Automatic machines and robotic technologies, from secondary packaging to end-of-line solutions
Gampack Group designs and builds customized machines, from mechanical automation to software with patented solutions that have allowed the Italian company to grow in a highly competitive market.
“We design automatic machines for secondary packaging, mostly using cardboard and film. We pack containers such as beverage cartons, cans, and glass jars for liquid and semi-liquid products such as jams, fruit juice, milk, and even pet food. Gampack Group’s division that builds automatic machines is supported by a robotics division that extends the offer: from traditional packing with machines for forming, filling and sealing to the packing of products with flexible packaging such as doypack and bags, which are combined with robotized systems designed and built on-site to arrive to the end of line”, begins Giovanni Anzani (Gampack Group, Sales Director).
Reducing plastic is a great opportunity
Rules are getting stricter, necessitating ongoing innovation to guarantee a compliant packaging. The legislator’s action with the “plastic tax” is intended to reduce the environmental plastic impact. This tax effects the industry’s production costs and encourages companies to invest in more sustainable solutions, opening new chances for organizations that provide ecological alternatives.
“Gampack has rethought production processes from a sustainable perspective; several green solutions as a response to the plastic tax are available to customers. An example are the innovative clusters, the mini trays for mini-portions, the eco-labels and the I-layers for multipack packaging – explains Giovanni Anzani. – Sustainable packaging involves the use of renewable, biodegradable, compostable or recyclable materials. Educating consumers about correctly recycling packaging disposal encourages ethical behaviour. We support competitive and alternative solutions to standard machines that consume a lot of plastic film. We developed machines that use the lowest number of consumables possible. Green, sustainable packaging plays a crucial role in lowering product environmental effect, and considerable progress will require collaboration among manufacturers, designers, merchants, and consumers”.
Packaging uses less plastic; the path has been marked out. Giovanni Anzani provides an example of Gampack’s efforts to promote environmentally friendly packaging
“Gampack contributes by complying by the directives of the European Community and minimising the use of plastic in packaging. We have what we refer to as “eco green” packaging solutions. Giovanni Anzani states, “In addition to being an important topic, this is in line with our mission. In fact, Gampack has reduced the use of plastic in its projects and we have found that the return of interest from customers is notable. Our proposal replaces plastic with paper wherever possible.“
Customers are being pushed towards more flexible and customised systems by an evolving market. Gampack Group approaches the subject with a broad offer, flexible solutions, and its after-sale assistance
“Choosing the packaging type and size is often a marketing decision; our robotics division takes care of the customer’s needs, by studying and creating the packaging in every aspect. We work to create the experience we want the end customer to benefit from. One of our recent initiatives on this topic is a display box container with creative packaging which attracts the final customer. The use of attractive designs, premium materials, and intelligent solutions improves the perception of the product and brand loyalty by the consumer,” explains Giovanni Anzani, who continues: “Our offer of packaging solutions is wide, tailor-made: from mechanical automation to software development. Furthermore, we provide after-sales support for daily production activities. Being makers of both mechanical parts and software interface gives us a significant edge because we know the systems we construct very well. This knowledge supports our high-quality after-sales service, which is required by businesses.”
The quality of assistance requested by companies is verified with strict audits that combine quality standards and intervention times: “in this regard we are prepared and promoted by the audits to which we are subjected by our customers. The most important manufacturers such as, for example, Tetra Pak, require high quality standards together with the promptness of interventions“.
Innovation is the key for evolution and success
Technology is radically transforming the food industry with flexible, economical, and sustainable production processes which enable customized packaging and product safety monitoring.
“One of the advantages of our innovative packaging is the capacity to switch between machines, as flexibility in the manufacturing system is crucial. The design of an automatic packaging machine cannot be totally changed, but the configuration can be updated with the changeover and by adjusting the production parameters. With over 1,500 systems installed, we are constantly evolving, and we ensure their flexibility for the needs of our customers combined with our after-sales assistance, from spare parts to technicians’ interventions on the production lines. An example of innovative packaging recently created for a customer groups together several beverage cartons, avoiding the use of a classic cluster with the paper band that wraps the single units – explains Giovanni Anzani. The solution consists of a single paper band at the base of the products that keeps them firmly together and, if necessary, allows a single carton to be detached from the band as a single portion while keeping the others together”.
Efficiency and high speed to be competitive on the market
“With our robotics division, we have resolved the dichotomy between flexibility and speed by creating high-production-intensity lines by combining delta robots with our automatic machines. We have recently created a system with these characteristics for a frozen pastry manufacturer, a system that can avoid production stops. In fact, uninterrupted production is possible thanks to the flexibility of the system, which can handle different types of packaging (trays, American cases and other types) by combining traditional packaging solutions with a battery of eight high-speed delta robots”.
Artificial intelligence is present in the manufacturing industry, Gampack puts it at the service of customers by optimizing processes and reducing waste
“Certainly, one of the most interesting areas in the use of Artificial Intelligence is the analysis of statistical production data; from this, analyzing errors, variables, micro stops and obtaining the information needed to improve production processes is possible. We are implementing various algorithms that examine the data to suggest preventive maintenance activities that help maintain high efficiency of the lines or can also start orders for any necessary spare parts, avoiding problems, wasted time or, even worse, plant downtime. The added value of this support is notable as optimizing data analysis improves production processes. Artificial Intelligence leads to cost reduction, simplifies and improves efficiency, maintains production continuity and safety at work, limiting human intervention to strictly necessary activities, ultimately improving working conditions”.
