With three branches on the continent dedicated to the beverage & packaging sector – in Morocco, Kenya and South Africa - the Sacmi Group has, for some time now, been investing in the enormous growth potential of the African market. And, given the growing strategic importance of these markets for top international bottlers (who have had offices and facilities there for years) and technology providers, that investment is looking more and more like a sound one.
The very best Italian technology for the sector will play a starring role at Afro Packaging & Food (Cairo, 26th - 29th May 2016), the country’s most important showcase for food/drink packaging and packaging technology; this key event will draw visitors from all over the continent and the nearby Middle East. Sacmi, participating for the first time at the fair, will be present on the Italian Automatic machine Constructors Union (Unione Costruttori Italiani Macchine Automatiche - UCIMA) stand.
A provider of all-round plant engineering for every stage of product management, from filling to primary packaging and palletization, Sacmi is renowned for the high technology content of its plant solutions and excellent service that includes a far-reaching sales assistance network and advanced tele-assistance, available across the entire machine range.
Automated filling and package forming lines – characterised by outstanding reliability, absolute product integrity and user-friendliness – are provided alongside plant engineering solutions for the closures sector which, thanks to compression technology, offer customers inherent advantages in terms of productivity, quality and energy saving. Sacmi also provides PET preform manufacturing solutions, an area in which Sacmi has also led the way on the injection technology front by developing and expanding the IPS (preform injection moulding) platform. Completing the picture are the modular labelling machines and advanced vision systems that ensure total quality control directly on the line, at every single stage of production.
Much of the added value passed on to customers stems from Sacmi’s choice – in keeping with Group policy – to operate directly in Africa via dedicated branches. “The decision to invest in Africa by opening new branches”, points out Sacmi Imola’s General Manager, Pietro Cassani, “regards all those countries where the sale of machines and manufacturing lines requires adequate after-sales service. Therefore, in addition to relying on a network of qualified local agents, Sacmi has chosen to operate directly with its own branches, run by Group managers who already have experience in following both business and technical dealings in Africa; their task is to build up a local team of employees capable of meeting the needs of all customers, whether they be small businesses or large multinationals”.