Sacmi takes centre-stage at Upakovka 2012

The entire Beverage Division will be out in force at Russia’s biggest packaging and wrapping technology fair

Everything is ready for the 20th edition of Upakovka, the most important Russian packaging/wrapping technology event, to be held in the Moscow from 24th to 27th January ( Hall 2 botth 21c21). Sacmi will be there in force with a stand hosting the main Group brands specialising in the production of machines and complete plants for the beverage industry.

United as a single Division for some time now, Sacmi Imola, Sacmi Filling, Sacmi Verona and Sacmi Packaging act as a sole provider to the international drinks industry, covering everything from raw materials to the finished bottle; this is a key point on a market like the Russian one, characterised, even during this particularly difficult time for the international economy, by the technological modernisation of production plants, a change accompanied and driven by the continuous expansion of domestic demand.

The Russian market is proving to be particularly interesting for several Sacmi Beverage technologies, especially the hot-filling system with integrated-band closures made with the CCM range. Hot filling is particularly appreciated on the Russian market as it is, in a number of cases, able to replace aseptic filling methods: this means important development prospects for one particular technology – that of cap production – in which Sacmi leads the world in terms of both product and process innovation. From the advantages of continuous compression moulding, then, to those offered for the other stages of the industrial beverage process: this is where SBF stretch blow moulders, a highly reliable and efficient equipment at customer’s disposal to give shape to their bottles.

The Sacmi SBF range of rotary stretch blow moulding machines, featuring from six to 24 blow moulding stations, represents high-end equipment able to produce more than 64,000 bottles per hour in the standard half-litre format. The distinguishing characteristic of Sacmi SBF machines, and an important advantage too, is the possibility to install on each machine of the range a mould with 1 cavity for a large bottle (up to 3 Liters) or with 2 for a small one (up to 600 ml). and switch between them with the greatest ease and speed. In this way, it is possible to process more than 2700 small bottles per hour per station, making full use of the moulding machine’s capacity and productive potential of any filling machine to which it might be connected. The most competitive system in the world for making raw materials into PET bottles: the key advantage of CBF (compression blow forming) is, in fact, the ability to make plastic containers directly from the resin. This highly flexible solution allows, without distinction, management of a vast range of resins, from HDPE to PS, from PET to PP: this “one-step” process, starting directly from the grain, is made possible by continuous plastic extrusion.

In the world of PET preforms, Sacmi is today the only market leader able to propose two alternative technologies - injection and compression. Plant flexiblity with fast format changeover, ergonomic engineering solutions, energy savings & compact footprint, worldwide sales and after-sales network - all these goals are acheived with the new IPS Injection Preform Systems.

Lastly, there are the labelling machines, developed by Sacmi Verona with the goal of making the labelling process more flexible, higher-performing and cleaner. Here, the dominant technology goes by the name OPERA MOD (Modular) and provides a clear-cut response to the industry’s combined-technology labelling needs. Each module consists of a labelling station fitted on a movable carriage which can easily be connected/disconnected from the machine and replaced by other modules of different technology (Self Adhesive, Cold Glue, Hot Melt, Roll Fed) and performance. This solution considerably reduces space requirements and aids machine insertion on both new and existing lines.

As part of the OPERA series we’ll also be showcasing RFST (roll fed sleeve technology), which allows heat-shrunk labels to be applied directly from the roll of film. With RFST the labels are created and applied directly on the bottles in a single process, boosting efficiency considerably and providing both material and energy savings.