Case History: Bottling in Paradise. Second episode
Behind the postcard image of heaven on earth, are companies such as Malé Water & Sewerage Company Pvt. Ltd. (MWSC), which, thanks to the growing commitment to sustainable development and the use of cutting-edge technologies, contribute to the economic progress and environmental protection of Maldives.
omic progress and environmental protection of one of the most exclusive places in the world. Maldivian life revolves around the protection of its beautiful landscapes; therefore, industrial realities such as MWSC, leader in the production and bottling of natural water, pay the utmost attention in adopting the latest generation production systems capable of drastically reducing, if not completely zeroing, the impact on the ecosystem in which they operate. After the first collaboration in 2012 between SMI and Malé Water for the design, production and installation of a complete PET line of 14,000 bottles/hours, recently the Maldivian company has again turned to SMI for the supply of a glass line, both for returnable and disposable containers, which was necessary for the launch of the new ARO branded bottle, this brand represents “the Maldives in a bottle”. For this second “Bottling in Paradise” project, intended for the production of still and sparkling water, the MWSC company chose a filling and capping monoblock of the ENOBERG ELC range (a company within the SMI Group) and two SMI packaging machines with the “pick & place” system of the ACP ERGON range; the first is intended for the packing of disposable glass bottles in RSC boxes, while the second for the packing of returnable bottles in plastic crates. The packaging machine that manages the plastic crates has been integrated into the pre-existing PET line to allow the customer to pack, in addition to the glass containers, also the TaZa PET bottles in RSC cardboard boxes.
The Maldives in a bottle
Inspired by the extraordinary natural beauty of the Maldives archipelago, Malé Water & Sewerage Company (MWSC) recently introduced the new glass bottles of “ARO”, the first premium water brand of these islands, specifically aimed at the tourism sector. The “ARO”, brand, which in Dhiverhi (the local language) means “fresh”, began as a philosophy of life to keep the Maldives in an “aro” state, that is fresh, pure, uncontaminated. ARO is the company’s eco-conscious commitment to reduce the use of single-use plastic across the nation and to enclose all the magic of the earthly paradise of the archipelago in a bottle: “the Maldives in a bottle”!
Through the new glass bottles, the MWSC company captures the essence of the pristine purity of the Maldives and spreads the culture of its ecosystem. ARO water, therefore, has become an engaging experience for consumers, at regular intervals the labels on the 0.5 and 1 L bottles, tell particular stories of the Maldives, inviting consumers to learn more about these numerous and beautiful islands of the Indian Ocean.
The sunny side of life: sun, sand and sea
Marked as “Maldives in a bottle”, the three sets of ARO bottle labels represent a particular aspect of the Maldives and symbolise the natural beauty of this earthly paradise. Glass bottles, available in 0.5 and 1 L, are helping these islands to gradually abandon single-use plastics.
The new “ARO” brand was presented to the market in November 2022 during a special ceremony, held in the magnificent marina of The Marina at Crossroads, an extraordinary leisure destination fully integrated on multiple islands, in the presence of the Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation Aistha Nahula.
SMI ASIA Services Sdn Bhd, represented by Managing Director Davide Danna, had the honor of participating in the important event as a partner of MWSC for the packaging process of the new bottles.
Main advantages of the new plant
• Production system equipped with latest generation machines, characterized by cutting-edge solutions for the environmental protection and the reduction of production and maintenance costs and power consumption.
• Flexible plant, that easily adapts to changing market requirements. The new supply is integrated with the first 14,000 bottles/hour PET line for the bottling and packaging of TaZa bottles and ensures the customer the simultaneous operation of the two production lines.
• Integration of the plant’s management and control systems into a few touch-screen logical units, managed by a small number of operators.
• The storage of raw materials is centralized in a single area, facilitating the handling of pallets and raw materials.
• The unloading area of finished products is located on the same side of the line making the production process more fluid and efficient.
ELC monobloc by ENOBERG
• Rinsing, filling and capping monobloc for level gravity filling.
• Compact structure that ensures reduced dimensions within the production lines.
• Low transport and maintenance costs.
• Quick format changeover to quickly switch from one bottle to another.
• Independent movement of the machine axes by means of brushless motors with integrated drive (ICOS series).
ACP ERGON packer
• MWSC chose two SMI packers from the ACP ERGON range for the secondary packaging; the first for the packaging of glass disposable bottles in RSC cases, while the second for the packaging of returnable bottles in plastic crates.
• The latter was integrated into the pre-existing PET line for the packaging of TaZa PET bottles in RSC cardboard cases.
The advantages of the ACP series
• Pick & place solution for loose product insertion from above.
• Flexible solution with the possibility of placing loose product in cardboard boxes, in plastic crates or in cases with pre-mounted separators.
• Possibility to pack a wide range of products, even the delicate ones, without damaging the labels during the machine functioning.
• Ergonomic cardboard magazine, located next to the machine, with easy and ergonomic loading of pre-folded blanks.
