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There are significant benefits to investing in an automatic bottling line. You reduce labor costs, increase production efficiency and consistency, and running a series of machines is pretty satisfying.
But then comes the operative question: How much does an automatic bottling line cost?
The answer? A fair amount. Of course, the cost’s going to depend on your production needs and what they dictate you buy. But we’re talking an automatic bottling line here, not a semi-automatic tabletop operation. Which means you’re looking at spending five figures, minimum.
In this article, we’re going to explore some of the factors behind those costs, and tell you why it’s ultimately worth it.
Basic Cost Factors for an Automatic Bottling Equipment Line
Let’s assume you’re looking to establish an automatic bottling line entirely from scratch; you don’t have any machinery already.
A basic bottling line would need, at the very least, a filling machine, a capper, a labeler, and either a long conveyor to convey a bottle through them all, or a series of shorter, connected conveyors. Something like this would maybe cost around $30,000, assuming you buy each machine new.
This line will allow you to quickly and consistently produce your bottled products. You will have to pay for the machines, the shipping, and potentially setup as well.
That is likely the cheapest automatic bottling setup you can invest in, unless you buy all the machines used (which carries its own risks, which we’ll touch on later).
Extra Costs for an Automatic Bottling Line
But what if you need to reject any products that don’t meet your quality standards? You’ll need an inspection/rejection station.
Do you plan on manually orienting all the bottles in your line? If not, you’ll need a bottle orienter.
Are you okay with your finished products falling straight off the conveyor into waiting hands or a box? You’ll need at least one turntable if the answer to that question is also ‘no’.
Will you need to rinse your bottles? Place codes on the labels? Case-pack and palletize them?
As you’ve probably figured out, the cost of your bottling line will depend a lot on your production needs. The more machines you order and incorporate into your production line, the greater your bill.
But you’ll also potentially save a significant amount of money from reducing labor and preventing costly defective products from winding up in customers’ hands.
The Hidden Factors Behind Bottling Line Costs
There are more factors at play than the machines themselves. The sticker price is not the final one; you have to consider what’s called your Total Cost of Ownership, or TCO. This is all the additional costs you’ll need to pay once you have your machine.
For example, say you want to keep your costs low, so you buy a cheaper machine that promptly breaks. So you have to pay all kinds of additional costs to get it up and running again: labor, parts sourcing, downtime, et cetera.
Which you could have avoided by buying the more expensive machine that came with the service warranty and training.
You’ll also need training from the manufacturer if you want to run your machine with confidence. And you may even need to pay for service calls in the future, in case a component breaks or you run into other issues with the machine.
And you’ll obviously need to spend time and money on cleaning the machine(s) to ensure that your product doesn’t get contaminated at any point.
You’ll need to add these otherwise invisible costs to the initial sticker prices for each machine you purchase for your production line. Then you can get a better idea of how much investing in an automatic production line will actually cost you.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Costs of Bottling Automation
On average, how much does an automatic bottling line cost?
We estimate that, on average, an automatic bottling line costs $91,000.
Can I make do with cheaper, semi-automatic machines?
Theoretically, yes, you can absolutely use semi-automatic machines instead. However, you may not be able to incorporate them into an automatic line and achieve the same production rate as you would with a completely automatic line.
How much would a 100 bottles-per-minute line cost?
We estimate that such a bottling line would require rotary machinery; such machines tend to be the most expensive. You’d be looking at spending at least $500,000.
What other costs can I expect?
You can expect to pay for customizations to your machine(s), training on how to operate the machine(s), installing the machine(s), and possibly for maintaining and repairing the machine(s) in the future.
How long will it take me to recoup my costs?
That is going to depend on your business; what you sell, how much of it, and how quickly.
Figuring Out Prices for Automatic Bottle Filler Line
If you need a specific price on the production line you have in mind, give Accutek a call. We can go over your production needs and the specific machines that can meet them. Then we can start figuring out what configurations of bottling machines would best fit into your budget.
