Packaging pasta in Mozambique: a success story

Three packaging plants, one of which installed in the middle of the pandemic: this was carried out by the automatic machine manufacturer, Altopack, for Merec Industries, a reference enterprise in East Africa, specialized in production and trade of pasta and bakery products.

The installation of the first packaging production line was completed in 2012, the year in which the African company commissioned to Altopack three “AOD PL” packaging machines for packing long goods pasta equipped with a loading system. AOD is a packaging machine for flow-pack that can achieve - depending on the configuration - 130 bags per minute and it is characterized by a high level of automation and high flexibility. This machine is specifically dedicated to packaging spaghetti, fettuccine and tagliatelle: these features made it the ideal choice for Merec that in 2012 responded quickly to the need to increase pasta production, optimizing the packaging operations.

A growing path based on quality and efficiency

The production volume has been so high that Merec, few years later, commissioned a second production packaging line, buying an AOD packaging machine equipped with loading system. In this case the challenge was not only technical: the installation took place in the middle of the pandemic Covid-19, facing problems ranging from the packaging machines load to the installation and commissioning operations.

The project approach was based on remote technologies: from video calls to the use of systems for remote assistance. Altopack machines closely follow Industry 4.0 criteria and have advanced systems for remote monitoring and control, which has made it possible to test the line smoothly and on schedule. The packaging machine has achieved high production targets: there were no operation and maintenance problems, so Merec chose to commission a third packaging line they are now installing. These are packaging machines and also case packers that can fill cartons of different sizes: loading is carried out from the top with a pick-and-place system characterized by small size and compactness. The constant evolution of the relationship that binds two enterprises demonstrates Altopack’s ability to cover the entire packaging life-cycle from primary to tertiary with its own systems, meeting the needs of customers and their development expectations.