Nampak launches R14 million wine closure production line in Cape Town

(Left to right) Nampak Closures’ Derek Coleman, Chris Brink, Phillip de Weerdt (MD Nampak Rigid Plastics) and Barry Erasmus.

The line is dubbed the '007 (appropriately its line number) High-Speed Wine Screw Cap Line' and for good reason. "This is the fastest known line of its type worldwide; at full capacity it can produce up to 700 closures per minute and will drastically increase our speed to market," says Derek Coleman, manufacturing director, Nampak Closures Epping.

"The South African wine market is hugely competitive and the swing from cork to screw caps is still in a growth phase. Speed to market in this competitive landscape is key and very important to our customers and that's a major benefit offered by our new line," adds Barry Erasmus, sales and marketing director.

He explains that the market can be unpredictable, as demand changes constantly and it is difficult for customers to provide accurate forecasts early on. This leads to a customer base that cannot always order as early as it would like, but still needs short lead times with a fast turnaround. "It is this responsiveness, speed and added capacity that the company intends to further improve upon with the new line.

"We certainly aim to be the preferred supplier in this industry. We are customer driven, it is our philosophy and we continuously strive to improve going forward. With this latest investment we are making that clear."

Among the customers that will benefit from this line are Distell, DGB, Accolade SA, Edward Snell & Co, Robertson's Winery, Neil Ellis, Home of Origin, Spier Wines and La Motte.