Sidel is Delivering its Biggest Combi Machine for CSD

Solutions for filling CSD at ambient temperature in “family sized” PET bottles, from 2 liter to 3 liter handling units are mainly demanded from markets in South America and more lately Eastern Europe.

Oct 1 2011 --- Sidel just reached another milestone in South America by selling its third very high speed Combi Eurotronica FM-c ever made worldwide to Refres Now, in Argentina. The machine fills large containers for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) at high speed. Assembled in Parma (Italy), the giant among the Combi machines left the plant in late July to be shipped to Argentina. Two other large Combi machines are currently being installed at sites in Brazil.

Solutions for filling CSD at ambient temperature in “family sized” PET bottles, from 2 liter to 3 liter handling units are mainly demanded from markets in South America and more lately Eastern Europe. Their consumers are in search of big capacities for family consumption. Hence, industrial bottlers require high production capacity for big containers. Sidel´s solution to fulfill this need was to develop Combi equipment with higher speeds for big containers that can go beyond 36,000 bph for the 2 liter format. “The challenge was to satisfy Refres Now’s needs while simultaneously providing a highly technical solution”, explain Stefano Baini, Product Manager CSD/Beer and Andrea Lupi, Product Manager Water/Combi Manager.

“The Combi Eurotronica FM-c is equipped with 20 blowmolding stations, 162 electronic flowmeter filling valves and 18 capping heads. The carousel diameter pitch measures 6.5 m, and is therefore the largest ever made in the world,” continues Gianluca Merlini, Filling System Sales Support. The filling carousel is so big that it could be compared to approximately a three-floor building height. Brushless motors and an interface between blowing and filling functions contribute to energy savings and increase security. Moreover, cap control before the capper guarantees cap quality as well as their right orientation. A Starblend mixer was also provided with this Combi.

Excellent order situation in South America

Sidel is capable of producing high speed Combi machines locally in Europe, Asia and also South America. The excellent order situation in South America required Sidel to produce this particular machine for Argentina in Italy and ship it to its destination. Four months after the project had started in March 2011, the 25.8 ton Combi 20 Eurotronica FM-c, left the plant in Parma on July 22 to be delivered to the Argentine customer. The machine reached Buenos Aires last week.

The size of the equipment was such that exceptional transport measures were necessary to secure the journey. Because of its large size, the Combi was stripped of many components, such as valves, to ensure it could safely be transported.

Four extra vehicles accompanied the transport truck during its journey to the harbor in Italy for the same reason. The Combi was taken by road to the Vado Ligure harbor in Savona, Italy, at night because it occupied two lanes.