The rise of young consumer groups has brought constant changes in consumer tastes and demands. More and more domestic brands incorporate new technologies and new trends, enter the public’s vision with a new posture, and lead the new consuming trends. Tsingtao Brewery Co., Ltd., as an excellent company with a century-old history, is also among them. It has keen market insight and knows well that capturing young consumers means capturing the core consumer groups in the future, realizing the coupling with the times and securing the future of the enterprise.
In March 2020, spring is full of vigor and vitality. Tsingtao Brewery grandly launched the fruity soda sparkling water “Light Zero” with careful planning and amazing appearance. Once the product was launched, it soon became a New Star in sparkling water field.
During the process of beer brewing, Tsingtao Brewery knows the importance of water and especially knows well the consumers’ concerns about health so they are more sensitive to capture business opportunities and proposes a “beer+” strategy. Making full use of existing resources to extend the development in other wine and beverage industries, constantly creating new profit growing points, and solidly promoting the high-quality development of the enterprise with a broader vision, higher goal pursuit, and more powerful measures. Therefore, Tsingtao Brewery determined to establish a healthy beverage business unit, and soon launched the Prince Seaweed Soda at the end of July 2019, taking the first step in the strategic planning of healthy beverages.
While the popularity of Prince Seaweed Soda all over the country, Tsingtao Brewery rapidly deployed the development of fruity soda sparkling water. Stimulating taste, zero sugar, zero fat, zero calories, focusing on “light and zero” elements, positioning health characteristics, meeting the core needs of current consumers, rich in bubbles, suitable for a variety of scenarios such as friends gathering, fitness exercise, work and study. Therefore, when the fruity soda sparkling water “Light Zero” came out, it was very popular among the young consumers.
Newamstar witnessed the birth of “Light Zero” and felt the liberality of Tsingtao Brewery. In October 2019, Newamstar was invited to the headquarters of Tsingtao Brewery to communicate and exchange on packaging solutions for seaweed aerated soda and fruity soda sparkling water. The two parties conducted in-depth discussions and research on product technology and equipment configuration. In the end, the solution presented by Newamstar was recognized by Tsingtao Brewery and stood out in the bidding in November, thus kicking off the cooperation between the two parties.
In order to ensure the delivery of the production line within the time specified by Tsingtao Brewery, Newamstar quickly formed a “Light Zero” project team to implement various tasks in each link of design, manufacturing, procurement, assembly, and debugging, and proceed in strict accordance with the time node. Unexpectedly, the outbreak of the new corona virus on the eve of the Spring Festival has added more difficulties to the schedule node which is already tight. February is at the peak of the epidemic, while staff and supplies is tight, and time is especially tight. After obtaining the permission for production resumption, Newamstar focused on epidemic prevention, and on another hand Newamstar focused on production guarantee, meticulous organization and reasonable arrangement. In order to meet the expectations and entrustment of customers, Newamstar overcame all difficulties, urgently mobilized various resources, constantly deployed production tasks, and concentrated on progress. Finally, Tsingtao Brewery’s 36,000BPH ultra-clean carbonated blowing-filling-capping Combiblock was delivered on schedule.
When the production line arrived at the customer’s site, there was only more than one month left before the product went offline, the pressure and responsibility is overwhelming. After careful planning, Newamstar project team immediately began a new round of struggle, working day and night, racing against time, and going all out. With the support and cooperation of the Tsingtao Brewery’s on-site team, everyone worked together and challenged themselves to complete the seemingly impossible goal. As bottles of sprites with the “light zero” LOGO trickle out of the blowing-filling-capping production line, the teams on both sides were full of joy and deeply moved.
The 36,000BPH ultra-clean carbonated production line delivered this time is Tsingtao’s first PET bottle blowing-filling-capping line that shall be suitable for bottled water, seaweed aerated soda, fruity soda and many other products.
Process guarantee
For the special process of seaweed carbonated soda water, the product will be pasteurized first and then enters the clean isolation chamber for filling. For the fruity soda sparkling water, the syrup, carbon dioxide, and RO water are mixed in the mixer, and then enter the clean isolation chamber for filling.
Packaging material sterilization
The preform adopts ionic air de-duster and VHP sterilization technology, and the bottle cap adopts hydrogen peroxide vapor and medium pressure ultraviolet lamp sterilization technology to ensure the cleanliness of the packaging material.
Environment safety
Taking into account the characteristics of seaweed carbonated soda water, the blowing machine are equipped with Micro-positive Pressure clean air above the preform-taking device and bottle-taking device to prevent secondary pollution of preforms and bottles. The filling and capping area adopts a restrictive isolator method, and the hundred level static cleanliness of this area is guaranteed by FFU control.
Comprehensive inspection
Equipped with preform inspection, empty bottle inspection, label inspection, carton and weighing inspection. The product inspection has a high degree of automation without human intervention that can effectively guarantees product quality.
Intelligent control
In addition to the highly automated equipment, this blowing-filling-capping production line is equipped with Newamstar’s exclusive intelligent control system for the entire line of software. It has the functions of remote diagnosis and maintenance of production line equipment, production monitoring, data storage and collection, analysis, statistical report generation, etc., it can be connected to customer’s own MES system and helps customers manage intelligently and realize the transparency, dataset and paperless production management.
Advanced blowing technology
The bottle blowing system adopts the latest generation of energy-saving technology from Newamstar, the heating oven designed with high efficient heat utilization; It is equipped with a high-pressure gas recovery device to reduce the loss of high-pressure gas; It uses servo stretching, and the control is more precise. The stretching curve can be defined according to the customer’s preform, which is suitable for preform with various stretching ratios without guide rail control.
Ultra clean filling
The filling system uses Newamstar’s advanced electronic flowmeter for filling, which is convenient for capacity adjustment and switching; The entire filling system uses clean isolation cabin technology, and ensures hundred level static cleanliness of the area by FFU.
Precise mixing
The water and carbon mixing system adopts electronic flowmeter, accurately control the carbon dioxide concentration and sugar content, ensures the uniformity of the taste for the product, and also facilitate the adjustment and switching of the product.
Flexible packaging
The back-end packaging system is equipped with both film shrinker and wrap-around packer, which can realize independent film or carton packing, or film packing first and carton wrapping afterwards. This is to meet the needs of diversified flexible manufacturing of packaging, which is good for market demands.
Relying on strong R&D technical strength, advanced manufacturing capability, mature process control and a very responsible service attitude, Newamstar successfully completed the project delivery on schedule, which was highly praised by Tsingtao Brewery. On the basis of the good cooperation of this project, the two parties have successively carried out cooperation in the 36,000BPH ultra-cleaning carbonated blowing-filling-capping combiblock projects in multiple factories.
The long scroll of cooperation is slowly being rolled out. Amidst the superposition and fermentation of time, we spurred our progress together and witnessed wonderful moments along the way.
In the old days, a glass of beer narrowed the distance between Qingdao and the world; Cheers to release the passion and vitality of the city. Today, a younger Tsingtao Brewery is constantly breaking through itself, standing on the cusp of the times, and leading the industry forward. We believe that with the century leapfrog development, Tsingtao Brewery has not only injected health and vitality into the quality, high-end, and diversified beverage market, and promoted the flourishing of the beverage industry, but also will definitely help the construction of the “Belt and Road” and bring global culture the integration and common.
