Home: Issue 1 2012 › A can-do attitude
A can-do attitude
05/03/2012 | Channel: Manufacturing
One of the largest custom aerosol manufacturers in Central Europe, Czech Aerosol leads the field when it comes to innovation, quality and service
Formerly (previously) known as Lybar AS, Czech Aerosol is recognised as the biggest manufacturer of aerosols in the Czech Republic with an annual capacity of approximately 55 million units: “The company’s first trials with aerosol production began in 1959 with official production commencing in 1961,” says Jiri Safer, commercial director of Czech Aerosol. “From this time until 1990 it specialised in manufacturing its own labels for closed domestic markets. Following the political changes that saw the East of the continent open up to the rest of Europe, the company started work as a contract filler for some of the best known companies of the time.
“Today Czech Aerosol operates three Pamasol index production lines, each with a peak capacity of 120 units per minute and each able to fill aluminum and tin plate cans at diameters of 35 millimeters up to 65 millimeters. As propellants the company uses propane-butane in different pressures, dimethyl ether on standard bases and has the ability to offer other propellants upon individual request.”
A managing member of the Czech Aerosol Association (CAS), Czech Aerosol presently holds ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 22716:2007 certificates, with further plans to obtain ISO 13485 certification: “The business of aerosol manufacturing is a very specific, and quite isolated, one where competition is strong and every company comes in at essentially the same starting level,” Jiri states, before highlighting the core characteristics that set Czech Aerosol apart from these competitors. “The ability to develop and offer new, innovative products is one of the key differentiating features of Czech Aerosol.
“It almost goes without saying that, particularly during the current economic climate, in order for the company to remain successful it needs to remain true to its values of innovation, flexibility and being customer orientated. Being an active partner of each customer is vitally important and is something Czech Aerosol is committed to being, rather than just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill supplier. Being a medium-sized, family owned company, it is also able to make strategic decisions and adapt to changing market conditions rapidly, which is also a massive advantage to have.”
A key focus for the company in recent times has been its aim to expand its business by as much as 30 per cent in terms of capacity, a process that was furthered with the implementation of its third production line: “Over the course of the next few months a series of cosmetic tune-ups on this line will be conducted, after which the company will be able to utilise its full capacity,” Jiri explains. “Another step Czech Aerosol is looking to take involves the expansion of its bulk-mixing area, a move that will support the company’s increased production capacity and thus improve overall manufacturing efficiency. This project will also be accompanied by another designed to fully implement bi-compartment filling technology, which will enable the company to offer a new family of products expanding on an already extensive product and formulation portfolio.”
At its heart, a dedicated research and development team offering a huge variety of its own formulations in the field of personal care, hair care, household and technical products support all of the company’s operations: “Each year Czech Aerosol endeavors to generate a fresh research and development plan in which it states its goals for developing new, state-of-the-art products,” Jiri continues. “This plan is predominantly generated from various customer ideas and from market analysis gathered throughout the previous 12 months. The ultimate aim is to always have several fresh concepts and products that can then be presented at the annual PLMA exhibition in Amsterdam.”
While strategies such as the aforementioned continue to be maintained, the company clearly has to adapt to what can be volatile market conditions: “Unexpected turn of events can, at times, leave deep scratches on not just Czech Aerosol, but also on the wider industry in general. The most recent example of such events occurred in the second quarter of 2011 when the price of propellants and alcohol, both key materials in this line of work, rose to near record levels,” Jiri says. “By the end of 2011 these raw material prices appeared to have stabilised, however the industry is still dealing with the combined effects of the uncertain future of the Euro zone and various political situations across the region. Each crisis that rears its head takes its toll on the weaker players in the market, so it is a real testament that Czech Aerosol remains a healthy, focused and strong entity.
“With this in mind those throughout the company envision Czech Aerosol continuing to cement its position amongst the elite aerosol manufacturers in Europe over the next few years whilst retaining its recognition for quality, flexibility and ground-breaking innovation.”
Czech Aerosol a.s.
Employees 160
Products Aerosols
“Today Czech Aerosol operates three Pamasol index production lines, each with a peak capacity of 120 units per minute and each able to fill aluminum and tin plate cans at diameters of 35 millimeters up to 65 millimeters. As propellants the company uses propane-butane in different pressures, dimethyl ether on standard bases and has the ability to offer other propellants upon individual request.”
A managing member of the Czech Aerosol Association (CAS), Czech Aerosol presently holds ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 22716:2007 certificates, with further plans to obtain ISO 13485 certification: “The business of aerosol manufacturing is a very specific, and quite isolated, one where competition is strong and every company comes in at essentially the same starting level,” Jiri states, before highlighting the core characteristics that set Czech Aerosol apart from these competitors. “The ability to develop and offer new, innovative products is one of the key differentiating features of Czech Aerosol.
“It almost goes without saying that, particularly during the current economic climate, in order for the company to remain successful it needs to remain true to its values of innovation, flexibility and being customer orientated. Being an active partner of each customer is vitally important and is something Czech Aerosol is committed to being, rather than just an ordinary, run-of-the-mill supplier. Being a medium-sized, family owned company, it is also able to make strategic decisions and adapt to changing market conditions rapidly, which is also a massive advantage to have.”
A key focus for the company in recent times has been its aim to expand its business by as much as 30 per cent in terms of capacity, a process that was furthered with the implementation of its third production line: “Over the course of the next few months a series of cosmetic tune-ups on this line will be conducted, after which the company will be able to utilise its full capacity,” Jiri explains. “Another step Czech Aerosol is looking to take involves the expansion of its bulk-mixing area, a move that will support the company’s increased production capacity and thus improve overall manufacturing efficiency. This project will also be accompanied by another designed to fully implement bi-compartment filling technology, which will enable the company to offer a new family of products expanding on an already extensive product and formulation portfolio.”
At its heart, a dedicated research and development team offering a huge variety of its own formulations in the field of personal care, hair care, household and technical products support all of the company’s operations: “Each year Czech Aerosol endeavors to generate a fresh research and development plan in which it states its goals for developing new, state-of-the-art products,” Jiri continues. “This plan is predominantly generated from various customer ideas and from market analysis gathered throughout the previous 12 months. The ultimate aim is to always have several fresh concepts and products that can then be presented at the annual PLMA exhibition in Amsterdam.”
While strategies such as the aforementioned continue to be maintained, the company clearly has to adapt to what can be volatile market conditions: “Unexpected turn of events can, at times, leave deep scratches on not just Czech Aerosol, but also on the wider industry in general. The most recent example of such events occurred in the second quarter of 2011 when the price of propellants and alcohol, both key materials in this line of work, rose to near record levels,” Jiri says. “By the end of 2011 these raw material prices appeared to have stabilised, however the industry is still dealing with the combined effects of the uncertain future of the Euro zone and various political situations across the region. Each crisis that rears its head takes its toll on the weaker players in the market, so it is a real testament that Czech Aerosol remains a healthy, focused and strong entity.
“With this in mind those throughout the company envision Czech Aerosol continuing to cement its position amongst the elite aerosol manufacturers in Europe over the next few years whilst retaining its recognition for quality, flexibility and ground-breaking innovation.”
Czech Aerosol a.s.
Employees 160
Products Aerosols