India, Aug. 26 -- Whether you're savouring an ice-cold can of Pepsi on a stunning beach in Croatia or enjoying a bottle of refreshing Radenska mineral water while hiking in the Slovenian mountains, both of these products have come off the production lines of the country's leading CSD bottling company, Radenska ADRIATIC. The required production data on the bottles and cans was provided by state-of-the-art industrial printers from LEIBINGER. And this calls for a comprehensive approach that has significantly improved not only efficiency but also production reliability at Radenska.
Radenska ADRIATIC, founded in 1869, is a company rich in heritage with a sharp focus on innovation and expansion. Today, it is the largest mineral water producer in Slovenia and a key member of the internationally active Kofola Group. In addition to mineral waters and soft drinks under its own brand, Radenska also bottles Pepsi products as well as other carbonated soft drinks (CSDs). These products are sold in Slovenia, throughout the Western Balkans along the Adriatic coast, in Europe, the United States and even as far as Australia. With a workforce of close to 260 and impressive production volumes, Radenska has firmly established itself as a reliable partner to the beverage industry.
Production challenges: Efficiency and availability
Six large bottling lines are in operation in Radenska's production halls. They are capable of bottling as many as a million bottles a day. At full capacity, up to 15,000 bottles an hour roll off the production line. This is indeed a huge output - and one that can only be achieved when all the technology involved operates flawlessly. This was precisely the challenge that Radenska had been facing for a long time. The CIJ printers it had been using to apply the mandatory product coding & marking data were prone to weaknesses, especially following production interruptions. The nozzles of the previous printing systems regularly clogged after longer breaks, which in turn led to time-consuming cleaning cycles. This not only affected print quality, it also slowed down the entire production and had a negative impact on overall productivity due to the inevitable delays.
The decision in favour of LEIBINGER printing systems
Radenska made the decision to replace its existing printing systems. The company called in Vojko Arzensek, General Manager of ADHEZIV, a LEIBINGER partner and specialist in coding & marking systems. He recommended that Radenska upgrade to premium printers from LEIBINGER. The company had ambitious requirements. The printing systems had to print both cans and bottles to an exceptionally high standard of reliability, while ensuring maximum printer availability. The beverage production environment itself is also challenging, with high levels of humidity and moisture that affect the materials to be printed. The new printers would also be required to keep pace with the high production speeds, and the inks would have to feature special properties. In view of these stringent requirements, Arzensek recommended LEIBINGER as the ideal solution provider.
The tendering process: Radenska prioritises comprehensive service and low TCO costs
To identify the best possible solution, Radenska carried out a detailed tendering process involving four different providers. Comparing the coding & marking systems, however, proved to be a complex task, as several technical parameters and product features had to be considered. Originally, Radenska focused purely on the printing systems' specific functionalities and their purchase prices. However, after a detailed analysis of the offers, the company came to realise that high system availability and productivity were what mattered most. Radenska therefore changed its strategy and focused on TCO (total cost of ownership). The briefing now required a comprehensive, all-inclusive package that included not only the printers themselves, but also the necessary consumables such as ink and solvents, as well as a functional guarantee for a period of five years.
When the new bidding parameters were announced, one supplier withdrew. Vojko Arzensek, on the other hand, requested more detailed information from Radenska about planned production volumes and printing applications so that he could prepare a tailor-made offer for the customer. Together with LEIBINGER, he developed a customised package that included several LEIBINGER JET2 NEO CIJ printers, as well as all the required consumables and services. After a thorough review of the offers, Radenska opted for LEIBINGER. This was a decisive step towards significantly increasing the efficiency and reliability of Radenska's production.
LEIBINGER in action: A success story
Today, LEIBINGER printing systems are in full operation on Radenska's bottling lines, where they greatly support the company's flexibility. Thanks to LEIBINGER's unique Sealtronic nozzle sealing technology, which prevents the nozzles from drying out, the printers are ready to use immediately, even after extended breaks. This is also the case when production changes are made or even following lengthy holidays. The Sealtronic technology ensures that the printers work without delay and with consistent quality once production has restarted. This even applies to the long ink umbilicals of up to six metres that are used in production at Radenska. LEIBINGER offers ink umbilicals of up to 10 metres in length, which ensures exceptional flexibility when connecting and installing the printers in production.
Another benefit of LEIBINGER printing systems is that the company develops and manufactures its own inks. This enabled the use of a special ink for Radenska that adheres excellently to a variety of products and dries very quickly in spite of the humid production conditions. The JET2 NEO CIJ printers from LEIBINGER effortlessly keep up with the bottler's high production speeds, thereby optimising the entire production chain.
Satisfaction in every respect
Vojko Arzensek is delighted with the success of the tender and the very positive feedback from Radenska: "The LEIBINGER printers have enabled a significant reduction in downtime and achieved the targeted increase in bottling productivity. The easy operation of the printers also reduces the training requirements for operating personnel to a minimum. Our customers are extremely satisfied because the inks have excellent adhesion and the printers do exactly what they were designed for - to print efficiently, smoothly and with absolute reliably."
With this successful installation, LEIBINGER has once again proven that its printing systems not only perform to the very highest technical standard, but also meet the requirements of the most demanding production environments. The partnership between ADHEZIV and LEIBINGER exemplifies how important reliability and quality are to long-term success. These are values that Radenska, as well as many other companies in the beverage industry, value highly.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from FoodTechBiz.