Bialetti Chooses Spreafico For Its Line Of Soluble Product Packaging

The birth of a successful partnership
Bialetti decided to use the Spreafico machine to address the need of a quantitative and qualitative production increase for capsule products that have now become the driving force in the portioned system industry and, in Bialetti's case, represent one of the main development channels of the retail industry. The Group Industrial & Purchasing Director, Marco Vezzoli, says that "The partnership with Spreafico was born from our need to expand the first production line of the Bialetti capsules 'I Caffè d’Italia'. Such need stemmed not only from the productive saturation of the first line that was installed, but also from having chosen to introduce our range of proposals for a new type of capsules.  It was then that we decided to begin our partnership with Spreafico for the design, installation and fine tuning of a new machine, manufactured with precision and completely meeting our needs. Thanks to their reliability, competence and professionalism, today we can say we have selected a great partner that has confirmed their undisputed leadership in the manufacturing of plants for capsule packaging.  The plant that was produced combines three functions into one machine: we can manufacture capsules with infusions or solubles but also coffee, three product ranges that require different settings and production modes.  This machine is a modern, fast and flexible tool and, besides the great design, we can also count on a prompt technical support that is able to even manage the machine remotely if necessary. Right now we are using the machine for packaging infusions and solubles but we don't rule out the possibility of using it for coffee, if such a need should arise in the future."

Spreafico's solution: three lanes for nine different products
Spreafico has taken advantage of its know-how in order to develop a customized machine that is different from the standard production of the Lecco based company, even though it shares the operating principles and the features that have made Spreafico a point of the reference in the global packaging industry. First of all, this is a three lane machine, a fairly unusual set-up that addresses the need for significant - even if not extreme - production volumes. The main critical issue was the type of aluminum capsules used during the packaging process which, in the stages that precede the filling of the product, need to have a paper filter welded to the internal walls, a particularly tricky operation. This filter makes the nitrogen insufflation stage more difficult as well. For this reason, Spreafico had to develop a system that would ensure - together with a particularly careful handling - effective welding and oxygen removal stages, in order to meet the reference standard guaranteed by Spreafico - a residual percentage of less than 1% - without compromising the integrity of the capsule and the product. The machine developed for Bialetti also boasts an extreme flexibility that allows it to handle both coffee and solubles and to package a staggering nine different types of products, among which are tea, infusions and tisanes.  Apart from this, the machine shares the design and manufacturing principles of Spreafico's production, which means brushless handling systems, easily removable units that can be disassembled and an especially advanced human-machine interface: all of this to guarantee the best operating efficiency and ease of management and maintenance. 

Quality and efficiency as drivers
The solution implemented by the Lecco based company has proven to be the best after tests comparing different market players, focusing both on the handling of the product and the quality of the packaging process. These features allow the three lane Spreafico machine to produce capsules with a long shelf life and, ultimately, a product that is always at the top for fragrance and flavor. The Spreafico machine is now operating in the Brescia plant, Bialetti's headquarters, as part of a complete line that covers all the stages from roasting to secondary packaging, and it is showing great production performances. Marco Vezzoli concludes: "We are really satisfied with the partnership we established with Spreafico, who, with helpfulness and dedication, accepted a difficult challenge and was able to meet our demands by designing a plant that is tailored on our needs.  Thus this fruitful partnership is allowing us efficiency and guarantees us a complete control on the production of our capsules, a critical aspect for us, since we want to maintain the highest standards of quality."
 
Source: Spreafico