2014-2016 Exhibitions
Varun Beverages of the RJ Group, the biggest franchisee of PepsiCo India, has installed a three-layer Evolution blown film line from Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion at Varun Beverages’s plant located in Alwar, Rajasthan. The 2.6 m wide line will produce collation shrink film for packaging of Pepsi bottles and water bottles from PET. It is the first blown film line of the company. With this investment, the Indian MNC completes its vertical diversification.
Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion has equipped the line with the Evolution Ultra Range extruders and Ultra Cool technology for high output and quality film. Ultra Cool is the current blown film cooling system from the German machinery maker, with an output of up to 700 kg/hour based on Varun’s recipes.
The line is also provided with the latest generation Evolution WP winder, allowing for fast conversion of the film thanks to straight-edge winding and multi-up rolls. The Evolution C automation system developed by Reifenhäuser Kiefel features an intuitive user interface and 24 in. touch screen panel that enables Varun Beverages’ employees to get familiar with the operation of the line, rapidly and without any problem, says the machinery supplier.
"We stand for a high quality in our markets. Therefore, our requirements with regard to system technology, film quality and project management are accordingly high. Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion has done an excellent job. The line is producing top-quality film, and thanks to the skilled expertise, the team of our own employees, and the teams from Reifenhäuser Kiefel Extrusion and Reifenhäuser India were able to install the line and get it into production in just a few weeks,” according to the management of RJ.
Reifenhäuser India, with offices in Mumbai and Delhi, will continue to support RJ locally.
RJ was started in 1991 by Ravi Jaipuria, with a tie-up with Pepsi Foods to manufacture and market the Pepsi brand of beverages in geographically pre-defined territories in which brand and technical support was provided by Pepsi. Ravi Jaipuria claims to be Pepsi’s top three franchisees globally and has been said to be India’s newest billionaire by Forbes.
Varun Beverages, the flagship company of the group, holds bottling and distribution franchise rights from PepsiCo not only in India but also in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Africa. In India, it manages nine PepsiCo bottling plants in Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Goa and Delhi.
It is also big in fast food chain outlets with another subsidiary, Devyani International, having the franchise for Pizza Hut and KFC, both part of Yum! Brands, as well as that for the UK’s Whitbread Group’s coffee chain Costa Coffee. Devyani also includes American ice cream chain Swensen’s and a South Indian fast food chain Vaango.
Ravi Jaipuria is also said to be looking at listing Varun Beverages and Devyani International next year.
(PRA)
