A global increase of shelf stable milk demand since COVID-19 pandemic

(Dubai, 13 July 2020) SIG Combibloc Obeikan, one of the world’s leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging and filling machines for food and beverages, and Zaki Group, one of the leading food dairy and beverage companies in Iraq, launch the first UHT liquid dairy locally produced product filled in SIG’s 1 litre combidome carton pack in the Middle East and Africa region. The new premium family size pack under the “Qirat Iraq” brand will cater for 3 product categories: full fat, low fat and fat free white milk. This announcement represents a continuation of the group’s strategy after recently launching the first locally produced single serve dairy product in Iraq.

Bahaa Zeidan, General Manager, Zaki Group: “With our new packs, we are presenting UHT milk products that are unique and premium and shifting our strategy to cater to a rising demand in family size products in the market. SIG’s carton pack combidome is an innovative pack that looks and handles like a bottle, while at the same time offering all the benefits of a carton pack as far as environmental and logistical advantages are concerned. The aseptic process ensures that consumers can rely on high-quality, tasty beverages with all their natural nutrients, vitamins, flavour and colours. The carton structure blocks light and air, ensuring that products can be stored for a long time without refrigeration or preservatives. With this new market launch of milk beverages in combidome for the first time, we are marking a milestone in the Iraqi market with locally produced products. We are confident that by choosing combidome, we are setting ourselves up for clear differentiation in the dairy segment with high quality products specially localized for our customers”.

Zaki Group’s partnership with SIG Combibloc Obeikan has been growing over the years. The group benefits from the full flexibility of its existing lines with a vast

and varied portfolio that includes 13 single serve sizes (from 80ml-350ml), and 3 family size packs (500,750, 1,000ml).

Abdelghany Eladib, Chief Operating Officer, SIG Combibloc Obeikan: “Zaki Group is a partner that continues to grow and expand while launching new products that should be accompanied with the best innovative solutions. We have witnessed an increase in demand for family size shelf stable milk since the pandemic has started accompanied with an increased global demand1. As families are staying safe at home, purchases have been focused on shelve stocking for milk products.”

He adds: “We firmly believe combidome is an excellent fit for the company’s ideas. For the UHT filling of products, the packs must meet the highest requirements for sterile use, because germs can reproduce much more readily in a low-acid environment such as milk than they can in a product like juice. The filling machines for combidome and the corresponding carton packs take this into account, so manufacturers can flexibly fill all kinds of beverages”.

combidome, the carton bottle from SIG, combines the best features of a carton pack with the best features of a bottle, making it different from anything that has ever been seen before in food packaging. In 2014, the exceptional design of combidome has been recognised with one of the world’s most important design accolades: the iF Design Award. The carton pack’s remarkable design also creates numerous logistical advantages with which substantial savings can be achieved in total system costs.

(Dubai, 3 June 2020) SIG Combibloc Obeikan, one of the world’s leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging and filling machines for food and beverages, and Zaki Group, one of the leading food dairy and beverage companies in the Iraq, launch a new range of flavoured milk including chocolate, banana, strawberry, caramel and fresh milk varieties under their brand ‘YOMME Abtalona” in SIG’s combiblocXSlim 150ml carton packs. The new products are the first aseptic milk locally produced in Iraq and will be the first range of a growing portfolio of flavoured milk released in the market.

Bahaa Zeidan, General Manager, Zaki Group, said: “We constantly focus on research and development to distinguish ourselves and to enable us to introduce new products based on consumer preferences and demand. “YOMME Abtalona” flavoured milk is a convenient snack that comes with a differentiated proposition. With this, we aim to respond to the trend in consuming out of home, on-the-go milk for consumers from different age groups. With the support from SIG Combibloc Obeikan throughout the whole process, the product innovation is now in the market.”

Abdelghany Eladib, Chief Operating Officer, SIG Combibloc Obeikan, said: “Dairy is a category, which is firmly rooted in Iraqi tradition and enjoyed greatly by consumers. It is a premium family drink not only for kids but for every age group looking for such flavoured milk which is not only nutritious and healthy but also offers a great taste. I am confident that this launch will have a great potential in the Iraqi market and with a variety of consumers.”

Mazoon Dairy, the largest integrated dairy company in the Sultanate of Oman, and SIG Combibloc Obeikan, one of the world’s leading systems and solutions providers for aseptic packaging and filling machines for food and beverages, have announced the launch of a full range of liquid dairy products in various combiblocSlimline and combiblocMini carton packs from SIG. This latest step marks another significant step closer to Mazoon Dairy’s goal in establishing the Sultanate as a self-sufficient dairy producer and a hub for food manufacturing, Mazoon Dairy takes advantage of the SIG’s flexible filling technology for different product categories including white milk, flavored milk and juice. These products will be available in four different volumes (150ml, 200ml, 250ml and 1,000ml) and various varieties: chocolate, banana and strawberry in the segment of flavored milk as well as orange, mango, guava, pomegranate, mixed berry and cocktail in the juice segment. This unique flexibility provided by SIG will give Mazoon product differentiation across its beverage categories to accommodate families as well as single users. Dr. Arjun Subramanian, CEO Mazoon Dairy, said: “This launch represents another milestone in our journey of growth. It brings us closer to our bigger goal of fulfilling our national vision for economic development by establishing a self-sufficient economy. Today we are offering the Omani and other regional markets a wider range of products that appeal to every age category, using the highest standards and best practices in the industry. This could not have been possible without the support of our partner, SIG Combibloc Obeikan.” Abdelghany Eladib, Chief Operating Officer SIG Combibloc Obeikan, said: “Oman currently imports 70% of its dairy products and Mazoon Dairy is determined to reduce this to 10%. We are honored to play a role in supporting the Sultanate and Mazoon Dairy’s mission in boosting local self-sufficiency and meeting rising demand. This also falls in line with our strategic expansion into the Sultanate of Oman. By providing the latest product innovations and efficient flexibility solutions, we look forward to continuing our partnership with Mazoon Dairy in their journey towards growth.”

Where Obeikan and SIG Combibloc collaborate with our customers to think creatively—even disruptively—about the food and beverage industry. Where brainstorms turn into next-generation products and packaging that respond to accelerating consumer demands for freshness, convenience, traceability and sustainability. Where our customers can acquire new production practices and technologies that enhance their consumer responsiveness and operational performance, carving out a competitive edge Where our customers’ promising product ideas can be polished into final concepts and field-tested faster than ever before. 

(Dubai, 3 June 2020) SIG Combibloc Obeikan, one of the world’s leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging and filling machines for food and beverages, and Zaki Group, one of the leading food dairy and beverage companies in the Iraq, launch a new range of flavoured milk including chocolate, banana, strawberry, caramel and fresh milk varieties under their brand ‘YOMME Abtalona” in SIG’s combiblocXSlim 150ml carton packs. The new products are the first aseptic milk locally produced in Iraq and will be the first range of a growing portfolio of flavoured milk released in the market. Bahaa Zeidan, General Manager, Zaki Group, said: “We constantly focus on research and development to distinguish ourselves and to enable us to introduce new products based on consumer preferences and demand. “YOMME Abtalona” flavoured milk is a convenient snack that comes with a differentiated proposition. With this, we aim to respond to the trend in consuming out of home, on-the-go milk for consumers from different age groups. With the support from SIG Combibloc Obeikan throughout the whole process, the product innovation is now in the market.” Abdelghany Eladib, Chief Operating Officer, SIG Combibloc Obeikan, said: “Dairy is a category, which is firmly rooted in Iraqi tradition and enjoyed greatly by consumers. It is a premium family drink not only for kids but for every age group looking for such flavoured milk which is not only nutritious and healthy but also offers a great taste. I am confident that this launch will have a great potential in the Iraqi market and with a variety of consumers.”

SIG is set to deliver the first integrated APM (asset performance management) and FSM (field service management) digital solution for the food and beverage industry. Developed in partnership with GE Digital, the Plant 360 Asset Management will feature a range of on-demand digital services designed to help manufacturers reach new levels of efficiency, productivity and connectivity in their operations.

SIG Plant 360 Asset Management is being co-developed with GE Digital in response to increasing demands in the food and beverage industry, particularly the need for higher productivity, quality and uptime. With this innovative and integrated solution comprised of GE Digital’s APM and ServiceMax’s FSM software, SIG will offer state-of-the-art digital tools to help its customers boost production, reduce downtime and ensure even greater quality to meet ever-changing consumer needs.

“Equipment manufacturers like SIG are increasingly leveraging Industrial Internet of Things solutions to differentiate themselves through superior after-sales service,” said David Ovadia, Product Marketing Director for GE Digital. “GE Digital’s Asset Performance Management and ServiceMax’s Field Service Management software help OEMs ensure their installed base of equipment is performing optimally, and their field service resources are managed efficiently. Our integrated solution allows SIG to detect and correct potential equipment issues in advance, before they result in unplanned customer downtime, delighting end-customers through improved OEE and driving improved NPS scores for SIG.”

A modular solution for maintenance

Plant 360 Asset Management is a modular solution designed to improve filling line reliability and availability while reducing costs. The Connector module enables the collection of digital data, which is loaded into the Predix Cloud – GE Digital’s cloud platform. From here, the data can be retrieved and evaluated at any time by SIG’s reliability engineering team. This module can also be used for SIG’s other Smart Factory solution, Plant 360 Controller, which enables manufacturers to monitor, control and optimise every angle of their filling plant operations.

 The Smart Maintenance module is based on a software-supported holistic process called Maintenance & Asset Data Analytics as well as an Asset Management Cockpit. This ensures customers have one data source for all maintenance-related activities. The third module is called Smart Performance and is based on Asset Health Monitoring and Predictive Asset Data Analytics, which will provide an optimal platform for predictive maintenance in the future.

Optimising assets at every stage

Together, the three modules will enable higher asset reliability and availability. The solution ensures a direct link between condition-based and predictive maintenance alerts in APM and the work being scheduled for field-service engineers in FSM. This helps translate alerts into efficient action on the ground and ensures field service teams receive as much advance notice as possible of an issue, which they can address before it impacts a customer’s operations. For example, defined wearing parts will no longer be replaced at fixed maintenance intervals. Instead, they will only be replaced when the data indicates a certain degree of wear.

 

“With Plant 360 Asset Management, any changes to equipment strategies – for example, changing service intervals or maintenance steps – can be quickly reflected in new FSM work,” said Klaus Andresen, Senior Vice President Global Technology at SIG. “This improves the efficiency and effectiveness of the overall SIG maintenance process. Data captured by field-service workers is immediately available for analysis by APM and the global SIG reliability engineering team, allowing us to better and more quickly detect emerging issues and trigger preventative steps.”

SIG Plant 360 Asset Management is being launched for the first time in the Middle East with Almarai, one of Saudi Arabia’s largest food and beverage producers, as start of the global rollout.

Robert Ross, Manufacturing Manager Dairy and Juice at Almarai: “Digital Solutions are vital for us to analyse exactly what is happening in our plant and going forward to produce reliably. The aspirational partnership with SIG & GE will greatly help us in root cause analysis and in providing valid answers. This will ensure reliable production and to improve our OEE. We are very proud to be an early adopter of this cutting-edge solution.”

 Plant 360 Asset Management is one of several value-added solutions within SIG’s Smart Factory segment, which is designed to help manufacturers meet the challenge of increasing output and driving down costs in today’s competitive environment. The solution-driven Smart Factory platform aims to deliver IoT-enabled systems and technical services that transform filling plants into connected factories that offer the highest efficiency, flexibility and quality.

A uniquely shaped carton pack that stands out on the shelf and offers more convenience

Stylish new carton highlights SIG’s core USP: flexibility

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(Dubai, 22 October 2019) SIG Combibloc Obeikan, one of the world’s leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging and filling machines for food and beverages, launches globally and for the first time, combistyle carton pack at Gulfood. Featuring a distinctively shaped corner to ensure on-shelf differentiation, combistyle offers instant consumer appeal, added functionality and more convenience.

In the increasingly competitive retail environment, combistyle brings a fresh and distinctive look to often crowded drink aisles – helping beverage manufacturers stand out while making it easier for consumers to find what they need. A stylish corner panel provides a comfortable and safe grip, while allowing brand owners to effectively communicate key messages with eye-catching designs.

Abdelghany Eladib, Chief Operating Officer, SIG CBOB, said: “We are very excited to be launching globally our unique combistyle carton pack during the Gulfood manufacturing exhibition. We continue to innovate with new products to address consumers’ ever-changing needs.”

“combistyle offers our customers a future packaging concept that will instantly intrigue busy shoppers to find out more,” said Heike Klein, Global Product Manager at SIG. “The shaped corner not only stands out on the shelf, but also offers exciting branding opportunities to effectively communicate your brand image and key messages.”

SIG’s customers will benefit from the low investment needed to upgrade to combistyle on existing CFA810 and CF812 filling machines, which also can fill combiblocMidi and combifitMidi, the original packs for these lines. This offers manufacturers the best shape flexibility for different product types and the ability to adapt to changing market demands, as three carton formats can be filled on a single line.

“As only limited investment is needed to upgrade existing filling machines, combistyle provides the perfect opportunity for beverage manufacturers to utilize and enhance existing equipment,” said Klein. “Upgrading will not only maintain efficiency on the original line, but also help to bring new and exciting beverages to market in a faster time period.”

The combistyle carton pack’s distinctively shaped corner provides a more comfortable and safer grip. In addition, combistyle features SIG’s new combiMaxx closure, which is fully resealable and leak-proof, allows for easier opening and better pouring, and offers an eco-friendly design. combistyle is available in a 1 liter format and a 500ml size will be added soon.

combistyle exemplifies SIG’s commitment to deliver innovative, differentiated product and packaging solutions that help businesses satisfy ever-changing needs.

(Dubai, 14 October 2019) SIG Combibloc Obeikan (SIG CBOB), one of the world’s leading systems and solutions provider for aseptic packaging and filling machines for food and beverages, returns to Gulfood Manufacturing for its consecutive year from October 29 to 31, at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) with a three-day action-packed programme around its innovative solutions and products to be launched for the first time in the MEA market.

The Swiss-Saudi Arabian joint venture will feature its value proposition across four zones in its booth: Smart Factory, Product Innovation & Differentiation, Connected Packs. The booth will also present end to end solutions that maintain the highest standards of operational performance and sustainability.

Visitors will be able to see a new range of differentiated products and solutions designed to respond to customers’ needs and convey their brand’s unique identity.

Abdelghany Eladib, Chief Operating Officer, SIG CBOB, said: “We witness a major shift in the food and beverage market accompanied with a significant change in consumers’ behaviors and demands. We are dedicated to expanding our portfolios of packaging products and solutions to reflect these demands. With Gulfood being the premier event in the FMCG industry, it represents the ideal platform for us to showcase our latest products and solutions.”

He adds: “With the leverage of connectivity between information technology and factory operations, the increased demand for efficient adaptation of production processes, for optimisation of overall equipment effectiveness and for reduction of operational costs, we continue working in partnership with our customers in the MEA region to offer them tailored solutions to deliver state-of-the-art innovations to optimise plant procedures, efficiency and performance.”

SIG CBOB’s disruptive differentiation and value-adding solutions are helping food and beverage manufacturers take advantage of new opportunities in order to enhance their offering while accelerating their growth.