Sidel announced as Yili Group’s Global Strategic Partner Supplier

2019-05-28 2:25 min Markets and Management

Yili China, the world’s largest liquid dairy producer, recently organised a supplier conference in Xiamen (China). Thanks to the broad application of Sidel aseptic complete PET packaging lines to produce Yili’s Ambrosial Yoghurt for ambient distribution – all of them integrating the company’s Aseptic Combi Predis™ with its unique, patented dry preform sterilisation technology – Sidel was selected as Yili Group’s Global Strategic Partner Supplier and received the Innovation Award. This recognition represents the most recent milestone in the longstanding relationship between the two companies, with Sidel operating in the largest business segment within the Yili ecosystem as the biggest partnering supplier of the PET product line within its Liquid Dairy Division.

Mr. Qiming Fu, Senior Sales Manager and Key Account Yili. (Photo credit: Sidel)

Food safety and product quality at the heart of Yili’s strategy

It is widely known that the Yili Group has always placed product quality at the heart of its operations while striving for brand excellence to build consumer confidence. By putting quality first, Yili is not only setting extremely high quality standards for its own products but is also very prudent and demanding in selecting suppliers, especially when choosing strategic partnering suppliers. Those are evaluated according to stringent criteria, ranging from suppliers’ equipment capacity through technological support and product quality up to comprehensive service. Since 2016, Sidel has been working together with the Yili Liquid Dairy Division to produce top-class PET bottles for the company’s hero product: Ambrosial Yoghurt. Thanks to its attractive look and feel and unique texture, Ambrosial Yoghurt bottled in PET has performed very well, and it is now dominating global sales of shelf-stable yoghurt packaged in PET after only two years since its launch. To meet Yili’s needs for additional capacity around this product, Sidel has been installing multiple complete aseptic PET lines, equipped with the company’s cutting-edge dry preform sterilisation technology, Predis. The system sterilises the preform by injecting hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) vapour into the preform right before the preform heating stage in the oven. This has allowed Yili to reduce waste and resources consumption while benefitting from a competitive and cost-efficient solution. All of this whilst securing full food safety and the highest product quality. Due to those achievements, Sidel has become Yili’s top choice for PET packaging manufacturing equipment.

Great recognition for Sidel’s solid performance and leadership

Sidel’s selection as Yili’s Global Strategic Partner Supplier further reconfirms the company’s solid performance and innovation leadership as gained over the past several years. Since 2009, Sidel has implemented more than 100 complete aseptic PET lines in Greater China. This is why the company recently decided to launch dry aseptic solution manufacturing in China and to enrich their plant in Beijing with an aseptic laboratory. This is mainly used for validation tests of locally produced aseptic and ultra clean packaging manufacturing equipment. The expert team in Beijing – closely collaborating with the Sidel Packaging scientists based in Shanghai and in Europe – ensures a 360° service to domestic and international clients, during the pre-/in- and post execution phases. This is particularly important regarding aseptic applications, which are increasingly gaining the favour of Sidel’s customer base.

The Yili Innovation Award. (Photo credit: Sidel)

Sidel awarded by Yili for its outstanding innovation capabilities

Additionally, Sidel received the Yili Innovation Award during this year’s supplier conference. This award recognises Sidel’s forward-looking solutions, while appreciating the extensive experience and constant innovation in PET packaging, as reflected by the company’s many patented technologies. Mr. Qiming Fu, Senior Sales Manager and Key Account Yili at Sidel, was the one accepting the award on behalf of the company. He comments, “This award represents Yili’s seal of Sidel’s best-in-class service and production quality and is a positive signal regarding our companies’ plans for long-term cooperation. We provided our global strategic expertise, technical and after sales support, and other experienced resources to fully ensure the performance of Yili’s production lines. We are extremely proud of this recognition because it will also act as an additional trigger for Sidel’s teams to further improve the quality we can offer.” Sidel is ideally established to continue working closely with Yili to achieve their “Hundred Billion Goal” sales ambition by 2020. www.sidel.com