Mamuda Beverages, a multi-industry company in Nigeria, has successfully established a beverage production facility in Kano, located in the northern part of Nigeria. The company tackled the challenge posed by the absence of significant gas infrastructure in the North, a region where industrial enterprises are less concentrated due to limited access to major gas supply networks. In response, Mamuda Group constructed its own LNG (liquefied natural gas) filling station near the new plant, enabling the conversion of transported LNG from the South back to its gaseous state for use.
Anthony Osunde, Head of Sales at Krones West Africa, acknowledged Mamuda’s forward-thinking approach, stating, “Mamuda recognized the potential of this hinterland and invested in the infrastructure to facilitate the use of Krones technologies there. That clearly shows Mamuda’s smart and future-driven approach. We are pleased that they’ve placed their confidence in us and entrusted us with seeing this project through to completion.”
Approximately four years ago, Krones installed the first production line at Mamuda’s new plant. Even before completing the initial installation, the beverage producer ordered additional lines. In 2022, marking one year of production and responding to increasing demand, Mamuda ordered another line scheduled for commissioning in January 2024.
The latest production lines are equipped with the new Modulfill VFS-M filler with PFR valves and an integrated mixer. This machine enhances efficiency by reducing filling times, air consumption, and physical footprint, resulting in cost savings. Additionally, the PFR valves optimize product quality by precisely adjusting the flow rate to the beverage being filled, mitigating foaming losses and ensuring a consistently high filling speed.
Both filling lines incorporate skip-and-run technology, monitoring the mould-hanger locking device and allowing defective preforms to be ejected without triggering an emergency stop. This feature contributes to a consistently high filling speed and significantly reduces the scrap rate of preforms, resulting in operational cost savings.
One of the new lines, successfully acceptance-tested in June, fills soft drinks into 350- and 600-millilitre PET bottles. Meticulous planning by both Mamuda and Krones West Africa teams ensured timely installation completion.
Hassan Hammoud, Chairman and CEO of Mamuda Group, praised the collaboration, saying, “Installing an additional line together was yet another great experience. Each time we join forces to complete a project, we coordinate our efforts to even better result.”
Anthony Osunde noted the challenges in the region but emphasized their commitment to achieving Mamuda’s production targets, despite political and economic difficulties and precarious safety conditions.
The project involved PET lines for filling soft drinks, each rated at 45,000 bottles per hour. The Mamuda Beverages facility in Kano City, Nigeria, features a range of equipment, including a Hydronomic water treatment system, SyPro syrup room, Contiform Speed stretch blow-moulder, Volumetric Modulfill VFS filler, Checkmat FM-X and Checkmat E inspectors, Linadry container dryer, Contiroll labeller, Variopac Pro FS packer, and utilities. The commissioning of the lines took place in June 2023.