Two of the fastest Krones wet aseptic lines in China

Since entering the market in 2010, Pinzheng has specialized in carbonated water and built a steadily growing range of products based on continuous research and development. For instance, the company has created several innovative flavors in recent years, of which its “white peach” water is a particular favorite in China. In 2021, the company launched “Haruko Grape” and “Hyuga Summer Orange”, giving consumers an even broader palette of flavors to choose from.

In light of constantly changing market demands, Pinzheng is now focusing not only on developing new flavors but also on imbuing its products with another aspect that is right in line with the goals of modern-day consumers: In 2021, the company launched “Hydrating Drink Hyaluronic”, a new functional beauty drink that is meant to have benefits for the skin and hair.

Prioritizing safety

All Easelife brand products are manufactured in the company’s plant in Chongqing, in the heart of China. Built in 2018, it is Pinzheng’s fourth production facility. It was designed and constructed to the standards and concepts of a smart factory. From the production lines right through to the research and development equipment, everything is to the latest state of the art in the beverage industry. The two new fully automated lines from Krones enable the company to produce more than 80 million cartons per year.

The smart factory approach is only logical since product safety and compliance with the most stringent standards are top priorities for Pinzheng: The young beverage company has, from the very beginning, aimed to supply the market with safe, reliable products. Their recipe for success involves using first-rate machinery and processes that have been perfected over time.

Wet aseptic line for 54,000 bottles per hour

So, the requirements for the new plant’s equipment were clear: quality and safety were top priorities. Pinzheng began the process of selecting the kit back in 2016. In the two years that followed, the decision-makers visited numerous small and large beverage and food producers, including several breweries, in China and got to see quite a few top-of-the-line domestic and imported beverage production plants in action and examine and assess in depth various aseptic processes. In the end, Pinzheng chose the PET-AseptBloc L from Krones.

This 54,000 bottle-per-hour line is the first in all of China to feature Krones’ wet aseptic technology. From making the preforms to packaging and warehousing the finished product, not a single manual intervention is necessary. This ensures that every bottle of water contains the highest possible quality.

Besides production reliability, the company also places great importance on sustainability: The system recovers not only thermal energy but also process water, which is used in various areas such as a landscaped pond on the premises and for daily cleaning routines. That conserves 10,000 cubic meters of mains water each year.

The joint project was given the green light in August 2018. And thanks to the close collaboration of the teams, it was successfully completed and the line commissioned in April 2020 despite the outbreak of the pandemic at the end of 2019.

Another decision in favor of Krones

After four years of partnership with Krones, Pinzheng has complete trust in Krones’ technology and capability. That is why, when it came time to invest in a second aseptic line in 2020, the company once again chose to work with Krones.

This second line is likewise one of the fastest of its kind in China, with a capacity of more than 48,000 bottles per hour. It is capable of filling both still and carbonated products. The carbonated beverages can include versions containing fruit juice. The line can also handle milk, coffee, and tea-based beverages, thus allowing plenty of scope for diversification and innovation. 

The ability to fill a wide range of products on one and the same line yields significant advantages for Pinzheng, in particular, far lower capital expenditure and a higher degree of flexibility in production. Moreover, the state-of-the-art aseptic process from Krones makes for beverages that retain their freshness and safety without preservatives. The new line was commissioned in February 2022.