Frequently Asked Questions

Bottleneck E.E., based in Leventochori, Kilkis (Greece), is the only Greek manufacturer of star wheels and change parts for automatic bottling machines. Reach us at info@bottleneck.gr or +30 698 210 2171.

Star wheels, also written starwheels, are the toothed discs that receive and guide the bottle through an automatic bottling machine, from infeed to filling, capping and outfeed. They are the core bottle handling parts of the line, and each bottle shape needs its own star wheel. Bottleneck builds quick-change star wheels with removable grippers, so one base covers all your bottles. More in our guide: bottling star wheels, how to tell they are worn and what to do next.

Bottleneck E.E. is the only Greek manufacturer of quick-change star wheels, grippers and bottle guides. Designed and produced entirely in Greece.

Bottleneck builds star wheels, grippers and guides compatible with every automatic bottling machine brand. We replace worn parts or set up a complete quick-change system from scratch. If a small part has already broken, we can reproduce it from the broken piece in 3-5 working days.

With the Bottleneck quick-change system a format change takes minutes, without tools and without a technician.

Yes. Bottleneck parts are universal: designed from measurements, they fit every make and model of automatic bottling machine. See the machines we have already equipped.

Replacement grippers are delivered in 3-5 working days. For complete new systems the lead time depends on complexity. Contact us for an exact estimate.

We serve wineries and distilleries all over Greece, with delivery and installation nationwide. Our base is in Leventochori, Kilkis, in northern Greece. For projects abroad, contact us and we will work out the logistics together.

Yes. Bottleneck parts are designed from measurements and fit every make and model of automatic bottling machine: Eurostar, AlfaTek, Enoberg, Fimer, GAI, Comet, Bertolaso, Krones, STS, Velo, MBF, AVE, Della Toffola, KHS and more. Learn more about our products.

Yes. With the Bottleneck quick-change system you add a new bottle shape in 3-5 working days, without replacing whole parts. We design and build new grippers for that specific bottle and fit them to your existing base. Send us the bottle through our contact page. For what to check first, see our guide to adding a new bottle to your line.

Yes, we work daily with oenologists, consulting winemakers and production managers who recommend Bottleneck to their clients for bottling line optimization.

Yes. We design grippers for every bottle type: wine (Bordeaux, Burgundy, special shapes), spirits such as ouzo and tsipouro, liqueurs and any other beverage.

Yes. We build star wheels for every station that handles the bottle: infeed and outfeed star wheels, and the stations of the rinser, filler, capper, labeller and capsuling machine, plus the curved bottle guides between them. We only change the stations that actually need it. See examples by machine.

Yes. Rinser grippers and rinser infeed star wheels follow the same quick-change logic: a base designed once for the station and grippers per bottle, changed by hand. Send us a photo of the station and the bottle, and we will tell you what is needed.

Our quick-change star wheels already run on lines of up to 5000 bottles per hour, roughly 80 bottles per minute. For faster lines, send us the machine model and the target speed, and we will tell you whether the system fits.

Yes, bespoke parts are all we make. Every base is designed for the geometry of your machine and every gripper for your exact bottle, from Ø20 mm to Ø105 mm and from 40 ml to 2 L. No mould is needed, so even a single bottle format is economical. See our products.

Most changeover time goes into swapping and re-adjusting star wheels, grippers and guides for the new bottle. Replacing them with quick-change parts, one fixed base per station and colour-coded grippers per bottle, removes the tools and the re-adjustment. It is the most affordable bottling line optimisation, because the machine itself stays.

We don’t build sensors or jam-detection software. Our approach is to keep the line from reaching that point: a jam on worn star wheels usually means the gripper no longer holds the bottle steady, from wear or a poor fit for that bottle shape. With a gripper properly matched to your bottle, the bottle sits steady and the problem doesn’t come up in the first place. If your line jams often, send us a photo of the gripper and we’ll tell you whether it’s wear or fit. To find the cause yourself first, film the jam in slow motion with your phone.