“For ACMA, this evolution represents the consolidation of a research and development path that began years before the entry into force of the new European regulations,” highlights Rocco Corvaglia, Sales and Customer Service Director at ACMA.
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“Artificial intelligence makes it possible to enhance the value of data generated by production systems, transforming it into advanced tools for optimizing plant performance. The algorithms analyse machine behaviour in real time and detect possible variations in operating parameters that may anticipate anomalies or potential failures. This makes it possible to adopt preventive maintenance strategies, reduce downtime, and improve production efficiency. ACMA digital platforms ensure continuous plant monitoring and provide proactive support by transferring company know-how through advanced digital technologies.”
From data analysis to machine self-regulation: ACMA’s AI vision
“Through data analysis, AI facilitates the development of advanced predictive maintenance strategies, speeding up fault detection activities, strengthening quality control, and reducing production waste. ACMA’s advanced systems involve the intelligent adaptation of machines, which does not merely detect anomalies or suggest interventions,” explains Rocco Corvaglia, “but modifies its own behaviour according to actual operating conditions. The plants can continuously monitor parameters related to materials, products, and production processes, adjusting operating settings to optimize efficiency, quality, and operational continuity.”
ACMA Next, the laboratory for addressing PPWR and creating Future-Proof machines
In recent years, ACMA has invested in the development of advanced expertise dedicated to innovative packaging materials, with the aim of understanding their impact on production lines and accelerating their industrial integration. “To support this evolution, we created ACMA Next, the laboratory for the validation of new materials,” explains Rocco Corvaglia. “Through application tests, production simulations, and technological compatibility assessments, we analyse the behaviour of materials during the different packaging phases, reducing the risks associated with the introduction of new solutions.”
Artificial intelligence contributes to making this process even more effective. Analysis systems process the data collected during testing to interpret the behaviour of materials on automatic lines and identify possible anomalies or application limits. “Algorithms make it possible to predict the interaction between sustainable materials and production parameters, improving process stability and accelerating industrial validation activities. The main developments concern thickness reduction, the development of mono-material structures, and the design of packaging optimized for recycling. However, these materials may react differently during the packaging process, affecting performance, efficiency, and production continuity. For this reason, line design today requires greater flexibility and adaptability.”
“In this scenario, ACMA develops machines according to a ‘Future Proof’ logic, designed to ensure compatibility and versatility even with materials that are still under development,” concludes Corvaglia. “The modularity and scalability of the solutions become strategic elements to support the evolution of sustainable packaging and protect the value of investments over the long term.”
Global packaging and opportunities: how the industry is changing between europe and North America
The packaging industry follows different dynamics depending on the geographical areas. In Europe, the driving force behind transformation is the PPWR (Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation). At the same time, the role of artificial intelligence and advanced digital systems is growing to optimize the performance of production systems.
In North America, the difficulty in finding specialized technical personnel is increasing. This is pushing the market towards production lines that are increasingly automated, reliable, and easy to manage. Companies are demanding solutions capable of reducing operational complexity and limiting dependence on specialized skills, while maintaining high levels of productivity and operational continuity.
According to ACMA, the path currently being taken by Europe thanks to the PPWR represents an important strategic opportunity. Although the transition requires investment and a technological effort, it allows the European industry to develop advanced expertise before many other international markets.
When other areas of the world also adopt stricter environmental regulations, European companies will be able to start from a position of advantage thanks to the experience gained in managing sustainable materials, innovative technologies, and advanced production processes.
The Coesia Packaging Innovation Center: sharing knowledge for the packaging of the future
Being part of a group such as Coesia provides access to advanced expertise and to an industrial vision focused on continuous innovation. In a packaging market undergoing profound transformation, this capability represents an important factor of competitive differentiation.
The Group can rely on the Packaging Innovation Center, a shared structure within the Coesia Group, highly specialized and composed of engineers dedicated to the development of new solutions for industrial packaging. The team works on the design of innovative materials and on verifying their actual machinability on automatic production lines.
The objective is to ensure that the new solutions can be transformed into packages that can be handled in a stable, efficient, and reliable way within industrial processes. The spread of mono-materials, lightweight structures, recyclable substrates, and next-generation materials is in fact introducing increasingly high technical complexity.
To address these challenges, the Packaging Innovation Center integrates material research, mechanical design, industrial automation, and digital technologies. A multidisciplinary approach that makes it possible to transform innovation into concrete applications for the packaging of the future, improving production performance, sustainability, and operational efficiency.
ACMA and Coesia, integrated lines for bars, biscuits & snacks
On Interpack 2026, ACMA and Coesia focused on the Bars, Biscuits & Snacks market, one of the most dynamic and innovative sectors within the Food industry, presenting complete and integrated lines. These solutions integrate primary, secondary, cartoning, handling, and palletizing technologies developed by the companies of the Coesia Group, including R.A. Jones, MGS, and FlexLink. The objective is to offer end-to-end solutions capable of simplifying system integration, increasing production flexibility, and supporting the new needs of food packaging in terms of automation, sustainability, and operational continuity.
FP EDGE and FP One for food packaging: ACMA solutions
At Interpack 2026, ACMA presented two solutions for the Bars, Biscuits & Snacks segment to meet different production requirements while sharing the same design philosophy: advanced integration, high reliability, and performance optimization. The solutions support a rapidly growing market in which quick format changeovers, performance optimization, and adaptability are strategic factors.
ACMA FP EDGE: high-speed flow pack
For bar packaging, ACMA presented FP EDGE, the high-speed horizontal flow pack machine designed for production requirements that can handle traditional and new paper-based materials, ensuring high compatibility and operational flexibility.
FP EDGE can process cold seal materials at speeds of up to 150 metres of film per minute, maintaining high standards of reliability, operational continuity, and high-speed packaging quality. The machine integrates Smart Monitoring and Process Monitoring systems to improve quality control, optimize fault detection activities, and increase production efficiency through continuous monitoring of operating parameters. FP EDGE was presented within a fully integrated line including product distribution, cartoning, secondary packaging, and automated palletizing.
FP EDGE Strengths
- High production speed;
- Compatible with different materials;
- Intelligent line monitoring: Smart Monitoring and Process Monitoring;
- Quality control optimization;
- Reduced material consumption and improved operational efficiency;
- Future-proof architecture designed to adapt to the evolution of materials;
- High production flexibility for different formats and application requirements;
- Fully integrated end-to-end line, from primary packaging to palletizing.
Smart Delta Wrap: compactness and integration for snack multipacks
Alongside FP EDGE, ACMA presented its FP One Flowpacking machine integrated with PWR Smart line: the Smart Delta Wrap, a solution for secondary multipack packaging in the snack sector. The line integrates robotic pick-and-place technology and a flow pack machine within a single system to create multipacks of chips and snacks with an extremely compact layout. One of the distinctive elements is the presence of a single operator interface for the entire line, designed to simplify the use of functionalities and maintenance activities.
Smart Delta Wrap Strengths
- Integrated solution for snack multipacks;
- Integrated robotic pick-and-place system;
- Compact flow pack machine;
- Reduced footprint and space optimization;
- Single operator interface;
- High reliability and operational simplicity.
ACMA Next and Material Gate: machinability and materials for the packaging industry
ACMA Next is the research and development centre that supports the transformation of new ideas into concrete, reliable, and production-ready industrial solutions. “Through machinability tests, process simulations, and technical validation, we develop new packaging applications as well as solutions for upgrading existing lines.The centre supports companies, converters, and material manufacturers in the transition towards next-generation packaging focused on sustainability, efficiency, and production flexibility. ACMA Next integrates expertise in materials, mechanical design of automatic machines, and digital technologies with activities developed by multidisciplinary teams in collaboration with the Coesia Engineering Center, to accelerate innovation, automation, and optimization of production processes,” explains Rocco Corvaglia.
Advantages of ACMA Next
- Industrial validation of new materials;
- Machinability and production continuity testing;
- Integration between materials, automation, and digitalization;
- Upgrading existing lines with dedicated upgrades;
- Reduced investments through the enhancement of installed equipment;
- Greater operational reliability and production efficiency;
- International multidisciplinary technical support;
- Development of Future-Proof packaging solutions.
Material Gate for material validation
ACMA Next has developed Material Gate, a patented system that verifies material behaviour during the packaging process. “A servo-assisted technology faithfully reproduces production operating conditions to test material machinability in confectionery applications using twist wrapping technology. Dynamic behaviour and production reliability are analysed through validation tests to identify the most effective configurations,” concludes Corvaglia, “to ensure sustainability, packaging quality, and production continuity even when adapting plants to regulatory requirements without replacing installed equipment, thereby protecting the value of investments.”
