com

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Retracing the milestones

S

migroup’s origins date back to the mid-‘70s, when Luigi Nava sets up a machine shop in San Pellegrino Terme (Bergamo).In the beginning the craftsman’s small enterprise activity is represented by machine finishings for third parties.

Some years later such activity is enlarged to the maintenance and repair of machinery and equipment employed in the bottling and packaging lines of the beverage industry. The passion for chains and gears and youth’s spirit of initiative push Nava brothers, under their

father’s careful eyes, towards an even more ambitious goal: to manufacture a packaging machine characterized by innovative solutions and wide operating flexibility.

1987: the first packer (called “shrinkwrapper”) comes to light: the APET series is born, and it immediately catches the market’s attention. In the same year, in addition to the “F.lli Nava” machine shop, the limited liability company

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INFORMATION / 25th Anniversary

The ’90s mark the phase of impetuous growth in the manufacturing and sales activities. SMI rapidly climbs the ranking of the largest producers of packaging machines, thanks to a revolutionary mechanical and electronic technology which allows reaching higher and higher output speeds.

1990: the company’s staff raises from 4 to 11 employees and doubles in the following year.

1991: SMI presents the ABAS series of sealing bar packers.

1993: the machine production increases from 7 units in 1990 to more than 50 in 1993, including the new medium-low speed shrinkwrappers of the AF series and the new handle applicators of the MAB series.

SMI (Sistemi Macchine Impianti) Srl is established.

1989: SMI officially presents its shrinkwrappers in the occasion of “SIMEI” international exhibition in Milan. In the same year SMI also manufactures the first overlapping cardboard sleeve multipacker of the MTB series (then MP), achieving the speed of 100 packs/minute.

1995: the transformation from S.r.l. to S.p.A. takes place and the new-born joint-stock company closes the year with a sales volume of 23 billion liras (equal to 12.8 million euros).

1996: SMI launches the new WRAP (then WP) series of wrap-around casepackers.

The company’s international expansion starts: the first representative office is opened in Malaysia, and the next year Mexico City’s office is inaugurated as well.

1997: SMIPACK Srl is established as a SMI’s subsidiary company for the manufacture of L-seal hood machines and sealing bar shrinkwrappers. In the same year SMI launches the new models of high speed shrinkwrappers (until

1994: the year of the big change: SMI Srl moves its headquarters to San Giovanni Bianco (Bergamo) in a modern industrial complex of 7,600 sqm (in the following years they will become 65,000 m2), which allows a remarkable increase in the manufacturing capacity. In the year 1994 the machine production bounces to over 100 units and the workforce goes up to 90 people.

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360 packs/minute) of the SK series, which pioneer the machine wiring in fibre optic and a user-friendly operator interface called POSYC. 1998: SMI starts Smiline project, a company division created for the production of conveyors and line logistics systems.

1999: SMI sets up Smiform, a unit specialized in the production of rotary stretch-blow moulders to produce PET containers. In the same year Smimec division comes to light as well for the manufacturing of moulds for stretchblow moulders, mechanical components and machine frames.

The establishment of a widespread network of offices abroad (to provide technical and commercial assistance) is the predominant aspect of SMI’s accomplishments in the period between the end of the ‘90s and the early 2000s; in quick sequence SMI USA (United States), SMICentroamericana (Mexico), SMI Do Brasil (Brazil), OOO SMI RUSSIA (Russia), SMI Romania (Romania), SMI POLSKA (Poland), SMI PACIFICA (Australia) branches and China (Nanjing and Guangzhou), France, United Kingdom and Malaysia representative offices are inaugurated. SMI worldwide success is the result of the accurate study of each single market, of the social-economic aspects of every business area and of the careful analysis of the local clientele’s specific requirements.

2000: the first 6 and 8 mould models (capable of producing until 12,800 bottles/hour) of the new rotary stretchblow moulders of SR series are installed.

2001: Smigroup consolidated turnover bounces to 60 million euros and human resources increase to 400 employees.

2002: SMI produces in a year 319 packaging machines, thus becoming the

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INFORMATION / 25th Anniversary

world’s top manufacturer of this kind of equipment. In addition to that, Smiform division launches larger and more performing stretch-blow moulders and introduces 10, 12 and 14 mould models, capable of producing up to 22,400 bottles/hour.

2003: SMIPACK manufactures over 2,000 L-seal packers and starts to become one of the largest producers of these machines in the world. Always in 2003 SMI, through the new-established SMIWRAP company, takes over the property and the management of Cartiere Cima papermill, a historical landmark of Bergamo’s entrepreneurship, which has

been producing a wide range of food papers for over 100 years.

2006: a year of extreme importance to SMI: the 3,000th shrinkwrapper is delivered and meanwhile the first 20-mould stretch-blow moulders comes into service.

2007-2008: Smigroup undergoes a deep internal reorganization, which casts solid foundations to efficiently face the market’s newer challenges: production cost optimization, revised internal management procedures and advanced innovation programs are the key points of the transformation.

2008: SMI launches SMILAB project, Smigroup’s brand new technological center, whose activities are spread on three laboratories: “Research & Development Laboratory”, “Innovation Laboratory” and “Training Laboratory”.

All SMILAB activities aim at innovative and sustainable solutions in the industry, energy, social and cultural domains, with high regard for emergent technologies (such as nanotechnologies).

2009: SMI opens new company division Smipal and launches new APS series of palletising systems, making its world premiere at Drinktec exhibition in Munich.

SALES CONVENTION The 2012 edition exceeds all expectations Last July 16, 2012 about sixty SMI partners from all over the world came together again at the Castle of Clanezzo, near Bergamo, to attend the 2nd Sales Network Convention.

The meeting focused on the latest technological developments achieved

by SMI in the stretch-blow moulding of PET containers and on “entry level” line solutions, which are primarily designed to meet the production needs of emerging markets and that include a simplified integrated system of the blow-moulding, filling and capping ECOBLOC® series.

SMI’s speakers also focused on the results achieved in the supply of a complete line for an important northern European customer that bottles soft drinks.

The event ended with a visit to Smiform’s assembly plants and the new industrial location of the former

Cartiere Cima area, where upgrading and restructuring is underway on a covered area of about 30,000 m²; machine assembly work, currently performed at the San Giovanni Bianco and San Pellegrino Terme facilities, will be gradually transferred to this new site.

With the foregoing new upgrading and restructuring project, Smigroup reiterates its vocation in the development of innovative technologies for the production of energy from renewable sources, which are inexhaustible and with zero environmental impact.

Take, for example, the photovoltaic roofing of the future manufacturing plant, which will be able to produce 400 kWh, and the hydroelectric power station on the site operated

by SMIENERGIA that produces up to 1 MWh of “green energy” from the Brembo river.

2010: Smiform expands its product range with ECOBLOC® integrated systems, combining in one machine stretch-blowing, filling and capping technologies.

2011: SMI installs a complete water bottling line at “Fonte Stella Alpina” production plant called SACS (Stella Alpina Cost Saving), for outputs of 14,400 bottles/hour.

It features state-of-the-art technology, compact dimensions, low energy consumption and high operating efficiency.

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2012/2013 The unmissable events

T

he 2012 exhibition calendar closes with two of the most important European events in the packaging industry, several editions of which SMI has attended regularly with growing enthusiasm: Brau Beviale (Nuremberg, 13 to 15 November) and Emballage (Paris, 19 to 22 November).

Brau Beviale, meeting place crucial to the beverage industry, focused on the processing and marketing of beer, welcomes more than 30,000 visitors from across Europe each year, achieving growing success at each

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INFORMATION / Exhibitions

edition both in terms of new contacts made by exhibitors and post-trade fair relations.

In line with Brau Beviale’s commodity range, SMI presents an SR 6 rotary stretch-blow moulder of the latest generation for the stretch-blow moulding of PET, PEN and PP bottles up to 12,000 bottles/hour.

The focus of Emballage 2012 are all the innovations and the know-how for meeting the different expectations in the packaging production chain in a variety of sectors: Beverages & Liquids, Food, Luxury, Beauty, Health, Industry; these are all markets satisfied by SMI, along with co-exhibitor SMIPACK, by offering specific and cutting-edge packaging solutions.

At the Paris show, SMI presents the automatic average speed Smiflexi LSK 40F case packer, for the processing of film-only packs at the

max speed of 40 packs per minute.

A series of SMIPACK machines accompany the Smiflexi shrinkwrapper, including the L-sealing hood packers, angular case packers with shrinking tunnel and monoblock shrinkwrappers with sealing bars.

Both events will be rich in thematic events: Brau Beviale 2012 offers exhibitors and visitors the “Energy

& Water” thematic areas, which focus on renewable energy and water treatment, and “Future Beverage Industry 20XX”, which casts a glance on the future of the beverage industry.

The slogan of Emballage 2012 is “Pack Smart - Innovations & Solutions: everything you need to KNOW!”, attesting the extraordinary capacity for innovation experienced by the industry to better respond to new market demands.

There is only one year left to the opening of Drinktec 2013, but preparations are already humming for this leading event in the beverage and liquid food industry, an ideal platform for launching new technologies linked to this sector.

SMI and SMIPACK reconfirm their presence at the Munich exhibition and will be glad to welcome visitors from 16 to 20 September 2013 at stand 302, hall A6.

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