DairyBelle, one of the oldest and most prominent dairy manufacturers in South Africa, has relaunched its UHT milk, shifting from Tetra Pak to SIG Combibloc Obeikan as its strategic packaging partner, and a notable first for the sector in the country.

Kim Snyman, senior marketing manager at DairyBelle, says SIG Combibloc Obeikan was chosen as its strategic packaging partner taking into consideration SIG’s advancement in aseptic filling technology, modern pack designs and with a special focus on the combiSwift, its new closure system.

"With perfect resealing, consumers are assured of easy pouring and no leaks. The one-twist easy-opening action has also proved popular with consumers. Another advantage is that, on opening, the carton pack, the layers of aluminium and polyethylene are fixed within the carton pack itself, eliminating waste," Snyman (right) comments.

The project was successfully completed over eight months from machine delivery to commissioning. Since March 2010, the CFA 312 filling machine has been in operation at the company’s site in Epping, Cape Town. The retail launch took place in June 2010.

DairyBelle currently fills its UHT milk in combiblocSlimline 1000ml and will soon expand to include other sizes in the same format. Currently available in full cream, low fat and fat free milk. Snyman says DairyBelle will expand its existing product line to include more varieties in the UHT dairy range.

"The UHT milk category is a focus for DairyBelle and in keeping up with technological advancements we will ensure that we offer consumers the best product with the most up to date benefits available to them. This development offers several key benefits to our consumers: guaranteed tamper evidence; single-action opening; easy pouring; perfect resealing; and a modern ‘slim’ shape for ease of handling. In addition, we will enjoy more flexibility on the plant, ensuring excellent service levels to our customers and we will have greater opportunities to innovate and grow," she adds.

The combiSwift screw cap

Since April 2009, Robertson Winery has also been offering its popular wines in combibloc Slimline 500ml and one-litre packs with the combiSwift screw cap.

The three-part screw cap is applied to an overcoated hole – a procedure that allows the screw cap to be opened easily. For this purpose, precise holes are punched into the carton before the raw carton is coated with aluminium or polyethylene in the packaging plant. Once cartons have been filled, combiSwift is applied to the overcoated hole.

combiSwift consists of a flange with an integrated cutting ring and a cap. A single twist is all it takes for the cutting ring to cut through the extremely thin aluminium and polyethylene layers easily and precisely. This handling is a decisive advantage for consumers.

Comprehensive handling tests and consumer studies have confirmed the easy and convenient opening procedure, resulting from the fact that the carton layer is already punched and only the thin aluminium and polyethylene layers need to be punched through. "The clean pouring hole of the opening mechanism provides for even pouring," explains Martin Schmedes, director of business development & marketing, SIG Combibloc Obeikan.

combiSwift is equipped with a tamper-evident feature that reveals at first glance whether the original pack closure is intact or not. To reclose, the cap is screwed on again, ensuring tightness.