Sacmi to create ceramic barrels for ‘turnkey winery’ following $2.9m acquisition
The Italian company which manufactures Bag-in-Box packaging to labellers, filling and labeling machines, has acquired Defranceschi for €2.7m ($2.9m) at auction, after it filed for bankruptcy in January.
Oenology lab in Piedmont, Italy
Vezio Bernardi, general manager, Sacmi Beverage, said the purchase included Defranceschi’s facility in Mordano, Bologna, Italy, as well as adjoining land which is suitable for another building.
“The acquisition was, in itself, more than worth the price, without even taking into account the equipment, which was in excellent condition and immediately made available to us,” he said.
Sacmi has now extended its product range with grape presses, stalk removers, storage tanks, raw material and finished product quality control equipment.
It plans to marry its NIR (near-infrared light) units and sensor feedback systems to create future applications where individual grapes can be tested via automated organoleptic analysis; creating a ‘turnkey winery’ with end-of-line systems, label production and application, case packers and palletizers.
The company has been given a headstart as it hired employees from Defranceschi following its closure.
To kickstart its strategic project, Sacmi has partnered with an oenology lab in Piedmont, Italy.
Wine & Spirits division
This will allow the firm to identify and develop its technological, product and process competences to face challenges posed by the wine industry.
“One of the areas we are focusing on and making prototypes for is ceramic barrels which could, potentially, replace traditional wooden barrels and steel ones,” said Bernardi.
By creating a Wine & Spirits division Sacmi is taking advantage of its PET bottling, labelling and end-of-line sectors to make the ‘turnkey winery’ a reality.
According to Bernardi, the wine industry has one of the highest global market development and growth opportunities from China to the US, South Africa and Europe and it wants to ‘tap into that market potential’.
“With consumption growing steadily and set to break the 250,000,000 hectolitre barrier by 2019 (output value already exceeds €200bn) the industry is dominated by 10 countries which account for 80% of global production, with France, Italy and Spain leading the way and the US playing an ever-larger role, in terms of production and consumption,” he added.
