Mai Dubai has installed Sidel’s Super Combi solution. The line fills 86,000 bottles per hour (bph) in three different formats (200ml, 330ml and 500ml).
Alexander van ’t Riet, CEO of Mai Dubai said, “Our key considerations were the optimal use of space, high consistent quality and efficiency with flexibility. Sidel’s digital capability was very attractive, too, with its Efficiency Improvement Tool (EIT) enabling us to track the performance of every part of the line.”
“Sidel also added extra value by using its design expertise to help us to strengthen our 500ml bottle without compromising its iconic design. Finally, Mai Dubai is a leader in sustainability and Sidel’s solution supported our low energy requirements,” added Riet.
Boosting quality and efficiency
The complete line provided by Sidel includes the all-in-one Super Combi solution for blowing, labelling and filling, with the unique ground level preform infeed system, EasyFEED, and the top ergonomic cap feeder, Gebo OptiFeed. These pieces of equipment ensure that Mai Dubai’s quality standards are met which include:
- Safe and clean conditions ensured by EasyFEED with its UV lamps. In addition, a dedusting system for preforms is integrated into the blower, while a deionising system on the caps chute further boosts the hygienic conditions.
- At the labelling stage, quality and efficiency are also met by three labelling stations, all equipped with an auto-splicing system, delivering consistent uptime by ensuring non-stop production. Bottles are scuff- and scratch-free, improving the quality of the end-product. This is due to the ease of handling of lightweight bottles, enabled by labelling between the blowing and filling stage.
- The accurate, reliable no-contact filler features a reduced enclosure kept in overpressure with high-efficiency particulate-absorbing (HEPA) filters. This results in a protected environment around the filling valves, and an easier to clean area using less sterilising agents and time.
- Gebo OptiFeed’s features enable smooth cap handling. Its inspection system improves efficiency by automatically detecting cap quality and colour.
Continuing down the line, the seamless shrink-wrapper EvoFilm meets Mai Dubai’s key requirements for maximising efficiency by minimising downtime. It also manages nested packs – where bottles are offset so they can be closely packed – and gives stability while reducing the pack’s footprint, bringing cost savings in logistics.
Additional features of the new line include, the high-speed, high-level pack infeed, PalLinear palletiser. It features a fully robotic layer preparation, RoboSmart, offering flexibility and save time.
Mai Dubai has also installed Sidel’s Efficiency Improvement Tool (EIT) at its other packaging lines.
Exceeding expectations
Mohamad Usman of Mai Dubai said, “We were very impressed with Sidel’s adaptability and understanding of our requirements. They delivered a line that was faster than our original specification. Sidel also met our additional request for bottle strength improvement. Within 15 days they had done a Failure Mode and Effects (FME) analysis and come up with a solution. With Emirates Airlines as a flagship client, premium, distinctive and reliable packaging is important to Mai Dubai.”
Meeting consumer demand
The new installation aims to enable Mai Dubai to respond to the growing demand for bottled water in the UAE, which boasts to have one of the world’s highest per capita water consumption (as consumers opt for healthier products and move away from sugary drinks to no-calorie options).
Achieving sustainability goals
Consumers are also increasingly influenced by the environment when making purchasing decisions. Mai Dubai promotes PET as a sustainable product and runs education initiatives about plastic recycling with local schools. The company’s clear commitment to sustainability is also demonstrated through its energy strategy.
The entire plant is run on renewable energy, generated from its more than 52,000 rooftop solar panels – an area equivalent to all the windows in the Burj Khalifa, the iconic Dubai skyscraper and the world’s tallest building. For the past two years Mai Dubai has been net positive, generating more power than it uses.
Riet concluded, “Sidel is, of course, one of the respected suppliers in the industry. When we compared the services that we needed, the equipment, the digital technology, and the solutions that were important to us such as energy consumption, we decided that Sidel would be the right partner for us.”