ThaiNamthip Corporation Public Company Limited, a The Coca-Cola Company bottling partner in Bangkok since 1959, has started up a new Sidel Hydra Ultrasonic bottle washer at one of its production plants. This is the first installation of this Sidel technology in Asia. The project is part of the company’s efforts to enhance sustainability and improve production line efficiency. Officially launched by Sidel in 2024, the Hydra Ultrasonic system combines a conventional washing process with ultrasonic technology. According to the manufacturer, the solution is designed to deliver high cleaning efficiency while reducing the consumption of water, energy and chemicals. The installation was carried out at ThaiNamthip’s Pathumthani plant, which serves as a center of excellence for beverages in returnable glass bottles.
In the Thai market, as in other countries in the region, returnable glass bottles remain an important part of the beverage value chain. The quality of the washing process directly affects product safety and consumer satisfaction, while also extending packaging service life and supporting circular economy models. For this reason, investments in bottle-washing technologies are assessed not only in terms of operational efficiency, but also in terms of environmental impact and process stability.
As Nicholas Nixon, Vice President of Manufacturing at ThaiNamthip Corporation PLC, emphasized, "Returnable glass bottles are an important part of the diversified packaging portfolio that we tailor to the needs of our customers and consumers. Bottle cleanliness and safety are of the utmost importance to us. We are pleased to be the first Coca-Cola bottler in Asia to introduce Sidel’s Hydra Ultrasonic bottle washer into our operations." He also added that the unit was installed at the Pathumthani plant, which serves as a center of excellence for returnable glass bottle production. "This washer not only delivers excellent cleaning performance, but also supports our sustainability efforts aimed at improving water-use efficiency and energy savings across our operations, in line with our sustainability strategy, 'Our Choice, Our Future!'. As a leader in Thailand’s beverage industry, we are proud to make the right decisions and take actions that benefit our communities and our planet, while ensuring optimal performance."
Expected implementation effects
With the Hydra Ultrasonic system, ThaiNamthip expects to improve the washing efficiency of both the external and internal surfaces of its returnable glass bottles, including in the case of some more persistent contaminants. The optimized process is intended to reduce the reject rate and increase production efficiency, which should translate into more stable and efficient plant operation.
Andrea Solfa, Product Manager at Sidel, stated that "Real progress means doing more with less. By introducing the Hydra Ultrasonic solution, we set ourselves a dual objective: to increase washing performance while reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint."
According to data provided by Sidel, the Hydra Ultrasonic system can enable beverage producers to achieve the following results:
- water savings of up to 15%,
- a reduction in steam consumption of around 20%,
- fewer rejects and higher production efficiency,
- reduced chemical consumption.
The project is part of cooperation between ThaiNamthip and Sidel in the field of industrial solutions intended to combine high operational performance with environmental objectives. As Nicholas Nixon concluded, "The installation of Sidel’s Hydra Ultrasonic unit at our Pathumthani plant confirms our commitment to operational excellence and sustainability. It enables us to deliver high-quality products, reduce the environmental impact of our operations and set new standards for sustainable production in the beverage industry."
