bb guide Beverage & Brewing A comprehensive reference work, the guide provides an A–Z of products, equipment and processes throughout the beverage industry and gives numerous useful tips covering the entire supply chain from ingredients through the complete production process up to bottling and filling, packaging and logistics. Advantages for suppliers: The precise headings of the suppliers listing enable an extremely varied product presentation. Products and services are excellently presented and easy to find. You can select search words from our extensive list or use also your own keywords. The bb guide guarantees an area-wide circulation in printed form as well as in the internet all over the year.
Abfüllung · Verpackung · Etikettierung 5 End of Line Packaging Experts - Cleverly combined - The EOL UNIMODUL At the beginning of the year, Badische Staatsbrauerei Rothaus AG made an innovative investment in a TopClip prototype that sets new standards in many respects. This investment was aimed at modernising the existing packaging line, increasing output and ensuring more precise label alignment. These challenges were met by a collaboration between two machine builders who combined their core competences to create a prototype. Rothaus' success is based on four constants: a connection to its home region, high product quality, consistent brand management and constant technical innovation. These principles also characterise its sustainable corporate strategy. By 2030, the brewery aims to be climate-positive by generating more renewable energy than it consumes. To this end, 40 million euros are to be invested, for example to expand the wood chip plant, which already supplies 80 % of its steam heat from biomass. In the area of packaging, Rothaus has been using the TopClip for years, an innovative packaging solution that only fixes the bottle necks and therefore saves material. With the new prototype, Rothaus wanted to meet the increased requirements and implement an even more efficient and precise system without completely replacing the existing infrastructure. The new machine was therefore connected to the existing system via a bypass to enable flexible utilisation. The decisive step in realising this project was the search for a suitable machine supplier. Rothaus found what it was looking for in the EOL Group and its sister companies BMS Maschinenfabrik GmbH and A+F Automation + Fördertechnik GmbH. Together they developed a prototype that combined proven technologies with new developments. For example, the axis system for the TopClip was taken from a proven design, while the TopClip gripper and the magazine were developed from scratch. Another example is the bottle orientation in the crate, which is achieved by recognising the label position and precisely controlling the servomotors. Important tools in the development of this prototype were the cloud-based information management system LOP 4.0 and ‘virtual commissioning’. LOP 4.0 enabled transparent project management in which all participants could access the current status at any time. Virtual commissioning’ went beyond a simple computer simulation and made it possible to test the system processes in advance under almost real conditions. The TopClip prototype, which was put into operation at Rothaus, is suitable for both 0.5 and 0.33 litre containers. It can produce five TopClips with four bottles each from a 20-bottle crate. The four 2x3 variant is used for a 24-bottle crate. The machine is flexible enough to support other applications as well. The new line has fully met Rothaus' requirements. It makes it possible to provide the production quantity in a shorter time and to align the bottles more precisely than the old system. This shows that better results can often be achieved by combining the expertise of several partners. www.eol.group Beverage & Brewing · Suppliers‘ Guide 2024/25 49
