Food and Beverage Business
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Sidel joins forces with Suntory Japan to enhance product quality

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Suntory Japan has recently implemented Gebo AQFlex, Sidel’s advanced conveying and accumulation solution, to enhance product quality and optimize its line operations at its state-of-the-art bottling facility. The adoption of Gebo AQFlex, with its smooth and contactless handling of containers, ensures the utmost product integrity for Suntory Japan, a global leader in beverage production and known for manufacturing soft drinks and spirits. Moreover, this innovative solution has significantly improved the overall line performance.

According to Toshiya Kobayashi, the Chief Operating Officer of Suntory Japan’s global technical department, the company’s philosophy is centered around “Mizu To Ikiru,” or “Living with Water.” This philosophy drives their commitment to satisfying customers just like water. Therefore, the top priority for Suntory Japan was to guarantee the highest quality for their customers.

Suntory Japan’s latest bottling facility, the Shinano-no-mori Plant, specializes in producing Tennensui mineral water. The facility utilizes one of the lightest PET bottles in Japan, which poses quality risks during production, such as dents resulting from bottle-to-bottle contact or bottles falling. To address these challenges, Suntory Japan required a product handling solution that would protect the bottle’s exterior and prevent any potential accidents. The company turned to Sidel and ultimately chose to implement Gebo AQFlex.

Sidel’s all-in-one product conveying and accumulation solution is designed to handle various types of containers. Its unique single-lane handling ensures gentle and contactless treatment of containers, thereby meeting Suntory Japan’s expectations in terms of product quality. Both Suntory Japan and Sidel share a common ethos of innovation, which led Suntory Japan to select Gebo AQFlex for its new plant, inspired by its success at Suntory France and witnessing the solution in action.

Toshiya Kobayashi further emphasizes that Sidel’s Gebo AQFlex not only offers a compact, all-in-one design but also operates at an efficiency of over 99.5% regardless of the speed. This solution enabled Suntory Japan to improve its line layout, ensure high productivity levels, and prioritize employee safety. The implementation of Gebo AQFlex began during the Covid-19 pandemic, which restricted physical visits by Gebo AQFlex experts. Nonetheless, they provided extensive remote support, conducting a factory acceptance test using AR glasses and offering round-the-clock assistance during installation and commissioning. Fine-tuning and efficiency optimization occurred during subsequent visits once the situation allowed. This remote support proved critical since the site, being the sole producer of Tennensui mineral water, operates 24/7 without interruptions.

Nicolas Bossert, the Gebo AQFlex Product and Business Development Manager, applauds Sidel’s commitment to prioritize customer needs, which was clearly evident in their performance, equipment, and unwavering support throughout the project. While Suntory Japan currently manufactures only two types of bottles at its new plant – the small 550-mL plastic bottle and the large 2-L plastic bottle – the Gebo AQFlex solution offers remarkable flexibility, allowing for easy adaptation to new bottle formats in the future.

In conclusion, Suntory Japan’s adoption of Sidel’s Gebo AQFlex solution demonstrates the company’s dedication to delivering the highest quality products and optimizing its line operations. With their shared focus on innovation, Suntory Japan and Sidel successfully collaborated to implement Gebo AQFlex, ensuring product integrity, enhancing productivity, and safeguarding employee well-being. The exceptional flexibility of Gebo AQFlex positions Suntory Japan for future growth and enables them to adapt to changing market demands and new bottle formats.

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