Speed of installation allows South African cidermaker to build on growth in demand

Drinks producer Distell has a long association with equipment supplier KHS, but was unprepared for the speed with which a new glass line went into its plant allowing it to expand capacity by 30%.

Growing demand for Distell’s Savannah cider brand prompted the company to invest in a new filling and packaging line running at up to 60,000 bottles per hour on 330ml glass bottles.

The initial moves to source the line were made at the height of the Coronavirus pandemic, recalls Distell's head of manufacturing for South Africa Sharief Gallie. “We needed to be able to expand our capacity by 30% within a very short time indeed,” he explains. “KHS was the only supplier who could promise to hand over turnkey machines to us on time within a period of seven-and-a-half months. All other manufacturers would have needed at least five months more.”

Despite all the supply chain challenges at that time, the project was not only completed within the given time frame but the agreed performance figures were even exceeded, too.

The line includes a depalletiser, rinser, filler, flash pasteuriser, warmer, two packaging machines – a shrink and a tray packer – and a robot palletiser, among other equipment. However, Gallie is especially delighted with the performance of the two KHS Innoket Neo Flex labelling machines.

“We’ve been used to having KHS provide us with sophisticated top technology and absolute reliability for many years,” he says. “What we’re seeing in speed and reliability with these two machines, however, has really left a lasting impression on me.”

The German systems supplier says it has enjoyed a relationship with Distell for around 20 years. During this time a “good number of KHS lines and machines” have been installed in both Stellenbosch near Cape Town and in Wadeville and Springs not far from Johannesburg.

According to the supplier, the steep rise in demand for Distell products has prompted the planning of further projects with KHS that include a ninth line for Springs and a canning line for Stellenbosch.

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