Part of the LVMH group, Domaine Chandon Australia (DCA) is an Australian sparkling wine specialist and producer with genuine French heritage. The sparkling wine segment is experiencing a positive trajectory due to the increasing consumer preference towards premium and more sophisticated drinks, including French champagnes. Large industry players will have to further adopt automation as part of their production routines to stay competitive. Given that DCA was looking to improve the efficiency of their bottling operations and increase the utilisation rate of their manufacturing assets, producing more consistent case stacking quality on pallets and improving downstream logistic operations.
The collaboration with Sidel started with conceptual layouts based on the available floor space, considering the packaging design specifications and Domaine Chandon’s technical requirements for the equipment. Wrap-around packing is not widely used in this industry but the Australian sparkling wine producer quickly identified the benefits of using this type of solution. The Cermex WB46 Wrap-Around case packer is perfectly suited for the packing operation involving premium product handling. On leaving the Cermex WB46, the cases are labelled and conveyed into the Sidel PalAccess palletiser. Looking into the future, the HMI’s built-in PalDesigner® software enables operators to design, simulate and load new pallet patterns without the need of additional programming or specific service intervention. The new operating panel’s interface also allows access to the machine’s technical documentation, One Point Lesson (OPL) sheets and specific videos to assist with troubleshooting operations.
Sidel’s expertise in complete End-of-Line solutions, with a fully automated Cermex WB46 Wrap-Around case packer – including a partition inserter module and coupled with the PalAccess palletiser – has enabled Domaine Chandon Australia to accommodate the growing local demand for premium wine. The machine provides extremely smooth bottle handling, regardless of the bottle’s design or applied label type. All the contact points between the machine’s parts and the products are designed to maintain the products integrity and to avoid the risks of product marking – no matter whether it is handling Special Editions decorated with sleeves, or regular Domaine Chandon bottles, which come with paper labels.
"“Throughout the whole process, the Sidel teams were very proactive and helped us analyse some of the most difficult challenges of the project, in particular the automated partition insertion into the cases. ”"
Operations Director, DCA