IBP NEWS
How Remote Monitoring and AI are Transforming Water
Treatment for Sustainable Manufacturing
By Chris Payne, Co-founder & Director of PureTec Separations Ltd
As packaging output increases to meet
rising demand, so too does water use.

For bottlers and beverage producers,
this creates a growing challenge: how
to scale up sustainably while keeping
resource use, and costs, under control.

Water is essential across the line, from
ingredient processing and CIP (clean-
in-place) systems to rinsing, cooling
and packaging operations. Managing it
efficiently is more than a back-of-house
concern, it’s a strategic imperative and
opportunity for improvement.

That’s where remote monitoring
and AI come into their own, delivering
unparalleled control and insight
into your water treatment processes,
while supporting key sustainability
targets. These tools not only optimise
plant performance but also underpin
two vital strategies for long-term
success: water efficiency, and proactive
maintenance and refurbishment.

That’s why water efficiency is commonly
measured by the water:product ratio:
a simple but powerful metric for
sustainability in F&B.

The goal? To reduce the volume
of water used per unit produced, cut
waste, and manage effluent responsibly.

However, reaching and maintaining an
optimal water:product ratio is complex,
especially across high-throughput,
multi-stream operations. Even small
inefficiencies can escalate quickly if
left unmonitored.

This is where AI and remote
monitoring can unlock huge
advantages. They offer real-time
visibility, early warning systems, and
trend tracking that allows plants to
move from reactive fixes to predictive,
preventative strategies, helping you
maintain optimal efficiency 24/7.

The Packaging-Water Link:
More Volume, More Pressure
Modern water treatment systems
generate huge volumes of data, but
without the right tools, that data often
goes unused and under utilised. Remote
monitoring changes that by capturing
live performance metrics across
your treatment systems: flow rates,
pressures, pump loads, membrane
status, and more.

At PureTec Separations, we
support manufacturers with AI-
enhanced trending and normalisation
programmes. These tools analyse
current performance against historical
benchmarks, flagging potential issues
before they impact efficiency. Whether
it’s a clogged filter or a gradual drop in
RO system performance, AI ensures you
can act early.

This level of control supports
continuous improvement, reduces waste,
and extends the working life of your
equipment. It also makes it easier to plan
Water use is intrinsically tied to product
output. More bottles mean more
water – whether it’s for washing,
blending, cleaning or chilling.

10 How Remote Monitoring and AI
Improve Control and Insight
interventions during low-demand periods,
minimising disruption, saving costs and
ensuring production continuity.

Water Efficiency:
A Core Pillar of Sustainable
Manufacturing Remote monitoring and AI are more
than just operational upgrades, they’re
enablers of sustainable manufacturing
goals. Water efficiency in particular
supports several strategic outcomes:
Reducing environmental impact:
Less effluent means less pollution
and reduced strain on ecosystems.

Lower water volumes also require less
energy to pump, heat, and treat, cutting
carbon emissions.

Conserving resources:
With aquifer levels falling in parts of
the UK due to borehole over-extraction,
reducing freshwater demand is
increasingly urgent.

Optimising the product cycle:
Lower water use means lower
incoming water costs, reduced
treatment requirements, and improved
profitability – a win-win.

Driving energy efficiency:
High-efficiency technologies like
PureTec’s Ecosoft range reduce
treatment time and power use.

Enabling circular systems:
Where feasible, remote monitoring
supports closed-loop approaches such
as Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) by
recycling water, recovering resources,
and eliminating discharge altogether.

Why Maintenance and
Refurbishment Still Matter
Even with the smartest systems, physical
components wear over time. Filters clog,
membranes foul, and pumps degrade,
all of which compromise performance.

Without regular attention, these issues
silently increase energy consumption
and water rejection rates, undermining
sustainability efforts.

That’s why comprehensive
maintenance and timely refurbishment
INTERNATIONAL BOTTLER & PACKER | JULY 2025



NEWS
remain essential. By combining proactive
monitoring with scheduled servicing,
businesses can extend the life of existing
systems, avoid costly downtime, and
maintain compliance with increasingly
strict discharge regulations.

But technology alone isn’t enough.

The most effective maintenance
strategies pair remote insight with
hands-on experience. At PureTec, our
team of specialist engineers work closely
with clients to interpret monitoring data,
identify root causes of performance
issues, and carry out precision
refurbishments that maximise ROI.

It’s this blend of digital capability and
human expertise that enables long-term
reliability and keeps water treatment
systems running at their best.

Refurbishment is also a powerful
alternative to capital replacement.

Upgrading control systems, replacing
worn membranes, or retrofitting
energy-efficient components can
dramatically improve performance
at a fraction of the environmental
and financial cost of a full system
replacement. Looking Forward:
Future-Ready Production
The pressures on water use in
packaging and bottling are only set
to grow, whether through tighter
regulation, ESG commitments, or rising
energy costs. Fortunately, the tools now
exist to tackle these pressures head-on.

Remote monitoring and AI give you
more than visibility. They give you
control. Combined with a commitment
to maintenance and water-efficient
practices, they can help bottlers and
producers lower operational costs,
protect environmental resources, and
stay one step ahead of regulatory and
commercial demands.

Chris Payne, Co-founder & Director
of PureTec Separations Ltd, outlines
how remote monitoring, AI and strategic
maintenance are enabling the next era of
water-smart, sustainable manufacturing.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE | www.binstedgroup.com
One Stop Refreshes and
Expands Alcohol Range
One Stop has completed its third range
reset of 2025 with its extended beer
and wine selection to engage new
customers as well as responding to the
needs of its current customer base.

From insights, the convenience retailer
has brought in a total of 55 new lines
across its category, including brand-
new, popular products in ready to drink,
wine, beer and low and no.

One Stop’s alcohol overhaul is a
conscious reaction to feedback from
customers across its estate, wanting to
see a wider selection of popular wines,
craft ales and low and no alcohol
options. It’s also an extension of its
sustainability efforts. Understanding
the environmental impact of glass,
One Stop now stock more canned
wines and ales with an added bonus of
these products sitting in a multibuy.

“We’re excited to launch more
premium products across our beer and
wine category. Some specific highlights
include introducing premium cocktail
ready to drink lines such as SERVED
and AU as well as stocking the popular
French wine, La Vielle Ferme White and
La Vielle Ferme Rose. We know these
lines are in demand, particularly with
the Gen Z audience,” commented Head
of Product at One Stop, Henry Maulik.

One Stop are known for their market-
leading offers and promotions, including
its 3 for £6.50 on a variety of alcohol
beverages and to give customers a
wider choice – to mix and match on
their favourite flavours and strengths.

They have also added in an additional
2 for £5 tier to this offer responding
to the growing trend for reduced
alcohol consumption but also helping
customers manage their budgets.

The convenience retailer has
reduced their range of single bottle
ales and replaced them with an
EXCLUSIVE range of premium pint
can ales with a fantastic offer of 4
for £6 or £1.75 each. One Stop have
also introduced a range of 440ml
craft cans including Northern Monk
Heathen 440ml, Northern Monk
Faith 440ml, BrewDog Elvis Juice
440ml, BrewDog Double Hazy 400ml,
Beavertown Heavy Gravity 440ml and
more! These will be available to buy
on a mix & match at 2 for £5.50.

And it’s not just ale drinkers
who now have more choice, cider
drinkers are also in luck with One
Stop broadening its Thatcher’s
range ahead of hopefully, a hot
summer. Customers can now pick
up refreshing fruity flavours such as
Juicy Apple and Cloudy Lemon.

With low and no on the rise,
Henry explains how One Stop are
catering more to its health-conscious
customers: “Customer mindsets and
behaviours are constantly evolving
and it’s important that we’re providing
products that suit their needs, and this
goes for our customers who opt for low
and no alcohol options. Alongside the
fantastic changes we’ve made across
the category, we’re pleased to extend
our low and no range by stocking
Peroni Nastro Azzurro 0.0% 330ml
4 pack and Kopparberg Alcohol-Free
Strawberry & Lime 500ml. These
products will sit next to our other
existing low and no alcohol drinks.”
Turning to the dark side with
Guinness continuing to be an in-
demand product One Stop have also
brought in 4 pack Murphy’s Stout.

This category reset also comes as
a benefit to One Stop’s franchisees.

John Miller, Head of Franchise
at One Stop, comments, “Category
resets are an exciting time for our
Franchise estate. The refresh of
products and expansion will certainly
help with our Franchisee’s sales and
profitability. Leaning into popular
must-have products such as the
range of ales, canned cocktails and
wines will generate interest and
increased footfall.”
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