More versatile design, more flexible material choice and management. And that is not all, its outstanding efficiency allows the costs of plastic material to be reduced by up to 20%. This is the new modular Formsleeve+ labelling machine, the latest “creation” by Sacmi Labelling proudly presented today at the open house held at Sacmi Imola before an audience of international operators arriving from 21 countries and 4 continents. A great opportunity to preview a live demonstration of the Sacmi made technological jewel at work, thanks to a guided tour that allowed specially selected visitors to enter the group’s R&D lab, where the latest prototypes are developed and tested. This all took place naturally after a welcome presentation by Vezio Bernardi – General Manager of the Beverage division – who spoke about the Sacmi group, company almost a century old with 4,000 employees in five continents and annual turnover of more than 1.2 billion euros. A growth it has boasted over the last three years – as far as employees and turnover are concerned – “mostly thanks to the performance of the group’s packaging division”, underlined Bernardi that has contributed 320 million euros to the overall turnover and almost 1,050 employees and includes metal and plastic closure-making machines, containers and complete bottling lines.
Formsleeve+ machine
Already world market leader in the ceramic machinery industry, Sacmi has in fact significantly contributed – with deep product and process innovations – to the development of avant-garde solutions for the beverage industry, establishing itself today – explained Bernardi – as the only company in the world capable of offering not only competitive “stand alone” solutions but also and above all integrated lines, from raw materials to bottles, from filling to labelling up to quality control. The absolute star of today’s open house – which visitors were able to admire in action – was without a doubt the Formsleeve+ machine, a true revolution in the world of labelling capable of guaranteeing a reduction in the costs of plastic material by up to 20%, increasing productivity, reaching 20,000 labels per roll along with the labelling speed reaching up to 50,000 BPH. The modular labelling machine allows sleeves to be produced and applied from MDO (machine direction orientation) rolls of film. During the process, the sleeve is sealed with a laser source controlled by a high speed scanner. A tunnel placed at the labelling machine outlet completes the heat-shrink process. Supreme quality combined with remarkable savings are guaranteed– among other things – by integration between label production and the labelling process while flexibility with regards to the various types of materials handled and production requirements is made possible by the Roll Fed technology, without – thanks to the use of the laser – producing any toxic gas during the process capable of contaminating the product or work environment. The best solution currently available on the market – as John Pasqua, Labelling division sales director, explained – developed after careful analysis by Sacmi regarding the market, workplace safety and the clients’ requirements concerning the type of product. A second demonstration of the Formsleeve+ machine was held in the afternoon, which, in place of the laser, used a completely natural liquid substance that never comes into contact with the bottles. This innovative solution will be presented to international operators at the Drinktec trade fair inMunichthis fall.
CCM machines
Not only Labelling, however, for a day which focused on the advantages compression technology offers – the basis of CCM machines – with which Sacmi has deeply innovated its closing sector. Then the IPS, the brand new injection system for producing PET preforms, available on the market since last year and capable of winning the confidence of buyers thanks to its flexibility, quick changeover, excellent cycle times and outstanding energy savings. Completing the picture, Sacmi made filling systems – focusing particularly on the new BIG-COMBO solution that has already drawn the attention of the most important international market players – and machines for the production of PET bottles, with the all new range of improved SBF blowers, which has allowed Sacmi to become a leader in this sector as well. Up to end-of-line solutions and Bag in Box filling and packaging units, the best solutions currently available on the market designed especially for oils, wines and other high-quality food products requiring systems capable of protecting product integrity and organoleptic properties. All Sacmi solutions are equipped with vision systems, incorporated in the line or stand alone to assure accurate quality control of the finished product. The day ended with a visit to the Sacmi facility, where visitors had a chance to see several machines actually running. An appetizing opportunity for the visitors – in particular those from abroad – to “get a full dose” of Sacmi made innovations, a company with roots spanning back to 1919 and yet still capable of projecting itself into the future with continuous product and process innovations in all industry sectors it operates in.
