The number of brand change operations carried out in the plants of leading cigarette manufacturers is constantly rising. There are two reasons for this: the increasing number of innovative products being launched and the concentration of activities in fewer but much bigger plants which supply a number of countries. The result is that machine stoppages for brand changes have been making an ever-increasing impact on costs, because, until now, these changes have been done mostly by hand. To cut these losses in productivity, which are even greater on high-speed lines, G.D has recently launched the Automatic Brand Change (ABC) system.

The ABC system requires only 15 minutes’ stoppage time for brand changes, including cleaning time. This translates into significant productivity gains. Furthermore, by handling the cigarettes gently and consistently when filling the hopper, the ABC system also reduces product waste significantly, an issue about which cigarette manufacturers are very aware.