Sidel signs aseptic and PET bottling deal with China Resources Beverage

Sidel has announced that it will provide aseptic technology and large PET bottled water production lines to China Resources Beverage. 

At the ninth China International Import Expo, the two companies signed a cooperation agreement for the purchase, marking a renewed partnership after 11 years of collaboration. Sidel’s technology aims to support the packaging production of tea drinks, juices, and electrolyte waters. 

Xie Hua, VP for Equipment Sales and Services at Sidel, Greater China, says: “From our dry-preform aseptic technology to large PET bottle blowing machines, we have consistently focused our technological development on food safety, production flexibility, and resource efficiency.” 

“The delivery of multiple aseptic production lines at the Beijing plant, along with a 100% first-time pass rate in aseptic validation, gives us confidence in our ability to support the next phase of product portfolio expansion and production capacity growth for China Resources C’estbon Beverage.” 

China Resources C’estbon Beverage is one of China’s biggest bottled water brands. 

Meeting local demand

The agreement covers Sidel’s Aseptic Predis technology, which injects hydrogen peroxide into a packaging preform just before it enters the oven. The solution is said to be able to enhance food safety and product integrity without the need for preservatives while extending the shelf life of sensitive beverage products. 

Sidel shares that the technology uses less water, fewer chemicals, and less energy, lowering the total cost while maintaining operational convenience, high output, and production flexibility. 

According to the companies, the solution can support the large-scale manufacturing of products such as sugar-free teas, plant-based beverages, and electrolyte waters. 

For China Resources Beverage’s large-format bottled water production, Sidel will supply a line centered on its EvoBlow XL large PET bottle blowing machines, equipped with a filling machine capable of handling various bottle formats ranging from eight to 10 liters. 

Sidel highlights that the line achieves an overall equipment effectiveness of 98% at a production speed of 18,000 bottles per hour. It is said to offer flexible oven configurations with a variety of bottleneck dimensions. 

The company notes that China is experiencing a strong demand for water packaged in large bottles. “We look forward to further strengthening our collaboration with the C’estbon Beverage team in areas such as process optimization, flexible production, and sustainable packaging,” says Xie. 

Earlier this year, Sidel equipped Guangdong Baisen Food, an F&B producer in China, with its Aseptic Combi Predis for the production of near-neutral pH beverages. 

Last year, Sidel added three complete high-speed aseptic lines to China Resources Beverage plants. The production lines feature the aseptic Combi Predis FMa for tea and plum juice, and the aseptic Combi Predis Fmac for high- and low-acid products and carbonated drinks with a 28 or 38 bottleneck.