Easy to manage, harder-wearing and compact, therefore an excellent solution; moreover, highly flexible modularity ensures efficient operation under all manufacturing conditions. These, then, are the reasons why Namibia Breweries Limited (NBL) - one of South Africa’s most important producers and bottlers and Heineken’s regional partner - decided to entrust Sacmi with the renewal of its labelling machines downstream from the bottling line.
NBL’s decision to go with this Sacmi solution was based on the advanced technical characteristics of Sacmi labelling machines and their long-standing reputation and market success; the decision comes, in fact, in the wake of a similar order placed by the beer-making multinational’s Brazilian partner.
The supplied machine – an OPERA 600 60T – is equipped with three labelling modules for cold glue application and the same number of modules for self-adhesive labelling; these allow, respectively, output rates of 62,000 and 60,000 applications per hour. The machine is fully equipped with quality control systems developed by the Group’s Automation & Service Division, such as Sacmi’s patented bottle positioning system (equipped with 6 colour video image acquisition cameras).
“The latest generation of Sacmi modular labellers”, explains Iacopo Bianconcini, marketing manager of the Group’s Beverage and Closures & Containers Division, “stands out on account of an ability to operate efficiently, at high speed, with just a single passage through the machine and across multiple labelling technologies and systems”. Thanks to the automatic splicing system – present on self-adhesive labelling modules – the reel can be changed without interrupting production, thus ensuring consistent optimal performance over time.
In addition to these advantages, Namibia Breweries Limited’s investment decision was also influenced by Sacmi’s unique ability to work alongside the customer right from the design stage and seek out personalised solutions that meet specific production and market requirements. This order also sees Sacmi reinforce its presence in the South African area where there has been a local branch (Sacmi South Africa) for some years now. Dedicated to the Packaging-Beverage market, that branch is part of a wider growth and development investment plan for Africa: it offers a structured presence that also lets the Sacmi Group offer an excellent afters-sales assistance service, providing customer support throughout the lifetime of machine and plant.