South Africa’s Coleus Packaging invests US$2.11M in new metal crown manufacturing line 

SOUTH AFRICA – Leading metal crown manufacturer, Coleus Packaging, is set to ramp up production in 2024, with plans to manufacture between seven and eight billion metal crown closures for bottling companies, breweries, and beverage industry players across South Africa and the continent. 

This expansion comes following Coleus Packaging’s investment of R40 million (US$2.11M) in a state-of-the-art metal crown manufacturing machine, the PMC500.  

According to Phillip Sathekge, Managing Director of Nokusa Packaging and a 25 percent shareholder in Coleus Packaging, this new machine is capable of producing 5,000 metal crown caps every minute, marking a substantial enhancement in production capacity. 

Stelios Vitogiannis, Managing Director of Astir Vitogiannis, which holds a 75 percent stake in Coleus, emphasized that this investment aims to upgrade operational capabilities at the Coleus Packaging Alrode factory in Johannesburg.  

With the PMC500, Coleus anticipates increased output, improved efficiency, and consistent product quality while reducing overall energy consumption and carbon emissions. 

Ian Victor, Coleus Packaging’s Managing Director, highlighted the significance of the PMC500 in streamlining operations and reducing costs while maintaining high-quality standards.  

Victor stated, “This new line of machinery will give us 90 percent to 95 percent efficiency. This new machine will manufacture what two machines, in the past, would have manufactured.” 

With enhanced production capacity, Coleus Packaging aims to address growing demand in the brewery and beverage industry.  

Victor expressed confidence in the company’s ability to meet industry growth expectations, stating, “The PMC500 machine will help us meet the demands of the local brewery and beverage industry in South Africa, which we expect to grow by between 6 percent and 8 percent in the coming years.” 

Looking ahead, Coleus Packaging plans to expand its presence across Africa and solidify its position as a preferred supplier in the metal crown cap manufacturing market.  

Victor believes that the company’s increased production capacity will enable it to serve more African countries and achieve volume-based accomplishments comparable to multinational global companies in the market. 

The investment comes when South Africa’s beverage industry is expected to grow from US$19.01 billion in 2023 to US$24.47 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 5.19 percent during the forecast period (2023-2028), according to Mordor Intelligence.

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