A new milestone achieved by BBM Packaging, an Italian company specialized in supplying, overhauling, and upgrading packaging machines, with 20 years of experience in the beverage sector and a solid reputation for reliability and tailor-made solutions.
This time, we successfully operated at the Coca-Cola HBC Bosnia and Herzegovina plant, located in Sarajevo, one of the leading production sites in the region for the bottling and distribution of soft drinks. The facility operates with high technological standards and produces for top brands such as Coca-Cola, Fanta, Schweppes, and others.
A new shrink wrapper for a more flexible line
BBM supplied Coca-Cola with an LSK 45F shrink wrapper, a refurbished and fully upgraded SMI model, brought up to our quality standards. This machine is designed to work with shrink film and is ideal for lines processing both GLASS and PET bottles. The machine is configured to manage a total of 8 different format combinations.
The system runs at a maximum speed of 45 packs per minute, with a 6-lane setup and a 533 mm pitch. A solid base, further enhanced with BBM upgrades.
BBM upgrades: electronics, robustness, and reliability
This is not just a refurbished machine: the LSK 45F has been completely rebranded as BBM because it integrates the best of our technologies:
- BBM commercial electronics, to ensure reliability, easy access to spare parts, and more flexibility in format recipe management;
- Scalable infeed module, for a more precise and high-performing infeed regulation, even with bottles of different shapes. This new module uses pneumatic cylinders and control valves to move bars or mobile guides that escort and separate the bottles in a scalable (i.e., variable-step or rhythmic) manner. Air pressure is modulated to synchronize product flow with line speed, ensuring proper alignment and avoiding bumps or jams.
This pneumatic regulation allows greater accuracy in positioning and smooth transition to the packaging area, even with irregular or unstable bottle shapes.
- Steel mesh chain on the shrink tunnel, for enhanced robustness and durability, ideal for intensive work cycles and demanding production environments. The system uses pneumatic cylinders and control valves to move steel mobile guides that escort and separate bottles in a scalable manner (variable-step or rhythmic). Movement is managed by adjusting solenoid valve activation timing, not air pressure. This synchronizes product flow with line speed and ensures proper alignment, avoiding collisions or jams.
- The timing-based adjustment of the pneumatic system ensures greater precision in positioning and a smooth transition to the packaging area, even with bottles of irregular or unstable geometry.
All upgrades were designed to ensure greater packaging process stability, reduce the need for operator intervention, and deliver high performance over time.
On-site installation: a complete job
The installation was carried out directly by a BBM technician, who worked on-site and completed the job within the planned timeframe. The machine, delivered with a six-month warranty, was first refurbished and tested in our showroom in Lenna (BG), then shipped to Sarajevo and commissioned after final testing.
Handled formats
Here are the main configurations the new machine can handle:
- 500 ml PET still water – 6×4
- 500 ml PET carbonated water – 3×4
- 1500 ml PET still water – 3×2 (up to 12,000 bph)
- 330 ml glass water – 4×3 (12,000 bph)
- 750 ml glass water – 3×2 (12,000 bph)
- 500 ml PET soft drink – 6×4 and 3×4 (up to 30,000 bph)
A project combining reliability and innovation
This project is a great example of BBM’s ability to deliver reliable, upgraded, and customized machines, meeting complex production needs with concrete technical solutions. The collaboration with Coca-Cola Sarajevo confirms the effectiveness of an approach focused on efficiency, durability, and direct on-field support.
