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New PET end of line: a clear commitment to the local production in Switzerland

Coca‑Cola HBC Switzerland put a new PET packaging line into operation at its Dietlikon plant in mid-November. The new line is one of the most modern packaging lines of the Coca‑Cola HBC Group.

The end of line is the part of the line that packages the filled PET bottles and prepares them for transport on a pallet. With the new line, almost all processes are completely automated. "The change in packaging from a tray with 24 individual bottles to a tray with four six-packs (450 ml each), for example, only takes 15 instead of 30 minutes," says Ersin Isler, project manager for the renovation. The new line packs up to 39,600 0.45-liter bottles or 25,800 1.5-liter bottles per hour, about a third more than before.

Within only four weeks, the old plant, which had been in operation since 1997, was dismantled, the floor renovated, the new packaging line set up and put into operation. Up to 30 craftsmen from eight different suppliers were working simultaneously.

Investment in the local production

"With an investment volume of 3.8 million Swiss francs, the new PET end of line is a clear commitment to developing the local production in Switzerland," says Ilia Tomassi, Head of Supply Chain at Coca‑Cola HBC Switzerland. Moreover, the new packaging line is designed in such a way that the upstream part of the production process (blow-molding line, labelling and filler) can likewise be modernized at a later date.

The new line not only packs the finished PET bottles faster, it is also much more efficient in terms of power consumption. The innovation thus goes hand in hand with Coca‑Cola HBC Switzerland's efforts to continuously reduce the environmental impact in all areas of the company.