Page 40 - Packaging News Magazine Mar-Apr 2021

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BEVERAGE PACKAGING | www.packagingnews.com.au | March-April 2021
ABC Filling consolidates on NSW Central Coast
Contract manufacturer Australian Beverage Contract (ABC) Filling will consolidate its operations at its Lisarow site on the Central Coast after receiving a $1.8 million grant through the NSW government’s Regional Investment Attraction Fund.
ABC FILLING managing director Andrew Mawdsley told PKN it is a great step for the company, which will benefit from having all its operations consolidated under one roof to streamline processes and provide the best possible service.
The grant will help the company establish a new facility at Lisarow with a food and beverage manufactur- ing plant, research laboratory, distri- bution centre, a restaurant and bar, brewery tours, education facilities, conference centre and a manufactur- ing plant to produce hand sanitiser and disinfectant.
Mawdsley said: “We are one of Australia’s most flexible beverage manufacturers in the country, work- ing with very small start-ups just get- ting off the ground, to manufacturing for multinationals and then exporting directly from our site.”
Along with being a one-stop-shop for many brands, offering graphic
design and food technologies as well as bottling and packaging expertise, ABC Filling has 10 production lines, with Mawdsley saying it prides itself on its innovation and nimble approach.
“We have unique capabilities com- pared to other manufacturers, and not just in beverage. We also work in food and personal care markets,” he said.
Commenting on the beverage pack- aging capability, project director Mark Berwick told PKN the company offers a wide range of services. These include bulk packaging (bag in box, 1000L IBCs, kegs and tankers), canning (slim, sleek and classic), glass bottling with twist and ROPP closures ranging from 187ml to 1.5L carbonated, and also a spirit line for liqueurs, creams and spirits. In PET it fills 1250ml and 500ml carbonated. It also has a ready- to- drink shot line. Primary, second- ary and tertiary packaging is available for all production.
“We are one of the only companies with a sleek can line at the moment, so it has been running 24/6,” he said.
Berwick says the demand for sleek cans has been very strong. “Basically, the sleek can is a 10-year overnight suc- cess. It seems to offer a middle ground between the slim and the classic can that is finding strong appeal with
ABOVE: ABC Filling’s canning capability includes slim, sleek and classic cans.
BELOW LEFT: In PET, the company fills 1250ml and 500ml carbonated beverages.
brand owners looking for a point of dif- ference in their primary pack, and it has resonated with consumers also,” he adds. “It still has to prove itself in the trade but it appears to be position- ing as a ‘premium can’ offer,” he says.
ABC Filling is constantly upgrad- ing its lines to ensure it offers the most current technology to its customers, according to Berwick, who adds that in-line carbonation and brix measure- ment is currently being installed.
The company turns to Australian equipment suppliers wherever possi- ble. “We have a strong focus on sourc- ing and building our equipment here in Australia,” Berwick says. “Much of our equipment is custom built to suit customers and our needs. This has led us to work closely with great Australian companies like Recopak and Winequip. We are very lucky and grateful for their immense knowledge, skill and strong support.”
ABC Filling’s plans at Lisarow will create 144 new full-time equivalent jobs, over 120 construction jobs, and retain 35 existing jobs. The company’s vision is to capitalise on the many dimensions of the business with the community, and to this end it is talking to local tertiary institutions about developing courses with practical components at the plant. ■