On August 28, 1898 in New Bern, North Carolina, pharmacist Caleb Bradham renamed “Brad’s Drink,” his popular non-alcoholic digestif, “Pepsi-Cola.” 125 years later, Pepsi has become one of the world’s most recognisable brands and today, it officially ushers in its next era while honoring its storied legacy, as the brand’s new logo begins to roll out in stores in the US.
In honor of its 125th birthday, Pepsi will celebrate its iconic history where it has lived at the center of pop culture – in sports, music, and entertainment – and look ahead to the brand’s next 125 years. On August 28 the brand started the party by offering free Pepsi to everyone across the US, and over the course of the 125 days leading up to New Year’s Eve, the brand will launch 125 various types of programming including immersive events, social content moments and giveaways. Each touchpoint and its corresponding programming will revisit and reimagine the impactful and culture-driving moments fans have cherished throughout the brand’s rich history just as the new Pepsi logo, which pays homage to past brand looks, comes to life for consumers wherever they shop, dine, play and scroll, ushering in the next era of culture-defining moments.
125 years of trailblazing
Pepsi has been and continues to be a driver of cultural impact and relevance for 125 years. From having the only female professional skywriter draw Pepsi in the clouds to creating iconic moments with some of the biggest pop stars on the planet to making the Super Bowl Halftime Show the most watched 12 minutes of music; from initiating the now iconic ‘Pepsi Challenge’ to trailblazing the idea of lifestyle marketing with music videos as commercials; from creating flavours like Pepsi Wild Cherry and groundbreaking innovations like Nitro Pepsi, time and again Pepsi has found itself on the cutting edge of pop culture, embracing what fans love about culture. And now, Pepsi will pull back the curtain on its history for 125 days, complete with an immersive experience consumers will have to see – and taste – to believe.
75 years of gas safety and performance optimization
A world market leader from Germany is celebrating its birthday – for 75 years now, the Witten-based company Witt-Gasetechnik has been setting the standard for safety and efficiency in the use of industrial gases. Gas mixers and analysers, pressure regulators and valves – Witt products can be found in industrial applications all over the world. And just in time for the company anniversary, the manufacturer is working on the next milestone in the company’s history under the banner “Witt 4.0”.
Did you know ? Flashback arrestors for welding applications, used worldwide ever since, were first introduced to the market in 1945 by the German manufacturer Witt. Company founder Paul Witt revolutionised the handling of flammable gases with this small but immensely important component. These safety devices remain a globally demanded part of the Witt product portfolio. The manufacturer also offers a comprehensive range of valves for industrial gas applications, such as safety relief valves, gas non-return valves and pressure regulators.
However, the company has long since developed into other niches in the field of gas technology, and with its 200+ employees continues to set new standards. The range of gas mixers is unrivalled internationally and the gas analysers and leak testers also enjoy an excellent reputation.
But even after three quarters of a century, Witt is still young and modern. Its R & D team is constantly improving and expanding the product range, thus responding to changing requirements, and developing game-changing innovations.
Witt 4.0 – smart gas technology
A current example is the shift to digital solutions for networked manufacturing in Industry 4.0 – a change that does not stop at gas technology. Witt is one of the pioneers: Dr. Richard Benning has been driving development forward for years. “Witt 4.0” is what the managing partner, who is the third generation to head the family business, calls this project, thus giving a name to the next revolution from Witt.
The technological breakthrough was achieved two years ago. Witt presented the first prototypes of “smart” fittings: safety devices that can record and transmit important parameters such as pressures and temperatures via sensors. Witt’s engineers managed the feat of integrating the electronics directly into the fittings. Fully integrated valves offer real commercial added value: real-time data from a single device, little space required, quick installation, easy maintenance. In other words, performance and cost advantages compared to piecemeal solutions.
Smart dome pressure regulators that can measure gas pressure and temperature, calculate flow rates and transmit them to a network are now an integral part of the product catalogue. Soon further “smart” fittings will be added. But that is not all.
Data anywhere and anytime
Witt has also long since equipped gas analysers and gas mixers with electronic control systems specially developed for this purpose. All relevant data is recorded, evaluated and output. In this way, these systems, parallel to the smart fittings, are seamlessly networked in the production process and can be controlled “intelligently”.
All components are interconnected via the local network, and can also be read and controlled over the internet. The data converge in real time at the control station controller. Via PC or tablet, the right people have all information available at all times. If something goes wrong or needs to be reset, they can intervene immediately: The networked gas technology thus also stands for more precise process control and minimum rejects, i.e. for maximum efficiency.
Global company with local presence
Witt 4.0 is another important building block for the company to maintain and expand its leading market position. The manufacturer has always worked meticulously on its portfolio and is consistently expanding it. The Witten-based company has long been regarded as a “one-stop shop” for everything relevant to the safe handling of gases.
The products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art production facility in Witten. Quality management is comprehensive, all relevant standards are met and are validated by external accreditations.
Also to know, Witt generates well over half of its sales outside Germany. Through subsidiaries and sales partners, the company is represented on all continents and offers its customers local advice and service.
After almost 40 years as managing director of FRITSCH GmbH, Robert Fritsch was bit farewell on his retirement on 1st January 2020. He looks back on times of modernization, economic growth and success.
In 1920 the medium-sized family business was fund in Idar-Oberstein as a technical precious stones dealer by Max and Alfred Fritsch. After the Second World War Willi and Paul Fritsch, sons of Alfred Fritsch, took over the management.
As the second generation of the company, they were looking for a new business idea, because more and more synthetic materials found their way into the application area of FRITSCH. Soon it became clear to focus on the niche market of application-oriented laboratory instruments for sample preparation and particle sizing. This specialization led the laboratory instrument manufacturer to success: Already since the mid-1950s FRITSCH has been one of the leading manufacturers in this field. The first patent application for a fully automatic Planetary Mill followed in 1962. In the following years FRITSCH continued to grow steadily, whereupon the construction of a production hall in Georg-Weierbach 1973 and later the complete relocation of the administration followed.
The third generation was characterized by Robert Fritsch, son of Paul Fritsch, who took over the management in 1982. The breakthrough in high-tech particle sizing was achieved with the Laser Particle Sizer ANALYSETTE 22 under the leadership of him. Since then research, development and production have continued steadily. Further patents in the fields of sample preparation and particle sizing followed and a new production hall was opened in 2014. Because FRITSCH stands for Quality “Made in Germany” for over 100 years and is one of the leading manufactures in the field of milling, sieving, dividing and sizing.
For the 100th anniversary, the 4th generation takes over the management: Maximilian und Sebastian Fritsch, just as their father, grandfather, great uncle, great grandfather and great grand uncle showed them. Maximilian Fritsch, who came to the company after completing his apprenticeship as an IT-manager in 2009 will in future work as Commercial Manager. In his new position, he particularly appreciates the contact to the employees as well as developing new ideas and strategies. Sebastian Fritsch, who is working in the sales department of FRITSCH for more than 10 years, is now the new Managing Director. As a child he dreamed of a career as professional soccer player, but since his apprenticeship at FRITSCH in 2006 he knew „this is my future!”.
The brothers set themselves as a goal to expand further and to lead the company as well as the team in a successful future.
What started out small 40 years ago today has in the meantime grown significantly – and has long since developed into one of the world’s leading manufacturer of innovative checking, inspection, rejection and labelling systems for a continuous in-line quality assurance when filling and packaging beverages, food and pharmaceuticals: HEUFT SYSTEMTECHNIK GMBH was founded on 1 April 1979!
Bernhard Heuft started the company back then in Burgbrohl in the Volcanic Eifel (Germany) with just twelve skilled people he knew. The fact that the strength of his highly motivated team has increased a hundredfold over the past 40 years to over 1,200 employees worldwide impressively illustrates that this was the right decision at that time for putting the young family business on the road to sustainable success.
In fact in the truest sense: HEUFT received the first patent for a truly ingenious invention by the company founder which still defines the state of the art today regarding the accurate upright high-speed rejection of faulty empty and full containers – the HEUFT DELTA-FW multi-segment flow rejector.
Over 500 further patents have been added since then – and therefore genuine unique technological features which not only optimise in-line quality assurance when filling and packaging beverages, food and pharmaceuticals sustainably but also the efficiency of complete lines.
From the first optical fill level detection to the fill management system with multi-processing capabilities, from the first empty bottle inspector in an efficient straight-through system to the all-surface empty container inspection on less than one square metre of floor space, from the unique pulsed X-rays to the company’s own real-time image processing system, from clean labelling to the precise marking inspection, from the harmonious conveyor control system to the comprehensive line analysis: a wide range of innovative technologies from the modular HEUFT system has been setting the standards for efficient in-line quality assurance for 40 years.
Basic research and the development of solutions not only focused on maximum automation during precise product tracking, reliable fault detection and specific fault rejection but also consistent user support from the start. In this way HEUFT introduced the very first systems with a monitor into the bottling hall for a simply better overview. The company’s own graphical user interface was soon to follow, then the audiovisual HEUFT NaVi user guidance and most recently even real voice control for full operational reliability and productivity.
It is not only innovative striving forward with countless technological pioneering achievements over the past 40 years which has set the medium-sized family business on a sustainable course for success but also the resulting continuous growth regarding company premises, international sales and service locations as well as competent employees i.e. in research and development, production, project planning and support.
