With the new line (which includes the last generation of Sidel Matrix equipment), HWB will be producing its Nova bottled water in 33cl and 60cl PET bottles at a speed of 134,000 bottles an hour by February 2015.
In recent years, demand for bottled water (still and carbonated) in the Saudi Arabian market has risen drastically and is forecast to grow even further. Off-trade sales volume of bottled water rose 52.4% between 2007 and 2012, growing from 1,063 to 1,620 million litres sold, and has come close to surpassing even carbonated soft drinks sales. The increase in demand has been attributed to the growing population of Saudi Arabia.
“We have been using Sidel’s equipment in our lines for many years now and have consistently been satisfied with their service and after-sales support,” said HWB plant manager Harry Nowers. “We have decided that, due to their superior knowledge and technical capabilities, Sidel would be the best option for us in terms of a complete line.”
“Given the large increase in demand for bottled water in Saudi Arabia, there is now a huge opportunity for water providers in the area and we believe that Nova has definitely made a good choice by selecting the Matrix Combi that will offer great production efficiency and potential bottle lightweighting possibilities,” said Nicola Barusi, regional commercial manager for Sidel in Saudi Arabia.
Source: Sidel
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024