Four-day installation sees two labellers replaced by one and still achieves a 16% increase in capacity
Mountain Valley Spring Company has added 16% to its labelling capacity by replacing two existing bottle labelling machines in its Hot Springs, Arkansas plant with a single Sidel rollfed labeller, the Rollquattro Evolution, in a short and simple four-day implementation process. The company also simplified its processes and further demonstrated its commitment to sustainable production with the introduction of this new Sidel labeller.
Preparing for the next 100 years
The senior leadership team at Mountain Valley Spring Company understands the value of innovative manufacturing technology. The company has earned its place as the oldest continuously operating bottled water company in the United States by having reliable and efficient equipment to consistently deliver quality products to its customers.
In business since 1871, the U.S. premium spring water bottler has had to keep pace with over 140 years of changing market, consumer, and production demands while, at the same time, protecting its brand and bottom line. Labelling – integral to both manufacturing and marketing strategy – is no exception. So when it needed to upgrade its labelling capabilities, Mountain Valley Spring Company knew that the Sidel Rollquattro Evolution labeller was the perfect solution to help the brand grow into the next century.
Reliable technology for an added-value labelling process
Prior to implementing the new Sidel Rollquattro Evolution labeller into its production line, Mountain Valley Spring Company utilised two labellers from another supplier. Familiar with Sidel’s blow moulding solutions, the Mountain Valley Spring Company team chose to integrate more technology from the leading global provider of PET solutions for liquid packaging into their operation to help simplify their processes. “Our former system caused all sorts of inefficiencies on the line, which created excess scrap and added costs to the production of our packages,” said Dennis Adams, Director of Operations for Mountain Valley Spring Company. “We considered a couple of different options, but selected the Sidel Rollquattro Evolution. Looking back, the choice to go with Sidel was simple. In my 27 years in the industry, the company has always been known for its reliable technology.”
Fast installation and start-up
Factory testing of Sidel labellers prior to shipment helps ensure simple installation with minimal downtime, limiting impact on production. As a result, the Rollquattro Evolution implementation process at Mountain Valley Spring Company proved to be quick and seamless for Adams and his team. Within four days, the two existing labellers were dismantled and the new Sidel labeller was up and running, helping the Mountain Valley Spring plant personnel to avoid production delays. “We shut down on a Saturday morning, rotated the machine and connected to services on Sunday afternoon. By Tuesday, we were ready to go,” said Adams. “The setup was smooth with the Sidel team working alongside us.”
Adding 16% labelling capacity with one labeller instead of two
Since installing and commissioning the Rollquattro Evolution labeller in May, 2015, Mountain Valley Spring Company has experienced improved labelling speed and performance – both critical components to the company’s continued success. “Within one week of deploying the Rollquattro Evolution labeller, we quickly realised it alone could tackle the work of two of our previous labellers,” said Adams. “Having one total solution has enabled us to streamline our labelling process and will ultimately increase the number of bottles we can label, achieving 700 bottles per minute (bpm) compared to the 600 bpm running previously.” Mountain Valley Spring Company has primarily been utilising the Rollquattro Evolution to apply full-wrap film labels to recycled PET (rPET) bottles.
F
lexible and accurate technology
Uniquely flexible, the rotary Rollquattro Evolution labeller is equipped with an ergonomically designed, robust and precise linear labelling station. It labels containers with common and uncommon shapes ranging in diameter from 53mm to 110mm. Additionally, the Rollquattro Evolution can easily handle a wide variety of label materials and thicknesses – from wrap-around-rollfed paper to plastic labels – and accommodate a range of container materials, including lightweight PET and other plastics, glass and metal.
The highly accurate label application, made possible by the patented label transfer drum and glue and cutting modules, delivers a quality fit time after time; and the automated vacuum, with easy programmable settings, increases label tension and stability control. The label application and overlap alignment are precise at every speed, even for uniquely shaped bottles, with no additional wipe-down system required for label overlap closure.
“This solution’s simplified design and high quality parts have contributed to improvements in our efficiency and performance levels, and saves us a lot of time during changeover procedures” said Adams. “It complements our extensive bottle product line in a dynamic way.”
The natural supplier of sustainable labelling solutions
One of the key drivers in Mountain Valley Spring Company’s selection of Sidel as its supplier of choice for labellers was the company’s commitment to sustainability. The Rollquattro Evolution’s ability to precision-label lightweight bottles, while reducing glue consumption and waste, won over the long-standing bottler who uses 50 percent rPET in its PET bottles and 35 percent recycled glass in its glass bottles. Due to its unique hot-glue roller design, the Rollquattro Evolution provides savings of at least 15 percent on total annual glue consumption versus other hot-glue labellers on the market.
“Our team makes sustainability a priority. For decades we’ve concentrated on practicing low-impact water withdrawal, reducing the packaging and energy used in manufacturing, and choosing renewable energy sources whenever possible,” said Adams. “Working with a company like Sidel that matches our dedication to preservation has been incredibly valuable toward our efforts.”
Simple, efficient, and sustainable: Sidel’s family of labelling equipment is designed to maximise both the impact packages make on the shelves and the profit producers can earn. For more information about Sidel’s line of labellers and the Rollquattro Evolution labeller specifically, visit sidel.com/labelling.
