Twellium Industrial Company, West Africa’s fastest-growing manufacturing company, has partnered with Sidel to develop a new ultra-modern facility in Kumasi, Ghana – a greenfield project housing two complete PET packaging lines for still and carbonated beverages.

Twellium Industrial Company (Twellium) specialises in the production of non-alcoholic beverages, including its flagship product, Verna Mineral Water. The company also manufactures signature brands such as Rush Energy Drink, Original American Cola, Planet Range, and Bubble Up Lemon Lime under licence from Monarch Beverage Company.

Twellium already operates two well-established production facilities in Accra, Ghana and Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso, and has now commissioned its third ultra-modern site in Kumasi, Ghana.

The Kumasi site began as a greenfield project, with Twellium constructing it entirely from the ground up. This included all civil works, infrastructure, and utilities, with Sidel assisting in the installation of two cutting-edge processing and packaging lines.

Cutting-edge PET packaging lines

At the Kumasi site, diversity in manufacturing—utilising different sizes of PET bottles, as well as producing a variety of beverages including water, carbonated soft drinks (CSD), non-carbonated drinks, and energy drinks—was crucial to its development. This enabled flexibility in production and catered to broad market demand.

Twellium’s Kumasi site now features Africa’s fastest complete PET water line, with a production output of 80,000 bottles per hour, utilising Sidel’s signature Combi solution which combines blow moulding, filling, and capping into a single, compact, and integrated solution.

The set-up also includes a state-of-the-art water treatment room and automated cleaning-in-place (CIP) system, ensuring the highest levels of hygiene and food safety.

Sidel has also installed a complete line for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) at the Kumasi plant. Capable of bottling at speeds of 65,000 bottles per hour, this high-speed line with a Sidel Combi was the perfect solution for Twellium to meet the region’s booming CSD market.

As part of the project, Sidel also installed a customised EvoDECO Roll-Fed labeller featuring an integrated system which enables the application of QR codes on the bottle cap, allowing maximum traceability and meeting Ghanaian regulations.

Leader in Ghana’s thriving beverage industry

“Sidel’s complete PET packaging lines for Twellium ensure that beverage production volume meets affordability, allowing us to keep up with the constant increase in demand. This partnership not only drives efficiency but also creates more regional job opportunities, reinforcing Twellium as a proud leader in Ghana’s thriving beverage industry,” comments Ali Ajami, Twellium Marketing Director.

FachPack is one of Europe’s leading packaging events showcasing pioneering packaging, technologies and processes. This September, on stand Sidel will be highlighting its cutting-edge solutions helping manufacturers unlock new levels of performance from their production lines.

Sidel’s RoboAccess_Pal S, the company’s latest robotic and cobotic palletising solution, will also be in action.

High-performance palletising in action

At the show, Sidel will present its agile packing and palletising equipment for primary packaging, including bottles, shaped containers, jars, tins, pots, cans, flexible packaging, and cartons, as well as secondary packaging: RSC, wrap around, shelf-ready packaging, or film.

Through live demonstrations, visitors to the stand will witness the efficiency of the agile, compact palletising unit, RoboAccess_Pal S, introduced to the market last year. Combining the best of robotics and cobotics, this high-performing, all-in-one solution delivers improved agility, operability, and compactness to the food, home, and personal Care (FHPC) markets.

RoboAccess_Pal S is the perfect solution to replace manual operations. It delivers faster speeds of up to 12 cycles per minute and enables high case payloads of up to 25 kg, while ensuring a fast return on investment, typically one to two years. This offering provides a new level of compactness with a footprint of less than 12 m² for two stations with a significant pallet height of 1700 mm.

Hervé Bour, Sales Director FHPC Eastern Europe at Sidel, comments: “RoboAccess_Pal S embeds three new patented features to provide an even higher level of agility, operability, and compactness. A light-weighted carbon fibre and 3D-printed clamping head helps deliver higher payload capacity and overall machine footprint reduction while handling a wide range of secondary packaging. And this solution is available in just ten weeks.”

Advanced complete packaging technologies from one single supplier

Manufacturers can also speak with Sidel’s experts to find out how the company is ideally placed to help drive performance across production lines.

Hervé Bour concludes: “Sidel has a unique offering which combines packaging concepts, engineering solutions to complete production lines and standalone equipment. By working with Sidel, manufacturers can ensure that production efficiency skyrockets, futureproof lines and look for new pathways for growth.

“From PET blowing, filling, labelling, packing, palletising combined with services and digitalisation, discover how Sidel’s large portfolio is adapted to satisfy every need in terms of packaging, footprint and line speeds and optimise your investment.”

Sidel, a leading provider of equipment, services and complete line solutions for packaging liquids, foods, home, and personal care products, established a new office in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The strategic decision aims to bring Sidel’s expertise closer to its customers and best support their growth in the region.

Sidel has been serving the Central Asia and Caucasus (CCA) region for more than 10 years. The region is a significant market with Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, and Armenia exhibiting growing GDP and disposable income levels.

Building upon the strong relationships Sidel has already developed with fast moving consumer goods producers in CCA, the company will continue to significantly invest in this region, providing its high standard solutions and services while supporting the local market needs.

The new office will give producers direct access to Sidel’s regional expertise, including local project management, advanced engineering solutions and on-the-ground support services that understand and respond to local market nuances.

Sidel is also committed to investing in the local labour market, leveraging local talent, and developing skills in all core operational functions, including sales, project management and services.

The large photovoltaic system built by Sidel at their Parma plant has become fully operational, enabling the site to satisfy 40 % of its electricity needs and cut its CO₂ emissions by 871 tons/year, equal to the amount absorbed by 43,500 trees. It is one of the largest corporate photovoltaic systems in Emilia-Romagna, which, thanks to its 5,000 solar panels, is able to produce 2,900 MWh of electricity, equal to the yearly consumption of more than 1,000 Parma households.

Sidel plans to invest about 5 million euros in Parma for the energy transition, accompanying the construction of the photovoltaic system with other important initiatives to help achieve the sustainability goals set for the three-year period 2022-2024 by the company, the world’s leading provider of packaging solutions for beverages, food, and personal and household care products in PET, cans, glass, and other materials.

“Our environmental commitment is at the heart of all our activities. Indeed, we make our contribution to environmental protection by innovating and developing sustainable solutions to reduce CO₂ emissions,” commented Francesca Bellucci, Sustainability Director of the Sidel Group. “Our decarbonization strategy aims for a 50 % reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions – those resulting from our operations and energy consumption – by 2030. This goal has already been achieved: we reduced our emissions by 75 % in 2023 compared to 2019. The full implementation of the photovoltaic system in Parma allows us to take another important step towards achieving the goal of zero net emissions across our entire value chain by 2050.”

All Sidel’s production sites worldwide, including the Parma site, are certified according to the ISO 14001 environmental management system. With this certification, Sidel has adopted a system that enables it to achieve a continuous reduction in its global environmental footprint. By integrating sustainability principles into its operations, the company aims not only to reduce its carbon footprint, but also to improve its operational efficiency, innovation and competitiveness.

“We are particularly proud to have put the entire system into operation, providing the plant with self-generated clean energy,” commented Riccardo Rosselli, VP Global Sites & Facility Management at Sidel Group and Site Leader of the Parma site. “This is a very important step towards achieving our environmental sustainability goals for the headquarters and the plant, which are also in line with the sustainability targets that the city of Parma aims to accomplish by 2030. I would like to thank all Sidel employees who have worked hard over the past year to turn an ambitious project into reality.”

The Tetra Laval Group Board has appointed Pietro Cassani as President & CEO of Sidel effective 15 July 2024. Pietro will be based in Parma, Italy. The appointment follows the decision by Monica Gimre to step down after more than five years as President & CEO of Sidel and 41 years in total with the Tetra Laval Group.

Pietro has been CEO of the Marchesini Group for the past eight years, and before that spent over 10 years as Group General Manager of SACMI. In total he has over 30 years of business and engineering experience. He holds an Engineering degree from the University of Bologna, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the SDA Bocconi School of Management.

The Sidel Group expands its offering in state-of-the-art labelling technologies and broadens its reach in key market segments. This will ignite a further phase of international development for Makro Labelling Srl, an innovator and leader in the field.

We are excited to be able to offer enriched labelling expertise and even greater flexibility to our customers, strengthening our position in labelling solutions and broadening our reach in dynamic markets such as wine, spirits, food, home and personal care. We will capitalize on the success already reached by Makro Labelling built on expertise, innovation and operational agility. The low and medium- speed modular labelling machines made by Makro will complement our leading higher-speed technologies that are manufactured in our factory in Mantova, Italy and integrated into Sidel’s packaging lines. We extend a very warm welcome to all Makro Labelling employees now joining the Sidel Group”, said Monica Gimre, CEO & President at Sidel.

Sidel has been developing labelling solutions for the past 40 years. It is present in Mantova with its own labelling plant where it has advanced its labelling technologies, reaching speeds of 90,000 containers per hour, that are well-integrated into Sidel’s complete lines and Super Combi series.

New phase of development and growth

“Joining forces with Sidel is an opportunity for further development and growth for Makro Labelling. After the acquisition, Makro will maintain its full autonomy as a unit of the Sidel Group and will continue to operate independently from its current headquarters. At the same time, we will be able to leverage and develop interesting synergies, exchange best practices, and offer an even richer experience for our employees and a broader portfolio to our customers. We are excited to embark on this new chapter of our adventure”, said Simone Marcantoni, Managing Director at Makro Labelling.

Makro Labelling is a modular labelling machine company that was founded in 2009 by five partners who are still forerunners in the company today and bring 30 years of experience to the table. Makro’s machines can label up to five items per bottle in cold glue, hot glue, self-adhesive, and combination versions. Sidel’s pairing with Makro, a company which has grown rapidly with worldwide reach, offers a key opportunity for both parties. The company is based in Goito (Mantova, Italy) and employs over 120 people.

Sidel has opened a new hub dedicated to PET recycling. At its unique small-scale PET recycling pilot line in Octeville, France, Sidel will develop its understanding of PET recycling with the aim of giving comprehensive support to the market as it switches to greater use of recycled PET.

Seeking carbon neutrality, the packaging industry is in the middle of a transition period that aims to replace virgin PET with recycled PET. Sidel is engaging with this transition to circular packaging solutions, enabling r-PET to be more widely used. The unique small-scale PET recycling line will allow Sidel to develop advanced knowledge about the recycling of food-contact PET bottles. As Sidel packaging experts assess the impact of additives and primary packaging materials on r-PET resin the facility will become an important reference for raw material producers, recyclers and recycling regulatory organisations. The line will also enable Sidel to further develop its own knowledge, ideas and innovative packaging solutions.

Helping to meet demand for r-PET

Demand for r-PET is increasing and the market is developing as brand owners seek carbon neutral solutions. The amount of recycled PET in packaging globally has increased to 8 % compared to 5 % in 2018. In Europe, the average is already 15 % and is projected to grow to 35 % in 2030.¹

“There is a big move towards recycled PET, but demand is outstripping supply,” says Naima Boutroy, Sidel’s Global Packaging Expert. “The market still has a lot to learn and we can provide valuable insights. There is a variability in recycled PET resin grades, and standardisation is still in development. We need to address this to create the best possible finished bottles. Our line will test the recyclability of post-consumer PET bottles from different feed stocks, including additives and caps as well as labels, inks and glue. We will be working with traditional Sidel customers such as brand owners, converters and co-packers, as well as other suppliers like raw material producers, recyclers and regulatory organisations, to enable the scaling-up of r-PET capacity. We can also check any innovations comply with bottle-to-bottle recycling.”

Fully-equipped line to study entire process

Sidel’s new line will take raw material from industrial partners such as sorting facilities, recyclers and brand owners. It will then recreate and study all aspects of the process from bales to flakes including pellets ready to be injected into preform, injection and blow moulding.

Sidel will give the packaging industry the opportunity to access a fully equipped pilot line. This line covers every step of the recycling process: from washing, drying and pellet extrusion, to solid-state polymerisation, including dedicated process and laboratory controls at every step.

Making PET a more sustainable choice

PET is proven to be recyclable and is the only food-safe bottle-to-bottle recycled material, but the market has yet to see the production of standardised r-PET resin grade in high quantities; achieving this could facilitate the market conversion from virgin PET to r-PET. Lifecycle analysis shows that PET already has the best carbon footprint among materials currently available; creating a robust recycling loop to achieve full circularity at scale will make PET an even more sustainable choice.

Sidel to become one-stop shop for r-PET

Sidel’s investment in the r-PET pilot line is unparalleled in the packaging industry and will also empower Sidel in shaping the packaging solutions of tomorrow. The line, which has a holistic bottle-to-bottle approach, is just one of a range of services that Sidel is establishing under the name RePETable^™ services. The services will draw upon Sidel’s 40+ years of blowing and packaging expertise, to support brand owners and convertors in producing r-PET bottles through line upgrade solutions, packaging optimisation, blowing process qualification, troubleshooting, r-PET processing training.

Sidel has created 1SKIN^™, a unique label-less recycled PET bottle. Combining distinctive shelf-appeal with the highest eco credentials, it has been designed to help Sidel’s customers achieve their sustainability goals and drive sales of high-end products.

The one-litre bottle is destined for the booming market in sensitive juices, teas and flavoured drinks. The new 1SKIN concept represents a breakthrough both in sustainability and in its streamlined design.

Made with readily available 100 % recycled PET (r-PET), 1SKIN has been designed by Sidel for easy recycling. The label-free bottle with its tethered cap can immediately enter the recycling stream with no need to separate additional raw materials such as ink, glue, labels or sleeves. Customers choosing 1SKIN will stay ahead of the main worldwide regulations and market trends for sustainable packaging.

Launched at the international beverages trade fair, drinktec in Germany in September, the bottle has attracted interest from customers from all over the world seeking to make their packaging more sustainable. Many of the major brands are embracing higher sustainability standards, driven by consumer influence as well as growing legislation to encourage recycling.

Appealing looks and drinking experience

1SKIN is made to stand out on shelves in one of the fastest growing and most competitive beverage segments. The bottle is designed to deliver an appealing drinking experience, with an ergonomic grip for comfortable pouring. It has a wide neck and a cap lock feature to keep the open bottle top away from the consumer’s face. On the bottle’s label-free surface there are multiple options to use differing fonts and textures, with the transparency enabling great opportunities for natural light and shadow play. The ultra-precise graphic elements are created using Sidel’s most advanced mould technologies combined with its blow moulding expertise. QR or bar codes can be printed on the bottle closure to provide information to consumers or enable individual unit sales.

The bottle design guarantees safety and protects the integrity of products with a long shelf life. Sidel’s patented Starlite^™ Sensitive base technology combines a premium glass-like design with optimised weight and performance on high-speed lines.

Sidel has expanded its presence in Africa with the opening of a new office in Nairobi, Kenya. The move increases its support for its customers in East Africa, a key market for Sidel and one of the continent’s fastest-growing regions.

Sidel has been serving the African market for many years. Building on this, the new East Africa office will enable it to drive development in the region by working more closely with customers to provide them with dedicated engineering capability and on-the-ground customer service.

“East Africa continues to show impressive market growth in Sidel’s core business areas of beverages, food, home and personal care packaging,” says Vishal Gupta, Managing Director for Sidel Services East Africa. “This is more than an office, it’s a symbol of our commitment to the African market, to our customers and to developing the skilled local engineering and operational talent pool.“

The East Africa region is made up of 15 countries, from Eritrea in the north to the island of Mauritius. Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Ethiopia have some of the highest levels of GDP and disposable income growth on the continent, indicating significant potential for years to come.

The new Sidel office, which was officially opened on 28th July, is located in the heart of Nairobi’s central business district alongside sister company TetraPak as well as the African head offices of other international companies.

Africa is home to the world’s youngest and fastest-urbanising population and has the potential to become one of the major sources of global growth. At more than one billion, sub-Saharan Africa’s population is currently growing at around 2.7 % a year – more than twice as fast as South Asia and Latin America.

The global pandemic has affected the packaging solution industry by leading to a significant price increase and shortage of raw materials and components used in packaging equipment. To compensate for the rising costs and continue to provide the highest quality solutions, Sidel is implementing a commodity-induced price adjustment on its equipment by an average of 5 % effective September 6, 2021. Deficiency of raw materials and components may impact equipment delivery time as well.

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Sidel has been striving to keep the same price level for its equipment despite the fact that the price of raw materials has increased significantly since 2020. Moreover, this increase is not expected to recover in the foreseeable future.

Additionally, the pandemic, combined with other external factors, has resulted in a significant shortage of microchips globally. This shortage is an outcome of supply-related disruptions, including forced closure of factories, together with an unanticipated increase in demand for personal electronics such as cell phones and laptops as people were required to work or study remotely. Both supply shortage of microchips and increase in consumption of personal electronics lead to supplier delays which might impact the overall Sidel delivery channels for the near future.

Two leading companies, Sidel and Elettric80, have started a strategic alliance to provide comprehensive services ranging from production to warehouse, distribution centre and logistics management for beverage and food, home and personal care (FHPC) producers. Both companies will act as a one-stop source, allowing producers to become more flexible, safe and sustainable with Smart Factory tailored solutions. 

Today, beverage and FHPC producers are influenced by different factors that are challenging their performance. Among others, due to the growing e-commerce markets, the need for automated warehouses and logistics management becomes especially important. Sidel and Elettric80 have paired up their know-how in state-of-the-art packaging and highly automated and integrated intralogistics solutions to help producers stay competitive and meet the demands of the market worldwide.

Monica Gimre, CEO at Sidel Group: “For Sidel, it is a principle to always listen to our customers. A strategic alliance with Elettric80 is our approach towards achieving our goal of providing A to Z services to our customers, including intralogistics solutions. We are happy to be in a partnership with a company that shares the same values as we do, and I believe that the synergy and great teamwork between us will bring added value not just to our customers, but also to ourselves by opening space for learning and innovation together.”

Enrico Grassi, President at Elettric80: “Packaging lines with highly automated and integrated intralogistics areas at the end of the line will be the future of any production site. Along with Sidel, we are taking the next step in expanding our business opportunities by increasing our customers’ operational efficiency and sustainability. We are ready to complement this alliance with strong expertise in logistics process

The Tetra Laval Group Board has appointed Ms Monica Gimre, President & CEO of Sidel Group effective July 1, 2019. The appointment follows the decision by Mr Sam Strömerstén to retire from his position after more than three years as President & CEO and 36 years with the Tetra Laval Group.

Monica Gimre is presently Executive Vice President Processing Solutions & Equipment in Tetra Pak. Prior to her present position she has had several managerial positions in the Group, including Vice President Marketing and Portfolio Management and Vice President Technical Sales and Service for Tetra Pak’s Processing business. She joined the Tetra Pak Global Leadership Team in 2016. Ms Gimre, who is 58 years old has a Master of Science in Chemical Engineering, Lund University, Sweden.