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With deep roots in the past and a constant eye on the future, Italy-based Latteria Sociale Valtellina stands out for its excellent dairy products.
The company respects and enhances ancient traditions thanks to ongoing investments in new technologies, such as the SMI EBS 4 K Ergon rotary stretch-blow moulder, used to produce the 0.5-litre and 1-litre PET bottles for milk and the 0.48-litre PET bottles for kefir.
By choosing the right packaging, Latteria Sociale Valtellina makes a difference in preserving the ecosystem. The company took the first major step toward environmental sustainability by choosing PET bottles for bottling the over 1,200 hundredweights of milk collected daily from the farms of the cooperative members and bottled at the Postalesio facility (Sondrio). PET is in fact a safe, durable and shatterproof material, ensuring the product's high quality.
The cooperative has also identified RPET50 (PET with 50% recycled material) as the best solution, anticipating the requirements of the new European directives, which require the use of containers with at least 30% recycled material by 2030.
SMI solutions for Latteria Sociale Valtellina
Latteria Sociale Valtellina firmly believes in the importance of working closely with its suppliers, establishing relationships based on loyalty and transparency.
An example of this is the recent collaboration with SMI for the supply of an EBS 4 K Ergon stretch-blow moulding system, which has enabled the production of 0.5-litre and 1-litre PET bottles, used for bottling milk, and the 0.48-litre PET bottles used for bottling kefir, to be brought in-house at the Postalesio-based company.
Benefits for the environment and energy savings
The EBS 4 K Ergon stretch-blow moulding system allows Latteria Sociale Valtellina to insource the PET bottle production process and save on the weekly transport previously required for the bottle procurement, with a clear positive environmental impact.
Currently, Latteria Sociale Valtellina purchases only preforms in PET, the semi-finished product needed for in-house bottle production, which, in volume terms, account for approximately one-twentieth of the finished container.
The preforms are transported in reusable crates, totaling 497,952 pieces per trip, compared to 38,016 for blown bottles. This allows for a 92.4% reduction in trips required for the same number of pieces transported, with a clear positive environmental impact.
Benefits for operational efficiency
The preform heating section, integrated into a single module with the stretch-blow moulding section, is characterised by the horizontal development of the preform conveyor and an optimised ventilation and aeration system.
The IR lamp groups responsible for heating the preforms are equipped with a system of heat-reflecting panels made of highly energy-efficient composite material, positioned both in front and behind the lamps, to ensure high heat reflection and more uniform distribution across the entire surface of the preform.
Focus on Latteria Sociale Valtellina
The Latteria Sociale Valtellina was founded in 1979 with its headquarters in Delebio, in Lower Valtellina, in the province of Sondrio, a charming area with a strong dairy vocation. The company prioritises innovation as a driving force for development and a key element in producing excellent dairy products.
Find out the benefits of SMI solutions here.
For more information on the SMI latest innovations for circular packaging and sustainable development, please contact the sales department or visit SMI website.
