GEA Procomac aseptic technology empowers Sandora’s PET juice operations
in Ukraine
Founded in 1995, Kherson-based Sandora LLC is Ukraine’s leading manufacturer
of branded packaged juices and nectars. With three plants in Southern Ukraine,
Sandora produces a wide range of natural juices and nectars from locally grown
fruits and vegetables and imported concentrated juices. Located in the rich
agricultural southern region of Ukraine, Sandora has been rapidly growing with
sales last year of around $120 million. It has three manufacturing plants
employing more than 1,500 people and produces more than 180 types of drinks
under seven trademarks and although it exports to Russia, the Baltic states,
central Asia, Canada and Germany, most of its production is for domestic
consumption. Its factories are in Kherson, Crimea and Mykolaiv.
JUIDES IN EASTERN EUROPE: A PROMISING MARKET
The global
market for juices grew at 24 percent in the five years to 2005, more than
double that for carbonates, according to Euromonitor International in a recent
report. But in Eastern Europe sales of juices will be even stronger. In Russia,
Ukraine and Poland the combined volume growth of 100 percent juices will be
more than 600 million litres over the next five years. Nectars, defined as
having between 25 and 99 percent juice, will grow by a quarter in Russia in the
five years to 2009, and more so in Poland and Turkey. But it is Ukraine that is
offering the most promise. Nectars are expected to more than double in the same
period; full-strength juices by 117 percent.
UNIBLOC SPIN: A PROMISING TECHNOLOGY
For its expansion
into PET bottling, Sandora pinpointed Mykolaiv, a city near the Crimea which
was for many years closed to outsiders as it was the USSR’s strategic navy ship
building centre. Sandora clearly had big plans and constructed a plant with
ample room for many filling lines with an eventual capacity in excess of
100,000 bottles an hour. It signed up GEA Procomac to provide the first Pet
aseptic filling line. Ordered in May 2005, the line was commissioned a year
later and provided capacity to fill 26,000 bottles an hour. Using the latest
aseptic techniques developed by GEA Procomac, the line packs a variety of fruit
and vegetable juices with long shelf life in PET bottles with sleeve labels.
SIPA supplied an SFR 16-cavity rotary blow-moulding machine to feed the line
with the 380ml bottles made from performs. The machine is in a separate room
some distance from the aseptic filling line. The bottles are transferred to the
aseptic system using a Convair 2000 air conveyor system in aseptic version. The
blowing stations used on the system feature a three-step filtration system
using HEPA filters to produce sterile air for bottle motion. An unique feature
of the Convair is the integration of blowing nozzle directly in the neck guide,
to push the bottles in the best area to stabilize them and avoid bottle
jams.
The
sterilizing/rinsing/filling bloc is GEA Procomac fourth generation Unibloc Spin
system. Simplification of the neck handling is partly a result of a complete
redesign of the sterilizing and rinsing system that both reduces the footprint
and extends the time for treating the bottles with sterilizing fluids. This has
been achieved by eliminating the devices that invert the bottles at the infeed
of the sterilizer and exit of the rinser. Instead, a specialised starwheel at
each end inverts the bottles in a single action. This enables the full
perimeter of the sterilizer carousel to be used, enabling it to be of a small
diameter, and for a simplified gripper design to be used. The bottles are
transferred to the rinser inverted and this also increases the time for
dripping. The reduced number of components further improves microbiological
reliability compared with the third generation machines. Process units for
sterilizing solution preparation, sterile water preparation, utilities
filtration and CIP are grouped into few pre-assembled skids to reduce
installation and piping times. Their operating logic is closely connected with
the bloc operation, so that most start-up and end-of-production operations are
completely automatic. Moreover, all process units can be controlled directly
from the main line control panel installed next to the filling bloc. As on
earlier aseptic systems by GEA Procomac, the Fillstar Fx
electronically-controlled volumetric filler with 100 heads is mounted in a
microbiological isolator. Access for dealing with temporary stops is through
rubber intervention gloves. Each filling head is designed to accommodate
liquids that contain pulps and fibers and it integrates automatic dummy bottle
deployment for closed-loop CIP (cleaning in place) and SIP (sterilizing in
place) operations. The ELESEPTIC capper by Arol features brushless gear drives
fro torque application and a patented heat barrier on moving parts that
separates the upper lubricated part from the botton part tat comes into contact
with the bottles.
PACKAGING IS CRUCIAL
The sleeve labeller supplied by
Intersleeve accommodates both square and round format bottles as does the
shrink-wrapper from Italy’s SMI. All conveyor systems are provided by GEA
Procomac Packaging, the Packaging Division of GEA Procomac; besides
accommodating all bottle and pack formats, they are designed to eliminate all
possible damage to container and provide ample buffering time among the varius
machines inserted on the line to minimize line stops during production.
Palletising is provided by an Agilis top-level machine made by GEA Procomac
Packaging. All the main movements of the machines are executed by means of
inverter and controlled with encoders. In this way it is possible to finely
adapt the machine to any product from the control panel. The extensive use of
belt handling systems accounts for reduced operating noise and easier
maintenance.
“A COMPLETE SUCCESS”After installation of the
first line, the product istantly became a market success. To cope with rising
market request, plans started very soon to double the first aseptic line. The
second line was commissioned after some months and has been installed in
January 2007, ready for producing fruit drinks for the summer season. GEA
Procomac technologies had the occasion to meet Mr. Vladimir Yehorenko, Plant
Director of Sandora production facility 2 in Mykolayiv, to discuss the outcome
of the first aseptic PET line installation and prospects for the future.
Mr. Yehorenko, can you give us some data about this production
facility?
Sandora history began 15 kilometers from here, in the old
factory. In this case, “old” does not mean “old”, because it was established
only 6 years ago, in 2000. Its production capacity is now in excess of 700
million packages per year. This facility where we are now, the plant number 2,
was built in a few months from june 2005 to accommodate carton lines for wine
and aseptic PET production. We started production in April 2006. It now hosts 5
carton packages lines and two aseptic filling lines for PET for a production
capability of 660 million pieces per year.
What kind of products do you make at Sandora?
We produce
about 300 different references, 180 flavours in different packages. We are
number 1 not only in juices but also in wine bottling in carton packages. We
bottle grapes from Crimea. Wine in Ukraine has a different history compared to
Italy or France: besides dry wine, fortified wine (more than 20 alcoholic
degrees) produced by adding grape spirits to wine is very popular.
What are the main markets for Sandora?
Of course
Ukraine, but also in 18 countries countries around the world: we have obtained
BRC certificate so that we can sell our product worldwide. Main other country
is currently Bielorussia followed by Russia. Sandora is the market leader for
juices in Ukraine, an interesting market with a growing consumption of more
than 10 liters per capita.
Is Pet a successful container in Ukraine?
Sandora has
been number one in Ulraine for 10 years for juice in carton packages. Juices in
Pet were introduced in Ukraine in 2005; in one year they conquered 20% of the
juice market in Ukraine. I think that Pet is a new container and people is
always interested in new and modern packages, fitted also for consumption on
the move. We decided to buy a second aseptic PET line to be ready for a fast
market growth. We could easily sell more this summer, but we just couldn’t
produce as many bottles as we wished.
How can you describe your relationship with GEA
Procomac?
Two years ago, when the project started, we evaluated
many suppliers before signing the contract for the aseptic PET line with GEA
Procomac. After the experience that we have had during these two years, I can
affirm now that Sandora took a good decision, because when some issues arose,
we always got immediate advice from GEA Procomac’s side, immediately, either by
mail, by phone, or in person from your technicians. Moreover, our decision to
buy the second line from GEA Procomac means that we are happy with GEA
Procomac.
What about the next future?
With the new installations
of Carton lines and the second aseptic line in operation from January 2007 we
will be in a position to increase the total production of plant number two by
25% during 2007. We expect the second line to arrive to contract production
speed in a short time, because our operators are now experienced in managing
this technology. We are also thinking about new format, new products in PET
that are absolutely new to Ukranian market, line for example iced tea and many
others.
Are the European Union countries a possible target for future
exports from Sandora?
Yes, of course. We do sell some products in
the EU at the moment; although we have some limitations due to Ukraine market
position. We see the situation evolving in the next few years and we hope to be
able to increase EU export dramatically in the next future.
(06/01/2007)