Epirotic Bottling Company S.A is the largest Greek company in bottled water, and a producer of natural mineral soft drinks, bottles, and caps. The company is known for its consistent commitment to quality, safety, and environmental responsibility. With state-of-the-art facilities in Ioannina and continuous investments in technology, the company aims to constantly upgrade its production capabilities.
In this context, the company assigned AS HELLAS two parallel upgrade projects at its bottling plants in Perivlepto and Kalpaki, with the following scope:
- Installation of a valve cluster and automation for connecting the spring to the production unit.
- Support for new bottling units.
- Implementation of automated Cleaning-In-Place (CIP) systems integrated into the existing automation environment.
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF THE PROJECTS
In both plants, the interventions went beyond the integration of new machinery. They involved the redesign of critical infrastructure — from spring management and tank integration to the complete redefinition of internal water flow. The addition of CIP systems and mixproof valve automation significantly upgraded the overall functionality of the facilities.
SCOPE OF WORK FOR AS HELLAS
AS HELLAS undertook the study, supply, installation, and commissioning of complete systems for process infrastructure and automation, including:
- Integration of water springs with advanced equipment, including particle filtration and sensors for pressure, level, conductivity, and turbidity.
- Connection of new bottling machines with custom automation and variable speed pumps.
- Expansion and upgrade of valve clusters managing flow to and from silos, bottling units, and ozonators.
- Construction of new water storage tanks with full sensor monitoring and CIP capability.
- Development and integration of software into the existing SCADA and PLC systems, supporting remote monitoring and future scalability.
QUALITY AND TRACEABILITY
Special emphasis was placed on product quality assurance. The lines were equipped with sensors for conductivity, temperature, and pressure, filters that allow drainage of dead zones, and automated washing of all circuits. This setup enables full real-time control. The result is a system that not only performs CIP but also documents it, allowing full traceability and remote supervision.
IMPLEMENTATION
The parallel implementation of the projects at the Perivlepto and Kalpaki plants required strict coordination, clear planning, and continuous onsite presence of AS HELLAS engineers. The technical team remained on schedule, delivering complete solutions aligned with a unified automation philosophy and ensuring uninterrupted production.
THE OUTCOME
The collaboration with AS HELLAS led to:
- Increased bottling capacity and production flexibility
- Full traceability and control of water and CIP processes
- Elimination of human error through automation
- Readiness for future expansion and assurance of final product quality
