The company claims to have spent the last year improving and expanding its range of lighter caps and containers to make ‘greener packaging’ through its R&D work at its Imola research facility, in Italy.
Emerging markets
Stephane Merle, sales director, Sacmi Beverage, told FoodProductionDaily, the firm is ‘thinking about global strategies but acting locally in regional single markets’ also focusing on emerging markets.
“We have just opened two branches on the African continent, in South Africa and northwest central Africa with local sales people, spare parts and technical support.
“We recently reorganised our sales division, grouping together the different teams of each company of the group in the packaging division under one roof.
“Proper geographical areas have been selected, as well as client segmentation, with all sales representatives, key accounts and product specialists identified via a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) system.
“The main drive for this was to provide a better and more harmonized level of service to our clients, and to have more widespread coverage through a more rational and effective organisation.
“Previously, there were several products under different brands and networks, now there is one Sacmi technology via a single network which will act in the global market.”
Stretch-blowing, filling, labelling
Sacmi Beverage and Closures and Containers provides customers with individual machines and turn-key plants, offering packaging from preform, container and cap to stretch-blowing, filling, labelling, packaging and finished product handling.
According to Merle, ‘the process of market globalization has no way back’, and this affects equipment suppliers and its competitors.
“Only the companies who are big enough and have the right products to compete with such a scenario will survive,” he added.
“We are heavily investing in resources and equipment at our R&D center because it is crucial to be one step ahead in the design and testing of caps, bottle, preform and containers, to ensure total quality.”