EDITOUR PETplanet Insider Vol. 26 No. 04/25 www.petpla.net 12 four Arburg all-electric and hydraulic machines in use for closures. The entire material distribution in production is centralised using Piovan equipment. There are currently 250 employees working in 3 shifts at the plant. Around 20% of production is exported to African countries and the Middle East - ideally, the company CEO would like this figure to rise to 40%, as he reveals. The company’s annual growth averages 10%, with above-average growth of 25% in 2024. 10% of turnover is continuously reinvested. The company is in direct competition with the leading preform, bottle, cap and IML suppliers in Egypt. A relatively new line of business was added to ACIP in 2022, which is probably due in no small part to the experience gained in planning, installation and implementation. “The sector is still marginal, but we have a small but growing engineering portfolio for the supply of custom-made machines and equipment to be used as stand alone or in-line on the customers’ filling and capping lines,” said Mr Awad, showing some pictures of ACIP equipment that the company has developed. “The initial target group here is small and medium-sized bottlers and filling companies. However, we have been successful in supplying patentpending systems to large multinationals. In close consultation with customers, we can advise on everything from planning and process design in the respective plant to the set-up and control of the components and offer turnkey solutions. If customised solutions are required, we can also plan and build machines to customer specifications. Already, we are pleased to have been recognised by Germany’s Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Egyptian government for our Industrial Innovation in this area. “The future lies in sustainability,” said Samy Awad. “This naturally includes environmental aspects, such as material and CO2 reduction, but also more far-reaching, holistic approaches, such as the fundamental corporate responsibility towards employees and society. In addition to our ISO9001:2015, ISO14001:2015 and ISO45001:2018 certifications, we have also obtained FSSC22000 Ver. 5 and Sedex certification. We have also undergone an audit by a reputable inspection agency, which found us to be in full compliance with the audit scope. This audit covered ABCO’s compliance with local laws and regulations, child labour, discrimination, freedom of association and collective bargaining, health and safety and the environment. In a CDP score report that we commissioned in 2023, we received a ‘B’ score, which is the highest score in Egypt and also above the global and African average of the plastics Industry. ACIP also has a Bronze medal from Ecovadis. We will continue to work on this.” He went on to explain: “We never take the customer for granted, we will offer the best service we can, but there’s always room for improvement.” This philosophy is very tangible at the meeting. There should be a constant process of optimisation that affects all areas of the company which can never be completed entirely, according to Mr Awad. One of these areas that ACIP is currently planning for the near future is the further reduction of CO2 emissions by installing solar panels on the company’s roof, which will generate 20% of its own electricity requirements. www.acipegypt.com www.abcogrp.com At the Editourmobil with Samy Awad (left) and Kay Barton Everything from a single source: Mr Awad with a selection of products from his ABCO Group
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