Superior sustainable quality and manufacturing excellence.

Understanding Berain Water
Founded in 2015, Berain Water and Beverage Factory began its operations the same year. Headquartered in Riyadh, the company operates three state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities – two in Riyadh and one in Jeddah. The company serves both domestic and international markets, offering a broad range of bottled water products in various sizes, including its iconic 200ml PET bottle, which was introduced to address consumer demand for portion-controlled packaging.

‍A commitment to end-to-end quality
“At Berain, one of our core competitive advantages is our superior sustainable quality performance,” says AbdelNaeem. “We implement an end-to-end quality concept, ensuring the highest standards from the materials we use, through every step of our operations, to the final product available to consumers. This holistic approach covers the entire supply chain cycle – ‘the make, move, and sell’ – and sets us apart in the marketplace.”

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Saudi bottled water market: unique dynamics
“The Saudi bottled water market is unique,” AbdelNaeem explains. “Nearly the entire population relies on bottled water for domestic use, and with the growing number of visitors to the Kingdom, the demand continues to increase. In addition, the Saudi market is distinct in that glass bottles are used only once, unlike in European markets where reuse is common. This makes glass bottles in Saudi Arabia more exclusive and premium.”

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Market outlook and growth opportunities
The outlook for the Saudi bottled water market is highly positive, driven by local customs favouring bottled water and the increasing focus on health and wellness. “As quality of life in Saudi Arabia improves and more people become health-conscious, demand for premium bottled water like Berain continues to rise,” says AbdelNaeem. He highlights Berain’s commitment to the premium market segment, with its products available on national airlines, in five-star hotels, and at other first-class establishments.

‍The driving vision: sustainable winning quality “Berain’s promise to consumers”
“Berain’s vision is to be the leading brand in drinking water production and bottling, and that starts with our unwavering focus on quality,” AbdelNaeem states. “We strive to achieve excellence across all areas of our business, including our products, packaging, and customer service. Our facilities are equipped with high-quality infrastructure and global technology, and our team continuously trains to maintain these standards.”
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Looking Ahead: Expanding Reach and Embracing Sustainability
Berain is not only focused on local market growth but also on expanding its presence in the Gulf States. The company is also embracing sustainability, exploring ways to incorporate recycled PET (rPET) into its production while maintaining the highest quality standards. “Our commitment to sustainability extends to every part of our operation, from the materials we use to our long-term business practices,” AbdelNaeem concludes. “We are proud of what we have achieved so far and are excited about the future of Berain Water as a leader in the premium bottled water market in Saudi Arabia.”

You are certified as a Great Place to Work^® company. What is your motivation to engage in this certification process?
Our commitment to achieving the highest quality also means that, in order to attract top talent, we aim to be recognised as an appealing employer. Berain functions as a multinational corporation and, as such, seeks highly skilled individuals in technical areas, logistics, marketing, and sales. The Great Place to Work^® certification serves as a vital tool in drawing premier talent to our organisation.
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Berain has been using preform moulds from Otto Hofstetter AG since early 2018. Why did you choose the Swiss supplier?
The decision to use moulds from Otto Hofstetter AG was made before I joined the company, but the quality and reliability of the Swiss moulds are well known in the industry, which provided a good starting point for our cooperation. And now, having gained experience with the moulds from Otto Hofstetter AG, I share this assessment. We use three 144-cavity moulds and they meet all our requirements in terms of quality and efficiency.

At the beginning of this year, you replaced a hot runner after 20 million cycles and you did this using the OH-Xchange programme. What was your experience like?
The complete overhaul of a 144-cavity mould usually takes around 25 working days, assuming the necessary skilled technicians are available. With OH-Xchange, we were able to reduce downtime to just two days. This minimal interruption in operations has proven to be beneficial for us, as our efficiency has suffered only slightly. After the mould returned to operation, we quickly began producing at full capacity again.

How did the exchange process go?
The replacement hot runner was prepared in the factory in Uznach and delivered to our plant in Riyadh. On the day of the conversion, the technician from Otto Hofstetter AG inspected the replacement unit to ensure that no damage had occurred during transport. Together with our technical team, he then removed the old hot runner and installed the new one. At the same time, our employees were trained in maintenance and cleaning procedures by the Otto Hofstetter AG specialist. After successfully completing test runs and making some fine adjustments, the system was soon able to start operating again.

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Otto Hofstetter attaches great importance to keeping its employees for a long time. How important is personal contact for you?
Personal contact with the employees of Otto Hofstetter AG is an important basis for successful cooperation for us. We have built up a partnership with them and particularly value their flexibility and their extensive technical know-how. The trust built through these connections is an important factor for the continued cooperation we strive for.

In which areas could Otto Hofstetter AG improve?
The collaboration with the technicians and the quality of the moulds have fully met our requirements. Of course, every company has room for improvement. However, I believe that Otto Hofstetter AG knows its strengths and weaknesses and, like us at Berain, is constantly working to become even better. We would like to see more opportunities for the exchange of technical knowledge, either through visits or video conferencing. And if prices were to fall, we would of course have no objection.

What are the next steps in the development of Berain Water Company?
We will continue to work towards our goal of becoming the leading brand in water production and bottling in Saudi Arabia. We will do this by delivering the highest levels of quality in our products and our services. In addition, we are pursuing opportunities to expand our market and increase the processing of rPET.

Thank you for this insightful conversation, Mr AbdelNaeem. We wish you and Berain Water Company continued success in the future.