Dairy drinks maker installed aseptic PET packaging line at greenfield facility

Britannia Industries selected Sidel for its first aseptic PET packaging line at its greenfield dairy factory in India, which has allowed the business to unlock the full potential of its dairy beverage portfolio. 

Operating since 2018, Britannia can now scale production of its Winkin’ Cow portfolio thanks to the complete packaging line and the end-to-end support provided by Sidel.

“From bottle and label design to product-packaging validation, the line has empowered Britannia to expand its dairy beverage portfolio and offer safe, high-quality products with enhanced packaging flexibility to Indian consumers since 2023,” said Harbinder Kathuria, Vice President, Sales, South Asia.

To ensure food safety, Sidel installed a complete line with integrated Aseptic Combi Predis at the Britannia plant. The solution, running at 24,000 bph, integrates preform sterilisation, blow moulding, filling and capping into a unique process that is designed to ensure product integrity and a longer shelf life for sensitive products.

The Predis dry preform decontamination technology uses the injection of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) into the preform just before it enters the oven. This results in activation of the H₂O₂ by the existing preform heating stage, which is designed to ensure a high level of decontamination while minimising the sterile zone and controlling all risk of potential contamination. Critical parameters are continuously monitored to ensure full production sterility, beverage integrity and food safety, regardless of liquid type or beverage characteristics.

The complete solution is designed to be easy to use, allowing the operator to manage the sterilisation process without the need for extensive training or lengthy downtimes. It also provides flexibility, with users able to switch between three different formats for dairy drinks — from 180 mL to 1L — while maintaining efficiency.

The dry preform decontamination uses no water and almost no chemicals in the process — which allows the business to provide food safety using fewer resources and with a lower impact on the environment.