PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2010
BOTTLE MAKING 24 PET planet insider Vol. 11 No. 03/10 www.petpla.net Preforms are piling up The “Fédération Internationale de Football Association” (FIFA) will launch the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup in South Africa, in a total of 10 stadiums in 9 host cities across the country, from Polokwane in the extreme North to Cape Town in the South. It is expected that soccer will turn the country into a frenzy of excitement for fans from all over the world, and of all ethnicities. Six companies – all of them global operators – have been appointed to be FIFA partners, using the “FIFA World Cup” as an effective interna- tional marketing platform, reaching millions of people in over 200 coun- tries throughout the world. Coca-Cola is one of them – with their slogan “On the Coke Side of Life”. Coke will be served inside the stadiums (open PET bottles only, as a safety precaution for and against over-enthusiastic football fans) and outside at public viewing sites. Beneficiaries of the FIFA Coke contracts are four South African filling companies with Coke franchise agree- ments, as well, of course, as their sub-suppliers, i.e. ABI – Amalgamated Beverage Industries Sabco Penbev Shanduka ABI are the biggest, with a share of approximately 60%. ABI sources its preforms from Mondi Plastics Wadev- ille. Sabco cooperates with Boxmore for PET preforms. Penbev and Shan- duka are supplied by PETpak (part of the Nampak Group). We had the pleasure of visiting Mondi Plastics Wadeville together with Husky Injection Molding Systems. Mondi Plastics is not only the exclu- sive supplier of PET preforms to ABI but is also the largest converter of plastics in Southern Africa. Gerhard Hattingh (left) and Thomas Hartelmuller We met: Mondi Plastics Wadeville Gerhard Hattingh – National Sales Manager Thomas von Hartelmüller – Techni- cal Manager together with Husky Injection Molding Systems Ashley Henry – Area Manager – Southern Africa “We are fully prepared for the World Cup,” said Gerhard Hattingh. “In gen- eral our business is seasonal, having a distinct peak in volume of 30% plus in the South African summer months of November to February – with another peak at Easter. In 2010 the 30% plus peak will be flat over a longer period, and will con- tinue – instead of going down in winter - until June/July, right through the World Cup. To cope with the additional volume we have up-graded production of pre- forms and caps. In 2008 we purchased two HyPET systems, each with 144 cavities, from Husky, and one Sacmi compression moulding line for caps. We have also refurbished two of our existing hot runner systems.” Thus Mondi’s capacity to convert PET has been increased from 45,000t in 2006 to 52,000t in 2008. At present equipment utilisation is 70%, i.e. about 36,000t/a. Thus there is sufficient spare capacity to handle the peaks to come in 2010. We estimate that production will be increased to around 43,000t – result- ing in plant utilisation of about 82%. In addition to the investment in capital goods, such as machinery, a new centralised warehouse has been built to accommodate increased stock holding as a buffer. “So, let the World Cup commence. We are ready to go - for our own folks and all the 500,000 visitors expected from overseas. ” www.mpsa.co.za South Africa’s beverage industry prepares for the 2010 FIFA Football World Cup
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