The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Not Just Good – The tradition of homemade food Fini is the brand for fresh-filled pasta, which represents all the flavours of the Emilian tradition in the kitchen in Italy and around the world. The Fini brand originated from the knowledge and flavours of an ancient gastronomic tradition, which is constantly renewed. Only in this way, every day, can we eat something that is not only good but which also has a story to tell. The Fini Group also plays an important role in the canned sector thanks to the Le Conserve della Nonna brand, an Italian company that believes in the simplicity of products and uses natural processes. In the wide range of references, the company offers sauces, condiments and jams, prepared according to traditional methods using carefully controlled and organised industrial processes to ensure the highest quality of products. The feeling of...home! The secret of so much goodness The industrial process at the origin of the production of foods from the brand Le Conserve della Nonna is organised mainly according to the values of local culinary tradition, the simplicity of the recipes and the indisputable quality of the freshly harvested raw materials. The company's production is based on the concept of seasonality, as is the case for any artisan preparation. Just by looking at the finished product, be it a jar of jam or a bottle of tomato sauce, you get the feeling of…home! An irresistible appeal of healthy and simple lunches, the result of great attention and dedication, and the desire to eat in company, like our grandmothers wanted, because the more people sat at the table, the more happiness hovered in the air.

Fini's commitment to the environment For years, the Fini Group has pursued the objective of environmental sustainability of its activities through the aegis of its corporate mission – 'Not Just Good' – which focuses on food and its goodness as a result of a safe and controlled production process. The entire supply chain is involved in the 'mission,' from the careful selection of local raw materials to the production and use of widely recyclable packaging, without forgetting the use of clean energy thanks to the photovoltaic systems installed in the company, which make it possible to drastically reduce CO2 emissions and optimise production. SMI has also embraced the goal of sustainability, designing packaging systems such as the CSK Ergon series packaging machine installed in the Fini Group's Modenese plant, which boasts cutting-edge technical solutions in the field of energy saving and respect for the environment. SMI solutions for Le Conserve della Nonna The secret of all the products lies in the genuineness of the raw materials, which are selected and worked through transformation processes that reflect traditional methods to offer a product "like home-made," which speaks of nature and flavours of the past. To optimise the secondary packaging process of the huge variety of Le Conserve della Nonna brand products, the Fini Group turned to SMI for the installation of an automatic shrinkwrapper from the CSK Ergon series, which stands out for its advanced automation and flexibility of use, low energy consumption and respect for the environment. The CSK 50T Ergon packaging machine, installed at the Ravarino plant, packs different types of bottles and glass jars in multiple pack formats in film only, pad + film and tray + film. The range of models of the CSK series of SMI shrinkwrappers includes single- and twin-lane models with a compact and ergonomic design, which contain the best of the industry technology for packaging in shrink film at the maximum speed of 50 + 50 packs/minute (depending on the size of the container and the pack format). CSK 50T Ergon Shrink wrapper Main advantages:

1. Very flexible production and packaging process, which allows you to quickly and easily switch from one format to another to maintain high levels of plant operating efficiency

2. Packaging machine equipped with a motorised system of oscillating guides at the machine infeed, which facilitates the correct channelling of loose containers on a conveyor belt equipped with chains in thermoplastic with a low coefficient of friction

3. Grouping of bulk containers in the desired format carried out continuously by means of electronically synchronized separation pegs and bars

4. Pad cardboard magazine placed under the infeed belt, from where the cardboard blanks are picked up by means of an alternating motion picker, positioned at the start of the cardboard ramp, consisting of a group of suction cups with vacuum suction system

5. Curvilinear cardboard ramp in the initial and final section to facilitate the insertion of the pad under the grouping of products at the outfeed of the electronic separator

6. Compact design film cutting unit, where the blade is managed by a "direct-drive" brushless motor which makes the cutting operation more precise and simplifies maintenance

7. New ICOS motors, equipped with integrated digital servo-drive (driver), able to simplify the wiring of the machine and ensure greater energy efficiency, less noise and reduced wear of components

8. Shrink tunnel equipped with optional metal chain and lubrication able to ensure better splicing of the film under the pack

9. Optional automatic format change adjustment system

10. The machine is also equipped with a series of optional devices to ensure the high quality of the final pack, such as the product stabiliser and the additional 1150mm belt placed at the outfeed of the tunnel for rapid pack cooling To find out more, please visit: https://www.smigroup.it/