Master Kong’s aseptic PET lines’ cost and efficiency improved with Sidel

Master Kong beverage (Master Kong) in China opted to sign a two-year fixed price maintenance contract with Sidel for four of their aseptic complete PET lines producing ready-to-drink (RTD) teas in their plants in Langfang and Baotou in 2019. Sidel’s proactive maintenance and on-site support have contributed to Master Kong’s business during the peak season by better controlling maintenance costs while improving the lines’ efficiency by 6%. Master Kong are a part of Ting Hsin International Group. The company is particularly active in non-alcoholic beverage segment being one of the top three players in China and leading the RTD tea segment in the country with a 45% market share. The beginning of Master Kong’s and Sidel’s partnership dates back more than 15 years when the first of several packaging lines for Water, CSD, and JNSDIT were installed by Sidel.After several years of operation of the aseptic PET packaging lines, the leading RTD tea producer in China were considering maintenance services. The objective was to keep the maintenance costs predictable for two lines running in the Baotou plant since 2012 and for two others in the Langfang plant since 2013. Shift to a proactive maintenance pays off Service-wise Master Kong in the past was doing reactive maintenance, buying spare parts only when needed, which generated unplanned downtime and costs. “The new maintenance contract straight-forward showed the advantages to the customer of shifting to a more proactive maintenance. Moreover, they trusted in our ability, as their Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), to do the required maintenance in order to extend aseptic PET lines’ lifetime, running at 48,000 bottles per hour. We also ensured the continuity of their product safety,” points out Christina XU, services account director for Greater China at Sidel. “We have trusted in Sidel’s professional expertise since the beginning of our cooperation. They have been a reliable partner, convincingly demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of aseptic PET packaging. Not least, it remains important to us to have them as our OEM providing us with consistent equipment and services as well as advice on demand,” says Wang Wei, head of product planning supply chain management – operation department at Master Kong.“The service contract definitely answers all our needs,” he assures