Have You Outgrown Codi? We Doubt It!
- Dan Welch
- Jan 7
- 4 min read
By: Jake Weesner, Codi Lead Operator/Trainer
Scaling Your Beverage Production with High-Speed Canning Equipment
I don’t need to tell anyone at this point but craft beer has, well, it’s changed quite
a bit in the last few years. Some blame the market, some blame tariffs, some blame trends, but the fact of the matter is it changed, and we are all trying to find footing. I heard someone recently giving their best version of the bubble theory, and while they spoke I internally reminisced of my early days in the craft beer industry. Glory days one might say! Weekend nights in the mid 2000’s, standing in line for a single sixtel of Pliny to be tapped at my local bar. Trying a Lawson’s Sip of Sunshine for the first time. Collecting bombers of 18% motor oil and displaying them prominently. Are those days behind us? Or has the first wave ebbed as we wait for the next flow?
If we really look at it, take a few steps back and truly dissect our industry, what is
the true scope? Being in the service department here at Codi, I would say the last
couple of years have been peppered more and more with 2 distinct phone calls:
1 - I just bought a used Codi line from a brewery in town that closed.
2 - There have been a couple breweries near us that have closed their
brick and mortar location and we have absorbed their brewing/canning, so we need to double our production.
Based on what we see, hear, and experience, beer isn’t going anywhere. What is
changing, is that the people that do it well, are doing a whole lot more of it. Which finally brings me to the point of this article; can you outgrow a Codi system?
When Codi first started making filler/seamers, we assumed that our standard
customer base would be local brewpubs, mobile canners, folks looking to keep their taprooms stocked. That quickly grew, like really grew! But not in the way most companies would have. When our first fillers hit the market, we were almost 20 years into making conveyors, depalletizers, all the other stuff a beverage production facility needed. We very quickly established a name for ourselves with the big guys as the rowdy bunch from Colorado, with untouchable production and automation abilities. As competitors started to take notice, we made the call very early on that when it came to filling and seaming, we would cap our filling cpm, and ramp up in every other avenue.
We love when a customer needs to increase their speed past that which we offer
for filling and seaming. Many have added a second Codi filler to double throughput while adding more conveyance accumulation for can collection, but if you get to a point where 90-100 cans a minute still isn’t cutting it, well guess what? Codi is still your ticket to glory feeding and accumulating a high speed line.
Beyond the Filler: Full-Line Automation Solutions
Most of our customers are very familiar with our standard DPL-250, conveyance,
twist rinse tracks, etc. but we offer high speed options for every one of them! Take for instance our DPL-1000, able to feed lines upwards of 2300 cans per minute. The DPL-1000 Depalletizer automates bulk can handling by staging pallets, removing slip sheets and top frames. Built-in safety systems—including light curtains, automatic doors, and component safety locks—protect both staff and equipment during operation.
A twist rinse will easily feed a Codi filler, but what if you’re feeding something
high speed? Then take a look at the Vacuum Loop Rinser. This fully automated machine prepares empty cans for filling by removing dust, debris, and other contaminants that could affect product quality. Its gentle vacuum conveyance reduces contact and jams, while variable-speed, no-adjustment operation ensures smooth performance across container sizes and line speeds. A good fit when layout flexibility or enhanced cleaning performance is required.
Case handling is another area where shaving off labor can make a huge
difference for the efficiency of your facility. This is where I introduce you to the Flex Pack & Flex Stack Pro! A gantry-based palletizer/depalletizer system designed for packaging and logistics operations. It can be ordered in different sizes and it is adaptable to nearly any packaging workflow. Flex Stack exceeds cobots in payload and speed and at a fraction of their cost and its simple linear mechanics reduce maintenance and downtime. Unlike robotic-arm systems, its compact architecture packs capability into a tight footprint, and a browser-based interface lets operators adjust package dimensions without programming.
The list goes on of how many different ways we can increase throughput for any
packaging facility, pasteurizer tunnels anywhere from 20 to 60 feet, infinity tables for can collection, labelers, carrier applicators, I could go all day!
The moral of the story? We’re here for the long haul, and our equipment is built the same way. As your operation grows, your Codi can grow with it—capacity, configuration, and capability. Packaging for life, forklift certified, that's what's up!
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