Epirotic expands market reach with Krones technology

GREECE – Epirotic Bottling Industry, a family-owned company has embraced Krones technology to expand into new market segments.

Founded in 1990 and now led by the second generation—Pavlo, Kosta, and Rigino Sepetas—the company employs 500 people and operates three production facilities across Greece.

Epirotic’s Vikos brand remains the country’s best-selling natural mineral water, a testament to its commitment to sustainable, organic growth.

Epirotic has consistently pursued vertical integration and facility expansion, including its own preform manufacturing plant.

Its latest move—introducing two additional container formats—aligns with this strategy, reinforcing its commitment to growth. The company turned to Krones, a long-term partner, to execute this ambitious plan. 

“We’ve worked with Krones since 2005, starting with Greece’s first PET bottling line, and we’ve been highly satisfied. Today, we have seven Krones lines running in our plants,” says Pavlo Sepetas.

To expand into the hotel, restaurant, and café sector with stylish glass bottles and cans, Epirotic needed a partner with expertise in returnable-glass and canning lines.

Krones stood out—not only for its technical know-how but also for its efficiency and cost-effectiveness. 

“Planning began in 2020 but was delayed by the pandemic. When we resumed in 2021, Krones won the bid hands down—their proposal was attractive, and they quickly delivered the ideal layout for the two lines,” adds Sepetas. 

Innovative layout and fast execution

One of the project’s main challenges was fitting both lines into an existing production hall, while ensuring seamless intralogistics.

The hall’s storage areas for raw materials and finished goods limited available space, requiring both lines to start and end at the same location. 

“Krones provided the best possible solution, overcoming all space constraints,” explains Dimitris Vassos, Epirotic’s maintenance manager.

Despite these complexities, the execution was remarkably fast. 

“The first machine arrived on August 5, and by October 31, both lines were in full production. That’s impressive,” says Sepetas. 

Commitment to quality and sustainability

Epirotic upholds stringent quality standards, which played a crucial role in choosing Krones technology.

The new Modulfill VFS-C filler with a Modulseam seamer, integrated into the Modulfill Bloc FS-C, ensures a hygienic, microbiologically safe canning process within a compact footprint. 

For its glass bottles, Epirotic has opted for a premium “no-label look”, achieved using transparent labels applied by the Ergomodul labeller. 

The glass bottling line can handle both returnable and non-returnable bottles, offering flexibility across different sales channels.

Three high-performance packers—the Variopac Pro FS, Variopac Pro WTS, and Smartpac C—enable efficient, visually appealing packaging options to suit varied consumer preferences. 

With this strategic expansion, Epirotic continues to strengthen its market presence, combining cutting-edge technology, premium design, and sustainable solutions to meet evolving customer demands.

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