Swiss beverage packaging provider Sidel (Hunenberg; www.sidel.com) has opened an office in Buenos Aires dedicated to serving its South Hispanic customers in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia. Sidel said the move is a response to customers’ requests for a dedicated facility in the region that can help them meet local market demands.

Argentina is the third largest economy and beverage market in Latin America and provides excellent opportunities for further growth, the company said. According to Sidel, PET is the packaging material with the largest potential in Latin America, growing at an annual rate of 5% to 2017.

Commenting on the new office in Puerto Madero, Sidel’s regional commercial director for South Hispanic, Marcos Pilati, said: “We are all pleased to have an office in Argentina to serve our customers in the region. We are now closer to them and they have already started to experience the benefits over the last few weeks.”

Major Argentinian beverage producer, and an existing customer, Refres Now (Buenos Aires; www.refresnow.com.ar), is collaborating closely with Sidel to explore the latest technology in order to maintain its leading position in the domestic market. Earlier this year, Refres Now installed a Sidel line at its plant in La Matanza for filling carbonated soft drinks. The line, which can produce 30,000 2.5 litre bottles per hour, has cut electricity use by 17% and improved bottle stability making them better suited for handling and transportation.