CR Beverage, one of China’s top bottled water producers, has expanded its production capabilities by investing in three high-speed aseptic complete lines from Sidel. This move is aimed at meeting the growing consumer demand for healthier, higher-quality, and more eco-friendly packaging solutions for a range of beverages, including teas, juices, and carbonated drinks.
As China’s leading bottled water manufacturer, CR Beverage is committed to offering a diverse selection of premium drinks to cater to the predicted 4.6 percent compound annual growth rate from 2023 to 2027, according to Global Data. Following over eight years of collaboration with Sidel and the successful installation of a complete line packaging solution for its large-format water production, CR Beverage again turned to Sidel for a custom solution for its aseptic production lines.
At the company’s Yixing and Chengdu plants, Sidel installed three high-speed aseptic lines featuring the Aseptic Combi Predis FMa for tea and plum juice and the Aseptic Combi Predis Fmac for high and low-acid products and carbonated drinks with 28 and 38 bottle necks. The Chengdu plant’s setup also includes four EvoDECO labelers and conveyors. These lines now produce 54,000 bottles per hour (bph) for the 450ml format and 27,000 bph for the 1L format.
A senior VP from CR Beverage commented, “We’ve successfully introduced bottled water lines and aseptic lines from Sidel, all of which are now fully operational. The aseptic lines passed validation on the first attempt and met their production targets on time, demonstrating the professional expertise and high synergy of Sidel’s aseptic technology. We look forward to further cooperation in the future.”
Sidel’s Aseptic Combi Predis system provides the simplest and most reliable dry preform decontamination technology available, ensuring food safety and product integrity without the use of preservatives. The system allows for the lowest total cost of ownership by maintaining high output and ease of operation while minimizing water, energy, and chemical usage, making it an environmentally friendly solution that aligns with the highest sustainability standards.
By utilizing dry hydrogen peroxide mist for preform sterilization before blow molding, the Aseptic Combi Predis process ensures a sterile environment for filling and capping, preserving product safety and extending shelf life while reducing the environmental footprint.
The three complete aseptic lines installed at CR Beverage’s facilities achieved a 100% one-time pass rate for aseptic validation and were successfully brought online within 90 days. This marks a key milestone for Sidel, especially as 2024 celebrates the fifth anniversary of local production of the Aseptic Predis system at Sidel’s Beijing plant, which is equipped with a strong production capacity and a focus on local delivery and sustainable development.
Over the past five years, Sidel’s Beijing plant has delivered over twenty sets of Aseptic Predis Combi equipment to customers across China and Asia. All three of the high-speed Aseptic Predis lines for CR Beverage were produced at this facility, and all passed the aseptic validation test with a perfect record.
Sidel Greater China’s robust Aseptic project and service team has been key to the success of these installations. Tang John, Sidel’s Execution Project Management Director for Greater China, stated, “Aseptic validation takes place at customer sites before the Commercial Acceptance Validation (CAV). We are proud of the performance of all newly installed aseptic lines in China in 2024, which highlights our leadership and expertise in aseptic technology. This achievement sets us apart in both the local and global markets.”
