This new capacity represents a 50% boost to its current bottling capacity – Barzman has now tripled its capacity from two years ago. As with 2014’s expansion, the water producer has selected Swiss firm Sidel for the new line.
Second in a year
“We first partnered with Sidel a year ago when we chose their equipment to increase our production capacity. We were extremely impressed with the line performance and the level of professionalism and after-sales support, a factor which encouraged us to approach them again for a second similar production line,” said Barzman CEO Saif Al-Noumani,
“I’m confident that with the second complete line, we will be able to further boost our production capacity to meet the ever growing local demand on bottled water,” he added.
Harbinder Kathuria, regional commercial director for the greater Middle East at Sidel, said: “The new Sidel Matrix Combi10 line will produce 22,000 bottles per hour, helping Barzman National meet the growing demands of its consumers. The line will be ready for shipment at the end of June of this year. Installation is expected to begin in September with production starting in October.”
Sidel and other bottling equipment producers have seen a significant amount of growth in the Middle East over the past few years. Last year Sidel signed up to supply Saudi Arabia’s Nova Water and Lebanon’s Tannourine, and this year sold a new bottling line to Oman Refreshment.
Kathuria said this was down to the high growth rate of the regional market: “The demand of the beverage market has increased for the last five years with a CAGR of 4.1% per year on average, and is forecasted to grow by CAGR 5% for the 2015-19 period. This makes the Middle East one of the fastest growing zones in the world and increases the need for additional capacity to keep up with the market trends.”
Demanding consumers
He also said regional consumers were becoming more demanding of their beverages: “They want more flavours, healthier options, unique designs, and more convenient beverages for any occasion. This plays a key role in the industrial need to get higher performing and more flexible equipment. This is evident through the emergence of functional bottled water in the past five years in KSA, Turkey and the UAE with a growth of 3.6m litres.”
Sidel and other bottling equipment makers have developed new techniques which allow bottles to be created at lower pressures, and so with less plastic and using less energy. But according to Kathuria, the most important factor for regional beverage firms is safety considerations, above even efficiency.
“There are several factors that bottlers look at during expansion, however safety is the most important one. This is quickly followed by cost related factors which are also linked to sustainability, meaning less energy consumed, less plastic and raw materials being used, and a faster production rate allowing cost efficiency,” he said.