Bottling machines are used in a wide variety of businesses. While water bottling equipment may be the most widely used, it is far from the only use for bottling equipment. From soap to salsa to beer, bottling needs vary widely depending on your product and the size of your business. Also, there are several different machines that fall under the category of bottling equipment. While many business in need of a bottling system will use all of the various machines, some—especially small businesses—may find that sourcing a job to a machine isn't the most cost-effective solution.

The most common bottling machinery used are filling machines, bottle capping machines, and labeling machines. By educating yourself on how each of these are used, you can best determine if they are advantageous to you. Questions to consider are:

1. Are exact quantities and weights important?
2. Will my desired packaging mesh well with available bottling equipment?
3. What kind of look am I hoping to achieve?
   

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Use filling machines and other automated bottling machinery for exact results

For many food and beverage, as well as health and body applications, a filling machine is a highly advantageous tool. It will quickly deliver a uniform product, making your product reliable and production amounts more predictable. However, if your product cannot withstand a lot of handling or is complex to package, you may need to fill manually and allow capping and labeling to be handled automatically.

I recommend: Busch Machinery offers an explanation of each type of filling machine to ensure you find a machine to match your product type. Accutek Packaging also gives in depth explanations of the various filling machines, highlighting the product types each machine best works with.

Ensure your packaging is compatible with existing filling, labeling, and bottle capping equipment

Unique packaging makes your product memorable to the consumer and may add useful features. However, it may also make convenient capping and labeling more difficult. Using options such as hand-held capping machinery, as opposed to water bottling machine types, may enable you to keep the packaging you desire while still taking advantage of the productivity of automated machinery.

I recommend: Inline Filling Systems gives a thorough description of different types of capping machines, including hand-held models. Liquid Packaging Solutions offers a wide variety of automatic and semi-automatic bottle capping machines as well as specialty capping and sealing machines to meet more specific needs.

Determine if a bottling system will result in the appearance you desire

If you want a clean and uniform look to your product, automated bottling machinery is a perfect fit for your business. If you desire a more homespun look to your product, you may want to incorporate automatic filling and capping and leave the labeling to manual application. You can also use a variety of labels and work in batches with slightly different application positions to take full advantage of the automated bottling process while still maintaining a unique look.

I recommend: CVC Technologies offers in depth discussion on labeling machines, including a checklist to use when comparing labeling machinery and a pictorial explanation of several labeling machine features. QuickLabel Systems offers a semi-automatic labeling machine that is a convenient compromise between speed and personalized touches. This machine is designed for low to medium volumes and aids in the flawless application of a variety of label types and quick changes.

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• •  The initial investment in a bottling system may at first make it seem like manual assembly is the better choice. However, if your business is growing, the productivity factor should be seriously considered. The extra amount of product you will be able to package and ship in a short amount of time can more than pay for the initial cost of the machinery.

Today, almost anything can be bottled. From mineral water to salsa, if you can make it, you can bottle it. Selecting the right kind of bottling equipment is essential for efficiency and production volume. Different liquids require different filling speeds, bottle sizes and bottle-capping machines. There are industrial bottling equipment options for high viscosity items, like honey and shampoo, as well as more specific water-bottling machines available.

Bottling machines include:

1. Fillers
2. Bottle-capping equipment
   
3. Labelers
4. Packagers

Before you begin purchasing bottling equipment, you must first decide how much you are looking to produce, how much you have to spend and how much room your bottling facility has.

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Find the right water bottling machines for your business needs

The filling machine you choose will depend on what type of material you intend to bottle. For example, bottled water is one of the most popular beverages on the market. There are many types of bottling machines designed specifically for spring and mineral water. To simplify your water-bottling operation, look for a water-bottling machine that can do the entire bottling process from start to finish, including filling, capping and labeling.

I recommend: Accutek carries an extensive line of water bottling supplies and water-bottling equipment, including auger fillers and overflow fillers. Find the right water-bottling machine at KingStep, which offers turnkey bottling system.

Decrease labor costs with bottling machines

Many bottling machines and bottle-capping systems require very little labor. Some bottle-capping machines are completely automated and let workers know if there are any problems via computer messages. Other bottling machines require just one or two operators per shift, keeping payroll costs down.

I recommend: Apackaging.net carries tabletop liquid fillers, for low volume production, as well as completely automated bottling lines. They carry water bottling equipment, conveyors and case packagers, as well.

Not all bottle-capping equipment is created equal

A bottle-capping machine is an essential part of any bottling manufacturer. However, not all capping machines are designed for liquids and foods. Some bottle-capping machines are designed for pharmaceutical products and dry goods. Be sure that you find the right style of bottle-capping equipment for your operation.

I recommend: Accent Packaging Equipments carries several models of bottle-capping machines, for both high- and low-volume production.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  When purchasing bottling equipment, look for fillers that can be moved to another filling line in a matter minutes, to increase production and productivity.

A good understanding of bottling equipment basics is essential when delivering almost any liquid product to the consumer. Bottling equipment is not one size fits all machinery. Both the type of liquid being bottled and the types of bottles being used come into play when determining which bottling machines will work best with your business.

When choosing bottling machinery, you want to maximize the amount of product produced without affecting the quality of the product your consumers will receive. You will also want to ensure that the machinery will not hinder your business plan, as far as packaging is concerned. Take this basic information into account:

1. Choose the industrial bottling equipment to fit your product.
2. Become familiar with the bottling process of the machinery before buying.
3. Be sure all filling, labeling and bottle capping machines work together.
   

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Choose the industrial bottling equipment to fit your product

Not all liquids are the same and bottling equipment reflects this. Water bottling equipment works much differently than equipment used to bottle soaps and syrups. Volatility and corrosiveness of the product also needs to be accounted for when choosing the correct machinery.

I recommend: Inline Filling Systems provides a product guide to match your product to the right machinery, as well as an explanation of each type of bottling technology. Willow Way provides explanations and diagrams for their machines as well as product capabilities.

See the bottling machines at work before making your purchase

Whether it is a water bottling machine or a soap bottling machine, each manufacturer produces a slightly different machine. Even the most in depth explanation may not be able to truly convey the workings of these machines. If an in-person examination isn't possible, acquire video of the machinery at work.

I recommend: ACASI Machinery and All-Fill both provide extensive video libraries of their filling, labeling and capping machinery at work.

Make sure your bottling equipment works together

Bottling isn't a one shot procedure--each bottle must be filled, capped and labeled. If you are purchasing your equipment from various venues, take the time to ensure they are compatible. The easiest way to ensure compatibility is to purchase all your bottling equipment from the same manufacturer.

I recommend: Biner Ellison High Speed Packaging provides a wide range of compatible equipment that will take care of jobs from washing to wrapping and everything in between. JDA Progress Industries offers entire bottling lines that work together for the optimum manufacturing efficiency.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you have no concrete plan for packaging your product, you may be able to choose a bottling system to fit your product and budget and plan your packaging accordingly.

Assembling a bottling line that best fits your product is essential to a profitable and efficient business. Most bottling production lines will need a filler, capper, and labeler. Each of these types of equipment have a variety of styles, each designed to work best with a specific type of product. Make the best bottling equipment choices for your product by making yourself familiar with the types of equipment available for bottling.

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Overflow filler

Overflow fillers are best used to bottle thin, easily flowing liquids. This type of filler will fill bottles to the same level each time and is best used when a uniform fill line is a higher priority than uniform weight or volume.

I recommend: Biner Ellison High Speed Packaging gives an in-depth description of the method behind and uses for overflow filler machines.

Volumetric filler

Volumetric or positive displacement fillers are a flexible style of bottling equipment. They can be used for smooth or chunky liquids, creams or powders. This type of filler delivers a specific volume of product to each bottle.

I recommend: Inline Filling Systems provides a description of volumetric fillers, complete with diagrams.

Piston filler

Piston filler machines can be used for liquid products of varying viscosity. These bottling machines draw the product into a cylinder from a product bowl and then transfer the product to the waiting product bottle.

I recommend: JBT FoodTech offers a breakdown of the advantages,applications, and principals behind the piston filler process.

Pump filler

Pump fillers work by transferring liquid product from a supply tank to the desired container by pumping a specified amount of product through a hose. They can be used for both thin and thick liquids, including those with a chunky consistency.

I recommend: Bendex Engineering explains the workings, benefits and applications of a pump filler.

Bottle-capping equipment

Bottle-capping equipment ensures a firm seal to both protect and contain the bottled product. The type of bottle capping equipment you will need depends upon the type of product and packaging of your business produces. From squirt bottles to prescription bottles, a wide variety of cap types can be applied with a handful of bottle-capping equipment types, including screw on, press/push-on, and roll-on capping machines.

I recommend: Fowler provides in-depth information on several different types of bottle capping equipment.

Labelers

Labelers provide a finishing touch, contributing both identifying and aesthetic aspects to the product. Labelers can affix labels with or without pre-applied adhesives and can apply labels to a single side, two sides, or surrounding the whole bottle. Both the shape of the bottle and the information you wish to convey will determine which type of labeler will best suit your needs.

I recommend: Labelette Labelers provides information on several different types of labelers.