18Dec

Cassoli Group: Christmas holidays in the name of unity and sharing

18 December 2023 eleonora 475

Sharing, team spirit and solidarity: elements that characterize the Cassoli Group and which accompany the initiatives planned for Christmas 2023 and the new year.

THE PLEASURE OF BEING TOGETHER

Christmas holidays in the name of unity, sharing and social responsibility that Cassoli Group – with the companies CPS Company, Nema Automazione and Ecocap’s is enthusiastically preparing to celebrate together with employees and families.

In an atmosphere of joy and conviviality, the day will be marked by the traditional company lunch. At the Casalecchio headquarters, directly in the production area, a chef will prepare a traditional Valencian paella, with the possibility of enjoying it also in a vegetarian version.

This moment of celebration will become an opportunity to strengthen bonds and strengthen the sense of belonging and cohesion. The company, strong in the values of collaboration and mutual respect that have always characterized it, intends to transform this Christmas into an experience where everyone can feel part of a big family.

In the afternoon, through a “home lottery”, freebies and gifts received from suppliers will be redistributed among employees.

CASSOLI SOCIAL COMMITMENT GROUP

Also for these holidays, the company’s support for local community activities continues which, as usual, translates into gift baskets made up of Km0 tortellini and a panettone or pandoro from the ANT Foundation, purchased with the aim of supporting the association and his important and precious work of oncological assistance.

To further strengthen the social commitment, which has always distinguished the Cassoli family, the project in favour of the IL SOLE Solidarity Emporium has been renewed for 2024.

The association of volunteers deals with the distribution of food aid and provides support to assist people in difficulty. There are hundreds of vulnerable families in the area that the association’s volunteers follow, providing food, personal and domestic hygiene products, and offering a place for people to listen and exchange.

07Dec

Ecocap’s greets BrauBeviale with satisfaction

7 December 2023 eleonora 462

Ecocap’s, the Italian company specialized in the development of solutions for packaging drinks in cans, successfully concludes its participation in BrauBeviale 2023, an event dedicated to the drinks sector.

After three intense days, BrauBeviale 2023 in Nuremberg concluded successfully, confirming itself as the main European trade fair for the beer and beverage industry and making a comeback after four years of waiting. With a strong turnout of visitors from over 120 countries and all sectors of the beverage industry, the expo achieved excellent results.

Ecocap’s, with a stand set up in pavilion 7, presented its offer and in particular its TopSyl patent to buyers and visiting companies, giving particular emphasis to its ability to develop and propose innovative solutions to preserve and protect canned drinks in a sustainable way.

For Ecocap’s, the quality and number of visitors present, as well as the authoritative and high-level discussions, represented the main strengths of the trade fair. Among the predominant themes emerged energy saving in the production process, new filling systems and the optimization of efficiency through greater automation. Furthermore, exhibitors offered solutions to comply with the requirements of European legislation on packaging, demonstrating a constant awareness of the need to align production processes with sustainability criteria.

BRAUBEVIALE, ECOCAP’S COMMENT

“BrauBeviale has confirmed itself as the privileged meeting point for the business community in the beverage sector worldwide, including beer, wine, sparkling wines, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks” – states Jacopo Cassoli, general director of Ecocap’s – “In addition to the exhibition offer, the collateral program of the expo, represented an important added value for the participants at the fair. In particular, the event was an opportunity to take stock of methods and technologies aimed at improving and optimizing the entire production process of the supply chain, with particular attention to the topic of sustainability, on which Ecocap’s itself has always been at the forefront line. BrauBeviale 2023 proved to be an ideal place to meet and establish a dialogue with numerous potential customers eager to explore innovative and efficient solutions.”

24Nov

ECOCAP’S flies to BrauBeviale in Nuremberg

24 November 2023 eleonora 465

Ecocap’s, the Italian company specialized in solutions dedicated to the packaging of canned drinks, flies to Nuremberg to present the latest home innovations.

Germany: from 28 to 30 of November Ecocap’s arrives at the Nuremberg show, at BrauBeviale, the capital goods fair for the beverage industry.

The stand located this year in pavilion 7 will allow the Casalecchio group to illustrate its offer of latest generation industrial machinery and its TopSyl patent.

BrauBeviale is the main beverage event in Europe: for this reason Ecocap’s, specialized in the development of innovative solutions to preserve and protect canned drinks in a sustainable way, cannot and does not want to miss the event which will allow it to learn about market trends and forge relationships to grow its core business.

BRAUBEVIALE, THE EXPO

BrauBeviale has always been an important event for beverage and bottling producers, whether it be beer, mineral water, soft drinks, juices, wine, sparkling wine or liqueurs.

In Nuremberg suppliers will present products, solutions and services, covering all phases of the production cycle, from raw materials to filling, packaging and marketing in points of sale. To complement the exhibition area, a rich program of meetings will allow the crucial issues of the sector such as climate change, energy and sustainability to be addressed.

21Nov

An important participation by Ecocap’Ssat Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai

21 November 2023 eleonora 456

Ecocap’s, an Italian company specialized in solutions dedicated to the packaging of canned drinks, enthusiastically participated in the Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai by presenting its machines and the TOPSYL patent.

From 7 to 9 November 2023 Ecocap’s stopped in the Middle East, in Dubai, participating in Gulfood Manufacturing, an important international event that focuses on different sectors of the food industry, including food processing and packaging.

A three-day event that represented a significant opportunity for the company where it presented its innovative solutions to important buyers from all over the world, with countless opportunities to create new business opportunities, strengthen existing connections and conclude high-value commercial agreements.

A key participation where the topics covered were in perfect harmony with the challenges and interests of the sector and the company itself.

Ecocap’s is strongly focused on the performance of the sector through the production of high-performance and latest generation machines. It is committed every day to offering cutting-edge and environmentally friendly solutions, which not only satisfy customer needs, but pave the way for an increasingly sustainable tomorrow. Participation in the most prestigious fair for the sector in the Middle East demonstrates the constant commitment to industry 4.0 and offers the opportunity to present the best products and the most recent innovations, such as TopSyl.

GULFOOD MANUFACTURING 2023, A LARGE EDITION

This year’s Gulfood Manufacturing brought together over 2,000 exhibitors, including the largest global brands in food and beverage manufacturing who gathered in 15 pavilions.

Parallel to the exhibition area, more than 100 key industry figures and authoritative speakers examined industry trends and strategies to increase business opportunities and face future challenges.

The event aroused the interest of players working in the fields of packaging, ingredients, supply chain solutions, control and automation, with the aim of indicating a path towards a more sustainable, resilient, agile future and efficient.

Among the topics covered are the reduction of food waste, the introduction of efficient machinery with less impact from an energy and environmental point of view. In Dubai, topics relating to Artificial Intelligence, robotics, automation and the digitalisation of the sector were also addressed, stimulating innovation and efficiency throughout the sector.

31Oct

ECOCAP’S at Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai

31 October 2023 eleonora 428

Ecocap’s, the Italian company specialized in solutions dedicated to the packaging of canned drinks, will present its machines and the TopSyl patent at Gulfood Manufacturing in Dubai.

Ecocap’s stops in Dubai. From 7 at 9 November 2023 the Bolognese company will participate in the Gulfood Manufacturing international event focused on the food processing and packaging sectors.

The group will be present in Hall Shk Saeed 2 S2-B11 of the Dubai World Trade Center where it will present its offer of latest generation industrial machinery and its TOPSYL patent.

For Ecocap’s, an important three-day occasion that will allow it to learn about market trends and forge relationships with operators from all over the world with the aim of consolidating and discovering new business opportunities.

GULFOOD MANUFACTURING EXPO

Gulfood Manufacturing is the number one event in the Middle East and North Africa for food processing and packaging technologies, ingredients and innovative technologies, providing important guidance for those wishing to accelerate technology adoption and improve efficiency and productivity in order to face new challenges.

With over 2,000 leading manufacturing brands, Gulfood Manufacturing 2023 will take global food production in a smarter and more sustainable direction.

24Oct

USA: alcoholic beverages market trends

24 October 2023 eleonora 416

The RTD (Ready-to-Drink) market in the United States is constantly evolving, with notable growth, but moderating due to changing consumer preferences and product innovation.

Over the past decade, the U.S. ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage market has seen considerable growth, accounting for nearly 12% of the total alcoholic beverage market, surpassing the U.S. wine market.

Growth has been driven primarily by hard seltzers, but post-pandemic, the RTD category is undergoing a transformation. The RTD market in the United States is expected to grow only +1% annually between 2022 and 2027, according to IWSR.

IWRS has identified these key changes:

Premiumization. The RTD category saw an annual increase in average price per serving in 2022, in part due to the expansion of alcohol-based cocktails/long drinks.
Hard Seltzer Slowdown. Hard seltzers experienced a decline in volume in 2022, primarily due to the decline of malt-based hard seltzers and competition from rival segments such as long cocktails.
Taste Innovation. Taste remains an important driver for consumers, with 49% citing it as their primary motivation for purchasing. Hard seltzer flavors are evolving rapidly, ranging from fruit to tea, from cocktails/sodas to fruit smoothies.
Cross-category partnerships. Collaborations between alcoholic beverage companies and mixer manufacturers are becoming common, creating new distribution opportunities in the market.

These changes reflect the evolving dynamics of the RTD beverage market in the United States.

THE OPINION OF JACOPO CASSOLI, GENERAL MANAGER OF ECOCAP’S

The dynamism of the canned drinks sector is also confirmed by the words of Jacopo Cassoli, general manager of Ecocap’s who, after his recent business trip to the United States, comments:

«The forecasts for the future of the sector are positive; in the USA there is a buzzing market that follows the trends linked to new consumption opportunities. This is an evolving market area, ready to welcome both new types of hard seltzer and canned wine, which is increasingly appreciated by consumers. For us at Ecocap’s» – continues Jacopo Cassoli – interesting and profitable contacts have been made with companies that operate in this area. The segment linked to CBD (or cannabidiol)-based drinks should also be monitored, as well as the much larger beer segment. Although the American market is experiencing a decline in demand for craft beers, important brands or those included in structured corporate contexts such as multinationals are resisting. And for us at Ecocap’s the canned beer market in general continues to be a priority reference horizon».

16Oct

Can recycling in Brazil is at the top

16 October 2023 eleonora 402

For the first time in history, Brazil recycled as many aluminium cans as it produced.

Many Brazilians like to consume soft drinks and drink canned beer, with an average of 156 cans per year for each citizen.

Many of them throw these containers on the street, but despite this bad habit, in 2022 Brazil managed to recycle a number of cans equal to those consumed, thus setting a record.

A positive result made possible thanks to the presence of a dense network of collection centres which in turn supply the cans to the large recycling giants.

Aluminium has also become the material of choice for collectors, more profitable than cardboard, lighter to transport and easier to collect. Can recycling contributes to a turnover of around 1.1 billion euros.

Thanks to the work of these centres and the people they support, according to data from Recicla Latas, the association representing companies involved in aluminium recycling, Brazil has reached this historic milestone.

Over the last ten years, the recycling of this material has prevented the emission of 15 million tons of greenhouse gases. Overall, 390,000 tons of cans were recycled in Brazil, equivalent to 31.8 billion units marketed.

ECOCAP’S: INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS ON THE RECYCLING SIDE

Thanks to its TopSyl patent, Ecocap’s plays a significant role in innovating and transforming the style of cans, giving them a more modern, hygienic and safe appearance.

Ecocap’s seals are made of aluminium and joined to the can by heat sealing, without the need to use glue. This solution offers brands a new communication and marketing opportunity, while at the same time ensuring high standards of safety, convenience and hygiene.

A distinctive feature of Ecocap’s is the attention to environmental sustainability: the caps are ecological and 100% recyclable and the machinery guarantees excellent returns with reduced energy consumption.

05Oct

Amix™ Nutrition chooses Ecocap’s

5 October 2023 eleonora 400

Thanks to the offer of versatile and ecological solutions, Ecocap and the TopSyl patent reach the Czech Republic.

Thanks to Ultrapak, exclusive distributor of Ecocap’s in Poland, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Czech company Amix™ Nutrition has implemented with Ecocap’s the application of the aluminium seal on a new series of energy and regenerating drinks, Cell up, in cans of various capacities.

Thanks to the Ecocap’s CSS020 automatic machine, a thin sheet of 100% aluminium with a thickness of 35-40 microns is applied to the can lid without glue, using only the innovative and patented Ecocap’s thermomechanical method.

The seal protects the can lid from dust, viruses, bacteria and moisture. It is resistant to low and high temperatures of can storage, and it is also waterproof, so the product can be stored in refrigerators and even in ice and water.

TopSyl protects the consumer from a dirty can, but it is a great tool to make can stand out on the store shelf with additional graphics on the lid.

ECOCAP’S: VERSATILE, INNOVATIVE AND ECO-FRIENDLY SOLUTIONS

Constantly engaged in the development of innovative solutions to preserve and protect canned drinks, Ecocap’s provides the beverage sector with cutting-edge and highly performing machinery.

Ecocap’s has patented TopSyl, the system consisting of a thin protection heat-sealed to the top of the can. It guarantees hygiene and safety from packaging to consumption.

TopSyl can be applied to any type and format of canned drink, without requiring the use of glues.

A distinctive feature of Ecocap’s is the attention to environmental sustainability: the caps are ecological and 100% recyclable and the machinery guarantees excellent yields with reduced energy consumption.

14Sep

CSS020 and CSS096: can packaging for small-scale plants

14 September 2023 eleonora 360

Customize the packaging of your canned beverage: even small-scale plants use Ecocap’s

Small-scale production plant, small lots or batch production: no matter how big your production is, Ecocap’s and Topsyl have the right solution for all sizes, even for smaller scale production plants or for productions at their development stage. Suitable for any type of can and compatible with any packaging solution, with 100% customizable and 100% recyclable capsules, Ecocap’s and Topsyl are a plus for smaller productions, even for niche ones, who want to maintain high quality standards in line with unique productions. And this by offering machinery for can packaging that not only protects the product, but also gives canned beverages a new image, making them vehicles for corporate communication.

Maintaining high quality standards is even more important when it comes to small-scale beverage production facilities. Starting from the cases of first productions, where research and development require small quantities to study the feasibility of the process and make the necessary changes that will then lead to the finished product and its definitive launch in the market, our country is also rich in niche productions that, because of their unique characteristics, are set on totally different timing from medium and large-scale production plants. Timing that aligns on small numbers, those that make a product something unique, because it is linked to a different kind of production.

In the small-scale production, in fact, seasonality of the demand, perishability of the products, unpredictability of the supplies of raw materials and consequent complexity of the productive process are to the agenda, having a great influence on the production capacity of a plant. An all-Italian feature is that of small niche productions to which Ecocap’s could not but respond with a line of machines for cans packaging dedicated to small-scale production plants, where research, technology, sustainability and consumer awareness become an even more important differentiator. All issues Ecocap’s has been working on since its birth in 2003, developing machines for the packaging of canned beverage that can innovate and look beyond packaging as a simple container, making it an integral part and added value of the product, with particular attention to quality and environment.

PACKAGING MACHINES FOR CANS: SMALL PRODUCTIONS FOR GREAT RESULTS

A famous Italian quote always rings in our heads, and it does so even more in those of producers who have decided to bring unique products on the market that, for their special characteristics, follow different production lines from larger scale beverage producers. Today “good [drinks] come in small packages” becomes the new way of saying of a thoughtful and responsible company, which actively participates in the construction of economic, social and environmental sustainability in the areas in which it operates, and that puts itself on the side of niche production, symbol of Made in Italy. Ecocap’s packaging machines for canned beverage CSS020 and CSS096 are designed specifically to be placed in any small-scale production plant, for small lots and batch production.

Small and agile, they provide producers with a unique and worldwide patented system to protect and give visibility to their cans, with 100% customizable and recyclable capsules, giving a positive boost to a unique product that deserves to be protected and told properly.

CSS020: WE PROTECT UNIQUENESS WITH CAN PACKAGING MACHINE FOR SMALL-SCALE BEVERAGE PRODUCTION PLANTS

The smallest can packaging machine in the Ecocap’s machinery range, CSS020 is flexible and fast and plays its role to the fullest. Developed for dynamic production lines, it produces up to 25 cans/minute and has a modular technology. The packaging machine CSS020 is equipped with a easy to use Plug-in Concept, connectable to the home electrical network, a user friendly operator console and is delivered as a complete solution with on-site and remote dedicated training with scheduled maintenance. With a production speed of 1200 cph, peak speed of 1500 cph, 1 welding head and a capacity of 3250 Topsyl, even niche productions can now enjoy a valuable tool to protect their products, with a look towards environmental sustainability.

CSS096: THE CAN PACKAGING MACHINE THAT PRODUCES UP TO 150 CANS/MINUTE

Ideal for small-scale production plants, CSS096 is a machine for the packaging of “small” cans, compact and suitable for small productions. The machine can work in line or stand alone and is easy to use. Developed for dynamic production lines, it produces up to 150 cans/minute, with 6 welding heads and a capacity of 19500 Topsyl, supplied directly from Ecocap’s. The CSS096 packaging machine for canned beverages is equipped, like the largest of the range, with a reliable and efficient technology, Hi-tech Concept with servo motor control and user-friendly operator console. It is supplied by Ecocap’s as a complete solution with on-site and remote dedicated training with scheduled maintenance.

ECOCAP’S AND TOPSYL: INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING MACHINE ON THE SIDE OF SMALL-SCALE CANNED BEVERAGE PRODUCERS

When we think of our country, the first thing that becomes clear before our eyes are the small productions, those that speak of territorial specificity, of unique and seasonal raw materials, of production processes recovered over time. Characteristics that make Made in Italy great in the world and that must be safeguarded in every way, even at the packaging level, with the offer of industrial machines for the packaging of canned beverage that is in line with the specific needs of small producers. Always aligned in believing that sustainable production is the greatest gift we can make to the land that hosts us, Ecocap’s is on the side of all those companies looking for a cutting-edge and sustainable technology, able to take into account a different type of consumer, eager to receive a unique product, also from the point of view of its preservation through packaging.

Discover all Ecocap’s machines available!

04Sep

Food hygiene and canned beverages: the point of Cassoli Group

4 September 2023 eleonora 353

From 1999 to Covid-19, how information about food hygiene related to canned drinks has changed

It was February 6, 2005 when, on page 10 of the Evening Courier, Italian morning daily newspaper, an announcement appeared from the Ministry of Health (Department of Prevention and Communication – Office of the Commissioner ad acta) that read as follows:
“Consumptions of canned beverages with a “stay on tab” opening mechanism or with a retractable tab, such as that of any other canned food, require compliance with hygiene conditions, as contamination of the tab may cause, after taking it off, the introduction of microbial agents into the drink. Therefore, while cans should be stored in clean rooms and external surfaces should be kept clean, consumers are recommended to:
● pay close attention to the state of the packaging;
● before opening the container or can with a stay on tab opening mechanism, it is a good hygienic rule to clean the opening area;
● discard or return the dirty container to the seller;
● consume drinks after having poured them into a container suitable for use.”

Years have passed since this and other articles that immediately put us in front of a real danger: what was seen as a moment of relaxation, drinking a drink in a can, could be configured as an endless circle of contamination. Then the Covid, the pandemic, the lockdown, Italy closed in its natural borders, the world closed from country to country, a single fear that has united us all: the transmission of a virus that put the planet in danger by registering 6,938,353 deaths. So, one of the many problems that we have been living with for years made a strong comeback: drinking from cans, as well as being dangerous, is not hygienic.

FOOD HYGIENE AND CAN PACKAGING: AN OVERVIEW

If in 2005 the Evening Courier made available to the Ministry of Health a space where, like a good family man, reminded us of good practices to follow before drinking our favorite drink in a can, the problem of opening cans and the resulting contamination was already being addressed in 1999, when Codacons (Coordination of the associations for the defense of the environment and the rights of users and consumers), through an appeal to the Lazio regional administrative court, asked the health authorities for a measure to protect the health of consumers, by changing the traditional “stay on tab” opening system. Both the Regional Administrative Court of Lazio and the Council of State granted the requests of Codacons but little or nothing was done, as well as when the issue became the focus of attention again in 2005. With a jump of 15 years, the problem spoke out again stronger than ever with the whole world bent in the face of a health crisis characterized by the spread of Covid-19. In the time of the pandemic, doubts about the safety of drinking in cans have become more and more legitimate and the literature on the subject has once again emerged.

A 2018 Anglo-Saxon study, in particular, verified the state of cleanliness, the contamination of bacteria by hands and their survival in warehouses. This study showed that little less than 200 cans analyzed before contact with hands revealed the presence of proteins in 46% of them, hygienic state at risk for 31% and medium danger slightly less than 22%. Moving on to contact with E.Coli contaminated hands, (E.Coli simply appears on unwashed hands after going to the toilet) cans showed bacteria in 50% of cases when wet and 30% when dry. In general, bacteria survive for up to 14 days.

So much news that revolves around this delicate topic, so much fake news carried out over the years. Talking about a risk of contamination during the bottling process, in 2023, well, this seems really far-fetched. That this increases in the logistical stages after delivery, such as in the Distribution Centers or at the beverage wholesalers, in this case we can say it is much more likely. A risk of contamination that is medium in the organized retail, where on the shelves we find different products, or in the small independent retailers, where the manipulation is high, and that becomes increasingly high in the commercial and collective catering, where different hands of different people come into contact with the cans.

FOOD HYGIENE AND CAN PACKAGING: ECOCAP’S AND TOPSYL ON THE SIDE OF BEVERAGE COMPANIES AND CONSUMERS

If in the past many fake news and stories of cases of diseases contracted and hospitalizations as a result of consumption acts from dirty cans have been exposed, the need to protect the large contact area between the mouth and the pouring point of the can remains an important necessity, especially with regard to all post-distribution handling steps.

Ecocap’s and Topsyl are part of the safety discourse applied to canned drinks with an eye always open to environmental sustainability. Product safety, consumer safety at the time of consumption and respect for the environment: the revolutionary worldwide patent by Ecocap’s sets a new standard in the packaging of cans. A complete and ready-to-use system that can be applied to any type and format of beverage in can, its name is Topsyl and is a seal on the opening of the can that, thanks to an exclusive technology, becomes much more than a safe protection.

In particular, Topsyl:
● protects cans as soon as they are filled, safeguarding products and consumers;
● is an aluminum “second skin” that adheres to the can and seals the entire surface of the can on the opening side throughout its life cycle;
● does not allow the formation of humidity between the protection and the can, preventing the formation of mold and the proliferation of bacteria;
● is 100% ecological and recyclable, ensuring a packaging with a very low environmental impact: the aluminum seal, fixed to the can, cannot be dumped in nature and is recyclable.
● transforms the top of the can into a targeted means of communication, differentiated by market, distribution channel and customer.

Discover with us how to integrate an Ecocap’s Can Packaging Machine into your production line and turn your marketing efforts around with Topsyl and its personalized communication!

eleonora