PETpla.net Insider 03 / 2021

BOTTLING / FILLING PETplanet Insider Vol. 22 No. 03/21 www.petpla.net 34 Oman Refreshment Company and Sidel join forces to launch three new formats New formats, increased speed Oman Refreshment Company (ORC) has launched three new formats for PET bottles in order to meet changes in consumer demand. Sidel completed the line conversion within a reduced lead time. These formats are now operating with improved rated speed to satisfy consumer demand in Oman. Established in 1974 and currently employing more than 900 people, ORC is one of the pioneers and market leaders in the Omani manu- facturing sector. As a franchisee of PepsiCo International, the company’s headquarters is located in Al Ghubra and it operates in different food (Lays, Cheetos and Quaker Oats, etc.) and beverage (Pepsi, Topfruit and Aquafina Water, etc) sectors. It has an overall annual beverage production capacity of around 500 million litres. The company is expanding its manu- facturing and distribution capabilities to meet growing demand for its prod- ucts and also to respond to diverse consumer preferences. The carbonated soft drinks (CSD) market in Oman is dominated by international companies and it is dominated by PepsiCo whose sales volume and value in 2018 reached 84.7% and 84% respectively. Although Oman is known for its high CSD con- sumption, changing life styles and the introduction of an “excise tax” (50% tax on CSD) have slowed demand. To maintain market share and adapt to healthier consumer habits, ORC approached Sidel to launch three new PET bottle formats (0.25 l, 1 l and 1.5 l). Tight time constraints ORC has operated a Sidel Matrix Combi12 line since 2015 and Sidel’s project was to adapt this very same line. When the order was received in June 2019, a 14-week lead time was established to meet the market launch date. However, it was ini- tially assumed that the parts could be delayed because of the August summer break. The key to success was therefore seamless planning and execution. As a complete solution provider, Sidel achieved its goal by leveraging its expertise in production and closely cooperating with suppliers. From shipping to execution, approximately 15 experts from Sidel participated in the project. To ensure smooth opera- tion, the original line efficiency was inspected by Sidel’s team before site execution. With consultancy from Sidel, some adjustments were made and Sidel was supported by optimal logistics and 3 rd party equipment sup- pliers to accelerate progress. ORC also played a crucial role by providing full in-house support from the main- tenance and warehousing teams to ensure that all activities went to plan. In spite of tight time constraints, Sidel displayed close teamwork, liaising with both the partners and the cus- tomer. “Sidel’s challenge was to finish the project within a very tight schedule. Sidel took swift action in manufactur- ing the required adaptation kits then shipping them in the fastest lead time possible. Installation, testing, and commissioning are the most challeng- ing activities of the project wherein Sidel was able to excel by sending the best team,” says Youssef Ezzikhe, CEO at ORC. A flexible approach to project exe- cution, together with on-going support from the product division to reduce the equipment lead time were the key factors that the company describes as contributing to an overall well planned and executed service project. Sidel finished the line conversion project at the end of August 2019, allowing ORC to fulfil their market commitment. www.sidel.com FILLING In addition to launching new package sizes, the rated speed of the filler on each format was increased: 0.25 l – 24,000bph, 1 l – 22,500bph and 1.5 l – 22,000bph. Easy machine handling through intuitive HMI