Rockwell Automation has announced that the overall winner of its inaugural Best Future Machine Award is Italian company Cama Group.
The competition – created to recognize and reward the high levels of innovation in the packaging industry – was split into five categories: ease of use, modular machines, smart machines, sustainability, and traceability and product safety.
The final shortlist and eventual winners were chosen by a prestigious judging panel comprising representatives from four leading international manufacturers: Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, Kimberly Clark and Nestlé; and two major European trade associations: UCIMA and GEPPIA.
Cama Group is known globally for the cutting-edge technology and reliability of its packaging systems. The packaging machines and robotized lines – designed, manufactured and installed by the Italian company worldwide – can be used in food and other industries. They cover the whole primary and secondary packaging processes, from the line entrance to the end-of-line packaging operations before palletizing.
The award-winning machine is the company’s new IF318 robotized monoblock loading unit. It incorporates many of the features that make Cama’s machines stand out, including cabinet-free technology, ergonomics and friendly use. The machine also leverages the iTRAK intelligent track system from Rockwell Automation.
Cama rated highly in several categories and won best ease-of-use. The Cama machine showed how an integrated, modular design concept can be incredibly flexible and suit multiple applications.
Other category winners included:
Modular Machines: Gebo Cermex’s modular CareSelect infeed system stood out for its product handling, where movers are only in contact with a bottle for 0.3 seconds.
Smart Machines: Goglio won with its GCap6 filling machine for aluminum capsules. The judges were impressed with machine’s remote-access capabilities and its use of Connected Enterprise technologies.
Sustainability: The judges awarded CMC Machinery the winner in the sustainability category for its CartonPack box-on-demand solution, which produces optimum box sizes with minimal packaging waste.
Traceability and Product Safety: SN Maschinenbau’s FM 200 pouch packaging machine’s communication capabilities was designed with Industrie 4.0 in mind and offers data-capture possibilities for traceability.
Commenting on the judging process, one jury member explained, “This was an incredibly tough competition to judge as some of the machines impressed us across multiple areas. It is obvious to see that innovation is alive in the packaging industry. I am convinced that some of these machines will quickly establish themselves as class leaders.”
The winners were announced at a ceremony held on the Rockwell Automation stand on the first day of the interpack show. Cama will be given free flights and hotel accommodations to the Rockwell Automation Automation Fair event, Nov. 15 and 16 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. While at the event, Cama representatives will have the opportunity to meet senior management teams and key industry personnel from the U.S.
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