RG280: lower emissions, lower consumption and less waste with Galdi's new filler

With the launch of the new RG280, we wanted to tackle several challenges we had been working on for some time.

First and foremost, we wanted to design a Gable Top filling machine for delicate and extended-shelf-life products, featuring the most advanced solutions with regard to hygiene performance and performance repeatability.

In addition to more advanced and efficient processes and automations, Galdi engineers strived to achieve another goal as well. They wanted to develop a more sustainable packaging system than those on the market (including Galdi's), with lower emissions, less waste and lower consumption.

Drawing on their research and expertise, they introduced innovations that involve all processes.

As we discussed in a previous article on hygiene performance, the RG280 uses vaporized hydrogen peroxide (35% solution) for disinfection.

According to the tests carried out by Galdi specialists, this was the only process that could fulfil the hygienic requirements we had envisaged for the RG280.

The real innovation here was combining higher disinfection performance levels with lower peroxide emissions and residues, achieving values that are well below the limits required by the most stringent regulations:

• Emissions around the filling machine tend to 0 (legal limit: 8-hr TWA: 1 ppm; in Germany 0.5 ppm)
• Emissions in the environment are drastically reduced thanks to the machine's catalytic converters
• Package residues tend to 0 (legal limit: 0.5 ppm)

To ensure maximum safety for operators, the doors of the hygienic chamber are programmed to open only when the emission safety threshold is achieved inside the machine.

During start-up and commissioning, Galdi performs all necessary checks to ensure a safe and healthy work environment for operators.

Here are our guarantees to customers:

• Superior hygiene performance
• Maintenance of the product's sensory qualities
• Utmost safety for operators, consumers and the environment

In the RG280, the SIP process uses pressurised steam, the gold standard in sanitisation.

Compared to cold sterilization with peracetic acid, there is a significant difference in terms of environmental impact and consumption reduction:

• Lower energy consumption
• Saves 400 cubic meters of water a year
• Saves approximately 1,000 kg of chemical substances a year.

Nevertheless, the RG280 ensures better hygiene performance throughout the packaging process!

For external cleaning, soda and acid are circulated at the appropriate temperature.

Compared to classic foaming systems, this allows to:

• Reduce water consumption: -25% (approximately -490 cubic meters of H2O/year)
• Drastically reduce the consumption of chemicals: approximately -9,000 kg a year.
• Use much cheaper cleaning agents, which make the process up to 10 times cheaper

We would be doing our developers and engineers an injustice if we did not highlight that these results were possible thanks to their accurate and thorough work from initial concept through to development!

After all, sustainability is one of our core values!

The range of technical solutions implemented on the RG280 help prevent food waste in a number of ways.

Thanks to its enhanced accuracy and flexibility - in addition to the automation level we achieved - the RG280:

• Delivers ready-for-sale cartons right from the start
• Minimizes waste when ending or changing production, thanks to product recovery and reuse
• Uses all the product in the tank
• Reduces waste, since no food product is used to cool the dosing system after sterilisation, as is the case with other filling solutions

The principles that led to the creation of a filling machine with lower emission, waste and consumption levels did not come about overnight.

Because at Galdi we don't just talk about sustainability, we act on it all the time!

Just think of our eco-friendly packaging systems and the constant efforts to reduce waste during production and testing, also with a view to the circular economy.

If you want to find out more about the new RG280,