Rockwell Automation named Italian company Cama Group the overall winner of its inaugural Best Future Machine Award.
The competition was created to recognize and reward innovation in the packaging industry. The five judging categories were ease of use, modular machines, smart machines, sustainability and traceability and product safety.
The final shortlist and eventual winners were chosen by a panel comprising representatives from Johnson & Johnson, Proctor & Gamble, Kimberly Clark and Nestlé as well as two major European trade associations: UCIMA and GEPPIA.
According to Rockwell, Cama Group is known the technology and reliability of its packaging systems. The packaging machines Cama creates cover the primary and secondary packaging processes, from the line entrance to the end-of-line packaging operations before palletizing.
The award-winning machine is Cama's IF318 robotized monoblock loading unit. It incorporates 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.
Other category winners included:
- Modular Machines: Gebo Cermex’s modular CareSelect infeed product handling system, 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, which includes remote-access capabilities.
- 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 data-capture possibilities for traceability.
The winners were announced at a ceremony held on the Rockwell stand on the first day of the interpack show.
