Sibeg Srl partnered with Sidel to build the company’s first complete aseptic PET bottling line. The setup includes Aseptic Combi Predis, an EvoFilm Stretch packer, PalKombi palletizing, and digital solutions. The deployment enabled bringing in-house the production of sensitive beverages at the Catania plant - previously outsourced - and supported targets for efficiency and sustainability.
Founded in 1960, Sibeg is the Coca-Cola Company’s bottler in Sicily, employing 400 people and operating eight production lines for a broad portfolio, from soft to energy beverages. Coca-Cola, Monster Energy and Acqua di Tepelene products reach over 24,500 points of sale on the island.
The company emphasizes quality, innovation and sustainability, as well as delivering solutions aligned with consumer expectations. Its goal is to serve more than 5 million Sicily residents and 7 million tourists annually. Sibeg also aims to act as a pilot hub for Coca-Cola business units.
In environmental terms, Sibeg targets zero emissions for Scopes 1 and 2 by 2030 and full carbon neutrality by 2032. The new aseptic PET line, rated at 18,000 bottles per hour, supports this strategy. Producing in Catania reduces truck transport from northern Italy. As Luca Busi, Sibeg’s CEO, notes: "This move reflects our strategic drive to widen the portfolio and increase flexibility in meeting customer needs, while reducing pollution from truck transport from northern Italy, further reinforcing our commitment to sustainability."
The line, equipped with Aseptic Combi Predis, EvoFilm Stretch, PalKombi and digital solutions, reduces consumption of water, energy, chemicals and plastics. In addition, using 100% rPET packaging lowers the environmental footprint and supports circular-economy objectives.
Complete aseptic line and scope of supply
Sidel supplied a complete line for packing sensitive beverages in PET bottles based on the Aseptic Combi Predis system. The solution integrates preform sterilization, stretch-blow molding, filling and capping in a single block, ensuring product integrity and extended shelf life. Dry decontamination using a hydrogen peroxide mist reduces water and chemical consumption. The system ensures product safety without preservatives and passed the aseptic validation protocol aligned with Coca-Cola standards on the first attempt.
The layout is designed for ease of operation. Sterilization management has been streamlined, downtime reduced and operator training needs lowered. The line can run ten product formats - from energy drinks to teas - while maintaining food-safety requirements and process efficiency.
EvoFilm Stretch: wrapping at ambient temperature
The EvoFilm Stretch packer operates at ambient temperature, eliminating the need for heat-shrink tunnels. Compared with conventional shrink-film packaging, plastics use can drop by up to 60% and energy by up to 90%, translating into lower costs and reduced environmental impact.
"Using pre-stretched LLDPE from 10 to 23 microns makes EvoFilm Stretch film suitable for automatic sealing and flexible wrapping. It reduces plastics consumption from 26 grams to 6 grams per pack, and energy use is only 10 kWh, yielding savings of up to 90% versus traditional shrink-film packaging solutions," says Gianluca Tornatore, Chief Operating Officer at Sibeg. "Eliminating shrink tunnels and conveyors also minimizes the footprint of the machines, making packaging lines more compact and cost-efficient."
Software and process integration
Sibeg also implemented Sidel’s Evo-ON Flex application, which guides operators step-by-step during changeovers and displays in real time the schedule of planned changeovers for the entire shift. The solution shortens changeover times and reduces the risk of downtime.
The company chose Sidel as the sole supplier of all equipment due to its aseptic packaging expertise. "We felt confident relying - especially on the technical front - on a partner widely recognized for deep knowledge of aseptic PET packaging production. In addition, collaborating with Tetra Pak on processing allowed us to cover the entire production flow, from beverage preparation to the packaging line, with a single point of contact, which significantly improved execution efficiency," adds Gianluca Tornatore.
"The Sidel team was deeply engaged in meeting our needs and deadlines at every stage - from line design to production start-up - and handled the challenges of complying with Coca-Cola’s stringent safety standards. Their commitment ensured a smooth process without compromising quality or compliance," commented Gianluca Tornatore.
