Sidel has successfully installed its first high-speed PET packaging line for water in Baghdad as part of the greenfield project of the Iraqi National Company for industrial food (Iraqi National for Food). With a speed of 48,000 bottles per hour (bph), the outstanding line efficiency of 96% corresponds closely with the high sustainability standards and right-weighting expertise in packaging design provided by Sidel. The new Dinar bottle produced for Iraqi National for Food comes in three sizes and is manufactured with the lightest preform on the market, based on Sidel’s StarLite design.

Iraqi National for Food belongs to the Iraqi National Group of Companies, one of the country’s leading companies in manufacturing, trade and transportation. Founded in 2019, Iraqi National for Food is recognized for its high-quality nutritional products. The company has many self-owned brands – including “Hindrin” carbonated soft drinks, “Dinar” healthy water and “Ra’eege” pasteurized juice.

Iraqi National for Food initiated the new greenfield project to meet the growing demand for bottled water. After witnessing and experiencing first-hand Sidel’s solutions at two customer sites in Turkey, Iraqi National for Food chose Sidel as their partner to install the complete PET water packaging line.

Two firsts in Baghdad: Sidel’s high-speed PET water line and the lightest preform

Following an analysis of the market and the customer’s requirements, Sidel proposed a complete PET packaging line for water featuring a Sidel Combi as a turnkey solution, covering the entire process from packaging design to equipment supply. It thus became Sidel’s first and fastest high-speed line in Baghdad. The 48,000 bph line has a line efficiency of 96%. The complete line solution ensures high efficiency and quality and high sustainability standards that are of utmost importance to Iraqi National for Food. For example, at the beginning of the line, Sidel’s EvoBLOW blower fitted with the AirEco2 double air-recovery option reduces the required volume of compressed air by 35%. Furthermore, the Sidel Matrix Filler SF100 reduced filler enclosure provides a smaller filling environment with fewer chemicals and less water used during external cleaning. The air filtration system used in the filling process keeps the environment safe while ensuring high product quality.

In terms of packaging design, the bottle is designed and manufactured in three sizes (330 ml, 500 ml, 1500 ml) with one of the lightest preforms on the market (StarLITE base), further enhancing the product’s sustainability.

Close cooperation overcomes lockdown obstacles

Sidel and Iraqi National for Food cooperated closely during this period to complete the installation on time, overcoming numerous logistic challenges posed by the lockdown further to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The situation made the process of dispatching our installation team as well as arranging spare parts more difficult. Although the line arrived at the site before the lockdown, the project execution was still hindered by the restrictions, especially because no one was allowed to travel to Iraq at the time. By tackling the dilemma together with the customer, Iraqi National for Food managed to arrange an exceptional flight for our team a few months after the lockdown,” explained Vedat Guler, sales director – Middle East at Sidel.

The installation and start-up only took six weeks and the first sellable bottle was produced and launched on the market by the middle of June 2020. “We are very happy that we chose Sidel for our complete water line project, in particular during the pandemic. The Sidel team provided great consultancy and conducted efficient execution so that our product could be launched in a short period of time,” said Mohammed Jasim, executive manager at Iraqi National for Food.