PERFORMANCE, PACKAGED

Fowler Products Earns Diageo Distinguished Honors Special Projects Award

Dec 19, 2012
(From left to right) Mike Malpass, Fowler Products; Philippe Perrier, Perrier Bottling Machines; David Cutter, Diageo Americas Supply; Don Cotney, Fowler Products; and, Andy Monroe, Fowler Products.

ATHENS, GA — Fowler Products, powered by ProMach, and its French partner, Perrier Bottling Machines have been recognized by Diageo, the world’s largest producer of distilled spirits, with the Distinguished Honors – Special Projects award. Over the last two years, Fowler supplied six Perrier cleaning and filling systems and Fowler/Zalkin capping machines to two Diageo facilities.

The Distinguished Honors – Special Projects award is given to the supplier that delivered a significant and critical project on time and on budget with exceptional leadership. Award winners must also demonstrate the kinds of creativity that result in exceptional value to Diageo. At the awards event held at Diageo Americas corporate headquarters, David Cutter, president of Diageo Americas Supply, said, “Working with world-class suppliers is a key element in ensuring Diageo provides quality, innovation, service, and value to its customers.”

Fowler was responsible over a two-year period for supplying Perrier fillers and bottle cleaners and Fowler/Zalkin cappers on six packaging lines in two Diageo facilities in Illinois and Maryland. These six new systems joined two existing systems previously installed within Diageo Americas. The Fowler/Zalkin cappers featured turrets that are capable of running roll-on-pilfer-proof (ROPP) aluminum closures, plastic screw-on closures, and “T” corks. Because these machines have extremely fast changeover times among the various closures, throughput was enhanced.

The Perrier filler’s unique neck gripping system perfectly centers the bottle for fast, precise filling, delivering + 1 millimeter fill height accuracy per bottle. Neck gripping also decreases changeover time because bottles with common neck finishes can all be run with the same gripper.

These Perrier fillers do not rely on a high level of vacuum for rapid filling, which is an advantage for Diageo because vacuum can negatively impact the proof of spirits. Since only low level vacuum is used during filling, the throughput for PET containers is also improved because high vacuum has a tendency to collapse the plastic containers. The combination of Perrier and Fowler/Zalkin machines has set production records at the Diageo facilities.

For the purposes of these projects, Diageo worked with one company – Fowler. Fowler provided associated project management and logistics with its partners, Perrier and Zalkin. It designed and assembled all of the control cabinets, wiring, and electric components, assuring compliance with all applicable codes (NEC, UL, DISCUS, etc.), then developed the integrated control software. Fowler provided operator and maintenance training and also helped to integrate the clean-in-place (CIP) systems. “Diageo created an exceptionally open and collaborative environment for this major multi-line, multi-plant project,” said Don Cotney, president and general manager, Fowler Products. “We experienced excellent communications and responsiveness with the Diageo project managers and engineers, resulting in very successful installations.”

For more information on the benefits of Fowler Products solutions for capping, rinsing, filling, and pulsed-light sanitation, call 1-877-549-3301 and visit www.FowlerProducts.com.

About ProMach

ProMach is a family of best-in-class packaging and processing solution brands serving manufacturers of all sizes and geographies in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, personal care, and household and industrial goods industries. ProMach brands operate across the entire production line: processing, filling, bottling and capping, decorative labeling, flexibles and trays, pharma, handling and sterilizing, labeling and coding, and robotics and end of line. ProMach also provides systems and integration including turnkey solutions, design/build, engineering services, and productivity software to optimize production line design and deliver maximum uptime.

ProMach designs, manufactures, integrates, and supports the most sophisticated and advanced packaging and processing solutions in the global marketplace. Its diverse customer base, from Fortune 500 companies to smaller, privately-held businesses worldwide, depends on reliable, flexible, technologically advanced equipment and integrated solutions. ProMach is headquartered near Cincinnati, Ohio, with manufacturing facilities and offices throughout North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. For more information about ProMach, visit www.ProMachBuilt.com and for more information on ProMach Careers, visit www.ProMachCareers.com.