Stay tuned
for the latest updates
Subscribe Now
How KCB International brought PET jar production in-house, and turned to Delta Engineering to make it happen
KCB International had decided to produce the rigid plastic jars for its bird peanut butter in-house rather than sourcing them externally. To realise that ambition, the company approached Nissei ASB and Delta Engineering.
With a Nissei ASB blow molding machine and Delta Engineering’s downstream automation, KCB International turned that decision into a fully integrated packaging process, in which jars move straight from production into the filling line.
• Challenge:
Transitioning from shipping in pre-blown plastic jars to in-house blow molding.
Delta Engineering integrated an automated palletizing and depalletizing solution
downstream of the Nissei ASB blow molding machine
o Full control over production planning
o Significant reduction in transport costs
o Elimination of manual handling between blow molding and the filling line
KCB International is the world’s largest private label production company in fish feed for
angling. Through its subsidiary Kuijpers Petfood BV it also produces bird feed for outdoor
birds, including peanut butter. For the packaging of this bird peanut butter, the company
relied on an external supplier.
KCB International decided to change all that. By bringing jar production in-house, the
company aimed to gain greater control over planning, streamline operations, and support its sustainability ambitions.
Why KCB International chose to produce its own jars
KCB International produces very large volumes of bird peanut butter on its own filling lines. In that specific situation, the company saw an opportunity in producing the jars on site, directly next to the filling line.
According to KCB International, this would give the company tighter control over its own production planning, remove the inbound transport of empty jars, and reduce the manual handling of pallets inside the facility.
A fully integrated solution, from blow molding to filling
Having decided to bring jar production in-house, KCB International approached Nissei ASB and Delta Engineering, and invested in a Nissei ASB blow molding machine combined with a palletizing and depalletizing solution from Delta Engineering.
Delta Engineering and Nissei ASB already had extensive experience collaborating on similar
projects. Hence, the implementation progressed smoothly from start to finish, leading to a
perfectly integrated downstream automation setup.
The result is a streamlined production flow in which the rigid plastic jars are produced on
site and automatically transported directly to the filling line, eliminating several manual
process steps along the way.
Full control over production planning
By producing jars on site, KCB International can now plan jar production in line with its own filling schedule. This gives the company full control over its production planning and the flexibility to respond quickly to changing demand or operational requirements.
For manufacturers operating in high-volume feed production environments, this increased
autonomy translates directly into greater operational reliability.
Significant reduction in transport and packaging waste
Producing jars on site drastically reduced inbound transport movements. According to KCB
International, the new setup eliminates between 40 and 50 inbound jar shipments per year.
At the same time, reusable interlayer sheets replaced large amounts of single-use packaging
materials that were previously discarded after delivery. This not only reduces waste but also
contributes to a more sustainable and cost-efficient packaging operation.
Eliminating manual handling
One of the biggest operational improvements came from removing unnecessary manual
work from the process. Previously, employees spent significant time loading, unloading, and
moving pallets of jars throughout the facility. Today, jars move directly from production to
filling through the integrated automation setup.
Seamless collaboration and fast installation
For KCB International, the collaboration between Delta Engineering and Nissei ASB proved
to be a major advantage. Because both companies already worked closely together and
understood each other’s technologies, they were able to seamlessly integrate their
technologies into one smoothly operating, fully automated line.
Additionally, installation and commissioning proceeded efficiently and without unnecessary
complications. This ensured a smooth startup and allowed KCB International to quickly
begin benefiting from the new production setup.
Integrated automation that improves efficiency and sustainability
For KCB International, the move toward in-house jar production was about much more
than adding a blow molding machine. It was an opportunity to rethink the entire packaging
flow: from logistics and manual handling to sustainability and production planning.
By combining blow molding technology with Delta Engineering’s downstream automation
expertise, KCB created a more efficient, flexible, and sustainable production environment.
The result: fewer transports, less waste, reduced manual labor, and complete control over
packaging production.
Delta Engineering is ready to help.