Coffee secondary packaging by Cama: an Australian success

iCapsulate chooses Cama system and doubles coffee production: high technology packaging enables a quick growth.

Contract manufacturer based in Sydney, Australia, iCapsulate is a vertically integrated company specializing in sourceing green coffee, roasting coffee and produces capsules, pods and roasted coffee beans.

iCapsulate is the largest single serve manufacturer in the Southern Hemisphere with a capacity of 1.3 million capsules soon to increase to 2 million capsules per day and roasting capacity of 10 tonnes per day. The company is constantly innovating and bringing new products to market.

The reasons for choosing CAMA Group
Kane Bodiam, iCapsulate Managing Director, explains why Cama was his choice.
«When selecting our secondary packaging machinery there were many options, but when we drilled down to the requirement and flexibility we wanted, only Cama ticked the boxes.
The italian company offered a machine with exceptionally build quality; the flexibility with the machine and ease to change and adapt formats at minimal cost is a huge benefit, especially for a business who is contract manufacturing. We found the interface to be very user-friendly, servicing is basic and inexpensive for a machine of such quality. There is no need to keep extensive parts, while the consumable parts that need replacement last quite long and are very durable anyway.
The local support in Australia is fantastic and I have found them very responsive: considering the short notice I have given, I have always had the technical intervention when I required. Cama have exceeded my expectations, and without their support we would not be as successful as we are today».

The iCapsulate Cama line in detail
The newly installed line by Cama in Blacktown, New South Wales, is composed of:
a monoblock unit  forming carton boxes, top loading capsules into boxes and closing boxes
a wrap-around case-packer, loading boxes into corrugated SRP cases.

At the infeed of the Cama IF296 monoblock loading unit, the capsules are delivered on two lanes, upside down (seal down). One electronically controlled starwheel system for each lane phases the cups into an electronically controlled pocketed conveyor.
The boxes are in the meantime glue-erected from flat blanks by a twin head integrated electronic forming machine. The erected boxes are then transported and phased to the robotic loading area.
The collated products are then picked up by a two-axis robot with suitable head and loaded into boxes.

The boxes, previously formed and loaded with lids in upright position, are conveyed to a robotic closing unit. The boxes are closed by hot melt, transferred to machine outfeed and then conveyed to the FW748 wrap-around case packer.

The boxes arriving on single lane are spaced by special accelerating conveyors and positioned in portrait position into the pockets fixed on a belt conveyor, driven by brushless motor.

The collated boxes are then deviated into the pre-erected cases; the flat blanks are fed from a magazine and erected into a flighted chain. After loading, cases are transferred to the following station, where case closing is completed and the cases are conveyed to the machine outfeed.

The project background and the successful outcome
Kane Bodiam talks about cooperation with the Italian company.
«When we selected Cama, the timeline for the machinery was short, this project was to be the largest of its type in Australia. The machinery was built in a schedule that I didn't believe was possible. The machine was in testing within a week of its arriving. I couldn't believe how quick assembly was! We had support from Italy who provided exceptional training.
Based on the success of this project and for us to be able to build iCapsulate to the largest company of its type in the Southern Hemisphere in 1.5 years we have decided to produce now another format using the same machinery due to the success achieved with the current format.
We produce capsules for the largest companies in the world, Australia and New Zealand. The quality we manufacture cannot be replicated by anybody».

Experience, technology and service provided by Cama build a long-term partnership; the technical solutions provided by Cama to iCapsulate and their trust in Cama lead to a lasting cooperation, underpinning the successful growth of both companies.
This unquestionably excellent matching of innovative spirit and Italian flexibility and reliability has also gained international acknowledgement..