According to Alberto Galantini, Area Sales Manager, SIPA, “Our strength lies in the variety of solutions we provide to smaller new market entrants, or the larget more established high-volume players in Asia.

The company offers in line fully integrated, one, two stage processes depending on the customer volume.

“In our integrated solution provides the only process which goes from resin, to the preform and then blows immediately as an in-line injection moulding process. In particular this suits new market entrants, as a low-cost resin-to-bottle solution, which gives the most cost effective market entry - albeit with slower or lower volumes than the larger players require

SIPA also has dedicated bottle blowing lines, and is number three in the market, while in injection SIPA ranks third in the market.

However, according to Galantini, it is the only equipment manufacturer with what it terms a 360 degree complete know how in bottle manufacturing.

With more than 1,600 machines installed worldwide SIPA has focussed on the Asian market since it established a branch office in Bangkok 1999, to support after sales for all South East Asia, a move which paid off with 220 Asian installations – 180 of which are in China, which is supported by two main offices in Beijing and Shanghai which also has a manufacturing centre for blowing and injection moulds

In addition to the Bangkok complement of seven technicians, and two in its Tokyo office, the company has recently opened a rep office in Jakarta, to act locally and service what it sees as a growing market.

In the Philippines, contrary to conventional wisdom, is proving a large market for SIPA, with 20 machines installed in the past four years with major players like San Miguel, Universal Robina, Asia Breweries.

Volume solutions

For larger more established players in the market, according to Galantini “It is not difficult to see that a two stage higher volume solution it the best.

“The most recent baby in our portfolio is the linear blowing machine – a fully electric machine with output of up to 9,000 bottle per hour with complete simplicity it is very flexible compared to the rotary blowing machine which tends to be exclusively used for high speed – the in line concept offers the flexibility of producing containers of up to 12 litres, hot fill, mineral water, CSD, off-centre for detergents, and since it is fully electric it is the first in the world and the fastest for bottle per cavity 1,800 bottle per hour per cavity. With typically either four or six cavities the machine it fills a niche where converters have a growing developing market.

“We have a particular market dominance in hot-fill for the past 10 years, since we haven’t used a crystalised (white) neck but a reinforced neck which has now become standard in 50 percent the hot fill market. “