Casa Cuervo, the world's oldest and most renowned tequila producer and distributor, choosesSACMI FLEXI OPERA for its production plant in Guadalajara, Mexico. We spoke about this with Pedro Castro Ocegueda, plant manager at Edisa, where the latest generation SACMI labeling machine has been successfully installed and commissioned in recent weeks. What is the story of Casa Cuervo, and how is it perceived in Mexico and around the world?
"Casa Cuervo began as a family business, the result of 10 generations producing high quality tequila. In recent years, the Group has expanded its activities to the production and marketing of rum, whiskey, gin and other beverages, always focusing on its product and brand excellence, which makes our bottles famous worldwide."
What are the prerequisites for investing in SACMI Labelling? "As a company, we focus heavily on international markets, without neglecting the traditional character and identity of our brands. A policy that, from the product, extends to the packaging, to our unmistakable bottles, then to the label. SACMI is a world reference company in the production of labeling solutions for the beverage industry. We are accustomed to choosing the best, which is why we focused on this technology, and the results a few weeks into production are really satisfying."
Why choose FLEXI OPERA?
"Because, within SACMI's portfolio of labeling machines, it is one of the solutions that can combine the best performance with the versatility demanded by the market today. With FLEXI OPERA we can meet every packaging need, while always maintaining the best efficiency of our lines. The label represents the first, if not the most important, way of communicating with our customers all over the world, and from this point of view, after a careful evaluation of alternatives, we identified FLEXI OPERA as the best solution to achieve our goals."
How is the new machine equipped inside the production line? "The purchased machine is equipped with 7 self-adhesive labeling units and is designed to handle labels 20 to 100 mm wide and 20 to 110 mm high. With one platform, we can handle containers from 60 to 110 mm in diameter and 150 to 350 mm in height. As you can easily guess from these specifications, this is an extremely flexible yet high-performance solution, with production speeds of up to 18,000 applications per hour. It is also an ergonomic and robust machine that simplifies the work of our operators, facilitates changeover and reduces routine maintenance time."
What are the optional systems that ensure quality? "First, the installed labeling machine is equipped with SACMI LVS, the camera vision system designed by SACMI specifically for in-line label quality control. This is a particularly advanced vision system capable not only of checking the perfect application of the label on the bottle, its structural and color qualities, but also of returning valuable information to the operator such as barcode reading, the presence of the security band, etc. The supplied machine is also designed to be remotely assisted, in practice we are able to manage maintenance in a preventive way, avoiding the risk of production downtime."
How was the on-site installation handled?
"We outsourced the entire shipping and installation phase to SACMI. Thanks to the effective collaboration between our technical teams, and in particular the support of SACMI de Mexico and Ricardo Cruz, the new machine was installed and commissioned on schedule. With this investment, we believe we have also offered the market a sign of continuity and perspective, which is very important in these times. Our production has never stopped in recent months, and despite the difficulties in world trade and society, we are determined to invest in our future, valuing our traditions and using the best available technology for this purpose. This is the message of confidence and closeness that we must give to our customers around the world."
Source: SACMI
