With a turnover of 68 million Euros, a workforce of 280 employees and over 1000 machines produced, 2010 came to a close with a multitude of technical innovations chalked up by all the companies in our Group.
This followed a positive response from all PFM Group companies to the severe economic crisis, which coincided with a major decline in production in manufacturing industry over the period 2008-2009. They were able to diversify their range of products and reposition themselves within new highly dynamic markets with no loss of productivity, turnover and business relations.

For the last 10 years PFM has been ISO 9001-2008 certified which means that every company section and process, including design, production, sales, and after-sales service pursue a policy based on quality, aimed at continual improvement in customer satisfaction. And it has been during this decade characterized by total quality that we have been in a position to draw on all the resources necessary to cope with large scale investments in Research and Development.

Just as the first signs of the crisis appeared we improved our machines, we designed and patented new models, we improved manufacturing processes by making them more efficient and competitive, we put after-sales service high up on our list of priorities and placed dozens of technicians around the world to assist our customers. Our enthusiasm for custom applications demonstrates all the skill and experience in both technical and business areas available within the group. It is also the result of commitment to communication with customers, to understand their requirements and find solutions to their specific problems.
The year 2011 has started well with a good flow of orders and the inauguration of the new SPS headquarters in Bogogno (Novara), with of 6000 m² of production space and 2000 m² of offices.
A further major event is the inauguration of PFM Iberica which has been created to allow PFM to operate at the heart of this strategically important market. There has been a boost in the activity of PF Meccanica, the company that provides the others in the Group with precision components and this has had a positive effect on quality and reliability.
Our companies will continue to innovate in order to gain competitiveness and to move market focus from competition based on price to competition based on value.

Paolo Fioravanti
Managing Director

Rather than take a defensive position in a time of economic downturn PFM preferred to invest in quality and innovation. We looked closely at special applications and developed new technical solutions to enhance performance levels while a strategy of research and development saw the arrival of new products, completely innovative and patentable.

Over the past three years PFM Group has consolidated its presence on the traditional European, North American and North African markets, expanded its client portfolio to include the largest international brands and has reached out to the more distant, developing countries. Now, in 2011, the PFM Group is the principal supplier to the cheese packaging industry, and has successfully introduced innovative resealable packaging solutions. At the same time we have increased our share in the whole and fresh-cut fruit and vegetable market by offering technology for the challenging ready-to-eat fruit and fruit salad market sector.
We have also experienced exponential growth in the bakery and confectionery sector where we offer complete turnkey solutions. We are going strong in Modified Atmosphere Packaging of food products and have become a major player in the market for complete feeding and packaging lines to handle wet wipes and cosmetics.
PFM’s position in specific segments of the international flexible packaging market has also been strengthened by our strong commitment to innovation, continual motivation of a robust sales network in all major countries of the world, strengthening of our pre and post sales service, and efficient cost control. As a result, our sales force has been able to demonstrate the clear customer advantages of comparing machinery by the added value offered, rather than simply price alone.
Our vehicle for innovation is very much based on almost half a century of solid relationships with our customers. These relationships have given us a powerful identity, a strong image that is based on the capacity to take on and maintain commitments with our partners and customers, an image that has become a success factor for attracting new customers.
Andrea Fioravanti
R&D and Sales Director

A watchful eye on market trends and on the inclination to consume confirm our belief that packaging with plastic and flexible film will be fundamental in the future of the packaging industry. Flow pack has become universally recognised and its use is becoming more and more widespread due to the advantages it offers in terms of minimal environmental impact, reduced costs, and extreme versatility.

This is why PFM is concentrating its efforts on two fronts:
1. The development of applications for fast vertical packaging;
2. The development of special applications for horizontal packaging.
PFM Zenith Brick Pack that can produce box shaped bags with folded top seal, similar to the brick pack, but with flow pack advantages; Solaris Smart3S Steelo produces 4-corner seal stand up bags at high speed. The horizontal news is the PFM Falcon, an application dedicated to multipacks of fragile products like tomatoes, previously packed in trays. Coffee capsules packaging lines, a continually expanding market for which PFM is the benchmark, have been further researched and perfected.
The already highly acclaimed PFM Scirocco for packaging cheese slices in a
new resealable pack has been developed further. The wet wipes packaging range has been expanded and refined to offer complete lines with feeding systems, die cutting and labeling systems, robotic lid application systems.
PFM is also achieving success with its “green packaging” alternative, by offering the customer a complete series of flow pack machines that use biodegradable and compostable packaging materials; PFM is convinced of the fact that these materials are the future of the packaging industry.

PFM Zenith DuoBag® (PFM patent): a new VFFS vertical packaging machine which produces packs with a pocket for putting in gadgets or accessories needed to use or consume the product.

Patented by PFM, the machine in this exclusive configuration for the production of DuoBag® packs produces two packs in one, starting from a single reel of packaging material and a single forming tube, which has been specially designed for this application. Ideal for wrapping a product and an accessory: for example fruit and vegetables in chunks, cheese and processed meat and salami cubes wrapped with their own cutlery and wipes; candies, toffees, sweets and confectionery products in general wrapped with gadgets and toys for young consumers; mixed frozen foods, fresh or dried pasta wrapped with a sachet of spices or flavouring that provides the correct amount of seasoning, or to try out new, risk-free recipes, etc…

In other words, a pack that broadens the confines of everyday usage and radically changes consumer habits.

A new turnkey packaging system designed as a complete system for wafer products has been developed by European firms SPS and CAMA who joined forces to meet demand in the market.

SPS, which is owned by packaging group PFM, formed a partnership with Italian company CAMA last year to promote cost effective packaging options for the biscuit and chocolate industries.

According to the companies, their collaboration has now resulted in a reliable, efficient and high-quality packaging system which arose from research undertaken on improving product feeding and loading in food industry packaging.

The turnkey system consists of a product feeder, cutting unit, primary flowpack packaging and secondary packaging in cardboard trays with a 2-axes robot.

It is capable of processing wafers at up to 250 products per minute.

The CAMA group develops packaging lines and machinery for bakery, cereals and confectionery manufacturers.

At the time of the collaboration between the group and SPS, President of CAMA Daniele Bellante said:“For some time now, the major food producers supplying the large retails multiples have been feeling an ever greater need for ‘turnkey’ systems which also provide complete packaging.”

“We therefore believe that the most successful formula is a strong partnership between ‘superspecialists’ in handling, packaging the primary product and then packaging it in cardboard, in order to ensure the end customer greater added value in terms of reliability and technology.”

The newly-developed turnkey equipment will be on display for the first time next week at the Emballage show in Paris which runs November 20-23.

PFM said: “The Salon de l’Emballage in Paris represents the first chance to show, from process product take-over to the end of the line, a complete integrated turnkey system served by an overall warranty assured by the joint responsibility of the two companies.”

Author: Catherine Boal (www.bakeryandsnacks.com)

McGhee’s bakery, based in Glasgow, recently acquired two flow-wrapper Hurricanes from European supplier PFM Packaging. Given the equipment’s speedy packaging times and rapid changeover, it is being lauded by the company as an important step in driving its expansion into Scotland’s traditional baking sector.

McGhee’s co-owner Ian McGhee said: “Our markets’ expectations for fresh bakery products mean that we have to maintain the absolute maximum of uninterrupted production.” According to PFM, the machine can achieve 100 cycles or 60 packs per minute and has an average product changeover time of 3 minutes, allowing it to easily switch from packs of cakes to rolls or muffins.

The high-speed, servo-controlled flow-wrappers produces packets that are sealed lengthwise and diagonally on three sides from a roll of heat sealable packaging film with or without support trays.

Product waste and expenditure is reduced by means of misplaced product detection.

As part of the company’s upgrade, McGhee’s is aiming to switch to pre-printed films in the packaging of its products and intends to make greater use of the Hurricanes as the machine is adaptable to a range of heat sealable materials including laminated polypropylene.

McGhee’s supply craft bakery products, confectionery and a line of frozen baked goods to catering groups and independent retailers across Scotland.

The PFM Group, who have been working in the packaging business for about 40 years, own a wide portfolio of subsidiaries such as PFM Packaging Machinery, British company, PFM and BG PACK – which has helped consolidate the group’s presence in the market of ergonomic and resealable packaging.

Author: By Catherine Boal; Food Production Daily.

Le linee di riempimento e confezionamento Serie CLB hanno una potenzialità produttiva fino a 7500 vasetti ora. I prodotti confezionabili sono del tipo pastosi, liquidi, quali creme da spalmare, yogurt, formaggi, marmellate, bevande, frutta secca.

La CLB utilizza contenitori preformati in materiale plastico o altri materiali termosaldabili. Essi vengono sigillati con dischetti in alluminio termosaldabili o con film partendo da bobina e ed agli stessi può essere applicato il coperchio.

Permette il confezionamento anche in atmosfera protettiva o vuoto+gas.

L’avanzamento è comandato da un grupppo con intermittore e le varie stazioni di lavoro sono a funzionamento meccanico pneumatico.
La Serie CLB può anche essere costruita in acciaio inossidabile.

Meat processor Farmer’s Boy has cut sausage packaging weight and increased shelf-life after installing a new flow-wrapping line from PFM.
The Bradford-based firm, which is part of the Morrison’s group, has installed a an inverted, bottom reel PFM Scirocco flow-wrapper which eliminates the plastic trays previously required to support the bunches of sausages for stretch-wrapping.

Instead, bunches of sausages are fed directly onto the wrapping film, which then unwinds onto the machine bed to take them through the pack forming and sealing process.
The investment has also allowed Farmer’s Boy to move to modified atmosphere packaging, giving additional shelf-life of up to six days.

Farmer’s Boy general manager Richard Straszewskyj said that the installation was a response to retailers demanding packaging reductions.
“Savings in this case are particularly significant because not only is there a reduction in packaging material, but the new packs also take up less space on supermarket shelves than traditional packs of sausages” he added.

Baby wipes for a 40th birthday? They are appropriate if the “baby” in question is PFM, a family-owned Italian company specializing in flexible film packaging, celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2004. The packages for baby wipes produced by PFM are unique in that their plastic lids are applied not by human hands but by vision equipped robots -the FlexPicker– supplied by ABB.

Baby wipes weren’t the company’s original focus, however. PFM (the initials stand for Pietro Fioravanti Macchine; “macchine” means machines) has been making packaging systems since 1964 from its home in Torrebelvicino (Vicenza), Italy, at a time when robots on an Italian production line were the stuff of dreams.

Italianapack, the company that was to become PFM, was created by Pietro Fioravanti for the production of horizontal flow-wrap packaging machines. That means PFM does not build machinery for paper packaging, but rather for flexible film packaging.

“We are the second oldest company in Italy in our sector and the only one with ISO 9001/2000 certification,”points out Paolo Fioravanti, son of PFM founder Pietro Fioravanti and current managing director. “Our competitors are primarily in Italy and Germany. Together these two countries produce 80 percent of the world’s packaging machines. To stay ahead of the game, we are always seeking new technology, proposing new efficiencies, faster equipment and a faster pace of change to our clients.”

This is where the baby wipe project comes in. About 10 years ago, producers of “Pillow-Pack” type packages for moist baby wipes began asking PFM to put lids on these packages, so the wipes would be easier to extract and be protected so they wouldn’t dry out once the package was opened. “We said Impossible. It can’t be done,” admits Paolo Fioravanti.

Then he saw ABB’s FlexPicker at a trade show in 1998. The Vision system of the FlexPicker seemed to offer a way to apply glue to the lids without creating more problems than it solved. PFM started talking with ABB. Eventually several technicians from ABB came down from Sweden to offer support in Vicenza. By 2000, a prototype machine was ready.

While the first year saw many kinks that needed to be ironed out, in 2001 ABB introduced a new generation of software for Vision -ABB’s Pick-

Master, designed specifically for use with handling consumer goods like jar lids – which solved the problems, says Daniel Gravini, customer support engineer for PFM.

That year PFM gave a prototype to an Italian client, and immediately sold three more to that same client. They have since sold 16 machines to customers in Korea, the U.S., Germany, and the Netherlands as well as Italy.

The complete line produces 70-80 packs a minute. Formerly these packs had to go through two additional processes for sorting and orienting and produced 50 packs a minute. Moreover, the equipment traditionally used was inflexible.

“We have seen that once it has been made for a lid shape it is very hard to change,” observes Gravini. This inflexibility could be a big problem in a country like Korea, for example, where 40 differentshaped lids are available, from teardrop to square to round. Applying glue could also be a real challenge because of the problem of leakage in a product where hygiene is essential. But the FlexPicker and PickMaster provide the flexibility and accuracy that help eliminate these difficulties. And price is not a major consideration; payback comes in less than 18 months anyway. “Ease of use and positive results are what count for our clients,” says Fioravanti.

FlexPicker key to solution.

The FlexPicker system is composed of two feeding belts and a glue application gun. The robot’s job is to pick the lid up from a cleated chain conveyor using a vacuum cup system, apply a continuous flow of glue, and place the lid on the target package with a precision of three mm. With the PickMaster system any shape lid can be used with a minimum usage of glue and a very fast changeover time (five to 10 minutes), according to Daniel Gravini, customer support engineer for PFM. Gravini notes that the system is extremely user friendly and allows clients to set up and run new products without any problems or special knowledge. Davide Rossi, robotics technician for ABB Process Solutions & Services (a branch of the Automation Technologies division of the ABB Group), adds that the modular system and the suction grip adapt to various lids and packs, in contrast to traditional systems, and are safer for the operator and more hygienic for the final consumer.

Plenty of benefits.
The advantages for PFM’s popular solution for handling the lids of baby wipe packages include:

• Lower cost.
• Simplicity for the operator.
• Takes less space than traditional gluing solutions because. the ABB FlexPicker robot is placed over the work area and not next to it.
• More hygienic because there is less handling.
• Reliability.
• “If the client wants, we test every machine with the specified film and product right here before it is shipped out,” says PFM customer support engineer Daniel Gravini. “Modifications done here are practically free.”

Our new state of the art, 60,000 square foot facility is the base of our manufacturing operation. We have a distributor network that spans across the continent, thus providing all our customers with superior service and sophisticated technical assistance.

Our Warehouse is stocked with over $2 million worth of inventory for both production and spare parts. Our first class Spare Parts Dept. guarantees spare parts anywhere in North America within 24 hours.

A new state of the art machine shop for the production of components for our wrappers to ensure the quality level our industry requires and our customers deserve.

Highly trained and professional Sales Staff are available to answer questions and supply custom solutions to meet your specific packaging needs.