Coca-Cola FEMSA, one of the largest Coca-Cola franchises in the world, serves more than 270 million people with a portfolio of 134 beverage brands, including carbonated soft drinks, water, juices, teas, and energy drinks. Operating 56 manufacturing plants and 249 distribution centres across Latin America, the company ensures widespread access to its diverse range of beverages.
As the carbonated soft drink (CSD) market in Latin America experiences expansion, driven by shifting consumer preferences especially among younger audiences and wider economic recovery, Coca-Cola FEMSA is poised to meet this growing trend. With the installation of Sidel Super Combi at the Jundiai plant, Coca-Cola FEMSA has boosted its productivity to meet this rising demand for CSD beverages.
Increased speed and flexibility
Coca-Cola FEMSA opted for Sidel’s Super Combi for its CSD operations following the successful installation of the solution at the company’s water line at the Bauru plant.
The Sidel Super Combi is an innovative, all-in-one solution that integrates five key units – preform feeder, blower, labeller, filler/capper, and cap feeder – into a compact smart system. This design offers up to a thirty percent reduction in footprint compared to standalone equipment, making it an ideal choice Coca-Cola FEMSA which was seeking effectiveness and space savings. Sidel’s new solution replaced the existing wet block equipment and seamlessly integrated with the remaining production set up.
Following the installation of the Super Combi, the line now operates with a speed of 39,000 bottles per hour – an unprecedented level of productivity for FEMSA’s CSD operations.It can also handle up to ten bottle formats from 0,2 to 2L, while dramatically reducing the overall footprint of the line with a more efficient use of space within the facility.
Cutting-edge compact design
Engineered as a closed and compact system, the Sidel Super Combi minimises contamination risks by reducing the number of transfer points and potential exposure to contaminants. The Super Combi also helps make lightweight PET bottles by reducing transfer distances and minimising mechanical stress, allowing for thinner bottles.
Coca-Cola FEMSA Super Combi also utilises Sidel’s BlendFILL system which integrates the mixer and filler tanks into a single unit, streamlining operations. This innovative design reduces the overall footprint lowering operational costs and system complexity. It also contributes significantly to decreasing CO2 consumption throughout the production process while saving the water consumption in each cleaning cycle[1].
Sidel also installed the Evo-ON Care and Performance apps, allowing the drinks manufacturer to optimise line performance with actionable recommendations to solve efficiency losses. This advanced app can increase Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) by making it easy to track, understand, and address machine inefficiencies, ensuring that production units meet their performance targets.
Coca-Cola FEMSA utilises 100% recycled PET (rPET) preforms in its bottle production, and the Sidel Super Combi is fully compatible with rPET. This innovative solution ensures optimal resource utilisation, supporting sustainability goals without compromising performance.
Seamless collaboration
The sales, project, and service teams from Sidel and Coca-Cola FEMSA worked closely together from the start. This teamwork made it possible to get everything up and running quickly and hand it over smoothly to the customer service and operations teams.
[1] 14% CO2 saving in production, 27% during startup and 48% during end-production. 15% water savings for each cleaning cycle (Filler 120V, Mixer size M2)