From deep under the ground, straight into the bottle: Mineralquelle Eptingen (CH) uses the utmost care and draws on its many years of experience in the bottling of its mineral water. At the Lostorf site, food-grade special lubricants ensure that the systems can be operated safely and efficiently.
Mineralquelle Eptingen has a history dating back 125 years. The long-established company is still family-owned today and is now in the fourth generation with around 65 employees. It has been collecting mineral water from the spring in Eptingen in the Oberbasel region since 1899. A second site in Lostorf in the canton of Solothurn has supplemented production since 1944. With an output of over 60 million bottles a year, this traditional family business is one of the major bottlers in Switzerland.
The idyllic village of Lostorf on the edge of the northern foot of the Jura Mountains is home to Cristallo. The clear mineral water originates from one of the deepest artesian springs in Europe – it rises to the surface automatically, without the need for any pumps. “The water we bottle today fell as a raindrop around 34 years ago. It has had a long journey through different layers of rock,” explains Reto von Arx, Production Manager in Lostorf. All the minerals are of 100 % natural origin. Cristallo is free from nitrates, uranium and pharmaceutical residues. It has a balanced mineral content – with 31 % of the daily requirement of calcium and 18 % of magnesium per litre. The Cristallo spring has been rated “very good” by K-Tipp multiple times and it is one of the best mineral waters in Switzerland.
The production of food requires the highest hygiene and safety standards. To meet these requirements, Mineralquelle Eptingen has relied on around 20 lubrication, care and cleaning products from MOTOREX for over 20 years. The FOOD LINE, which has been specially developed for the food industry, comprises H1-certified lubricants that are approved for incidental but not intentional contact with food. It is no longer enough that a product simply works well. Certifications, precise documentation and complete traceability are indispensable nowadays. Using products such as FOOD C+D SPRAY or FOOD FLUID 220 enables Mineralquelle Eptingen to meet all the legal requirements. The company also benefits from greater operating reliability, reduced downtime and full audit compliance.
The collaboration extends far beyond product sales: MOTOREX provides support with training courses, product changes and technical clarifications. This is a major advantage, especially when it comes to new machines or changing requirements. “When I need a new product, I ask for a sample. We test it internally and then implement it– always in close coordination with MOTOREX,” says Reto von Arx. For certified operations, it is crucial that the solutions do not come off the shelf, but are precisely tailored to the specific requirements. A streamlined product range, full traceability and tested quality provide the necessary assurance and bolster confidence in the products and the service provided. This philosophy is palpable: the partnership is characterised by product quality, reliability, proximity and mutual understanding.
The team in Lostorf will continue to focus on innovation– both technical and organisational. One item on the company’s agenda is the purchase of a state-of-the-art film shrinking machine. The continuing digitalisation of ISO processes and documentation is another important step. Through these measures, Mineralquelle Eptingen is aiming to ensure it is prepared for future challenges. The partnership with MOTOREX remains an important pillar of this work. “We really appreciate how straightforward MOTOREX are to work with. All it takes is a phone call and we get exactly the support we need,” says Reto von Arx. The company’s geographical proximity to the MOTOREX headquarters in Langenthal helps to support rapid response times and strengthens personal interaction. The partnership is impressive from both a technical and a human perspective – and hopefully will continue to sparkle for many years to come.
More about MOTOREX FOOD LINE.