CCN chooses blow molding machine by PET Technologies to follow its triple utility strategy
The “land of lakes and volcanoes” with the “land of steel and grains”. New World with Old World. Water brought these two extremes together in the project implemented by Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua and PET Technologies. It is about the blow molding of the 5 US gallon PET bottles for water.
Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua S.A (CCN) was founded in 1926 in Managua, the capital of Nicaragua. Industrial Cervecera, S.A. (ICSA) was founded in 1976. After the merge of the two companies in 1996, CCN became the largest brewery in Nicaragua. In 2002, the company acquired the mineral water producer Fuente Pura and entered the market of juices, soft drinks and isotonic drinks.
Today, CCN, majority owned by Central American investors, is the market leader for beer and beverages in Nicaragua. Total beer production in this country with the population of 6.6 million is around 1.4 million hl (2020). CCN produces various types of beer lager and pilsner for the domestic market under the umbrella brands Victoria, Toña and Mytos. Some of them are additionally exported to Costa Rica, El Salvador, Honduras, USA, Canada, Panama, Australia, Cuba and Spain.
CCN’s headquarters with the brewery are still located in Managua, two additional mineral water bottling plants are operated in the cities of Rivas and León. The total number of employees is 1,135 and the total annual production volume of beer, water and soft drinks in 2020 was 2.89 million hl. CCN sees itself as a company that operates sustainably. It is characterized by its commitment to quality, safety, the environment and health, which are firmly anchored in its corporate guidelines and in its comprehensive Sustainability Report.
Water. Water is the main resource for Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua, the renowned world-class company. To protect water, the CCN developed the first initiative of Payment for Environmental Services in southern Managua, implementing the Neutral Water Program. The objective is to offset the water footprint generated by its production.
The meeting point. It was the water where the paths of Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua and PET Technologies crossed. The decision to have its own manufacturing of water containers is part of CCN’s triple profit strategy. It generates value in 3 dimensions: economic, social and environmental.
The machinery used to manufacture the containers plays an important role. It is about the consumption of energy and reuse of resources, the materials that can be processed and the weight of manufactured containers, their maintenance costs and downtime.
Thus, Compañía Cervecera de Nicaragua installed the blow-molding machine of the European brand PET Technologies to produce 5US gallon PET bottles. It is APF-30 model with the output 250 bph. Now CCN manufactures water bottles within its facilities, switching from polycarbonate to PET.
Why do 5 US gallon PET bottles look attractive?
- Lower bottle cost
- BPA-free (the chemical bisphenol A, detected in certain plastics, is likely to affect health, according to research)
- It can be returnable or one-way, with or without inserted handle.
- PET material is more flexible and better resists external impacts
- 100% recyclable and ecological
- Perfect material distribution
- Compatible with existing washing and filling lines
- Easy manufacturing on site
Environmentally friendly machine. Compania Cervecera de Nicaragua chose the 2-stage stretch blow molding process with the help of the APF-30 machine: the bottle is produced from preform to avoid any risk with resin.
The mold with inserts provides greater flexibility in container design without the need to stop the machine. Only certain parts of the mold surface are changed. This reduces investments and changeover time for another bottle design.
The air recovery system implemented in the APF-30 blow-molding machine by PET Technologies allows to save up to 25% of the expenses in electrical energy and compressed air. 100% of the blown air is reused in the low pressure line.
The deep heating system and intense air-cooling provide a uniform temperature distribution between the inside and outside of the preform wall. Finally, the 5US gallon PET bottle shines as if it were glass!
