To cite the legend of Borjomi, one of the most famous mineral waters in the world first demonstrated its rejuvenating powers to a wounded deer in the Caucasian pine forests of Georgia. A hunter observing the animal’s wondrous recovery then tried the water himself; feeling revived and invigorated, he rushed home to tell of his wondrous discovery. Archaeological finds show that the mineral spring has been used for around a thousand years, its story of success really only taking off in the middle of the 19th century. At a time when spa tourism was flourishing all over Europe, the little town of Borjomi developed into an opulent spa resort where Russian aristocrats and well-heeled Persians and Azerbaijanis had splendid palaces and villas erected. Famous guests such as Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy and Stalin sought relaxation and recreation in the town, as did many families with children up into the 1980s and 1990s.
Borjomi’s curative water has been filled into glass bottles here since 1890 – in not immodest quantities of ten to twelve million bottles per annum even in the early days. In 1969 a new bottling shop replaced the historic facility that now serves as a museum. In the 1980s the modern setup notched up annual sales of around 400 million bottles. The beverage named after the city on the Kura River is synonymous with mineral water throughout the entire region, highly popular for its extremely mineral and slightly salty taste. Naturally fortified with carbon dioxide from a spring that bubbles out of the rock at a constant temperature of between 37 and 41°C, over 60 different minerals and other natural ingredients make this water unique. Closely monitored by geologists and physicists for more than 170 years, well over 100 studies and analyses confirm its constantly high quality and unchanged physical and chemical properties: thanks to the potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, chlorine, hydrocarbons and a high level of alkalinity it contains, the water scores by “renewing, revitalizing and rejuvenating body, mind and soul”, as the company website claims.
Borjomi also holds emotional appeal in several different respects. Better known than any other home brand in Georgia, over the decades it has developed to not only become the unrivaled market leader but also an icon that endows a sense of identity. Beyond the national borders this water from the Caucasus acts as a figurehead, constituting a large proportion of the country’s entire export volume. Finally, the name “Borjomi” is inextricably linked to the proverbial hospitality that’s always shown here in this land between the mountains and the coast of the Black Sea. “In everything we do we want to celebrate our own history and the rich cultural heritage of Georgia,” states Ivane Matchavariani, CEO of IDS Borjomi Georgia. “We also want to be a beacon for the future of our country. For this, we need to speak the language of the next generation.”
Common history
On the company’s journey into the future, German machine and systems manufacturer KHS has been a reliable partner for many years. A first filtering system was procured over 60 years ago from predecessor company Seitz in Bad Kreuznach and from 2004 to 2006 KHS was largely responsible for the supply, installation and commissioning of a PET line and the packaging and palletizing section of a glass line. Together, the two companies not only look back but also and above all forward: as its technology partner the Dortmund systems supplier supports IDS Borjomi Georgia, to give the beverage producer its full name, on its journey into the future. In 2020 construction started on a further up-to-the-minute, over €40-million facility in the historial spa town of Borjomi. Kitted out with hightech from Germany in the main, this is setting new standards for the industry and the region and pumping new impetus into the country’s economy. When finished, the new bottling plant covering 25,000 square meters will provide 20% more jobs and enable capacity to be doubled in the medium term. This is to allow the growing demand to be met on the one hand and the portfolio to be expanded as and when required on the other. Ecology is especially important here: for instance, the new machines have been optimized for efficient use of energy and water and a cutting-edge sewage plant filters wastewater. Much of the work has already been finished; the logistics centers and railroad connections are expected to be completed by the end of 2024.
Aside from supplying large proportions of the equipment for the process technology and filling and packaging systems, KHS has taken on the role of consultant and general contractor, on whose experience the beverage bottler is happy to rely. “We have complete trust in KHS’ technological expertise when it comes to the filling of mineral water and carbonated soft drinks,” says Gia Shatirishvili, industrial development director for IDS Borjomi Georgia. “Together we’ve drawn up a conceptual master plan that consists of the technical preparation, calculation of production and supply capacities and the perspective layout of the new factory.” Specifically, KHS is helping to dimension the water treatment area, manage supply to the lines with media such as steam, air, CO2 and cooling and plan the supply networks and CIP concepts. The engineers from Dortmund are also involved in the design of the production shop. Here, all of the opportunities provided by 3D line design are being fully exploited.
