Riyadh Modern Factory for Container Manufacturing (CMC) has spread its wings westwards with the opening of its factory in Jeddah.
CMC, already claiming to be the region's largest metal cans manufacturer with a production capacity exceeding 500 million cans annually, will have tinplate printing facilities and can-manufacturing operations at its Jeddah plant.
The project is in line with the company's plans to be near customers, said CMC general manager Nabil Al Fraih. The company has also made available a full sales and service facility in Jeddah, enabling CMC to service on a regional basis a rapidly developing and emerging market.
"We are pleased to have a physical presence in the Jeddah market and look forward to being able to provide a first-class and wholly reliable service to customers in the western region as well as their customers in the surrounding eastern and northern Africa," said Al Fraih.
Al Fraih said CMC had discovered a unique blend of services to customers, thanks to its dedicated staff.
"Our core philosophy is to develop partnerships with customers. This shall be carried out with 'just-in-time service' and a more efficient transport and handling system...As a producer of high-quality metal containers, we shall be adding value to that with the upgraded services and new products that suit local manufacturing needs," he said.
Meanwhile final trial runs are in progress at the CMC to produce tinplate closures for food and beverages glass containers using the vacuum system technology.
CMC, a fully-owned subsidiary of Al Watania for Industries, is set to be one of the pioneers of that kind of manufacture and plans to begin commercial production of CMC CAP closures of sizes 38mm to 82mm in the near future, following an audit test currently being carried out by a European consultancy.
Explaining the application process, Al-Fraih said the closure's preheated compound liner was pressed against the glassed sealing surface while the lugs engaged the threads. Once sufficient vacuum was achieved by means of condensed vapour, the vacuum-indicating button was drawn down.
"The new CMC CAP closures have been undergoing extensive studies," said Al-Fraih. He said the tinplate closures were so perfect that they would not let the oxygen penetrate inside the jar and reach the food or drink. That gave the product quality and greater shelf life
Al-Fraih said that regardless of the filling conditions (hot, cold, aseptic, pasteurisation, sterilisation), CMC CAP(r) closures guaranteed absolute tightness until opened by the consumer. "A distinct 'pop' is heard, demonstrating to consumers that a product is safely sealed in three ways," he said, dwelling on the quality of the product.
Explaining the additional advantages of CMC CAP(r) closures, Al-Fraih said the cap area, which one holds to open the container, was larger, making it easier to open or close. The caps were also just large enough for promotional messages to be inscribed. A wide range of special liners and lacquers were available for CMC CAP(r) closures to suit the type of product packed. The new closures were a departure from the conventional.
"CMC has built a reputation since 1977 for being the manufacturer of high-quality metal containers and today enjoys the status of being the largest manufacturer in the Middle East region with a production capacity exceeding 500 million cans annually. To be the first Saudi Company to manufacture such a product makes us strive harder to be in the number one spot", said Al Fraih.
