PETpla.net Insider 11 / 2013

BOTTLING / FILLING 30 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 11/13 www.petpla.net Water bottling line from SMI at société Source de Batna in Algeria A taste of Algeria In the eastern part of Alge- ria, east of the Saharan Atlas Mountains, are the Aurès 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 1.5l cylindrical PET bottles, the Algerian company recently turned to SMI for the engi- neering study and instal- lation of a new 10,000bph PET line. The Société Source de Batna manufactures and markets the still and sparkling mineral water of the same name, which is highly appreci- ated not only for its taste and light- ness but also for its digestive prop- erties, which arise from a particular chemical composition. These diges- tive properties were already known to the ancient Romans. The mineral water has many benefits for the kidney and liver functions and in the treatment of obesity; it is also recom- mended for children, the elderly and pregnant women. Initially the Algerian company was state-owned; in 1990 a devastat- ing fire destroyed the factory. Fol- lowing an extensive re-building, the company was subsequently sold to private entrepreneurs. Since 2005, the Société Source de Batna has been part of the Algerian industrial Attia Salah group. The Groupe Industriel Attia Salah, based in Batna (Algeria), is an indus- trial complex operating in the bever- age industry with the production of the Batna mineral water and in the con- struction sector with the production of tiles and wire mesh. Batna ... a chequered history! Batna is the principal city of the province of Batna (or Wilaya of Batna) that, with 292,943 inhabitants (2008 figures) is the fifth largest province in Algeria. It is also a major centre of the Aurès region, so named by the Romans after the highest mountain range in the area. Batna is located in the north-east of the country, on a natural pass of the Atlas Moun- tains, so well hidden that the Romans themselves were unable to find the passage during the first phase of their invasion. 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. The PET blowing filling capping line The entire PET line for the bot- tling and packaging of Batna still and sparkling mineral water was designed, manufactured and installed by SMI. The new system includes an SR 6 rotary stretch-blow moulder for pro-