US-based Agr International has created a new division to support PET bottle self-manufacturers for the optimization of their production operations.
Image: Agr has created a new division to support PET bottle self-manufacturers. Photo: courtesy of Agr International.
Agr Process Performance Optimization Group will provide technical assistance to the self-manufacturers to enhance the productivity and efficiency of PET blowing and beverage production lines.
The Process Performance Optimization Group is said to be an outgrowth of the Agr Process Pilot automated blowmolder management program.
According to the company, multiple companies that self-manufacture struggle with PET bottle processing, including determining the proper recipe for a given bottle, taking into consideration the local plant and regional environments or dealing with preforms from different sources or lineages.
The new division will offer self-manufacturers with a go-to resource to address common challenges in producing their own bottles.
Agr’s new division focuses on understanding issues affecting the efficiency of the entire production, in addition to implementing a better approach for the optimization of blowmolder.
The group can provide whole plant assistance in operations that have different blowmolder brands in the same facility, as the company is not associated with any specific brand of blowmolder.
The new division will directly work with a plant’s process engineers and plant floor personnel to address challenging light weight applications and develop effective processing recipes, as well as solve process variation and quality issues.
Agr’s group offers services under different catergories, including blowmolder management and optimization for individual assessment of individual blowing lines.
The services also include effective use of basic quality tools for blowmolder management, optimizing Pilot Profiler and Process Pilot automated tools to manage blowmolder and production quality, production line auditing and optimization planning, as well as job-specific services such as recipe design and startup assistance.
Agr chief operating officer Robert Cowden said: “our primary mission is to work with our customers to optimize production efficiency, both in terms of blowmolding and total line efficiency.
“Agr’s consulting professionals work directly with plant personnel to optimize blowmolding and container flow downstream in order to reduce manufacturing costs.”