Grupo Modelo’s Compañia Cervecera de Coahuila S.A. de C.V. in Piedras Negras, Mexico, is one of the most automated plants in the global beer industry, yet it still retains the mastery of making beer that the company has had since its inception, thus preserving the traditional quality of its brands. The eighth and most recent plant in Grupo Modelo’s portfolio, the Compañia Cervecera de Coahuila has been called the “eighth wonder of Grupo Modelo.” Corona Extra production began March 28, 2010, in one of the most modern process plants in the world, which is a mark of pride for those who work at Grupo Modelo and in the Mexican village in general.

Processing technologies and The Processing Zone will make first appearances at the Las Vegas show floor for the Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute’s (PMMI) 2011 Pack Expo, the show’s 55th anniversary, taking place Sept. 26-28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Cause and effect situations are prevalent on product lines in beverage manufacturing plants. Just as a jam upstream can cause proliferation of product downstream, palletizing equipment has been affected by industry trends toward higher line speeds and lighter packages, which has influenced new advancements.

To continually improve its capabilities as a contract packager, Nor-Cal Beverage Co. Inc., Sacramento, Calif., has made investments exceeding $100 million in its two facilities in California. The improvements have placed the third-generation family-owned company on track to produce 45 million cases of product in 2011 for companies such as The Coca-Cola Co., Hansen’s Natural and Ferolito, Vultaggio & Sons.

The MillerCoors brewery in Wisconsin is located on a 90-acre campus in the heart of Milwaukee, in what used to be the corporate headquarters for Miller Brewing — MillerCoors now has its headquarters in Chicago.