Highest standard in Germany for filling mineral water and spritzers

Aseptics for mineral water and spritzers

The family-run company VILSA ranks among Germany’s leading mineral water bottlers, and as such specifies maximised quality standards for its drinks. In order to meet these in its production operation, VILSA has now invested in a new filling line to handle primarily bottles made of 100 per cent recycled PET (rPET). And they’ve chosen to rely on aseptics technology from Krones.

The special feature here: The wet-aseptic line will in future fill the firm’s portfolio of mineral waters and spritzers into bottles made of 100 per cent recycled PET (rPET). “We want to set new standards in our category as far as our natural-product philosophy is concerned. Here at VILSA, we place huge emphasis on top-quality drinks coupled with sustainable and resource-economical packaging solutions,” to quote Henning Rodekohr, chairman of the management team at VILSA-BRUNNEN.

The Krones concept really won us over and is for us just another investment in our brands. Erwin Hächl Henning RodekohrChairman of the management team at VILSA-BRUNNEN

Wet-aseptic line for water and carbonated beverages

Project:	Wet-aseptic line for water and carbonated beverages
Client:	VILSA-BRUNNEN
Location:	Bruchhausen-Vilsen, Germany
Commissioning:	Starting in November 2021
Scope:	Turnkey line, rated at 24,000 bottles per hour Aseptic filling into non-returnable bottles made of 100 per cent rPET: PET-Asept L aseptic block, with peracetic acid used as sterilising agent Modularised Ergomodul labeller with stations for dressing the bottles in wrap-around and precut labels Several Checkmat inspection systems for verifying fill level, plus closure and label positions Packaging: Variopac Pro TFS packer Modulpal Pro 2A palletiser Process technology: Contiflow mixer VarioAsept J product UHT system UniPure product filtration system

Special features:
To match its state-of-the-art machine technology, VILSA-BRUNNEN decided to likewise invest in digitalising its production operation. The two SitePilot solutions Planning and Line Diagnostics will in future not only facilitate production planning but also put the new line’s quality-, cost- and performance-related data under the microscope. Furthermore, VILSA-BRUNNEN has asked Krones to likewise equip its existing lines with SitePilot Line Diagnostics.

High-bay warehouse from System Logistics

Sustainability plays a key role in VILSA’s corporate philosophy. While the mineral water bottler has already taken quite a few steps in this regard for its filling operation – examples here include the firm’s decision to use containers made of 100 per cent rPET and to invest in a returnable-glass line from Krones in 2019 – the time had now come to scrutinise its logistics processes.

*May 2021: Work on the foundation slab started*

Previously, a fork-lift-truck fleet attended to the long transports between bottling hall and warehouse. Starting in the autumn of 2022, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) will handle this task, linking up the bottling hall to the new high-bay warehouse from System Logistics, which will then offer space for 46,500 pallets. “Thanks to investing in our logistics, we will in future need only about half the number of lift-truck rides. That corresponds to 458 tons of CO₂ saved in a year and fits in neatly with VILSA-BRUNNEN’s sustainability strategy,” explains Henning Rodekohr.