Filling line is the second-largest capex item after blender vessels in a lubricant plant. Three automation levels: manual (30-50 drums/hr, ₹3-8 lakh per fill point), semi-auto (80-200 drums/hr, ₹40-68 lakh per line), fully automatic (300-500 drums/hr, ₹80-200 lakh). Pack format choice (200 L drum, 1000 L IBC, 20 L jerry can, 1 L bottle) drives the equipment selection. This guide gives the semi-auto line capex breakdown and Indian equipment supplier landscape.
| Equipment | Specification | Capex (₹ lakh) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drum conveyor (roller + chain) | 5 m length, motorised, 200 L drum capable | 6-10 | Indian fabricators OK |
| Drum positioning station | Pneumatic centring + lift | 4-7 | Aligns drum bung with fill nozzle |
| 2 fill heads (weighbridge-based) | ATEX rated for petroleum, electronic weighing | 8-12 | ±0.5% fill accuracy |
| Fill manifold + transfer pump + filter | SS manifold, gear pump, 25 µm filter | 5-8 | From blender to fill head |
| Automatic capping head | Impact / screw type, bung sealing | 3-6 | Single-action 5-second cycle |
| Bung / cap feeder | Vibratory bowl feeder | 2-4 | Loads 5,000 caps per fill |
| Label printer + applicator | Date code + batch + barcode + product label | 3-5 | Domino / Markem / Linx ink-jet |
| Control panel + PLC + SCADA | Siemens / Allen-Bradley / Mitsubishi PLC | 4-7 | Recipe-based, batch traceability |
| Exit conveyor | To palletising / dispatch area | 3-5 | Roller / chain conveyor |
| Dust extraction + ATEX safety | Explosion-proof motors, dust collector | 2-4 | Petroleum-zone compliance |
| TOTAL CAPEX | ₹40-68 lakh | For 4-head 150 drum/hr line | |
| Throughput | 150 drum/hr × 8 hr = 1,200 drums = 240 KL/day = ~210 MT/day finished oil | — | |
Operating crew: 3-4 operators per shift (drum feed, fill monitor, capping verify, labelling/dispatch). Two shifts double daily output. Maintenance: weekly fill nozzle / valve cleaning, monthly calibration check on scale, quarterly PLC backup. Indian suppliers: UEC Pune, Jain Industries Mumbai, Vegafill Mumbai, AFMC Mumbai — 40-60% cost saving vs Krones / KHS European premium lines. Service contract critical for European brands — local service network limited.
Three throughput levels: (1) MANUAL — operator fills, caps. 30-50 drums/hr. ₹3-8 lakh per fill point. Suits 5-10 t/day plant. (2) SEMI-AUTOMATIC — pneumatic positioning, automatic shut-off at target weight, semi-auto capping. 80-200 drums/hr. ₹15-40 lakh per line. Suits 10-50 t/day. (3) FULLY AUTOMATIC — drum unstacker + filler + capper + labeller + palletiser. 300-500 drums/hr. ₹80-200 lakh. Suits 50+ t/day.
Pack options: 200 L MS drum, 1000 L IBC, 20 L jerry can, 4/5 L plastic jug, 1 L plastic bottle, 500 ml / 200 ml retail.
Semi-auto line (₹ lakh): drum conveyor ₹6-10, drum positioning ₹4-7, 2 fill heads (ATEX scale-based) ₹8-12, manifold + pump + filter ₹5-8, capping head ₹3-6, bung feeder ₹2-4, label printer/applicator ₹3-5, PLC + SCADA ₹4-7, exit conveyor ₹3-5, dust extraction + ATEX ₹2-4.
Total ₹40-68 lakh for 4-head 100-200 drum/hr. Throughput 150 drum/hr × 8 hr = 1,200 drums × 200 L = 240 KL/day = ~210 MT/day finished.
Completely different equipment. 200 L drum / 1000 L IBC line is heavy industrial — drum conveyor, scale-based fill, slow throughput. 1 L / 4 L bottle line is high-speed rotary filling — 2,000-10,000 bottles/hr, requires bottle moulding / supply, label, cap, secondary pack, palletising. Bottle line capex ₹2-8 crore for fully automated 4,000 bottle/hr.
Indian motorcycle 2T / 4T aftermarket uses 1 L bottle — high-speed line needed. CV chassis grease + drum fill uses drum/pail line. Many Indian plants run both lines.
International: Krones (Germany, premium bottle), KHS (Germany), Sidel (France), GEA (Germany, IBC + drum). Indian / Asian: Krohne India, Sintex, UEC Pune, Jain Industries Mumbai, Vegafill Mumbai, AFMC Mumbai, Bottelpack India.
Local fabricators in NCR / Pune / Mumbai supply manual and semi-auto at 40-60% cost discount vs international branded. Quality varies — visit reference installations before procurement. Service contract critical for European premium — local service network limited.
200 L MS drum: Time Technoplast, Sintex, Greif India, Mauser Greif — ₹400-800 per drum depending on closure (open-top / tight-head). 1000 L IBC: Schutz, Mauser, Greif, Time Technoplast — ₹4,500-8,500 per IBC. 1 L plastic bottle: in-house blow-moulding (capex ₹40-80 lakh) or buy from PET converters (Pearl Industries, Manjushree Technopack) ₹4-12 per bottle.
Bung / cap via Pearl Polymers, Time Technoplast, regional cap manufacturers ₹3-8 per cap. Drum / pack supplier strategy critical operating-cost lever.
BIS-licensed lubricant must carry BIS ISI mark with licence number. Pack labelling per Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules 2011 — mandatory: net quantity, MRP, manufacturer name + address, customer care, batch number, mfg date, expiry date (5 years), product specification.
Labels in English + at least one regional language for retail. Label area minimum 20% of pack surface. Legal Metrology / BIS officers regularly inspect retail packs and fine for non-compliance.
Share your throughput target (drums/hr), pack format mix (drum / IBC / bottle), automation level and budget. We respond within one business day with equipment supplier shortlist and project timeline.