To meet increasing demand for small pack products, Exol Lubricants has invested in an additional six-head Adelphi Masterfil filling machine at its production facility in Wednesbury. The investment enables the UK’s largest independently owned lubricants blender to offer even greater flexibility to customers.
Specialising in filling 1-litre and 5-litre containers, the additional filling line enhances Exol’s already versatile production capability. It handles both low- and high-viscosity lubricants, including antifreeze, while providing increased capacity for both small and large customer orders.
Superior Output and Increased Production Capacity
The new filling machine delivers 1,440 fills per hour, equating to 11,520 fills per eight-hour shift. This enables Exol to produce an additional 2,800+ five-litre boxes or more than 500 one-litre boxes every working day.
In total, Exol’s Wednesbury facility now has the capability to fill, pack and distribute more than 30,000 bottles per day, significantly strengthening its small pack production offering.
The machine’s filling nozzles are programmed to dive slightly into the container neck, ensuring a precise, high-quality fill. Variable speed filling capability allows Exol to manage workloads efficiently, adjusting output in line with current demand.
Pump and nozzle movements, along with filling speeds, are pneumatically controlled, allowing precise, custom filling “recipes” to be saved and recalled for different lubricant products.
Exceptional Standards of Hygiene and Accuracy
With the COVID-19 pandemic highlighting the critical role of hygiene and sanitation, all wetted machine parts that come into contact with product are manufactured from pharmaceutical-grade 316L stainless steel and PTFE.
A “no container, no fill” sensing system prevents unnecessary waste of containers and product, while exceptional filling accuracy of ±0.2% further reduces waste and improves overall cost efficiency.
Flexible and High-Speed Capping Performance
The filling line is complemented by a Mastercap capping machine, providing flexibility, robustness, reliability, and high-speed cap application for Exol’s plastic screw-on caps.
Capable of applying up to 60 caps per minute, the Mastercap features hygienic 304 grade stainless steel construction, ensuring reliable performance at a time when hygiene standards are paramount.
Adelphi Masterfil’s proven reliability is underpinned by ISO 9001:2015 certified manufacturing and logistical procedures, giving Exol complete confidence in its investment.
Supporting Exol’s Ongoing Growth Strategy
The additional filling line forms part of Exol Lubricants’ wider growth and investment strategy. Recent developments include:
- A website upgrade
- New packaging designs
- The addition of four Scania trucks to its logistics fleet
Further investment was planned for 2021, as Exol continues to reinvest across all areas of the business to support long-term growth.
Customer Commitment and Market Leadership
Steve Dunn, Sales & Marketing Director at Exol Lubricants, commented: “It’s essential that we continue to offer enhanced flexibility to our customers, and our recent round of investments highlights our commitment to ensuring our business is perfectly positioned to support their business.”
He added: “The additional filling line further boosts our capacity for small pack production, an area we have excelled in over recent years.”
