Comac - News

Innovation, Development, and Customer Care: Here's 2022 for Comac

Tue, 17 Jan 2023 00:00:00 GMT

For Comac, 2022 has proven to be the year where innovation and development have undoubtedly been the main keywords.

Following the evolution of the beverage industry, we worked on adapting our offer to the new market challenges. Therefore, we broadened our range of machines suited to treat every type of beverage – from beer to wine, including Ready-To-Drink beverages and soft drinks (a growing trend around the world), in kegs, cans, and bottles.

Let’s see this year’s main news:

Compact flash pasteurizer: effectiveness and control

Can depalletizer: for a more complete line

HIVE keg line: Comac little one

Some things never change: our technical assistance and service

Compact flash pasteurizer - Effectiveness and control

Let’s start with our new flash pasteurizer – Compact. It was designed to reach a specific goal, that is, attaining quality performance in a safe and controlled way.

This machine was developed for beer pasteurization and offers an output capacity ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 liters per hour. A highly versatile pasteurizer, this machine can be integrated into all the beverage packaging lines designed by Comac – kegs, cans, and bottles.

Due to this machine, product can be automaticallyfully pasteurized. Also, a control panel allows for production optimization, thus reducing waste and necessary time while ensuring constant monitoring of all processing parameters.

A few characteristics of our Compact flash pasteurizer:

a hot water circulation system, including a heating system that works through steam injection into a water/steam mixer, pressure reducer with a steam modulating valve, water circulation centrifugal pump, temperature probe, and other elements.
a high-pressure centrifugal pump, controlled by a frequency converter, and a booster pump, which maintains the differential pressure in the heat exchanger between the pasteurized and unpasteurized product.
a coolant circuit, equipped with a centrifugal pump, feed modulating valve, pressure indicator, temperature indicator, and manual valves.

Moreover, in order to ensure the easiest possible installation, the pasteurizer and the buffer are installed on a skid. It is therefore unnecessary to disassemble them prior to delivery.

Find more about our flash pasteurizer!

Flash pasteurize

Can depalletizer - For a more complete line

To broaden our range of can lines, in 2022 we welcomed a brand-new model of depalletizer compatible with aluminum cans of any format.

This machine has a production output ranging from 3,000 to 15,000 cans per hour, a maximum capacity of 180 kg, a power of 3 to 4 kW, and – once the operator has manually loaded and unloaded the pallet and removed the top frame – it works in a fully automatic way.

From a technical point of view, our new depalletizer stands out for:

The possibility to use a manual or electric pallet truck or a forklift for loading and unloading operations.
Its compact dimension, so that it can be placed even in small spaces.
The possibility to adapt to the customer’s line layout.
Its brushless motorization, which optimizes power consumption.
Its gear motor, mounted at the bottom and is easily accessible for maintenance operations.
Its extreme safety and effectiveness, due to a front stop that reduces the risk of falling cans.

Find more about our depalletizer!

Depalletizer

HIVE keg line - Comac little one

Lastly, for keg filling purposes, here’s our new keg line HIVE. Suited explicitly to keg beer and wine, this machine can fill up to 18 kegs per hour with stainless steel containers and up to 45 kegs per hour with one-way plastic containers. This is therefore the ideal solution for production requirements targeting small businesses.

Its structure is very robust and made up of a single washing/filling head, with a storage tank for detergent solution. The main advantages of this machine include:

Easy to install and use
Safe to handle
High hygienic standards

Find out more about our new HIVE keg line!

HIVE keg line

Some things never change - Our technical assistance and service

Basically, 2022 has been a year under a sign of innovation; Nonetheless, an aspect of our job never changes: the attention and care we are committed with, through our customer service.

As always, our customers are guaranteed a 24-hour assistance service – Mondays through Saturdays – so that we are always ready and able to offer prompt and effective solutions, if necessary.

We can always be reached remotely, to control and diagnose potential problems concerning your plant. This means we are able to get to our machines everywhere in the world. Due to a router installed on many plants, the situation can be monitored in real time, thus minimizingmachine downtime and production slowdown.

In short, if on one hand innovation is at the heart of our daily activity, on the other hand, we are committed to never losing sight of another goal that is equally important: a customer that is satisfied, from the beginning to the end of their experience with Comac.

Let’s start the new year together. We’re waiting for you!

Contact us

Why Choosing a Beer Keg Filling System?

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

In this article:

Beer keg filling systems from Comac

Some models from the range

The advantages of a beer keg filling system

Beer keg filling systems from Comac

Comac specializes in manufacturing various types of beer keg filling systems of the highest quality, meeting the requirements of breweries of different sizes, from craft breweries to the industrial and multinational ones.

Specifically, Comac range includes:

Semi automatic filling systems that deliver 15 to 40 kegs/hour, particularly suitable for microbreweries and small-sized businesses
Automatic filling systems that deliver 40 to 250 kegs/hour for breweries with higher production capacity
Automatic filling systems that deliver 250 to 1,000 kegs/hour for businesses requiring high production rates

Along with the possibility of adapting the plants according to a customer’s business size, keg filling systems from Comac stand out for their:

Versatility, which makes it possible for them to both treat stainless steel and one-way plastic kegs
High technical know-how and technology, which characterize designing and manufacturing steps in order to guarantee the utmost efficiency
Quality of raw materials used, capable of ensuring that the beer has an excellent quality standard and its taste is not altered

Some models from our range

As already mentioned, Comac offers different solutions for keg filling, which are perfect not only for beer but also for other alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. Let’s see a few recommendations:

HIVE – for stainless steel and plastic (one-way) kegs is able to fill up to 18 stainless steel kegs/hour and up to 45 plastic one-way kegs/hour. This solution is ideal for small businesses. Its structure is composed of a single filling head and a tank for detergent solution storage. This model is robust, user-friendly, and particularly easy to install, connect, and use. Safety and hygiene are guaranteed.

Smart Kegging Machine – K2 is part of semi automatic keg filling systems and is designed and manufactured to meet the requirements of small and medium-sized businesses. This version has a maximum production capacity of 36 kegs/hour and consists of two heads: one for washing and the other for filling. It can also have up to three tanks for detergent solution storage.

Our automatic plant range (in the picture: our Capri K31 – 3+1T model) includes several models with a production yield of 40 to 90 kegs/hour. Each machine automatically carries out the washing and keg filling cycles. Along with beer, these plants can perfectly treat other beverages such as cider, still and sparkling water, soft drinks, and wine. They are also equipped with a PLC and an HMI operator panel that facilitate the user when setting up and checking all the operation parameters.

Bergamo HS6T is a modular beer keg filling system that can fully automatically deliver the pre-washing, washing, and filling operations. It is designed for keg lines with very high production requirements. Each one of its modules (pre-washing, washing, and filling) is equipped with six treatment heads and is made with AISI 304 stainless steel, which guarantees hygiene and safety.

Find out more about our beer keg filling systems!

Keg lines

The advantages of a keg filling system

Choosing a keg filling system designed by Comac means:

Efficiency, due to the possibility of choosing the plant according to your production needs
Very long service life, due to the excellent materials used in its manufacturing
Hygiene, because our filling systems are designed to avoid any beer contamination and thus the risks concerning the safety of the consumer and the quality of the beverage
Control: each system performs every step of the process, from keg pre-washing to keg filling
Adaptability: each machine can be easily combined with other additional machines designed by Comac in order to obtain a filling line that is even more complete and efficient.

Choose the true experts in beer packaging. Choose Comac!

Contact us

Beverage Conveyor Belts: A New Unit from Comac

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 00:00:00 GMT

In this article:

New beverage conveyor belts from Comac

All the features of our conveyor belts

How to obtain custom conveyor belts

Beverage conveyor belts from Comac

Beverage industry conveyor belts are not simply a way to connect different machines during the packaging process but also a key to obtain a smoother, faster, and more efficient production process.

Comac knows it well. That’s why we brought a brand new unit to life – exclusively dedicated to conveyor belts – which analyzes every single layout in order to design and create belts that are perfectly compatible with your packaging line.

Our beverage conveyor belts can be straight or curved and have different lengths. They’re ideal not only to handle bottles (both glass and PET) but also cans and kegs.

Therefore, these belts are quite versatile and able to fully meet any internal handling needs. At the same time, they help limit the systems’ operating and maintenance costs.

Comac offers a wide range of conveyor chains with their respective accessories, as well as the possibility to manufacture stainless steel hulls and structures guaranteeing the utmost standards of safety and hygiene.

Specifically, our available solutions feature:

The most suitable sizing of the gearmotor group with high-efficiency motors;
The reduction of container sliding on chains in case of accumulation, due to the use of specific software – resulting in energy saving.

Lastly, for pre-existing layouts, Comac is able to manufacture compatible conveyor belts through an effective revamping of old systems, in order to perfectly readjust them to comply with the current regulations.

All the features of conveyor belts

Conveyor belts from Comac are custom-designed to meet the different production requirements of our customers.

Due to the high versatility that characterizes them, choosing among a vast range of shapes and sizes is possible, allowing to safely transport any type of container: bottles, cans, and kegs.

Specifically, our beverage conveyor belts feature:

AISI 304 stainless steel structures and components
Possibility to integrate belts on pre-existing lines
A modular structure specifically suitable for handling optimization
Programming by PLC control panel
Possibility to use belts with different friction coefficients (high, medium, low)
Simple and quick changeover
The presence of an automatic lubrication system either wet (water and soap) or dry (synthetic), which not only enhances the proper functioning of the belt but also limits noises and cleaning operations.

Find out more about our beverage industry conveyor belts!

Conveyor belts

Find how to obtain custom conveyor belts

As already mentioned, Comac manufactures beverage industry conveyor belts according to the production requirements of its customers.

With its specific design department, in fact, Comac is able to set a clear and precise feasibility study and then proceed to offer adequate solutions that meet these requirements – complete with a layout and technical descriptions.

Through this procedure, promptly handling and solving any kind of requirements our customers have is certainly possible.

Once the design stage is complete, the manufacturing of the conveyor belts is carried out.

The final step is the belt assembly and installation at the customer’s premises. As with every processing stage, this phase is performed by specialized and skilled staff.

Do you wish to know more about our beverage industry conveyor belts?

Contact us

Canned wines: advantages and packing solutions

Fri, 30 Sep 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Consumption of canned wines is proving to be a growing trend. What does this success depend on?

In this article:

The origins of canned wine packing
Why choosing canned wine
Comac best solutions for packaging wine in cans

The origins of canned wine

Although initially the can was not considered suitable for the conservation of quality wine, today this kind of packaging is experiencing an increasing success.

How did the idea of canned wine come about, though?

Originally consumed by soldiers during World War I, canned wine began to spread onto the US market around the 30s. Early attempts with this mode of packing, however, highlighted some problems: in particular, contact with metal made the drink easily perishable.

Today, things have definitely improved: over the years - In fact, techniques for packaging wine in cans have been constantly refined through the study and development of new technologies, allowing the quality of the beverage to remain intact while lengthening considerably the shelf life.

In Italy, on the other hand, the introduction of canned wine dates back to 40 years approximately, and at first it was not very successful. Today, however, the situation is definitely changing, following a worldwide trend.

Why choosing canned wine

The over-increasingly popularity of canned wine depends on a number of important advantages.

Choosing cans for wine packaging, in fact:

Makes it possible to process wines of the highest quality. Due to the great work of innovation and refinement over the years, now the can is able to fully maintain all the qualities of wine and bring out its flavor, even for longer periods. Keeping a low level of sulphites is also an important key aspect – Sulphites, in excessive quantities, can be harmful;
Is logistically advantageous - Cans not only take up less space than bottles and weigh less, but they are also more durable, with a lower risk of breakage;
Is an environmentally winning solution: aluminum is 100% recyclable and implies less CO2 production.

Canned wine, therefore, is not only a breakthrough from a quality point of view but also, and especially, from a logistics and environmental one. These aspects are particularly relevant within the business policies of most companies today.

Of course, a quality result depends on the use of advanced, reliable, and high-performing equipment, such as the can filling machines manufactured by Comac.

Comac best solutions for packaging canned wine

Let's now look at some of the best Comac can lines solutions for wine packaging:

Smartcan 8-1: This machine is perfect for filling canned wine, both still and sparkling. It is an automatic monoblock capable of packaging up to 3,000 cans/hour, setting all filling parameters directly from an operator panel. The compact size of this filling machine, which features an electronic seamer, makes it perfect even in small spaces.

Pegasus 8-1 V2: This filling machine is based on back pressure filling technology and is suitable for the can filling of still and carbonated beverages. It is, therefore, an excellent solution for packing both still and sparklingwines. With an output capacity of 4,000 cans/hour, this monoblock is capable of a very high-quality performance and is particularly suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Microbrew 20-4: This model offers an output capacity of 12,000 cans/hour, the highest offered by Comac. In addition to being particularly suitable for processing craft beers, this filler is capable of packaging still and sparkling canned wines due to the electro pneumatic filling valves with back-pressure filling technology.

Rely on our experts to pack your canned wines, choose Comac!

Contact us

Tailor-made filling systems: with Comac, it�s all possible

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 00:00:00 GMT

In this article we will see:

Filling systems by Comac

How to obtain a customized filling system

Versatility and innovation: a successful case in Japan

Filling systems by Comac

Comac is a leading company in the beverage of bottling, canning, and kegging field.

Our assortment of machines and plants includes several models covering a wide manufacturing range. Besides, Comac also offers the possibility to design and manufacture customized filling systems that are high-performing and high-quality, to better fulfill any requirement.

Comac guarantees packaging and processing plants for different types of beverages, such as:

beer;

soft drinks and ready to drink cocktails;

still and/or sparkling water;

wine.

Below, some features of each type of packaging:

Bottle lines: Comac offers filling systems for glass bottles.

According to the customer’s technical specifications, changes to each one of our models can be implemented.

Plants are all automatic and cover the following production capacities:

up to 6,000 bottles/hour;
over 6,000 bottles/hour and up to 90,000 bottles/hour (in collaboration with CFT Group, which also offers PET bottling solutions).

Picture: Sagitta 12-12-1 P

Find out more about bottling systems from Comac!

Bottle lines

Can lines: canning systems from Comac are automatic and can process cans of any format in aluminum, steel, and tinplate.

Even in this case, you can opt for customized plants, choosing among the different solutions available in Comac range.

Our liquid filling machines are able to guarantee the following production capacities:

from 3,000 cans/hour up to 12,000 cans/hour;

over 12,000 cans/hour and up to 70,000 cans/hour (in collaboration with CFT Group).

Picture: Pegasus 8-1 V2

Find out more about canning systems from Comac!

Can lines

Keg lines: as for keg packaging, instead, Comac offers a range of automatic and semi-automatic machines that process stainless steel and PET one-way kegs.

Specifically, our keg machines are divided into:

semi-automatic, for productions up to 40 kegs/hour;
automatic, for productions ranging from 40 to 250 kegs/hour;
automatic, for productions from 250 to 1,000 kegs/hour.

Picture: BERGAMO HS6T

Find out more about kegging systems from Comac!

Keg Lines

Obtaining a customized filling system

Thanks to our experienced technical and sales staff, Comac is able to design and offer completely customized solutions to meet every technical and production requirement.

Specifically, the manufacturing process of a custom-made filling system follows three main stages:

Custom design - Firstly, a feasibility study is carried out by ourtechnical team. Secondly, layouts and a commercial proposal, with a technical description, are submitted. Constant contact with the customer speeds up the entire process.

Manufacturing - Following the project approval, manufacturing is the next step, carried out by a skilled team resorting to high-quality technologies and raw materials;

Delivery and on-site assembly - Once the manufacturing is achieved, our specialists take care of the final steps of delivery, assembly, and installation at the customer’s premises.

Versatility and innovation: a successful case in Japan

Among the main qualities that make Comac a leader in the manufacturing of customized filling systems, flexibility and dynamism play an important role.

One of the latest successful and worth-mentioning cases is the supply of a complete canning line for Ise Kadoya Brewery, in the city of Ise, Japan. The project was accomplished during the difficult Covid-19 lockdown.

Due to an advanced remote assistance system, Comac was able to launch and test the entire filling system completely from a distance, verify the plant’s functioning, and make real-time adjustments and updates.

Our Service and After-Sales team is moreover available 24 hours a day, Monday through Saturday – also remotely – to promptly solve technical issues while minimizing production downtimes. Supplying spare parts is always available, if needed.

Find out more about customized filling systems from Comac!

Customized plants

Increased beer filling speed for higher productivity: Comac Research & Development's Fast Filling Project

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

These results have been achieved, and continue to be achieved, also due to Comac R&D department, which works every day to offer customers increasingly high-performance systems suited to their specific requirements.

This desire has also led to the department's most recent project, which has completed the preliminary study phase: Fast Filling, designed to increase the filling speed - and therefore the productivity - of all our filling machines.

Project overview

The aim of the Fast Filling project is to investigate and implement improvements (both mechanical and software) on filling machines and systems to maximize the time needed to perform a complete filling cycle.

For this project, the standard stainless-steel keg was taken as a reference.

The work was based on Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations and its first phase has seen the assessment of the “actual state”, by observing the physical behaviour of piping, valves and heads currently used in our filling machines.

The actual state, from a fluid-dynamic point of view, is therefore the initial point, but also the last point of the project. All the modifications, in fact, have been implemented taking the current condition as a reference.

The parameters considered when defining the changes applied to the model are:

Velocity gradient
Pressure drop
Vortex intensity

Simulation results in ‘actual state'

Problem approach

The actual behaviour of a Comac Filler during a filling cycle is shown below.

Complete filling cycle – actual state

The blue curve shows the immediate flow, i.e. the number of litres (flow rate) of product injected in the keg during filling. The initial phase of the cycle is marked out by an almost zero flow, since the modulating CO2 discharge valve is only opened at s1. Modulating the valve at s2 generates a transient that brings the system to steady state.

The final filling step involves the partial closing of the modulating valve (which is set back to s1) resulting in a slowing of the flow. The last step foresees the total closure of the modulating valve and the simultaneous closure of the high flow with consequent transition to slow flow. This final step, in particular, is necessary to guarantee the accuracy of the total volume fed into the keg before the product inlet valve (head) is completely closed.

This data was the fundamental basis for all the modifications to be made, with the aim of reducing the filling time as much as possible, in line with the possibility of foam formation.

Results

Several modifications have been designed to achieve this goal:

- simplification of the piping route

- replacement of the high/low flow valve with a more efficient one

- translation and rotation of the closing cylinder

The modifications implemented have made significant improvements to the fluid-dynamic parameters. Specifically, the simplification of the piping path and the replacement of the high/low flow valve with a better performing one have reduced pressure losses, while the translation and rotation of the closing cylinder have helped to reduce the velocity gradient and turbulence inside the cylinder head.

Simulation results in "modified model”

The improved filling cycle (see figure below) was therefore determined based on an optimization calculation, taking into account:

- the acceleration profile of the filling curve in the initial transient was kept constant.

- the steady-state flow rate was increased in accordance with the reference fluid-dynamic parameters (i.e. the current ones).

- the decrease in flow, of course, considers the total capacity of the keg.

Following the changes, all the indicators examined met the thresholds defined at the outset.

Conclusions

Following this study phase, the Fast Filling project is now ready for a further step: Comac R&D department will soon test the modifications, using a test bench.

If the tests confirm the expected progress, the modifications will immediately be implemented to all Comac filling machines, allowing a productivity increase (kegs/hour) by 18%.

The advantages for customers will therefore be tangible: Comac machines will be even faster and more efficient, perfect for the requirements of whoever is looking for a system that combines high productivity and maximum quality of the finished product.

Beer is the keystone for recovery and Comac is the choice, if you do not wish to be caught unprepared.

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Italians seem to think exactly so, at least according to the latest surveys recently disclosed about the brewing world, in a sector that has inevitably suffered more than others the outcomes of the pandemic.

Some data about beer consumption in Italy

The pages of the 2021 Annual Report of Assobirra, the sector trade association, tell us that per capita beer consumption set an all-time record this year: Italians drink an average of 35.2 litres a year!

Excellent news also about consumption during “leisure time” - According to data from a survey by the Piepoli Institute for Osservatorio Birra, who interviewed 200 restaurant owners and managers, beer will be the recovery driving force.

The chart of favourite beverages, according to the people interviewed, sees among the first ranks blonde and craft beers, followed by wine and cocktails. A good trend on the rise, also, for low-alcohol or alcohol-free beers.

Packaging your beer with Comac

Choosing the correct filling plant for all beverages becomes even more fundamental when it comes of making the most out of consumption recovery, when aiming at a fast and efficient process, while assuring maximum quality of the finished product, that is why Comac can be the ideal solution!

Our array of canning plants, displays a production range between 3,000 and 12,000 cans/hour, thus meeting requirements for both craft breweries and bigger and more structured businesses.

Moreover, all Comac plants are able to process all the beverages named so far - Not only beer but also wine, water, sparkling and still drinks - Plus the Ready-To-Drink beverages that register a significant growth on the international market.

Best solutions from Comac

Microbrew 10-2 and Microbrew 20-4 are our most versatile and compact monoblock solutions. Microbrew 10-2 may fill up to 6,000 cans/hour, while the “older sister” Microbrew 20-4 reaches 12,000 cans/hour.

Both models are equipped with electropneumatic filling valves designed with back-pressure filling technology, suitable for filling and seaming cans in a single block.

Moreover, with a user-friendly operator’s panel, several recipes can be preset and all filling parameters can be monitored at all times.

For smaller businesses who just do not wish to opt out the quality guaranteed by Comac, Smartcan 8-1 could be the right choice - A machine that is equipped with a gravity filling valve and whose maximum production reaches 3,000 cans/hour.

Main services supplied by Comac

To make our customers’ activities more efficient, while minimizing downtimes as much as possible, Comac provides a wide range of services such as:

? Technical Support, available 24 hours/day, Mondays through Saturdays

? Spare Parts Department to get components you need, when you need them, in the shortest time possible.

If you wish to receive more info about our plants, get in touch with our Sales Department. We will be glad to help you keep abreast on the latest trends of the beverage sector in Italy and abroad!

Contact Us

Comac: leader in bottling plants production

Wed, 06 Jul 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Among bottling plants production companies, Comac certainly plays an internationally-relevant role. The wide range of bottling lines and services offered make Comac one of the leaders appreciated for versatility and innovation, while always keeping standards of quality excellent.

In this article we will discover:

The features of Comac bottling plants

Comac excellence lies beyond products

The features of Comac bottling plants

Comac's bottling plants production range includes several models for processing and packaging bottled beverages.

All plants are manufactured following the technical specifications required by customers, according to the available solutions.

The available models range with the following production capacities:

up to 6,000 bottles/hour, particularly suitable for craft breweries and small businesses;
up to 12,000 bottles/hour, to meet the requirements of medium-sized businesses;
over 12,000 bottles/hour (up to a maximum of 90,000), for larger businesses. These plants are produced and developed in cooperation with the CFT Group.

Bottling plants are suitable for processing different beverages, including:

Still and sparkling water
Alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages
Soft drinks
Beer
Wine

All Comac bottling machines are capable of automatically rinse, fill and cap bottles and can guarantee:

A high technology level, partly due to continuous research and development activity;
Excellent quality of materials and components used;
Production efficiency

In photo: Sagitta 12-12-1P (3,000 BPH)

Comac also offers a wide range of process systems, such as:

Automatic systems CIP
Saturation units
Pasteurizing tunnels
Flash pasteurizers
Premix units
Heating and cooling tunnels

Learn more about Comac bottling lines!

Bottling lines

Comac excellence lies beyond products

Comac's attention to detail is not limited to the bottling and kegging lines: the company also boasts excellent quality standards when it comes to the well-being of its employees.

Many corporate welfare measures are aimed at them, with the goal of creating and maintaining a pleasant, stimulating, and productive work environment.

The great commitment shown on the subject has allowed Comac to receive numerous awards, such as the prestigious 5W, the highest ranking awarded in the Welfare Index PMI survey, dedicated to small and medium-sized Italian companies:

In 2021, for the category of "Close to families: support for expenses and free time management"
In 2020 for excellent management of the Covid-19 situation;
In 2018 and 2019, for time-saving practices.

Do you need a quality and efficient bottling plant?

Rely on professionals.

Wine packaging process: how it works and what solutions to choose

Thu, 09 Jun 2022 00:00:00 GMT

What solutions to choose for wine packaging? This beverage is prepared following a very accurate process that brings out its taste and all its qualities to the fullest. Let's see more details about thewine packaging process and the main solutions that can be adopted.

In this article:

Wine packaging process: keg or bottle?

Comac bottling machines for wine packaging

Comac machines for wine kegging

Some successes from Comac for wine packaging

Wine packaging process: keg or bottle?

Although the most widespread wine packaging process is the one in glass bottles, the keg method is also becoming increasingly popular: in fact, the number of places where it is possible to taste wines on tap is growing, with a wide choice of quality products.

Another very interesting trend in recent years is wine in cans, especially for sparkling varieties, but not only: we will talk about it extensively in one of the next articles on this blog.

Tendentially, bottled wine is the one preferred because the bottle allows perfect aging over the years and consequently results in a flavor that greatly enhances the product, due to the perfect harmonization of all its components.

But how is wine bottled?

There are three main steps in wine bottling process:

rinsing: bottles are sanitized by rinsing with water or other disinfectant solutions;
filling: once sterilized, bottles are filled with wine, taking great care to keep the quality of the product intact;
corking: lastly, the process is concluded by capping the bottles.

However, the stainless steel keg also has its advantages, in fact:

is durable and safe;
is washable and reusable with a life cycle with no expiration date;
is perfectly capable of preserving all wine properties;

How does the wine brewing process take place?

With regard to keg filling, there is an initial preparation phase involving three main steps:

prewashing

washing

sterilization

Once this thorough washing cycle has been completed, the wine is packaged in stainless steel kegs, the best material from the point of view of hygienic safety.

Finally, Comac also offers machines for packaging wine in cans, a mode that is becoming increasingly popular, especially for sparkling wine.

In this way it is possible to provide customers not only with a wider and more versatile offer but also with a reliable one, thanks to the high technological level of these machines that thus ensure the perfect preservation of wine and all its characteristics.

Comac bottling machines for wine packaging

Comac offers several efficient, complete and safe automatic bottling line solutions for the wine packaging process. Let's look at a few bottling machine models.

Sagitta 12-12-1P

It is an isobaric monoblock with a production capacity of 3,000 bottles per hour, a perfect solution for low/medium capacity lines. Perfectly capable of rinsing, filling, and finally capping glass bottles, Sagitta 12-12-1 P is based on back-pressure filling technology, which is suitable for filling smooth and carbonated beverages, so it is also excellent for winepackaging, both still and sparkling.

Sagitta 20-20-3 P

This bottling machine too is perfect for carrying out the wine packaging process, both still and sparkling. With a production capacity of 6,000 bottles per hour, Sagitta 20-20-3 P allows optimal control of all filling parameters, namely:

flushing with inert gas;
bottled vacuum execution;
pressurization;
filling;
decompression.

Moreover, thanks to this machine, dedicated recipes can be set according to different types of products, including wine, which can be adjusted and selected from the HMI.

Learn more about Comac bottling machines!

Bottle lines

Comac machines for wine kegging

As we have seen, the keg too is a great solution for the wine packaging process. So let's take a look at some of the best keg filling machines offered by Comac.

Smart Kegging Machine K1 and K2

The semi-automatic wine kegging machines Smart Kegging Machine K1 and K2 are perfect for meeting the production capacity of small and medium-sized enterprises, in fact they are capable of washing and filling 15 to 18 kegs per hour and 30 to 36 kegs/hour, respectively, depending on the keg capacity and washing cycle.

These filling machines are suitable for wine and other beverages packaging and include a washing/filling head in the case of the K1 model, or a washing and filling head in the K2 model, and up to three tanks for storing washing solutions.

Picture: Smart Kegging Machine K1

Comac automatic kegging machines

The range of kegging machines offered by Comac includes several models capable of automatically performing the entire washing and filling cycle, covering a production range from a minimum of 50 to a maximum of 90 kegs per hour.

Technology and components used for this type of plant are the same as those used in high production lines for kegs. Indeed, they ensure maximum hygienic safety, require little maintenance, and the components are readily available on the market for possible replacement.

Picture: Bologna K52

Learn more about Comac filling machines!

Keg lines

Some of Comac successes for wine packaging

The great versatility and quality of the wine packaging lines have enabled Comac to gain great appreciation in Italy and around the world, receiving very positive feedback from our customers.

These include Free Flow Wines in 2020 and Casa Vinicola Zaramella in March 2022.

Free Flow Wines is a young Californian company founded with the goal of providing quality wine on tap, while also paying close attention to environmental sustainability.

Comac designed and built the perfect kegging line for their needs, equipped with two filling machines. The line includes a number of standard machines, but also customizations designed to the customer's needs: for example, the separation of the two filling lines, which makes it possible to fill kegs with two different products at the same time and thus optimize production time.

Results have been excellent, managing to combine high production capacity with excellent wine quality.

Instead, the experience with Casa Vinicola Zaramella, headquartered in the province of Padua, dates back to the beginning of this year.

To meet its production needs, Zaramella chose to install a Comac VERONA K51 - 5 +1T line.

The production line proved to be efficient and left customers satisfied also thanks to the commitment, kindness and professionalism shown by the entire team involved in the project.

Need help finding the right solution for your wine packaging process?

Comac automatic depalletizer for can lines

Wed, 11 May 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Comac range of can filling accessory machines has been enriched with a new automatic depalletizer, which will make your can filling line even more complete and efficient.

The features of Comac automatic depalletizer

Comac services for Customer Care

The features of Comac automatic depalletizer

The new Comac automatic depalletizer, suitable for aluminum cans of any size, is an excellent solution to enrich your filling line.

With a production range from 3,000 to 15,000 cans per hour, a maximum capacity of 180 kg and a power of 3-4 KW, this depalletizer is able to autonomously carry out the work cycle, after manually loading and unloading the pallet and removingd the top frame.

The main features of the Comac automatic can depalletizer are:

Pallet length between 900 and 1,420 mm and width
between 800 and 1,200 mm;
Reduced overall dimensions that allow positioning even in small spaces;
Possibility of specific arrangement to adapt to the layout of the customer's line;
Possibility of using a manual or electric pallet truck or forklift for loading and unloading operations;
Possibility of loading complete pallets or semi-pallets;
Brushless motorization that guarantees a reduction in electrical consumption;
Gear motor mounted at the bottom and easily accessible for maintenance operations;
Extreme safety and efficiency: a front stop prevents the danger of falling cans;
Conformity to EC + cULus standards.

Find out more about Comac automatic depalletizer for can lines!

Depalletizer

The advantages of relying on Comac

In addition to the absolute quality of the systems, Comac is also able to offer its customers a wide range of Customer Care services, following any requirements in every phase of their experience, from design to after-sales.

Technical assistance 24 hours a day from Monday to Saturday, by phone, email and even remotely, to solve any problems while minimizing downtime;
Quick and efficient Spare Parts Office;
Possibility of customization of the plants, according to the customer's needs.

Would you like to receive more information about our automatic depalletizer and Comac services?

Soft drink canning process and solutions

Wed, 20 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Soft drink canning process requires very precise precautions, with the final objective of maintaining unaltered the organoleptic characteristics of the beverage treated. That's why it is fundamental to have efficient and reliable machines at disposal.

In this article:

Comac machines for soft drink canning process
- Microbrew 10-2
- Microbrew 20-4
- Smartcan 8-1
- Pegasus 8-1 V2

Soft drink canning - Production process

Why choose us: our services

Comac machines for soft drink canning process

Comac offers several machines for the soft drink canning process of any format: aluminium, steel and tinplate. The various models are all automatic and divided according to the required production capacity. It is therefore possible to find perfect machines for every type of activity, from microbreweries to large productions.

Due to these machines, it is possible to package all types of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, still and sparkling likewise: wine, water, beer, ready-to-drink, hard seltzer, etc..

Microbrew 10-2

The Microbrew 10-2soft drink canning machine has a maximum output of 6,000 cans per hour, a compact monoblock that houses both the filling and seaming machine in a single bench.

Specifically, this machine is a favorite within the craft beer market, as it is expressly designed for small and medium sized breweries.

Microbrew 20-4

This machine for softdrink canning is similar to the model described above although it features a higher production output. Mircobrew 20-4 is in fact able to pack up to 12,000 cans per hour, thus boasting high performance in relation to the type of monoblock.

As for all Comac machines, this filler guarantees a high-quality finished product, due to the use of technical solutions equal to those used in monoblocks with a higher production output.

Smartcan 8-1

The Smartcan 8-1 soft drink canning machine has a maximum production output of 3,000 cans per hour and features a gravity filling valve capable of handling carbonated beverages without having to pressurize the container. Moreover, Smartcan 8-1 is a very versatile monoblock - It actually sets dedicated recipes for different types of beverages, which can be easily programmed and selected from the operator panel.

Pegasus 8-1 V2

With a maximum capacity of 4,000 cans per hour, Pegasus 8-1 V2 is the perfect solution for small-to-medium-sized businesses, yet offers performance equivalent to a high-capacity monoblock.

Soft drink canning - Production process

The soft drink canning process is structured in three main steps:

Rinsing: cans are first rinsed to prepare them for the next filling step;
Back-pressure filling: cans are filled by means of a system of electro pneumatic filling valves. Comac soft drink canning machines allow the precise setting of all filling parameters (inert gas flushing, pressurization, filling, decompression);
Seaming: once the filling phase is over, the can is seamed with its lid.

Moreover, due to the presence of several ancillary machines, the product can undergo different treatments, thus obtaining top-quality drinks.

Why choose us: our services

The great efficiency, reliability and versatility of our soft drink canning machines are not the only reason to choose us.

Comac also offers its customers many services, following every phase of the project:

24h Service, Mondays through Saturdays, to ensure immediate technical support for troubleshooting and restoring operation of the machines;
Efficient Spare Parts Department to meet any request from its customers;
Customized plants, offering tailored solutions that can meet any technical and production requirement.

Are you in doubt about the most suitable soft drink canning machine for your company? We will be glad to help you!

Contact us

�Compact� flash pasteurizer: perfect for every need

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

To be up to the demands of an increasingly-demanding global market, it is very important to be able to always offer innovative solutions.

For this reason, Comac has created the new “Compact” flash pasteurizer, designed specifically for the treatment of beer.

In this article:

The features of the “Compact” flash pasteurizer

The advantages of relying on Comac

The features of the “Compact” flash pasteurizer

The new "Compact" flash pasteurizer from Comac, with a production capacity ranging from 1,000 to 4,000 litres per hour, is very versatile - It can be adapted to all Comac beverage packaging lines: kegs, cans and bottles.

Thanks to this innovative machine, the product can be pasteurized in a completely automatic way. The presence of a control panel makes it possible not only to reduce waste and downtimes but also guarantee the constant monitoring of production parameters.

The "Compact" flash pasteurizer:

Includes a high-pressure centrifugal pump controlled by frequency converter and a booster pump, to maintain a differential pressure in the heat exchanger between the pasteurized and unpasteurized product;
Has a hot water recirculation system that includes a heating system by steam injection in water/steam mixer, a steam pressure reducer, a steam modulating valve, a water-recirculation centrifugal pump, a temperature probe and few other elements.
Has a coolant circuit equipped with a centrifugal pump, a feed modulating valve, a pressure indicator, a temperature indicator and some manual valves.
Is easy to install, since pasteurizer and buffer are mounted on a skid and therefore it is not necessary to disassemble them for shipment.

The "Compact" flash pasteurizer from Comac is, in short, designed to achieve high-quality performance in a controlled and safe way.

The advantages of relying on Comac

In addition to the exceptional quality of its machines and the continuous search for innovation to ensure ever-increasing performances, as in the case of the new Compact flash pasteurizer, Comac is the winning solution also for the wide range of services it offers, such as:

A 24-hour technical assistance service, from Mondays to Saturdays, to guarantee the customer immediate technical support and solve possible problems in the shortest time possible, minimizing eventual machine downtime and consequences on the production. Moreover, some plants are equipped with a webcam so that our Service Department can evaluate the current problem, in real time and remotely;
An efficient Customer Care service, always ready to meet every requirement from the customer, both for technical assistance and for the supply of spare parts;
The possibility of tailor-made systems, specifically designed according to customer's requirements.

Would you like to know more about our “Compact” Flash Pasteurizer? Our experts will be glad to help you.

Contact us

CoMac's new technology for keg inspection, in collaboration with Consorzio Intellimech

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 00:00:00 GMT

CoMac's mission is to design and manufacture automatic and semi-automatic plants for processing and packaging drinks in different containers, customising them according to specific technical and production requirements.

The milestones of our vision, which in more than 30 years of experience have enabled us to be recognized as one of the most important international players in this field, are the technological innovation and the great attention to the needs of our customers.

These principles are concretely applied through lean, flexible and intelligent industrial projects and processes, aimed at minimizing waste and giving value to time and available resources. For this reason, CoMac is always open to new solutions for the continuous improvement of its systems, also by relying on the collaboration and know-how of consolidated companies in the Bergamo area, where the company's origins proudly lie.

This is the case of Intellimech, a private consortium of large, medium and small companies aimed at interdisciplinary research in the field of mechatronics, of which CoMac has been a member since 2019.

The synergy between the two companies has resulted in a project dedicated to implementing a new methodology of inspecting the kegs, hence including it in future lines, designed and manufactured by the company.

Project overview

Among the containers that our plants process there are the kegs, which include various sizes in terms of diameter and height, but above all they have different type of fitting (i.e. the product inlet section).

In fully automated filling lines, where no intervention or visual control by the operator is required, inspection systems are needed to ensure that empty kegs are in the correct position (with the spear facing upwards) and there is no capsule (cap) on the keg’s neck. The technology used so far by these devices is based on the physical principle of induction.

Inductive sensors fulfill the requirement of detecting the keg orientation and eventually the presence of the capsule on its fitting thanks to their ability to detect the presence of metal components.

However, this technology remains a solution that requires “contact” and above all it is not able to ascertain the type of keg fitting. This means that the customer must physically check there is only one fitting type on the line.

This CoMac project is dedicated to inspecting the keg with the aim of overcoming this drawback. Artificial intelligence was implemented to perform the task of recognizing the fitting, as well as the presence of the cap and the collar.

More specifically, computer vision algorithms were developed to make predictions on images acquired during the production. The inductive sensor has therefore been replaced by a camera that takes an image every time the keg passes on the line.

Approach to the problem

An acquisition campaign was conducted to collect a diverse dataset of images containing kegs with and without fittings, with and without collars, for each type of keg.

Furthermore, synthetic data (2D color images) was used to train a convolutional neural network using domain randomization methodology.

Domain randomization proved to be an effective technique for training the neural network with simulated images. The keg in this case is shown to the model as just another variant, making the dataset richer in term of images. As a result, the model accuracy becomes higher.

Using the Grad-CAM (Gradient-weighted Class Activation Mapping) algorithm, it was possible to generate a “visual explanation” (activation map) of the internal functioning of the neural network. This approach allowed us to figure out which region of the image contributes most to determine the prediction, thus validating the final result.

An additional control, used to identify the keg orientation, was performed through a deterministic approach. In particular, a laser profilometer was used, designed to make precise profile measurements during dynamic processes.

Working at high frequency, the sensor detects the distance of each point on the keg’s metal surface, intercepted by the laser at every discrete instant.

This makes it possible to reconstruct the cross-section by linearly interpolating the detected points.

The profile variation in the central area is the discriminating element between the two profiles (upright versus downright).

The prediction is performed based on a differential calculation of the two profiles. In the case of fitting down, the derivative never exceeds a predetermined threshold value. When the keg is positioned upright, the derivative peaks at the fitting match, hence exceeding the threshold value.

Results

The total accuracy of the model exceeds 97%. The identification errors concerned in almost all cases "false positives", i.e. the kegs oriented correctly are classified as "to be overturned". However, in practical terms, a false positive has less impact than a false negative: a misclassification where the keg is oriented upright but classified as “to be discarded” is certainly more acceptable than letting a downright keg classified as “correct orientation" (upright) passing along the line.

The use of artificial intelligence algorithms in combination with the profilometer proved to be a technologically valid solution, considering that the inspection takes place " contactless", as no object physically interacts with the keg while the keg maintains its motion unchanged, without being stopped for control.

Conclusion

This innovative keg inspection system developed by CoMac R&D department following a long design project in collaboration with Intellimech, is now almost ready to be installed on our production lines.

It is specifically designed to be used on the most performing lines, where a very high degree of accuracy is required during the inspection phase.

The year 2022 begins with technological innovation and sees CoMac designing a new solution that meets the needs of a demanding, global and constantly-evolving beverage market.

Beer canning: Comac �flies� to Japan for a cutting-edge project

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Despite the difficult lockdown period that forced the whole world to come to a halt in the spring of 2020, Comac managed to install, start and test an entire beer caning line completely remotely inside the Ise Kadoya Brewery in the city of Ise, Japan.

Let's find out more about this particular remote installation, completed with the fundamental assistance by Mr. Teruya Hori from LAFF International, our field partner for this project:

The Ise Kadoya Craft Brewery
What was chosen as beer canning line
How Comac managed the remote installation

The Ise Kadoya Craft Brewery

The Ise Kadoya Brewery craft brewery was founded in 1575 as a small kinako mochi shop (rice cakes with roasted soybean flour) very popular among pilgrims visiting the Great Shrines of the city of Ise, Japan.

After beginning soy sauce and miso paste production in 1923, Narihiro Suzuki, son of the twentieth president of the company Soichiro Suzuki, in 1997, became interested in the production of craft beer and convinced his father to start a brewery.

After an initially difficult period that complicated business growth, the company began to reap its first profits in the early 2000s thanks to the creation of the range of "Sinto Beer” souvenir beers, while successively taking full control of sales through the "Ise Kadoya” line of craft beers.

Today the company has achieved important results and has focused on strengthening the craft market in Japan, willing to move from the current 1-2% of craft beer sold throughout the country to 5% or more.

In 2020, Ise Kadoya decided to rely onan all-Italian experience with Comac, purchasing a complete beer canning line.

picture: Narihiro Suzuki, President of Ise Kadoya Brewery

What was chosen as beer canning method

The beer canning line chosen by Ise Kadoya Brewery consists of a top depalletizer, a gravity rinsing machine, a Microbrew 10-2 can monoblock, a level control, a heating tunnel and the conveyor belts.

Microbrew 10-2 can monoblock

The Microbrew 10-2 can monoblock is an isobaric filling machine capable of packaging up to 6,000 cans/hour.Compact and versatile, it is manufactured with a steel frame and covered with AISI 304 stainless steel metal sheet.

The Microbrew 10-2 monoblock allows to obtain many advantages for the production:

High performance related to type of monoblock
Product quality is guaranteed thanks to the use of the same technical solutions as high-capacity monoblocks
Settings are optimal for all filling parameters (flush with inert gas, pressurization, filling, separate gas return during filling, decompression)
Specific recipes for different types of products can be adjusted and selected from the HMI
All filling parameters remain unchanged; they do not depend on the capacity of the machine, as for standard mechanical fillers

Heating tunnel

The heating tunnel is a machine designed to bring the previously cold packaged product to room temperature to avoid condensation inside secondary packaging (the carton box, for example). Specifically,

The temperature of the showers can be adjusted by means of a special operator panel, which allows to check and set all the tunnel control settings according to the filling speed and temperature.
All the tanks are equipped with side access doors which allow for cleaningand periodic maintenance

How Comac managed the remote installation

The global lockdown in the spring of 2020 complicated business management due to the total impossibility of leaving one's home.

Thanks to an advanced remote customer system, Comac was nevertheless able to install, start up and test the entire beer canning line chosen by Ise Kadoya Brewery.

This system, in fact, allows Comac to directly interact with customers' machines and systems, checking their operating status and implementing any changes and/or software updates.

In addition, Comac provides its customers with pre and post sales technical assistance 24 hours a day, 6 days a week in order to always be available immediately, without time limits and above all without letting the customer run the risk of production downtime due to a breakdown.

Some systems are also equipped with a practical webcam in order to see any problems in real time.

Are you interested in installing a beer canning line? Our Sales Department will be happy to help you!

What machine does your business need to bottle water?

Thu, 25 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

A machine intended to bottle water must be able to maintain high production rates while simultaneously guaranteeing the hygiene and safety of the product to be bottled. Comac supplies innovative and customizable water bottle filling machines to meet any production requirement. This article is about:

Comac water bottle filling machines
How to obtain sparkling water with Comac equipment
The advantages of choosing Comac

Comac water bottle filling machines

Comac offers different models of water bottle filling machines, depending on the production capacity.

Water bottle filling machines up to 8,000 bottles/hour

These machines automatically rinse, fill and cap glass bottles of any shape, reaching a maximum of 8,000 bottles per hour. They are also perfect for bottling drinks other than water, such as alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

SAGITTA 12-12-1 P isobaric bottling machine
suitable for a production range up to 3,000 bottles/hour.

Water bottle filling machines up to 12,000 bottles/hour

In the event of greater production requirements, Comac also offers machines capable of filling up to 12,000 bottles/hour. These automatic systems are built with high qualitytechnologies and components, in collaboration with the CFT Group.

Water bottle filling machines over 12,000 bottles/hour

These are bottling machines capable of reaching productions exceeding 12,000 bottles/hour, also manufactured in collaboration with the CFT Group. These machines, as is the case for the entire Comac range, are designed to automatically complete every production process phase, from rinsing to capping water or other non-alcoholic or alcoholic beverage bottles.

How to obtain sparkling water with Comac equipment

In addition to water bottle filling machines, Comac also offers accessory machines capable of guaranteeing an increasingly complete service.

The saturation unit, for example, is perfect for those who want to produce sparkling water. Made of AISI 304 stainless steel, it de-aerates and then carbonates water.

The main components of this machine include a deaeration tank, carbonation device and a stabilization/storage tank for the carbonated product.

Water is fed into the first tank from above and then nebulized to expel all gases and promote the carbonation phase.

Next, the carbonation device injects carbon dioxide into the water to make it carbonated. The amount of injected CO2 is regulated by a modulating valve which allows for different degrees of carbonation.

The last step consists in sending the carbonated water to the CO2 pressurized stabilization/storage tank before sending it to the filling machine.

Learn more about our bottling lines and accessory machines

The advantages of choosing Comac

We have been manufacturing bottling machines since 1990 and now rely on a team of experts whose skills and passion will assist you in choosing the best solution for your business.

Comac is customer-oriented, providing efficient customer service, 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. This allows us to rapidly solve any problem.

Furthermore, Comac is committed to creating a stimulating workplace so that all its employees are highly motivated to render a consistently accurate and impeccable service.

Quality, safety, precision and promptness: Comac is all this.

Comac is at your complete service to help you choose the perfect water bottle filling machine!

Contact us for a price quote

Comac: manufacturers of complete bottling lines

Wed, 10 Nov 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Bottling of beverage is a very delicate phase because it must ensure that the liquid perfectly maintains all its properties. This is why you need a specialized bottling line manufacturer, capable of offering cutting-edge and efficient systems.

Comac has been producing high-quality bottling lines since 1990, handling beverages with the utmost respect and minimizing waste associated with the packaging phase. In addition to fillers, accessory machines are also available to complete and enhance your production line.

The wide range of Comac machines includes:

Bottling machines;
Saturation unit;
Premix unit;
Heating and cooling tunnel;
Tunnel pasteurizer.

Bottling machines

Comac manufactures various beverage bottling machines, all automatic and divided into three categories, based on production capacity:

Up to 6,000 glass BPH
Up to 12,000 glass BPH
Over 12,000 glass BPH

Bottling systems up to 6,000 glass bottles/hour

These systems are able to automatically rinse, fill and cap glass bottles of any shape, reaching a maximum of 6,000 bottles per hour.

Bottling systems up to 12,000 glass bottles/hour

These are automatic systems capable of filling up to 12,000 bottles per hour with beverages of all kinds, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. These systems are manufactured with high-quality technologies and components and are developed in collaboration with the CFT Group.

Bottling systems over 12,000 glass bottles/hour

Also in this case, the systems, manufactured in collaboration with the CFT Group, carry out each phase, from rinsing to capping, completely and automatically. This type of system meets the highest production requirements, with an output starting from 12,000 bottles/hour; it is therefore designed for mass production.

As for the other two types, these machines are equipped with an operator panel that allows to control all operating parameters of the Comac system.

Learn more about Comac automatic bottling systems!

Learn more

Saturation unit

The saturation unit is made of AISI 304 stainless steel and is used to deaerate the water and consequently carbonate it to obtain sparkling water.

The deaeration tank, the carbonation device and the stabilization/storage tank are the main components of this instrument.

Water, introduced into the first tank from above, is nebulized therefore it expels all its gases to facilitate the carbonation phase.

Excess carbon dioxide from the saturation tank is also channeled into this tank. Furthermore, CO2 facilitates deaeration and triggers a slight pre-carbonation.

Next, the carbonation device injects carbon dioxide into the water, to make it carbonated. The amount of CO2 to be introduced is regulated by a modulating valve, which allows for different degrees of carbonation.

Finally, the carbonated water is sent to the stabilization/storage tank, kept under pressure with CO2, and sent to the filler.

Premix unit

A beverage bottling line may include a premix unit which, made of AISI 304 stainless steel, deaerates water, adding syrup and subsequently carbonizing water to obtain the desired carbonated beverage.

The process is very similar to that of water. The difference is in the addition of the syrup when creating the beverage.

The syrup tank receives the concentrated syrup (50/60 brix) and then the water/syrup mixing unit measures out the water and the syrup according to the recipe.

Heating and cooling tunnel

Heating and cooling tunnels are necessary to bring the previously bottled cold or hot product to room temperature.

Both tunnels are made of AISI 304 stainless steel and the tanks that feed the upper showers are anchored inside them.

The command and control devices for both the mechanical cycle and the temperature are located on the outside.

The bottles rest on a chain inside the machine and, by means of an external gear motor, move to the various sections where they are sprayed by the upper showers that heat or cool the drink, until the desired room temperature is reached at output.

All the tanks are equipped with side access doors which allow for cleaning and periodic maintenance.

Tunnel pasteurizer

The tunnel pasteurization unit is designed to pasteurize the bottled product and is available in different sizes.

Inside the machine, bottles are placed on a chain and, as they progress through the various sections, they are sprayed by the upper showers, at different temperatures, until they reach the output. Bottle transit speed can be adjusted from an operator panel, which also allows to choose the duration of the cycle.

The machine is equipped with an automatic system applied to the pre-pasteurization and pasteurization areas which prevent product over-pasteurization in case the internal conveyor stops.

If you don’t know which machine to add to your system, contact our professionals to help you create the bottling line that best suits your requirements.

Rely on Comac to complete your perfect product, just as you envisaged it.

Choosing an isobaric beer can filler

Mon, 18 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Bottling a drink such as beer requires a very careful process, since the product quality is closely linked to its flavor and texture, which must not be altered during the packaging process.

There are different packaging types: in bottles, in cans and in kegs.

As for cans, an isobaric filler is ideal for brewers to keep the quality of the product intact. In this article we will see:

Why choosing an isobaric beer can filler
Comac main models for isobaric fillers

Why choosing an isobaric beer can filler

Filling cans with isobaric machines is particularly effective for carbonated products and is far the most popular among breweries. Isobaric fillers, in fact, avoid the formation of foam and the liquid leaks during the filling phase, while keeping the taste of the beer unaltered.

Comac offers fully automatic filling machines capable of filling a great number of cans per hour of any format (aluminum and tinplate) according to the customer's requirements. The two main machine categories include:

Fillers for production speed of up to 4,000 cans/hour
Fillers for production ranging from 4,000 to 12,000 cans/hour

Main isobaric fillers from Comac models

Here are the main isobaric can filler models from Comac:

PEGASUS 8-1 V2: Isobaric can filler capable of filling 4,000 - 12 oz. cans per hour

MICROBREW 10-2 (6,000 CPH): Isobaric filler capable of filling up to6,000 cans/hour.

MICROBREW 20-4 (12,000 CPH): Isobaric filler capable of filling up to 12,000 cans/hour.

Feel free to also visit the section dedicated to our cut-price filling machines, to make sure you don’t miss out on any deal!

Discover our cut-price filling machines

Complete beverage bottling lines: Comac solutions

Tue, 05 Oct 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Having a complete, fully automatic beverage bottling line can make a real difference during the production process.

Based on the type of beverage to be bottled and the size of the bottling section, Comac is able to offer a customized system that can meet every specific requirement.

Starting from the different production demands, Comac complete beverage bottling lines can be selected into three large families:

Up to 8,000 bottles/hour
Up to 12,000 bottles/hour
Over 12,000 bottles/hour

In addition to bottling into classically-shaped glass bottles, these systems are also designed for bottles of different shapes and are able to bottle both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Complete beverage bottling lines up to 8,000 bottles/hour

These systems are designed to bottle up to 8,000 bottles/hour and they automatically rinse, fill, and cap bottles. Furthermore, they can be completed with conveyor systems and accessory machines according to customer requests and available installation space.

SAGITTA 12121P: Isobaric bottling machine model for production up to 3,000 bottles per hour.

Complete bottling lines up to 12,000 bottles/hour

This type of plant is able to bottle up to 12,000 bottles/hour and is designed and manufactured in collaboration with the CFT Group. The technology and components applied to make the bottling lines create high productivity plants.

Complete beverage bottling lines over 12,000 bottles/hour

This type of plant is also designed and manufactured in collaboration with the CFT Group. These complete beverage bottling lines are designed to automatically complete each production process phase starting from the rinsing cycle up to bottle capping.

These are complete bottling lines with an output over 12,000 bottles/hour, therefore designed for large productions, able to meet the highest quality requirements.

Comac will be your only point of reference during all phases, from design to site installation.

The best canning systems for your production line

Wed, 25 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT

If you own a beverage company, a good filling system for your production line is an absolute must. Comac is exactly what you’re looking for, and we’ll now introduce you to some of its best products and help you make the right choice.

The advantages offered by Comac canning systems

The canning systems offered by Comac are ideal for two main reasons:

They can be used with any type of beverage, whether beer or soft drinks: there’s no packaging limit, and the taste is never compromised.
They can be used to fill any type of can, based on the customer’s requirements: the beverage packaging can be adapted to multiple formats. They can also be used to fill tin or aluminum cans.

Comac ancillary machines for canning systems

In order to provide even more comprehensive and versatile services, Comac offers a series of ancillary machines for use in conjunction with filling lines. These include:

Pasteurizer tunnel: used to pasteurize the product already packaged in cans. The machine structure is manufactured with solid AISI 304 stainless steel, and is available in different sizes.
Cooling/heating tunnel: this system is designed to bring the previously packaged cold or hot product to room temperature. Built with special instrumentation designed to save water.
Saturation unit: this system is designed to carbonate the product. The amount of CO2 can be adjusted to obtain different levels of carbonation, due to the presence of a modulating valve.
Premix unit: this system is used to create carbonated beverages by deaerating the water, adding syrup, and carbonating it to obtain the finished carbonated product.

Comac filling machines for canning systems

See below the main can packaging models from Comac:

PEGASUS 8-1 v2: an isobaric filling machine capable of packaging up to 4,000 cans/hour.

Microbrew 10/2: an isobaric filling machine capable of packaging up to 6,000 cans/hour.

Microbrew 20/4: an isobaric filling machine capable of packaging up to 12,000 cans/hour.

Contact our professionals to find the system that best suits your requirements or request a quote

Are you looking for a can filling machine manufacturer? Choose Comac

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 00:00:00 GMT

If you run a beer brewing company and need a fast and reliable product packaging service, the ideal solution is to choose an automatic can filling system that meets your needs in terms of speed and precision, without compromising on product quality.

Comac has various automatic canning plants designed to meet all types of requirements. Let’s take a look at their features.

Comac can filling systems

One of our main strengths lies in the wide range of plants that we offer: these fully automated machines are suitable for packaging beverages in cans of any size made from different types of materials, like tin and aluminum.

Our automatic systems can be broken down into two main categories:

for production speeds of up to 4,000 cans/hour
for production speeds between 4,000 and 12,000 cans/hour

Comac boasts over 30 years of experience in this sector, during which thorough technological and raw material research and development activities have been conducted, in order to further optimize and simplify the various production processes.

Why choose Comac

Customer focus, flexibility, excellent quality/price ratio, and attention to company Welfare.

Comac is a thoughtful and caring company

We have adopted a completely customer-oriented philosophy, accompanying them throughout each stage of their experience with Comac. Due to an advanced technical support system available 24 hours a day, 6 days a week, the customer can count on immediate interventions by specialized professionals, ready to solve problems in the shortest time.

We’re flexible, and are capable of meeting any requirements

Comac is part of CFT Group since 2018 and, thanks to the combined expertise of the various companies within the group, we’re able to integrate any type of machine on the customer’s system, offering completely personalized solutions. Comac is also synonymous with affordability: in fact, our products’ excellent quality/price ratio allows to guarantee flexibility from this standpoint as well, thereby ensuring that our customers always receive high quality products at affordable prices.

Comac has been a company Welfare champion for 4 consecutive years

Our employees are our most valuable asset. We consider it essential to provide a stimulating environment geared towards continuous professional growth. This also ensures our ability to offer our customers highly qualified and motivated personnel, capable of guaranteeing impeccable service, carried out with passion.

Sustainability also plays a fundamental role within our company’s philosophy. With the development of a sustainable model, which includes the installation of solar panels at all our premises, and the reuse of the cardboard packaging materials used for shipments, we contribute to the protection of our environment on a daily basis.

Tell us about your project. We’ll work with you to get the job done.

ATS Business Model implemented in Comac: our kickoff Kaizen event

Mon, 26 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Kaizen events are one of the tools lying at the core of the business system that has been guiding the disciplined and continuous improvement processes of the entire group since 2017: ABM (acronym for ATS Business Model).

An approach that Comac has been applying for a long time, through the Lean Philosophy: the ultimate goal is cutting any kind of waste (not only materials, but also time, costs and knowledge) to make each process more and more efficient.

To achieve this result, the ABM model leverages three keywords: People, Process, Performance.

People: our foundation

“The foundation of a great business is having great people. It follows, then, that working to develop, engage, empower and energize our people is both a core ATS value and the first of our three pillars, followed by process, and then performance, at the foundation of the ABM”. – Andrew Hider, CEO

The energy and empowerment of the people who work in the ATS Group is key to making impactful and continuous changes. For this reason, training courses and Kaizen events, such as the one held in Comac, play an important role in detecting and trying to solve waste issues, identifying appropriate solutions with a dedicated team.

Processes: a culture of continuous improvement

“At its core, our ABM is our pursuit of continuous improvement in everything we do. If we have a standard process, and we can measure that process, we are capable of driving sustainable improvements”. – Jeremy Patten, VP ATS Business Model

The ABM model cuts across all business functions and is deployed across three phases to achieve three goals: strengthen our core, deliver growth, and pursuit of excellence.

Performance: for employees, customers and shareholders

“After the Kaizen event, I am amazed at the results we delivered in just one week. Please keep driving the ABM throughout the business” – Production Team Leader, Cambridge Life Science Division

The current and future performance of Comac and of the entire ATS group depends on this relentless process of growth, which brings benefits to all those who, in various ways, work with us: employees, suppliers, customers.

To gain a better understanding of how the Kaizen event experience was for the company, we asked a few questions to Stefano Gotti, Head of Production, and member of the Comac Kaizen team.

- Where did the need to organize a Kaizen event stem from?

We wanted to organize a Kaizen event after delving deep into the topic of ABM (ATS Business Model).

We analyzed and identified the various wastes within the company, and we then sorted them based on the "impact/difficulty" matrix.

We decided to work right away on the shipping part as it became clear that we could achieve some great results in the short and long term.

- What were the goals to be achieved? Were they achieved?

Several goals were set. The primary one was not having to reschedule the delivery dates agreed with the customer.

The other objectives were:

Minimize the time of potential rescheduling
Reduce the cycle time across all activities (from offices to warehouse)
Reduce the LEAD TIME from finished products to actual delivery

- In your opinion, what are the positive aspects of introducing ABM in Comac?

With ABM we could actually put many aspects introduced in Comac some time ago into practice, thanks to training meetings organized by ATS, that gave us the opportunity to have an in-depth discussion on different topics (problem solving, Kaizen, KATA and many other LEAN concepts) in order to identify wastes in the departments that impact on value drivers.

In addition, interesting tools were provided such as: the Bowling chart, to massively analyze the KPIs and understand whether the objective has been reached or not, the impact/difficulty matrix, to evaluate which actions are easily achievable and which are not, and A3 Problem Solving, to analyze a problem in depth and act as soon as possible. These tools can be applied immediately in all the areas of the company and especially in all departments. Where there is waste, ABM facilitates a swift and effective intervention to detect the criticality, objectively measure the data and understand if the problem has been solved or if the improvement process must be repeated.

This is just the beginning of a long journey: all the provided tools have already been implemented and, with great satisfaction, we have immediately observed substantial improvements.

- What will be the next steps in ABM?

In addition to this Kaizen event, we have already identified areas on which to intervene, with Kaizen or Problem-solving events, depending on the issues encountered. We have kicked off a process that will be maintained and constantly improved over time. Now we will act on all the critical issues that emerged during our ABM VIRTUAL BOOT CAMP, and we are planning new VIRTUAL BOOT CAMPs to train other employees and expand the team dedicated to continuous improvement

Comac microbrewery plants: flexible and customizable

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Brewing beer has become enormously popular in recent years, involving thousands of master brewers and simple enthusiasts all over the world.

Would you like to open a microbrewery, or renew your brewing machinery? A microbrewery plant from Comac gives your beer the red carpet treatment.

Comac plants designed for microbreweries

The semi-automatic and automatic machines from the Craft Breweries line are suitable for kegs, glass bottles and cans. Let’s take a closer look.

Bottle plants (up to 5,000 BPH)

All beer bottling plants are equipped with a rinsing system with mechanical clamps, a filling system with electro-pneumatic isobaric valves and a capping system. They are installed on a single support structure equipped with stainless steel perimeter guards.

Can plants (up to 6,000 CPH)

Equipped with a filling system with electro-pneumatic isobaric valves (or gravity in the case of the SmartCan 8-1) and a seaming system, canning systems are also installed on a single support structure equipped with stainless steel perimeter guards.

Keg plants (up to 40 KPH)

With one or two processing heads, keg plants run both the washing and filling phases.

Regardless of the type of plant chosen, we can assemble and guarantee a turn-key installation that gives you piece of mind.

Once installation is complete, you will continue to sleep peacefully, because all Comac machines are covered by 24-hour service support, Mondays through Saturdays.

Why microbreweries choose our plants

Craft beer brewing is an art. Comac commitment and expertise ensures that every bottled, kegged or canned beer is a work of art.

For over thirty years we have been making sure that your product is exactly how you want it, providing the perfect machinery for your microbrewery.

Why choosing Comac? Here are some strengths that make a difference:

adaptation to spaces and to other existing machinery;
quality of beer that remains intact during packaging;
significant reduction in product waste;
high-quality construction materials.

Rely on the experts to fulfill your dreams.

Raise the bar on quality with Comac

Advantages of an isobaric craft beer bottling line

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

With the growth of the craft beer sector, Comac has devised technological solutions to bring machinery that once was only accessible to highly organized companies to all breweries, even the smallest ones.

Currently, many craft breweries are focusing on isobaric bottling: let's take a look at which machines are perfect for this bottling technique and why they turn out to be a winning choice in terms of quality.

Comac isobaric bottling machines perfect for beers of all kinds

Comac manufactures a number of automatic bottling machines, which can also be integrated into an existing line. All Comac range models work on glass bottles (both classic and non-standard) with classic crown caps.

For breweries wishing to work with isobaric bottling machines, we generally recommend:

SAGITTA 12121P (3,000 bottles/hour production);
SAGITTA 1216311M (3,500 bottles/hour production);
SAGITTA 20203M (6,000 bottles/hour production).

For smaller breweries, with a limited budget, we can also offer refurbished or second-hand solutions, which also include isobaric bottling machinery.

Let's digress a little for the most skeptical master brewers: using second-hand systems does not mean b-grade efficiency and quality, as revamping of used machines by our experts is a guarantee of top plant reliability.

Picture: a refurbished Zodiac 6/6/1 bottling machine.

Why craft breweries choose isobaric craft beer bottling lines

There are many advantages to using this type of bottling machine. Generally, the reasons that drive breweries to focus on an isobaric craft beer bottling line are:

maximum control over each phase of the product transformation;
perfect homogeneity between stocks of bottled beers;
a more versatile line. An isobaric craft beer bottling machine can indeed be used also to package a non-carbonated product that is re-fermented in the bottle.

Comac boasts customers all over the world and partnerships with major brands in the beverage sector, while offering customized solutions for craft breweries and microbreweries.

Coffee Break in the Green Comac Sets Up New Green Areas

Fri, 04 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Company welfare and a green policy have been some of the cornerstones for Comac ever since.

Such important approach has let to another change - The manufacturing site sees now a new green area with coffee tables, sofas and, shortly, a little bookcase surrounded by plants, among which a huge palm.

Rethinking of this area is not only due to aesthetics, as making our site more beautiful is important but it is not the main reason.

The concept comes from the idea of creating a shared space where quality time can be spent, drawing inspiration from the agora, the public square heart of the Greek polis where the populace gathered during the most important events of community life.

In this area Comac employees take a break, experience quiet moments or even hold up meeting sessions in an informal atmosphere.

The area brings out the importance of the manufacturing unit, as it has been designed to be the "lounge" where colleagues from other offices can be invited, instead of taking the reverse path, as it often happens.

Investment is therefore also in social relations that are fundamental for a person's psychophysical well-being and for team building, as Comac puts people first.

Employees' peace of mind is the key to better performance and to ever-increasing results. A tight relation between a company and its people, two interrelated entities, where sharing is beneficial for both.

New green areas in Comac symbolize a continuous path over time.

Comac, bottling machine suppliers since 1990

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Experience in the beverage sector is just the first aspect that makes Comac stand out from other suppliers. In this article you will learn about:

Our glass bottling machines and systems
Why we are committed “head and soul” in the supply of bottling machines

Glass bottling machines and systems

The variety of our machinery allows us to supply companies of all dimensions, without exception.

Due to our staff's 30-year experience - Comac R&D department was created back in the year 2000 - and our collaboration with the CFT group, we can now offer complete bottling lines:

up to 8,000 bottles/hour, suitable for small to medium-sized production;
up to 12,000 bottles/hour, for medium-sized businesses;
over 12,000 bottles/hour, for large-scale industries.

Each system is automatic, made of stainless steel for maximum hygiene and durability, and is controlled by a panel displaying the most important production parameters.

Our bottling lines can handle any type of drink with, among others:

Beer
Wine
Cold Soft Drinks, Ready To Drink, hard seltzers
Liqueurs
Juices
Still or sparkling water

Bottling machines can be adapted to the type of bottle used, to production size, and to the premises where they are to be installed.

Moreover, single lines can be complemented with several additions to maintain the quality of the drink at every stage, from manufacturing to bottling. As bottling machine suppliers, we can also provide machines that are able to carry out targeted product processing, such as premix units, units for deareation and carbonation, pasteurizers and heating/cooling tunnels. The outcome is a bottling system that is efficient in every respect.

We are committed “head and soul” in the supply of bottling machines

A great deal of expertise, precision and dedication, but also attention to human relations and a constant presence.

Every day, for over 30 years, we have followed the path of cultural and technological progress to meet the challenges of a competitive market. It is no coincidence that our way of working and the high quality of our machines have enabled us to work with major manufacturers all over the world, such as Heineken, CocaCola, Carlsberg, Mahou San Miguel, Bavaria, and many others.

So here, what does the heart have to do with it? Our motto is “Doing business is our mission, doing it well means doing it together, with head and heart”. Yes, because our employees are our first asset. It is through them that we are able to provide the expertise and competence necessary to satisfy an ever-increasing demanding sector.

The supplier-customer relationship is just as important: Comac is particularly focused on ensuring a constant presence. We are there every step of the way and we care about your product.

Comac designs and manufactures complete systems and customized machines based on technical and productive needs of each company.

You should be equipped with high-quality bottling machines too

Drink bottling: the best machines for hard seltzers

Wed, 05 May 2021 00:00:00 GMT

Hard seltzers are all the rage in the United States and rumor has it that they will soon hit Europe. To seize this opportunity, many companies are readying their plants, focusing on high-performance machinery from the quality and production standpoints.

How can your plant be ready to meet the demand for hard seltzers?

Bottle canning lines

Cans are the most popular way to package hard seltzers. If you want to bet on lightweight aluminum, we recommend a system that meets your production forecasts without compromising drink quality.

Our canning line solutions

Comac supplies canning solutions that can sustain up to 4,000 cans/hour production for small-medium sized businesses, or even up to 12,000 cans/hour for larger ones.

An example: PEGASUS 8-1 V2, isobaric can filler up to 4,000 cans/hour (11 oz.)

View Comac can lines

Our specific range

To meet every budget need while being able to incorporate still functional machinery, Comac also offers used and/or “cut-price” solutions (machines used at our production sites for training or exhibited at fairs).

PERSEUS 142P: 14-2 monobloc can filler with electro-pneumatic valves

Request information on our cut-price machines

Complementary machines: beyond a simple drink bottling

Complementary machines can be added to canning lines. While can fillers fill and seam cans, additional elements can cover a much wider range of options.

The saturation unit, for example, carbonates drinks.

The premix unit, instead, adds syrup before carbonation.

Bottling lines (glass)

Although cans have become the container par excellence for hard seltzers, glass bottles are just as fitting in terms of popularity with consumers and environmental conservation.

Based on forecast production, Comac can supply bottling systems whose production speed reach up to 8,000 bottles/hour or 12,000 bottles/hour or even over 12,000 bottles/hour.

An example: SAGITTA 20203P, isobaric bottle filler for 6,000 bottles/hour

View Comac bottling lines

We also have used bottling system solutions, where we still guarantee maximum reliability and safety.

Smartblock 6/6/1: Used isobaric bottle filler

Request information on our used bottling machines

Likewise, premix and saturation units can be added to this type of machinery, specific to drink bottling lines.

Ask for an appointment with our professionals to find out about Comac complete range of products. Our extensive experience in the Beverage sector allows us to offer you the best bottling and canning solutions for your beverages.

Beer kegging lines: why choosing an automatic machine

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 00:00:00 GMT

If you own or work for a brewery, even a small one, a kegging line that automatically performs all the functions is the perfect solution to fully optimize each packaging stage, keeping product quality intact, from brewing to kegging.

Let's take a closer look at the features and advantages of beer kegging lines made by Comac.

Comac beer kegging lines

We guarantee advanced kegging solutions for every brewery, even the smallest ones.

Lines in our range are divided into three main categories:

Semi-automatic machines, for production from 15 to 40 kegs/hour, ideal for microbreweries and small craft breweries;
Automatic production lines ranging from 40 to 250 kegs/hour, intended for medium-large sized breweries;
Automatic production lines for over 250 kegs/hour, ideal for large breweries.

Each line can be customized with a series of accessory machines that help both the kegging phase and the depalletization and palletization operations.

Picture: HS6T high-speed automatic line.

Features and advantages of automatic beer kegging lines

Flexibility, versatility, reliability - The strengths of Comac machines.

Comac automatic beer kegging lines offer a series of advantages that have allowed our customers to achieve great results all over the world.

They are designed to automatically perform various operations

First of all, beer kegging lines equipped with automatic machines carry out both washing and filling cycles and keg handling operations. This is a great convenience that allows operators to work safely and devote themselves to other activities that require qualified technicians.

Due to the flexibility of the layout of the automatic beer kegging lines, it is also possible to increase the floor space in the packaging department while guaranteeing a comfortable environment, which can make the workday more enjoyable.

In any case, it is possible to complete the line with accessory machines that increase its potential, such as external keg washing systems for a more thorough cleaning.

They are versatile in terms of production

Automatic beer kegging machines, while adapting to productions ranging from 40 to over 250 kegs per hour, can easily meet the requests of any customer.

They are designed to package beer in different types of kegs

Despite the growing popularity of canned beer, many pubs, clubs and restaurants continue to choose serving their customers a high-quality product from the keg, especially when it comes of the tap craft beer aficionados.

Automatic kegging lines are able to fill different types of kegs, both steel and PET, always under complete safety and without product waste.

The lines, although mainly designed to process stainless steel drums (the most popular), can indeed be adapted to process one-way plastic kegs, which are lighter and easier to carry.

Request an appointment with our professionals to learn about all beer kegging line functions and discover endless customizations.

Create a beer kegging line with Comac

Comac, an example of Social Generativity � Our experience in a video

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

In 2018, Comac was pleased to be among the key players of a case history from the Archive of Social Generativity, a research project from the Catholic University of Milan, teamed by professor Patrizia Cappelletti, regarding the capability to effectively apply ethical standards.

All welfare initiatives are based on the concept of generativity, which acknowledges the company a high social value. Results obtained come from resources of the territory that is home to us - From this awareness a further sense of responsibility comes that leads us to give back some of the wealth, thus creating a virtuous circle.

Man and his qualities are at the core of the organisation - Each employee offers time and expertise to the company, while the company returns the trust through a peaceful environment where everyone can express his/her potential to the full, both inside and outside the company.

As it can be seen on the opening video, we like to compare Comac to a ship that day after day sets its course, aiming at rescuing not only the captain but the entire crew who makes it possible for sailing with head and heart.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Beer packaging machinery: a Comac design for Carlsberg in Sweden

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 00:00:00 GMT

On October 22, 2020, the Nya Carnegiebryggeriet craft brewery officially opened a plant in Jordbro, south of Stockholm. The beer packaging machinery includes Comac canning, bottling and kegging lines and a new brew house manufactured by Rolec.

Due to to this participation, plant is expected to achieve the incredible capacity of 5 million liters per year.

The customer's goal: more sustainable packaging for beer

An all-encompassing plant, with a focus on beer canning machines.

Different types of beer packaging machines have been installed in the new Jordbro plant - Focus was mainly on the creation of a complete line for can filling.

The need results from an increase in the demand for canned beer both in Sweden and internationally. The market acknowledges that the can, due to its low weight and ease of recycling, is more environmentally sustainable than other types of packaging. Another advantage: cans are among the containers that best preserve the flavor and properties of beer.

The heart of the new plant: the can filling machine from Comac

The PEGASUS 8-1 V2 canning machine perfectly meets the needs of the Swedish brewery.

To meet the customer demand, one of Comac flagships was included in the restyling of the brewery plant: PEGASUS 8-1 V2, the isobaric 0.33l can filler that fills up to 3,600 cans/hr

This machine has been designed to automatically fill and seam cans. It was completed with conveyor systems and additional machines based on specific requests from the customer and according to room available.

The result: an efficient packaging plant

A beer packaging system that will reach new heights of productivity.

Due to Comac and Rolec machines, the brewery, with its 1,500 square meter packaging area, can expand its range with new formats.

Do you have a similar business and would like a tailor-made solution for you? Tell us your goals.

Contact Comac to have your system designed to reach new heights of productivity.

Need help? Contact us

With Comac beverage canning machines, the quality of your beverage lasts longer. Here�s how.

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 00:00:00 GMT

A canning machine designed by experts can be your best ally in satisfying your customers' palate to the full. You look after the recipe, and Comac will take care of the beverage taste until the can is opened.

Here are the main features of Comac models, which allow to keep the qualities of any drink intact.

Beverage canning machines designed in the tiniest detail

Each part is conceived to preserve the beverage features during canning.

Comac automatic machines for filling and seaming of aluminum cans are highly reliable, made with quality materials and designed to achieve advanced performance.

Available under several models, based on the customer hourly productivity, all machinery is provided with a filling system equipped with isobaric valves (or gravity valves, as for the Smartcan model) and a seaming system installed on a single structure, with stainless steel perimeter guards.

Picture: Smartcan 8-1 – 3,000 cans/hour gravity canning system

Safe and easily sanitized systems

Maximum hygiene has a significant impact on maintaining the quality of beverages.

Use of high-quality materials on all Comac plants allows for corrosion-resistant machinery, making them highly safe against a risk of contamination.

Each process operated by a monoblock machine is carried out under the best hygienic conditions. Machines can be sanitized and cleaned, if necessary, due to a set of dummy cans, which come included with the equipment.

Flawless can filling and seaming

All packaging phases are carried out following high standards for the detection of faults.

Each step is implemented to ensure maximum quality due to devices designed to save money and time, preventing any product waste. All machines are equipped with systems that avoid any leakage of beverage from the filling valves if one or more cans are not on the line. Furthermore, the seaming phase is so accurate that the beverage cannot be spilt.

Possibility of nitrogen injection in cans

An inert gas will protect the product from decay until consumption.

Protecting beverage taste and flavor is easy, with food grade nitrogen. By replacing the oxygen, the gas prevents the beverage oxidation, while maintaining its stability, thus increasing the shelf life.

Comac cares about your product, which is why it does its best to guarantee optimum results each day.

Ask for an appointment with our professionals to find out about Comac complete range of products.

Who are the best manufacturers of bottling equipment? Those who provide these features

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT

In a world where everyone promises exceptional results, choosing a manufacturer of bottling equipment that best suits your needs is like finding your way out of an intricate maze.

Selecting a supplier solely based on the lowest price, however, is by no means a solution. In fact, a smaller investment is not always repaid over time.

According to Comac experts, here are the “must-have” features an equipment manufacturer should provide.

A continuous evolution that guarantees quality systems

Only rely on who manufactures technologically-advanced bottling equipment.

The first step is making sure that the bottling equipment manufacturer is constantly updated while providing the most advanced technologies.

Comac, for example, invests time and energy to keep its products and services up to date, from design to customer service.

Service at all times to solve emergencies

Find a manufacturer who can provide prompt service when your bottling equipment fails.

As much as you try to maintain all the machinery, it is difficult to predict failures that could stop production for some time. What can be done to stem any damage is to make use of prompt customer service, operational at all times, and avoid longer downtime than necessary.

Technical service is one of Comac's flagships: available to customers 6 days a week, from Monday to Saturday, 24 hours a day.

Highly efficient bottling equipment, which allows uninterrupted production

Choose reliable machines for precise and fast bottling, for many consecutive hours.

Comac is recognized by the market as a manufacturer of reliable and high-quality bottling equipment.

The machinery can minimize the waste that occurs during the bottling phase and reach high packaging speeds (even over 12,000 bottles/hour), due to the collaboration with the CFT group.

Possibility of a custom-made complete bottling line

Not just bottling machines: look for who deals with complete bottling plants.

An excellent plus is being able to rely on someone who, in addition to providing excellent bottling machines, can also think about the rest of the plant. Or again, someone who can manufacture an entire beer, wine or water bottling plant from scratch, tailor-made according to the available space and the customer's needs.

Of course, Comac can help in both cases.

Prompt bottling equipment delivery

The sooner you start bottling your beverage, the sooner you start earning.

Months spent waiting for an installation to be completed can take a toll on your business. Time is money, too long a wait affects earnings.

A good manufacturer must have a well-organized manufacturing and installation process. This is the only way to guarantee short delivery times.

Comac knows this perfectly, which is why it has been able to boast one of the fastest delivery times in the industry for years.

Discover all the advantages that Comac, manufacturer of bottling equipment since 1990, can offer.

Cans, bottles and kegs: which should you choose? The different types of beverage packaging and their benefits

Tue, 22 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT

The choice of the perfect packaging depends on many factors: the type of beverage to be packaged, its market position, the budget available for the materials, the brand identity, and much more. Each type of packaging offers several benefits: to make the right choice, you just need to have a clear idea of your production needs and the requirements to be met.

This article summarizes the different types of beverage packaging and their main benefits.

The benefits of packaging in cans

The main strengths offered by cans are the sustainability, lightness and versatility of aluminum.

Available in different formats, some of the most popular current beverages are sold in cans, even craft beers.

Since it combines lightness and sustainability, two characteristics that are highly appreciated by end consumers, aluminum often proves to be a winning choice. It’s also a relatively inexpensive material that’s infinitely 100% recyclable, unlike other products, such as plastic.

What’s another positive aspect? Cans are one of the most versatile types of packaging when it comes to beverages: in fact, the container can be entirely customized with colorful and captivating graphics, even printed directly on the aluminum (a process which also eliminates the labels).

The benefits of packaging in glass bottles

Sustainability, better perceived quality, and beverage stability: three factors that should not be underestimated.

In one of our articles dedicated to bottle filling machines and their benefits we pointed out how various industry studies have shown that glass packaging results in better perceived quality on the part of the consumer, both in terms of product flavor and a sense of greater sophistication.

This is mainly due to the fact that the rigidity and non-permeability of the glass provides for better product stability, especially in the case of sparkling beverages.

In addition to this considerable advantage, glass is also a valid packaging solution in terms of environmental sustainability, much like aluminum. In fact, it’s infinitely 100% recyclable.

The benefits of packaging in stainless steel and PET kegs

A timeless type of packaging that always offers sturdiness, high capacity, and practicality.

Being the largest and sturdiest type of packaging available, Kegs remain one of the most popular when it comes to beverages.

If your typical client owns a restaurant or food service business, the steel keg is certainly the best choice. In fact, this type of packaging guarantees convenient dispensing, greater protection against air and light, and more consistent beverage quality over time.

If you want to expand your customers, PET kegs can be a suitable solution for both businesses and individuals, thanks to the simplified disposal of the container and its ease of use, which does not require a professional tapper.

Comac can provide you with the ideal packaging system based on the type of packaging chosen for your beverages. Discover the efficiency and reliability of our machinery.

Request a consultation

The features of a beer canning line from Comac

Fri, 04 Dec 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Now that it was proven untrue that aluminum cans affect the taste of beer, aluminum packaging has taken hold at breweries and industries all around the world, and is likely here to stay. In fact, this material guarantees excellent stability when in contact with beverages, preserves them perfectly, and maintains their temperature longer than other materials.

What is the greatest advantage with this type of packaging? The quality of beer is preserved for a longer time while being protected from its worst enemy - the light.

If you have a brewing company, all you have to do is install a really efficient canning line and make your way into the market!

Comac is here to help: our can filling systems include automatic plants up to 4,000 cans/hour and automatic plants from 4,000 to 12,000 cans/hour.

Both options share several important features that make them highly competitive on the market. Let’s take a look at them.

A packaging system for cans of any size

Choose the containers that best represent your company, and your canning line will follow suit.

Comac canning systems are ideal for filling of cans made of tin and aluminum, which are both highly versatile and freely customizable.

What makes them special, however, is that they’re specifically designed to adapt to different formats without wasting precious production time, in order to make the most of a work day.

Can filling and seaming with zero waste

Not a single drop of your beer will go to waste, due to our highly-efficient canning system.

In addition to being fast and precise, our beer canning line is also fully respectful of the product.

During the seaming phase, beer cans are conveyed towards the rotating mandrels to have the lids sealed onto their bodies. There’s usually a high risk of beer spilling during this phase, especially between the filling and the sealing. With Comac machines, this waste is significantly reduced. More beer for you and your customers!

Packaging speed up to 12,000 cans/hour

Fill cans with beer in the blink of an eye, and give your production a boost.

When the market calls, your company needs to be ready to respond.

And while a beer canning line must be fast enough to sustain the set pace, speed must always be accompanied by precision, otherwise it’s just not worth the trouble.

Comac can offer both advantages with its efficient and high-performing machines, also due to its partnership with CFT Group.

Your beer canning line with Comac

As a manufacturer of automated systems since 1990, Comac offers machines that make the beer canning process much easier. Whether you’re a producer of beer, wine or soft drinks, we care about your product and your business, and do everything we can to guarantee the best results.

In addition to providing you with efficient tools, we also guarantee 24-hour support, 6 days a week, to avoid needless production stoppage in the event of malfunction.

Check out all Comac solutions and ask for an appointment with our team of professionals.

Find out more about our canning lines

Automatic bottle filler: the Comac models

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 00:00:00 GMT

Why choose a Comac automated bottle filling machine? This article will provide an overview of the best available models, and all their relative advantages in terms of quality, sustainability, and brand image.

Comac automatic bottle filler models

All the advantages of a Comac automated bottle filling machine

Comac automatic bottle filler models

Comac offers a series of extremely efficient and highly technological automatic bottle filler models, designed to handle both standard and special-shaped glass bottles, based on the customers’ various needs.

A wide range of beverages can be handled, including:

water
beer
wine
alcoholic beverages
non-alcoholic beverages

Based on production capacity, these automatic beverage filling machines are capable of bottling:

up to 6,000 bottles/hour

over 6,000 bottles/hour

Let’s take a closer look at some of the models, namely:

Sagitta 12-12-1 P

The Sagitta 12-12-1 P automatic bottle filler is an isobaric monoblock model capable of processing up to 3,000 bottles/hour. The machine features electro-pneumatic filling valves, and is an ideal solution for low/medium capacity lines.

Thanks to its back-pressure filling technology, this filling machine is perfect for bottling both carbonated and non-carbonated beverages.

The Sagitta 20-20-3 P

The Sagitta 20-20-3 P is an isobaric automatic bottle filler with a capacity of 6,000 bottles per hour.Like the previous one, this model also features electro-pneumatic filling valves, and perfectly meets all the bottle filling process parameters, including:

flushing with CO2 or inert gas;
vacuum execution in bottle;
pressurization;
filling;
decompression

Special modifications and configurations can also be provided, based on the customer’s requirements.

With regard to the high production capacity models, or rather those capable of handling over 6,000 bottles per hour, these are manufactured in collaboration with CFT group.

Master RS Glass/PET

The Master RS Glass/PET automatic bottle filler is the model that offers the greatest production capacity (up to 80,000 bottles/hour). It can be furnished with electro-pneumatic valves for filling glass bottles, or with electronic valves controlled by magnetic flow meters for filling PET bottles.

Due to its back-pressure filling technology, this model is suitable for filling glass and PET bottles with both carbonated and non-carbonated beverages.

The Master RS Glass/PET also guarantees excellent performance in terms of:

filling accuracy;
control of oxygen content.

Find your automatic bottle filler

All the advantages of a Comac automated bottle filling machine

As previously mentioned, there are several advantages in choosing a Comac automatic bottle filler, not only because they guarantee excellent product quality (glass won’t release any undesired substances into the beverage), but also because of their sustainability.

Glass bottles can be reused

By choosing an automatic bottle filler, you’ll have the opportunity to take part in the circular economy process and help improve the well-being of the planet.

In fact, “packaging” glass, like that used for bottles, is renowned for being one of the prevailing most sustainable materials, as it is infinitely and 100% recyclable, and won’t alter the quality of the product after reuse, unlike plastic which entails a more complex disposal process.

Finally, many countries around the world have established "deposit” programs to encourage consumers to return empty bottles to producers. In so doing, the use of glass initiates a virtuous circle of sustainability, leaving consumers with fewer containers to dispose of and manage, and providing producers with a greater amount of recyclable material.

Using glass bottles improves the brand’s image

Beverage companies that choose to use glass bottles often find that this decision leads to a more positive brand image. In fact, this choice tends to draw the attention of those who are highly aware of material sustainability issues, as well as those in search of more sophisticated beverages.

What does this mean for you? Increased popularity, sales, and profits.

It’s time for you to take this step too, and choose Comac to improve every aspect of your production.

Contact us

Freshness meets sustainability - Comac kegging system for Free Flow Wines

Mon, 19 Oct 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credits: Free Flow Wines

Established in 2009, Free Flow Wines offers wine-focused and eco-sustainable wine kegging and canning outsourcing services.

Today, it supplies more than 250 wine brands from wineries throughout North America, South America, New Zealand, Australia and Europe. Free Flow Premium kegged and canned wines are now served in restaurants, hotels, stores and entertainment venues across the United States every day.

Comac has helped the company provide high-level service by a state-of-the-art kegging plant, tailored to their needs.

Let’s take a closer look at this project.

The customer goal: high quality kegged wine

We were immediately on the same page as the customer: its mission, in fact, is to distribute high-quality wine on tap, fully optimizing production and, above all, respecting the environment (a value we also hold dear).

Free Flow Wines’ strategy is based on three fundamental principles:

Sustainability - If correctly sanitized, a keg can be reused countless times, thus eliminating tons of waste.
Product freshness - Much more than an open bottle in contact with air, wine is perfectly preserved in a keg, glass after glass.
Product cost- Eliminating packaging provides significant savings to both producer and end consumer.

Taking these principles on board, Comac started designing the best solution.

Machines chosen to create the kegging system

Keg line complete with:

external keg washer
2 5+2T model washers/fillers
5 washing tanks;
Ink-jet encoders;
1 palletizing robot that also applies the collar and cap;
Keg and pallet conveyors;
2 buffer tanks;
3-tank CIP system.

In addition to selecting some standard machines from the Comac range, our designers also customized the system by creating two separate filling lines, so that the customer is able to keg two different products at the same time.

Results achieved with Comac kegging system

This partnership allowed the customer to achieve its goals. The keg line works perfectly with extremely high production capacity (supplying over 250 brands of wines is certainly not a trivial matter!).

With the certainty of counting on impeccable service, Free Flow Wines is still advertising its #wineontap and #winebytheglass on various channels, focusing heavily on sustainability and quality.

Do you have a similar business and would like a tailor-made solution for you? Tell us your goals.

Contact Comac to have your kegging system designed to reach new heights of productivity, maintaining the quality of your wine from the first glass to the last.

Need help? Contact us

How to create a wine bottling line, from rinsing to corking

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Wine is a real work of art, with no ifs, ands or buts. Few beverages, in fact, have so many nuances and varieties to savor. It is the duty of every wine producer to pamper and protect his/her products not only at their conception, but also during the entire packaging phase.

So, how can a wine bottling equipment that fully respects this delicate product be manufactured? Let's take a closer look at the three phases that will allow the creation of a tailor-made line for you.

First step: designing tailor-made wine bottling equipment

Creating a plant that respects your product at every stage of bottling.

The care in growing the vines, the careful selection of the best grapes, the creation of the perfect recipe: all the efforts will be in vain if the wine bottling phase is not done in workmanlike manner. The first thing to do is to make sure you can rely on equipment that doesn't mess with the work done in the previous stages.

When a new line is created, Comac professionals hold an inspection and an in-depth interview first thing, draw a detailed design and select each component that will make up the entire plant.

In other words, they think of everything it takes to keep the qualities of your wine intact and avoid waste.

Second step: select and create the most suitable line components

To give you an idea of what we believe should not be missing in wine bottling equipment, let's take a few examples with the Comac machines that we generally install in wineries.

Automatic bottling systems up to 5000 bottles per hour (glass)

The equipment that increases your winery’s productivity.

These systems, developed and created with the CFT group, are designed to automatically rinse, fill and cork wine bottles and can be completed with conveyor systems and accessory machines respecting the spaces available in your company.

Tunnel pasteurizer for glass bottles

Ideal for pasteurizing already bottled wine.

The bottle pasteurizer tunnel from Comac is equipped with an automatic system that prevents product over-pasteurization in the event the internal conveyor stops.

Available in different sizes, it is ideal for pasteurizing the already packaged product.

The unit consists of a solid structure made of AISI 304 stainless steel which is subjected to sandblasting and protective painting.

Heating and cooling tunnel

Brings your wine to the correct temperature.

Comac manufactures heating and cooling tunnels necessary to bring the previously packaged cold or hot product to room temperature.

Made of AISI 304 stainless steel, the tanks that feed the upper showers are anchored inside them and all the command and control devices for both the mechanical cycle and temperature are positioned outside.

Third step: the installation of the bottling line

Rely on skilled technicians who take care of every detail, to guarantee the correct operations of the entire line.

Once all the equipment components needed to bottle your wine are ready, it's time to assemble them. Our advice is to look for a partner who is meticulous and who will deliver the system ready to work in a very short time (otherwise who recovers all the time spent waiting?).

A plus that would further improve productivity? Having a supplier who, in addition to carefully installing the entire system, can also offer you the necessary training to ensure that your team is then able to make the most of every machine function.

If you are wondering… yes, Comac does all of this.

Now that you know all the tricks to better preserve your wine and improve your company's productivity, all you have to do is choose a partner who takes care of everything.

Choose Comac, a bottling plant manufacturer since 1990.

Increase your productivity with us

Automatic canning machine: for beer, soft drinks, and more! The latest trends in cans

Fri, 11 Sep 2020 00:00:00 GMT

In one way or another, companies need to adapt their production to the latest consumer trends. It is a harsh reality of the market, and there’s no escape.

The latest trends are leaning towards a preference for cans for classic soft drinks, as well as for other less likely products, including wine and cocktails.

Studies have shown that this format’s strengths lie in its affordability and convenience. It’s perfect for special occasions, like boat trips, picnics with friends, and music festivals.

Does this sound like the perfect excuse to add an automatic canning machine to your line, or to replace the one you already have? We think so. Keep reading to find out why.

A canning machine for wine

If you’re a wine producer and want to win over consumers, a canning machine for your wines will certainly be a good purchase.

In fact, the recent trend of canned wine is one that some consumers have refused to accept (especially in Italy, one of the world’s main wine producers), but it’s slowly gaining ground, especially in the United States.

The global trend of moderate drinking is taking hold, and this has led to an increase in the sale of 250 ml cans of wine rather than 750 ml bottles.

This wine format’s positive trend is closely linked to the demand for product functionality and sustainability on the part of younger consumers.

Pre-mixed cocktails: a new challenge for canning machines

A little something extra for the HO.RE.CA. sector... a new type of customer for your portfolio. Choose an automatic canning machine that’s capable of perfectly handling any type of beverage.

Popular also in sachet alternatives, ready-to-drink cocktails are becoming increasingly popular all over the world. Perfectly mixed Negroni, Mojito, and Moscow mule cocktails, ideal for a last-minute aperitif.

In order to ensure that the product tastes as fresh as can be, cans are definitely the best option, as they eliminate perishability issues.

These are very popular in the HO.RE.CA. sector, especially hotels that want to pamper their guests by offering an in-suite minibar with an ever greater selection.

Comac’s new automatic canning machine

Take on the competition with high quality products and just a limited investment, thanks to Comac’s new automatic canning machine.

A new model has been added to the line of canning machines that Comac designs and manufactures for use with various types of beverages: the Smartcan 8-1, the automatic canning machine equipped with a gravity valve.

This machine is one of its kind on the market, and features an electronic seam check function, which is essential for quality control: the finished product is immediately discarded if it doesn’t meet the quality standards.

Why should you choose this specific canning machine?
There are several reasons, and they can be summarized as follows:

performance levels equal to the isobaric models;
ease of use;
affordability.

In fact, thanks to the gravity valve, which also reduces CO2 consumption, this canning machine has the same controlled performance levels as the isobaric models. At the same time, however, being completely electronic, it’s much easier and faster to regulate using the dedicated operator’s panel.

But fear not: this new automatic canning machine has a low initial cost. If you’re on a tight budget, but want to obtain high quality products that measure up to those of your competitors, this is the machine for you!

Find out more about Comac’s automatic canning machine
Feel free to contact us with no obligation

Are you looking for a canning line manufacturer? Here's why you should choose Comac

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Giving the right boost to your business by finding the partner who truly understands your needs is essential. Why should you choose Comac for your canning line?

Our experience on the international market and our collaborations with important brands such as Heineken, CocaCola, Carlsberg, SABMiller, Mahou San Miguel, Bavaria, Baltika (and many others) are not enough to describe the contribution we can make to your business.

Learn about our strengths.

Comac is a canning line manufacturer with head and heart.

We give you the best performing means, but also an additional personal factor.

Comac designs and manufactures canning lines finished down to the smallest detail, ensuring that everything meets the customer's expectations.

What distinguishes our way of doing business, however, is the human factor: Comac professionals invest a lot of energy to test the systems and train your team so that it can work at its best.

Even the best canning machine is ineffective if no one can run it perfectly. This is the only way the quality of your production can be effectively improved.

Comac is by your side

We are canning line manufacturers that put people's serenity first.

We know that dealing with "cold" machines is a nuisance, especially when something is not working as it should, grinding production to a halt.

And the hassle increases exponentially, if whoever could help you restart your canning line disappears into thin air.

Comac is by your side. Call us anytime, 24/7 if you need to immediately solve any problem. This is a solid certainty that has always made our customers sleep soundly.

Comac does not let valuables crash and burn

As canning line manufacturers, we don't want your creations to get lost on the way.

Over the years, we have developed solutions that minimize accidental beverage spills when canning. Not a drop will be lost along the way.

And since we don't like waste, we work hard to ensure your product is the same from when you produce it to when you drink it from the can. You will never have to worry about having to discard hundreds of cans due to contamination during canning.

Comac can be your sole supplier for every need

We can follow your canning line from design to installation.

Perfectly integrating a new canning line in your plant or creating a new one from scratch, is not easy.

Different supply partners are often chosen for each component of the line (one for canning, one for pasteurization, one for palletizing, and so on), with the result of having a general confusion and little coordination.

Choosing Comac, on the other hand, means being able to count on a sole contact person for the entire system, with consequent time savings.

Comac has an environmentally friendly approach

We do our utmost to decrease our impact on the environment.

Protecting the environment is something Comac feels very strongly about it, that is why an internal sustainable business model has been already embraced for years.

The company has made substantial ecofriendly changes over the years: separate waste collection, the construction of a 250 kW photovoltaic park, purchase of methane-powered vehicles, use of high-efficiency gear motors and company gadgets made of recyclable materials.

Let's get to know each other better: request an appointment with our professionals.

The best keg filling machine for your company

Mon, 04 Apr 2022 00:00:00 GMT

In this article:

Semi-automatic keg filling machine models

Automatic keg filling machine models

Why choose a Comac keg filling machine

Choosing the right keg filling machine for your business requires a selection process that is anything but trivial, because several variables need to be considered, among which the type of beverage you want to process, the size of your business, the size of your distribution network, and more. The most important, however, is the number of kegs per hour that you want to fill.

Comac designs and manufactures semi-automatic and automatic systems for packaging drinks in kegs of any size.

Semi-automatic keg filling machine models

In this category we find a series of semi-automatic models of keg filling machines, with a production capacity ranging from 15 to 40 kegs per hour. These filling machines are the most suitable for medium-small productions and are designed to process stainless steel and one-way plastic kegs.

Smart Kegging Machine – K1

Smart Kegging Machine - K1 keg filling machine is designed and manufactured for small productions and has a production range of 15-18 kegs per hour. It includes a washing/filling head and one or two tanks for storage of detergent solutions.

This keg filling machine is robust, easy to use and highly reliable from a hygienic point of view.

Smart Kegging Machine - K2

Smart Kegging Machine - K2 keg filling machine is capable of processing and filling from 30 to 36 kegs per hour.

This filling machine includes a washing head and a filling head, as well as one, two or three detergent tanks. Maintenance is quick and easy and very little space is required due to its compact size.

Automatic keg filling machine models

For medium and large sized businesses, Comac offers several models of automatic and very performing keg filling machines, with a production capacity that can even reach over 1,000 kegs per hour.

All these filling machines are characterized by great cutting-edge technology, with quality of raw materials, which make them extremely reliable and resistant. The plants are designed to automatically perform the washing and filling cycle. Due to a PLC and an operator panel (HMI), the operator can set and control all the operating parameters.

These keg filling machines are also able to process any type of beverage, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, for stainless steel and plastic kegs.

Included in the Comac range are:

Capri K31 - 3+1T (50-55 kegs/hour)
Trieste K42 - 4+2T (60-70 kegs/hour)
Verona K51 - 5+1T (60-70 kegs/hour)
Bologna K52 - 5+2T (70-80 kegs/hour)
Torino K61 - 6+1T (70-80 kegs/hour)
Milano K62 - 6+2T (70-80 kegs/hour)

Photo: Trieste K42

Discover Comac keg lines

BERGAMO HS6T

The keg filling machine BERGAMO HS6T is the model with the highest production capacity, designed for high-speed and high-efficiency production lines. The system is composed of three modules: one for pre-washing, one for washing and one for filling, each of which is made of AISI 304 stainless steel and equipped with six treatment heads.

Thanks to this keg filling machine, optimizing cycle times is possible due to a fast-loading system and a working cycle that does not require the keg to be moved inside the machine.

Learn more about our keg filling machines

Why choose a Comac keg filling machine

As we have seen, a keg filling machine by Comac has considerable advantages, including:

Use of resistant and high quality materials;
High efficiency of the entire system in order to minimize possible machine downtimes;
Possibility to design and manufacture customized plants according to specific customer requirements.

Are you still in doubt about the most suitable keg filling machine for your company? Our professionals will be glad to help you.

Contact us

Is a beer canning system a really strategic choice? Here's why

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 00:00:00 GMT

The thought that canned beer is of lower quality is a thing of the past, especially if you rely on technologically advanced canning systems like the ones used today.

But is it really a smart move to opt for canning, instead of focusing entirely on kegs and bottles? Let's take a look at the main pluses.

The benefits of canning

Cans cater to singles and young people

Choose a beer canning system if you want to expand your target base and reach new audiences.

Canned beer has always been perceived as smarter and easier, and it has conquered increasingly younger producers and consumers of craft beers in recent years.

Indeed, cans are truly convenient. Just think what it would be like to not have to always have a bottle opener handy (which is inevitably forgotten at every barbecue or get together).

And then it is the perfect amount for a solo drink without overdoing it. After all, why deprive yourself of the pleasure of beer if you’re all alone? Just pop open a can and ... cheers!

Easy to handle and store

Choose a beer canning system if you want to streamline warehouse management.

Think about the shape of the can and compare it with that of the bottle: you will understand that an aluminum cylinder is easier to fit and stack in a box than a glass bottle. The result? You can store more of them in the warehouse and make your life considerably easier.

Furthermore, cans are also lighter to transport and are more resistant to impact than glass: lighten the work load with a reduced risk of breaking.

Faster beer cooling

Choose a beer canning system if you want your customers to enjoy your creations at the right temperature, without waiting too long.

Compared to glass, aluminum is thinner and is a better heat conductor. In other words, colder beer, faster.

Your customers will no longer have to jam the bottles in the freezer to quickly lower the temperature and enjoy a cold beer in reasonable amount of time.

Practically zero oxygen infiltrations

Choose a beer canning system if you want to keep the quality of your products 100% intact.

One of the main obstacles between your beer and the end consumer is definitely air. The more air comes into contact with beer, the higher the chance that its qualities will be altered. A bit like when you put food in the refrigerator: better put it in an airtight container rather than leaving it on a plate without a cover.

The same can be said of beer: there could be a minimum of infiltration with bottle caps, which is much less frequent with cans. Choosing to can your beer will therefore be a true gesture of love towards your creation.

Aluminum cans are cheaper

Choose a beer canning system if you want higher margins.

At the raw material cost level, aluminum certainly beats glass. Therefore, it is easier to have higher profit margins with larger quantities.

This leaves you more to spend on marketing or to improve your packaging line.

Lower environmental impact

Choose a beer feeding system if you are looking for an easily recyclable material.

This is an aspect we hold very close to our heart. Everyone, even companies, must strive to reduce impacts on the environment.

This is an improvement that will positively affect your brewery's ecological footprint. In fact, beer cans are 100% recyclable.

Conclusion: choose a canning system that improves your business

If you used to have doubts on including a canning machine in your packaging line, now you should have a few less.

You just have to choose the right partner for this "upgrade". Choose wisely, rely on suppliers who know how to handle your product and who can accommodate your every request.

Comac designs and manufactures systems for micro breweries and craft breweries, systems for medium-sized companies or entire packaging systems for large companies.

Rely on Comac to ensure quality and safety.

Need help? Contact us

A Deafening Silence - Giorgio Donadoni and Alberto Dal Poz Interview on Bergamo Economia March Issue

Mon, 04 May 2020 00:00:00 GMT

A far from simple future is foreseen for the Italian Small and Medium Enterprises. The COVID-19 emergency and the consequent total or almost complete lock-out is grafted on an already difficult situation that has been dragging on for some time, also due to complications such as the Italian red tape and the typical disjunction between the establishment and the productive and associational world. The uncertainty about when and how this will end is endemic.

Two key figures, Alberto Dal Poz, Chairman of Federmeccanica (the Federation of Metalworking Industries), and Giorgio Donadoni, Chairman of Bergamo Mechatronics Group, provide an outlook on the situation, as a long-term and realistic as possible, due to the circumstances. Mr. Dal Poz is close to the entrepreneurs of the whole Bergamo area, particularly struck in the business and health environments.

ADP: «There is a full and intense bond with Bergamo. The town is the backbone for our Federation in the Engineering Industry. I expressed my personal closeness to Mr. Donadoni, sharing a concern for a situation never faced before for a sector that is concentrated and strategic in this area.

I’m confident that companies will be able to start again on the right foot as soon as possible, but now the highest priority is to keep workers of all levels safe, together with whoever interacts with our companies, acting with great responsibility».

Chairman Donadoni, what is the mood within the board of your association and what are the main concerns you feel among your associates?

GD: «I thank Mr. Dal Poz for his support and I confirm what he previously declared. All my fellow entrepreneurs - hard-working men in our industry, the manufacturing excellence - have always been very clear about the importance of protecting their workers. In circumstances like this, the protection of workers is an undiscussed and absolute priority. I assure that these priorities have come out, in the awareness of everyone, in the many conference calls of these days of emergency. Besides being entrepreneurs, we are first of all men and women, fathers and mothers with a family; we have brothers, sisters, elderly parents and we have deep roots in our territory.

Who is in charge, especially for his responsibilities, must first and foremost seize the uncertainty of the moment, the restlessness, the anxiety and sometimes the panic given by the darkness of the tunnel he finds himself in and from which, in a reference to Baumann, he will get out easily only after to a lot of effort, a tunnel from which sooner or later the end must be seen. All these efforts and awareness, together with a high level of concentration, the respect of the given regulations, and the adjusting to the extraordinary circumstances that we are all experiencing, are a must. Each one does the best he can in his own area: this is what must be done. The doctor treats, the scientist carries out his research, the administrator manages, the entrepreneur makes business.

All this in synergy, of course. This is what we have always done though, and we still do in our companies: we share the entrepreneurial and productive choices, and that’s why we are the second best European manufacturing country. In this tragic moment, (no, not dramatic as everyone insists) everyone has to face and try to solve more than a contingency, including surviving not only as a company. This is an even more compelling reason to stick together. Therefore, some exploitative declarations by the social partners and by Mr. Patuanelli, Minister of The Italian Economic Development, for example, left us dumbfounded when he claimed to have “not given in to the entrepreneurs’ needs”.

This is a sterile and short-sighted populism, when excellent workers are opposed to other excellent companies, and does not lead anywhere. It refers to disputes largely overcame, a useless struggle of ghosts from the past that never learn anything from history. On the contrary, humanity, in its best version, is so because it learns from mistakes, not repeating them. I say, each one of us is afraid, but the salvation, that will come, combined with a recovery, can only be collective».

Mr. Dal Poz, can you confirm that you, as well, see little cohesion between civil society, the business community, the associations and the institutions?

ADP: «I would like to say that the dialogue with trade unions, trying to identify the most effective measures to take at the production level, has been positive and open for three weeks already. On a national scale, combined round tables with Federmeccanica, Assistal (the National Association of Industrial Facilities) and the three national trade unions had been already opened to discuss the main issues about this emergency. There is nothing more important than health, and this has always been our priority, already prior to COVID-19. By a protocol between Confindustria (the Italian employers' federation), the Unions and the Government the needs, the implementing procedures and the measures to be taken have been identified: distancing, use of Personal Protective Equipment, flexible incoming and outgoing of personnel, changes in some workstations.

I want to be very clear: the companies that have not been able to adapt with these guidelines, have actually found it impossible to continue their business. Federmeccanica is far from any negative dialectics. We do not want to be considered the kind of people who carry out their business at any cost. We want the conditions necessary to carry on our business in total and complete safety. This matter settled, we can then think about the aftermath, and how to face future market demands, few or many as they might be».

In this background there has been a talk about the war economy. How is the situation concerning the supportive measures given by the Government? Could anything else have been done, even at different times?

ADP: «We are still waiting for the financial support measures mentioned by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte. Taxes or administrative deadlines could be postponed. We have seen positive signs in terms of income support for workers. We expect the procedures to be streamlined and also accessible to the SMEs because, although major industries are the backbone of the economic system, there is a galaxy of big and small suppliers and sub-suppliers which revolves around them. I hope that the measures will also be available to individual companies or those with also just one employee.

There is talk about billions of euros available for income support. Private initiatives, starting with bank groups, have already been promoted through loan suspension, and financial support; Nonetheless, if these initiatives cannot be implemented, the State must step in, unlocking pre-existing funds or exploiting the flexibility granted by the EU to give fuel and funds to workers and companies that are not invoicing but still have deadlines that only later will be covered by the unemployment insurance. It is possible that in the next few days, our suppliers will be falling apart just like flies.

Think about a complex supply chain like the automotive one. If a small company of components closes, the whole chain gets stuck, up to the car manufacturers. This is what is meant for war economy. We must make sure that, at the reopening, all the links in the chain are ready to restart, otherwise there is a risk of a devastating domino effect.»

The long-term outlook, therefore, is rather worrying. How have you managed your companies these days? Have you had any infections?

ADP: «A couple of considerations, as an entrepreneur and as a national chairman: finding all the PPEs necessary for everyone, workers and visitors, has been very difficult. We do not have close contact situations in my sheet moulding company. For three weeks now, meetings are held remotely and we have implemented, wherever possible, smart-working activities. In short, the alert is very high. As Federmeccanica, we have been very active, remaining a landmark for territories and companies and supporting them in any way possible».

GD: «Since 24^th February, we have taken all the necessary measures given by the government, improving also the safety standards. By applying them, we have taken into account the sensitivity of each of our employees, leaving total freedom not to come to work for those who did not feel it. We have also reduced access to the canteen, extended the service period, staggered entrances and reduced the time to stay in. We do not have particular problems of contiguity or closeness; We are equipped with the necessary PPEs. If managed with the necessary precautions, the company can be a place with minimal promiscuity, safer than elsewhere, including homes.

Just think about the promiscuity of family coexistence which is often consumed in small spaces, without the possibility of isolation for the infected person, or queues in supermarkets. For this reason, we insisted on thorough information about the correct behaviours to follow, inside and outside the company. We also had to face some cases of infection, so we are entitled to be a bit worried.

We have tackled the cases decisively, strictly following the rules, guided by the Local Health Care system, with great clarity of mind. Today, with a certain optimism, we see a reduction in infections, thanks to the prophylaxis applied a few weeks earlier, when the companies were still widely operational. This means that if the required prophylaxis is duly respected, results are attained. The enterprise is nonetheless ready to take further steps in reducing production or implementing a complete lockdown, demonstrating that we are hard workers, also ready to respond to the cry of pain and uncertainty of the people, despite the great concern of the country’s productive system and therefore its future economy».

Can we hope that all the associations and trade unions will work together for a common goal?

GD: «I believe that at this particular moment in time splitting up, holding against each other, taking the advantage of the situation, arguing for one’s own gain, is completely foolish. It is a bad and unthinkable behaviour to live on others’ bad luck. Without prejudice to each other's thoughts and expression, we don't need this now. We are a democracy, a democratic society just like, alas, the Covid-19 is. So let's put the political and corporate oppositions aside.

All the sectors of our society, trade associations, professionals, scientists and doctors, social partners, the whole of civil society and, most of all, us entrepreneurs, must remain more than ever supportive and united. We are confident in our ability to look further ahead, thanks to our territory and its people, for temperament, genius and hard work, and we will react to this seaquake and turn it into a challenge faced and won, from which we will be different from before, even better than before».

Mr. Donadoni, you said that companies and workers are very in tune, especially in hard times. Can you explain better what you mean, because in recent days we have heard some news highlighting tensions between companies and social partners.

GD: «As Mr. Dal Poz said, there is a positive mood within all the unions, there is full cooperation with common goals: workers’ health and employment safeguard are a shared concern. A possible default for many industrial and trade professional companies, due to inactivity, suspension of all investments and cancellation of current orders by customers, a risk of bad debt of the outstanding loans for many and serious difficulties in getting bank credit are also our concerns shared.

In the mechanical engineering sector, which I represent in the territory of Bergamo, the feedback received by many of the engineering companies shows an excellent harmony between the enterprises and the workers. Companies are aware of workers’ safety and are willing to meet the requests of whoever has asked to stay at home due to the difficult situation we are experiencing. There is transparency in the information to all the staff.

Moreover, many workers with great sense of responsibility and sense of belonging to the company, despite being legitimately concerned, often denying also the social partners’ requests, have shown themselves ready to work, keeping production going, trying to avoid the risk of irreversibly worsen an already fragile and uncertain situation.

Now more than ever, a trustworthy relationship has been established between the company and the co-worker - Each of them is in charge of their own responsibilities towards each other. For this very reason, my fellow entrepreneurs and I express our sympathy to all the workers who have lost their dearest loved ones. I praise and thank all the staff of each Bergamo company for what, with sacrifice and a bit of fear, they have done and for the choices each entrepreneur shared with his employees, each one of them guaranteeing their presence in the company, in such a trying time for the whole territory.

There has been a sense of generosity by both sides, from the entrepreneurs and workers of many companies, one of which I personally witnessed: our whole workforce (among the 160 employees and workers) collected and donated 25,000.00 euros to the territory, and that sum has been doubled by the company. I am very proud to represent this metalworking Bergamo, made up of loyal and hard-working men and women. All together, workers and entrepreneurs, are capable, through stamina and commitment to work, of facing these dramatic moments with great dignity, because “the good sailor can be seen in the stormy sea”».

ADP: «Mine is a call for unity - Awareness is imperative if we want the war economy to become an unanimous demand for financial support to companies. With a productive country stalled, it’s not hard to reach a point in time where it will be difficult to restart - An extraordinary cash injection will be needed and it has to be requested unanimously by all parties. Companies are our brainchildren, and it is hard to see them standing still. We are facing an unprecedented emergency. We must respect ourselves, safeguard and protect ourselves. We must enhance our true asset: the people. We will come back stronger, and I say this particularly to the entrepreneurs of Bergamo».

Note: This interwiew, by Arianna Mossali, appeared on Bergamo Economia March 2020 Issue and is published here courtesy of the magazine.

Comac and the Rebirth of Dixie Beer

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 00:00:00 GMT

“Our experience with Comac in 3 words? A world-class manufacturing equipment”.

(Jim Birch, Dixie Beer General Manager)

Dixie Beer is a historic New Orleans beer brand in the United States.

Founded in 1907, the history of Dixie Beer has spanned more than a century; remaining strongly bonded to the Louisiana town. From its origins of the Prohibition, with both success and failure, Dixie has always managed to prevail. Despite every difficult moment, they continue to do what they known best: Crafting Quality Beer.

Last Rebirth and the Collaboration with Comac

August, 29^th 2005 is a date that will forever remain in the memory of New Orleans and its coast. That day, hurricane Katrina crippled New Orleans and destroyed the entire production site of Dixie Beer. For the following fifteen years, produced its beer through the equipment of other companies (contract brewing).

In chaos always lies opportunity. And years later Dixie was able to come back to New Orleans and launch its new headquarters featuring: Nearly 85,000 square feet (8 square kilometers), where two brewhouses are located together with a brand-new, fast-speed complete line, for kegging, bottling and canning. These machines, all manufactured by CFT - Comac, are seen by thousands of people during guided visits to the brewery.

A Project Developed Over Time

“From the very start to finish, it’s been fantastic”.

(Jim Birch, Dixie Beer General Manager)

As explained by General Manager Jim Birch, Dixie was looking for a line that could combine the high speed of operations with the ease of use, so that it could be controlled by few operators.

Comac professionals, teamed up by project manager Matteo Melzi, exceeded the Dixie’s needs through commitment and expertise. They followed the project throughout its phases, chose the type of machinery, calculated the necessary space for the line and finally commissioned and trained staff. Every step has been managed and coordinated by Comac in cooperation with Dixie Beer team. This allowed all participating parties to be aligned and committed in a process that has taken years of dedication.

First Results, with an Eye onto the Future

The results have been more than satisfactory results, as confirmed by Stephen Borutta, Director of Brewing Operations at Dixie Beer.

As an example, the can line that can fill 10,000 cans per hour showcases:

• An exceptional level of dissolved oxygen

• An extraordinary very low level in maintaining of CO₂

• Very low pickup of oxygen

These indicators are translated into a simple result - High quality beer.

Moving forward, Dixie Beer is progressing with the next steps to ensure success. The first goal is raising the products shelf life in order expand to other geographical locations outside of New Orleans.

Find Out More

If you are curious and would like to learn more about the project Comac brought to life for Dixie Beer, take a look at the video located on the Dixie Beer’s social media pages.

Facebook

Instagram

Twitter

Cheers!

Credits: videomaker Alexander Volberding.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac Press Release 9th March

Wed, 11 Mar 2020 00:00:00 GMT

Bergamo, March 9th 2020

Dear all,

With reference to the further restrictions on people mobility made effective yesterday by the Italian Government in the Northern Italy in order to manage the COVID-19 outbreak, we would like to point out that the emergency Decree-Law recently adopted does not prevent the free movement of goods and employees in and out of the identified zone, including Bergamo area.

In order to face the current challenge, according to these precautionary measures, Comac has extended smart working to all its office employees providing the required digital communication tools and has taken higher sanitary-hygiene measures and stricter rules for company access in order to preserve the health and safety of all its people in the production and logistic departments to guarantee the business continuity.

We take the chance of reassuring once again our customers that Comac is fully operative in order to keep all our contractual commitments and to successfully manage the on-going projects; our service teams are travelling around the world without contacts with the identified “red areas” and our after sales department is ready to provide the continuous technical and commercial support.

We remain available to answer any further question and fully committed in order to minimize the impact of the current challenge.

Regards

Comac srl

"No One Left Behind" - Marta Sodano and the richness of diversity within the company

Thu, 05 Dec 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Last march, on the occasion of the World Day of People with Down Syndrome, she flew to the United Nations Headquarters in New York, to tell her experience of study and work. Marta Sodano, though, went over that achievement.

Our colleague, that works at the warehouse since July 2017, expressed her thoughts at the meeting "Quality of inclusion in social and school environments" organized between November 15th and 17th in Rimini by the publishing company Erickson, a meeting that saw the participation of about 4,000 teachers from all over Italy.

To get to know a bit more, we have talked to one of the protagonists that has been committed for years through the AGPD association (the organization of parents and people with Down syndrome) in declaring how disability, of any kind, must not be perceived as a stumbling obstacle.

Hi Marta, and congratulations! What was the theme of your intervention at the meeting?

""By my testimony I wished to promote an ever inclusive school - The title "No one must be left behind", was exactly the same I prepared for the New York meeting".

What does "inclusive school" mean for you?

It means a school where teachers explain in a simple and understandable way for anyone, using for instance examples, images, videos.

Switching to a work environment, how did you meet Comac and what is your job?

"I started working in 2017 as a trainee and, as of 2019, I am part-time employed. I check and file certificates and documents such as the delivery notes for all the goods that go through our warehouse".

Is there a side of yourself that your job helped to improve?

"Sure: I mostly learned to listen to others and cooperate with my colleagues, while before I aimed at being more concentrated on myself".

What is the most positive aspect of your experience in Comac?

"The relationship with my colleagues - I never thought I would find true friends in a working place, I have build wonderful bonds".

What recommendations would you give to someone with disability that wishes to be employed?

"Take on the responsibility of your own actions and, most of all, do not fear not to be able to do something due to diversity. Maybe in the beginning things may seem difficult, but through your commitment, the passion and willingness things become possible. The secret, for me, is to keep hoping that everything can go in the right way!".

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Augmented Reality and Comac Kegging Machines - A Debut at 2019 Brau Beviale

Wed, 06 Nov 2019 00:00:00 GMT

The 2019 edition of Brau Beviale, scheduled in Nuremberg from November 12^th to 14^th marks another stage over Comac path in applying the Industry 4.0. At the CFT Group stand, Hall 7, Booth 341, a new technology that will be installed on board the K1 and K2 kegging machines. As of the commissioning, augmented reality will be implemented in order to guarantee customers a higher ease of use.

We have talked about it with Alessandro Doglio, product manager and member of the Comac team who has manufactured and tested this technology.

Hi Alessandro, congratulations on the project to you all! First of all, could you please explain, in simple words, what is meant by "augmented reality"?

"Augmented reality is a system that allows the usage of some devices, such as smartphones and tablets, through specific apps, that are able to display additional multimedia content, compared to what we see in front of our eyes. With a quip, we could say that augmented reality enhances sight and the other senses".

Concretely, how does augmented reality apply to Comac machines?

Kegging machines K1 and K2 will be equipped with a QR code that, when framed with a smartphone or a tablet, via an opening of an app, will allow customers to access a series of functions:

- Self-installation - Customers will be guided step by step in setting their newly-commissioned machine, choosing from simple menus the specifications of their plant (beer type, keg type, recipes and much more).

- Selection of machine points of interest - Based on needs, sections that are considered among the most important can be singled out. For each of them, related manual pages and videos can be accessed, as for example for mounting and and maintenance instructions.

- Troubleshooting self-diagnostics and guided resolution for the most frequent issues".

What are for the customers the main advantages of this technology?

"Mainly, there will be a saving in terms of costs, augmented reality will allow everyone to know the best features of their plant and autonomously fix the small maintenance issues, without expenses due to a call for a technician on site. Moreover, Our Service & Customer Care Department will be at our customers' complete disposal in case of need.

Also, it will not be necessary to print the entire manual, because the customer will only read on screen the necessary lines: a green-oriented choice.

What will the next steps about the progress of augmented reality be like?

After the application on K1 and K2, we aim at applying it on the new Smartcan 8-1, the first product born from the cooperation with CFT and our spearhead at Brau Beviale".

In conclusion, during the test phase, what have been the first reactions?

"Augmented reality has been previewed by our agents at the Cibus Tec fair in Parma, and everyone has appreciated the ease of use of the application. A satisfaction that is to be shared with the Automation, Commissioning and Service Team, who has contributed to the success of the project: even the most advanced technology cannot do without the human factor!".

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

"The Street Performer", a sculpture by Salvatore Perchinelli, is on exhibit at Comac

Tue, 20 Aug 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Attention to the surrounding world and to all art forms that represent it have always been part of Comac DNA - From writing, to theatre and sculpture, the cultural initiatives that have found our support all over the years have really been so many.

The last step on this path, so far, took us to the artwork named "The Street Performer", created in 2016 by Salvatore Perchinelli, from San Pietro in Guarano (Cosenza), who lives in a San Vendemiano near Treviso. The artwork has been at the company's reception for some weeks now, warmly welcoming whoever comes to visit.

"The Street Performer" has been created specifically to be exhibited to the Architecture Biennale 2016 - Venezia inside the side event “Senza terra – Without Land”.

On that occasion, more than 50 artists from around the world have exhibited their works in Venice, at Isola di San Servolo, a particular place that hosted, until the Seventies, a psychiatric facility.

The central element of the exhibition is based on the concept of "non-place" theorized by Marc Augè for which Salvatore Perchinelli, through his street artist figure, offers a very personal interpretation.

These are the words chosen by the author:

The street performer

The son of every land

He thrives on emotion

In continuous evolution

Carrying the roots

Of a millenary culture

Which he imparts

With extraordinary artistry

This character, therefore, is the essence of the "non-place", doomed to get in touch with other individuals but never entering into a relationship, pushed by a continuous search for change.

His identity, anyhow, is unique - His symbol is the suitcase where words and pieces of songs are written.

A nice symbol for Comac as well, always prone to accept the future challenges of an ever-growing world.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

CFT Group and Comac take part in the third edition of the High Level Dialogue on ASEAN Italy Economic Relations in Hanoi

Wed, 12 Jun 2019 00:00:00 GMT

We were honored and proud to have been part of the third edition of the High Level Dialogue on ASEAN Italy Economic Relations, held on the 5th and 6th of June at Melià hotel in Hanoi, Vietnam.

The Forum mission is to build an exclusive, influential community of leaders that aim at growing their enterprises, their countries, and their continents. The event has seen the participation, among others, of the Italian Prime Minister, Mr. Giuseppe Conte, with Vietnam Prime Minister Mr. Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

For CFT Group and Comac this has been the occasion to consolidate the privileged relationship with the Country - CFT Group is considered a leader company on the Asian market and wishes to continue on the same path.

CFT group has been working in Vietnam since 1990 and has 15 plants distributed over the country, North to South. The most recent success story of CFT in Vietnam has been the turn-key factory built with our Customer LAVIFOOD, in the Mekong river delta.

Aiming at providing the best support service to customers, since 2017 CFT is working through its branch, located in Ho Chi Minh City. The presence of a commercial department and a customer support service with technicians ensures an After Sales & Service with an increasingly timely offer on the territory.

Participation at the High Level Dialogue on ASEAN Italy Economic Relations, has proven to be an important occasion to create new, important and fruitful networking opportunities.

Ashley Hazell, Head of Brewing at Colonial Brewing comments on his new COMAC 2T Keg Washer/Filler

Tue, 21 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Colonial Brewing opened their first East Coast brewery in Port Melbourne in 2015. Head brewer, Ashley Hazell shares his experience with installing and operating the COMAC 2T Keg machine which was purchased last year from COMAC’s local agent HBM Packaging Technologies and installed by Ashley and his team in August 2018.

“We were supported by COMAC and HBM directly, with some initial questions but otherwise we managed to set the equipment up easily. We decided to purchase a COMAC machine as our existing keg washer filler needed replacing after only a few years of use, and we wanted a step up in quality.

The biggest advantage for us has been the added confidence over the basic cleaner which we replaced. Cleaning our kegs with caustic, acid & steam ensures the Kegstar ‘pool’ kegs that we use are thoroughly cleaned so we don’t need to worry about what was in them prior. It’s also easy to use and we have no qualms in leaving inexperienced operators running it”.

How long Have you been using the Comac 2T?

“We installed it in July 2018 and have been running it on a nearly daily basis since then".

What improvements has the 2T offered Colonial, if any?

“The biggest advantage for us has been the added confidence over the basic cleaner which we replaced.

Cleaning our kegs with caustic, acid & steam ensures the Kegstar ‘pool’ kegs that we use are thoroughly cleaned so we don’t need to worry about what was in them prior. The sensors and automation on each cleaning step mean kegs that are not cleaned properly for any reason are rejected and they can be examined. The same applies to the steam sterilising and filling head.

Because of this, we can leave less experienced alone to operate the machine without worrying about a problem slipping through”.

How would you rate the machine as far as?

• Ease of use: Very simple to operate.ù

• Speed: Speed is as described. We run at 27-30 kegs per hour on a very thorough cleaning regime.

• Reliability: We’ve had no real issues with the keg washer/filler.

• Serviceability: Easy access to all parts. Simple to replace seals, etc.

• Build Quality: Seems well built. No issues at all.

• Local support: HBM have responded to and dealt with all queries and minor challenges quickly. They are great to work with. The Comac team have visited a couple of times as well and have been a good learning resource for us for inhouse maintenance, etc.

Would you recommend a Comac Keg Line, if so why?

"Yes, for all reasons listed above".

What do you like/dislike about the machine?

"I like everything listed above.

It’s easy to make changes to programming but also easy to lock it out so no one can change things without the right level of authorisation.

Installation was nice and easy. We managed it all ourselves.

The only minor fault was that the keg flipper initially had a few minor problems which were a couple of cracked welds and a broken foot support which HBM repaired very promptly. This was not unexpected, given up to 200 full kegs per day slide down it, so it does take a beating!".

Comac Marketing Office, in cooperation with HBM Packaging Technologies

News at the Procurement, Spare Parts Service & Customer Care Department in Comac: Interview to Andrea Morali, Manager of the Unit

Thu, 17 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Our blog opens the year 2019 with fresh news - As of Nov, 05 Andrea Morali joined the Comac team as the unit manager of the Procurement, Spare Parts Service and Customer Care Department.

So, we talked to him to learn more about challenges this department is going to meet and allow Andrea to introduce himself to all customers and suppliers.

Hi Andrea, welcome and congratulations for your appointment. What are your impressions about Comac?

"I have been fairly impressed by the attention paid to all collaborators, even just the idea to call the people so, instead of employees, shows that the company strongly believes in its values. It is not obvious, for such a big and world-famous company".

What have been your previous job experiences and what has pushed you to choose Comac as your new adventure?

"After my studies at a technical IT school, I have worked for almost 20 years in the bottling sector, holding several positions in the same company: from customer care, to a project on blower machine for PET bottles , to Service Area Manager for Russia, Middle East and Turkey. Over the last five years I was at the head of Sales for the Spare Parts Department - I like to meet challenges and this is the exact reason that has taken me here".

In your opinion, what is your best skill and what do you think you can bring to the Procurement, Spare Parts Service & Customer Care Department?

"I think I have some good practical sense and I am flexible, I like to "get my hands dirty" - I asked to stay for some time at our production workshop, to better learn all technical aspects of our machinery. I hope to make my experience available to others in the service sector, a department that I have already found is well organized.

What are the challenges that the department shall face in the upcoming year?

"The Spare Parts Department shall be much more proactive. Offering a simple supply service is not enough, we must aim at customer loyalty. Selling a plant is the starting point of a customer's experience and not its end point. A flexible and dynamic process is essential towards all the customers that choose us. It must also be a defined one, in order to offer the maximum quality and efficiency. Personally, it will be very stimulating to face all the challenges of the procurement dep. that I hadn't tackled so far".

If you define yourself by three adjectives, what would these be?

"I am a forthright person and I am determined to reach the goals, but I am above all a curious person - The interest, the know-more-about the facts, the operation of machines and all organizational processes are fundamental skills, if I hadn't them I would have completely been in the wrong job.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac has joined the CFT Group family

Fri, 20 Jul 2018 00:00:00 GMT

In the framework of a strategic industrial plan aimed at grabbing new opportunities on the market, consolidating the brand in the beverage sector and supplying increasingly suitable services with innovative technology, Comac has decided to join its forces, skills and know-how to those of a world-class Italian group, leader in the field.

Conscious that our clientele will greatly benefit from this merge, it is therefore our pleasure to confirm that a transfer operation of majority stakes from Comac to CFT Group has been completed.

We furthermore confirm that Giuseppe & Marco Scudeletti, together with Giorgio & Fabio Donadoni, will keep their executive positions within the new Board of Directors.

“We are really proud to have chosen CFT Group as the future partner for Comac, since we share the same professional and human values, and we strongly believe this collaboration will allow Co.mac to further expand its commercial presence as well as to benefit from the strong know-how within the whole Group in order to better face the future market challenges. By joining forces, we will be able together to further strengthen our competitive position within the beverage sector”

BBTech Expo is getting closer� and Comac is getting ready!

Thu, 01 Feb 2018 00:00:00 GMT

The first show trade Comac will attend in 2018 is just round the corner: From 17th to 20th of February, Fiera di Rimini will host BBtech Expo, the trade show dedicated to the technologies, the equipment and the accessories for the production and packaging of beer and soft drinks.

The event originates from the Beer Attraction experience, that by no coincidence takes place on the same days and in the same place and that Comac has attended since the first edition, in 2015.

So, beginning of this year, BBTech Expo will be the can't-miss event to take a closer look to innovative equipment from Comac, leader in the manufacturing of kegging, canning and bottling plants.

The meeting will therefore be from 17th to 20th of February, at Hall A5, stand 105.

We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Merry Christmas and Happy 2018 from all of us!

Thu, 21 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Traditionally, the last days of the year are those where we we take stock of the year that is about to end and schedule the year ahead in the best way.

Once again, with much pleasure, all of us here at CoMac wish to thank all the people that make our successful results possible.

We would like to thank all the employees that work for the company with commitment and dedication, together with our valued customers from all over the world, that motivate us to do more in meeting their needs.

So, before taking a few days off, we pre-empt some new events already scheduled for the year 2018:

- BBTech Expo, Rimini (Italy), February, from 17th to 20th

- Craft Brewers Conference, Nashville (USA), April, from 30th to May 3rd

- Brewers of Europe Forum, Bruxelles (Belgium), June, 7th - 8th

- Brau Beviale, Nuremberg (Germany), November, from 13th to 15th

While looking forward to the new challenges, we wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Photo Credits: <a href="https://it.freepik.com/vettori-gratuito/albero-di-natale-creativo-realizzato-con-sfondo-glitter_1471134.htm">Disegnato da Freepik</a>

Firestone Walker brewery is awarded the Comac Trophy at Brussels Beer Challenge 2017

Wed, 06 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As precise as a clock, like every year, results of the sixth edition of the Brussels Beer Challenge that took place in Namur between October 28th and 30th in the Belgian town of the Walonia region have been revealed.

While carrying on the tradition started last year, decisions about the best beers judges have tasted during the event were made on November, 20th at Horeca Expo in Gand, Belgium.

The winning beer of the Comac Trophy has been the Feral Vinifera, awarded as the international revelation, from the US brewery Firestone Walker Brewing Company.

The beer, a product born from the cooperation with Santa Ynez Valley winemakers, is an Italian Grape Ale made with fermented white wine grapes that stood out among more that one thousand participants, getting the highest absolute score.

This year, as well, the Comac Trophy comes from Bergamo's artist Luca Catò, who created this unique piece just for the occasion.

The sculpture "Bright and heavenly", conceived for the 2017 edition, wishes to be a tribute to monks' tradition, that has been intertwined for centuries with beer.

Firestone Walker Brewing Company comes after last edition's winner, the Lindemans brewery, and will be part of our special "Hall of Fame" created since the beginning of the partnership between Comac and BBC in 2014.

Congratulations to the winners and see you at the next edition!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac can line mod. 24-4, installed at Navruz Brewery (Uzbekistan) - 14,000 CPH

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Comac can filler mod. 24-4, installed at Navruz Brewery (Uzbekistan),

An automatic filler with 24 filling heads and a 4 heads seamer grant a capacity of 14,000 cans per hour (12 oz).

Comac can filler mod. 14-2, installed at Fort George Brewing Company (Oregon, USA) - 6,000 CPH (12 oz)

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Comac can filler mod. 14-2, installed at Fort George Brewing Company (Oregon, USA) .

An automatic filler with 14 filling heads and a 2 heads seamer grant a capacity of 6,800 cans per hour (12 oz).

Comac can line mod. 18-4, installed at Oskar Blues Brewing Co. (Austin, Texas - USA) - 9,000 CPH (12 oz)

Mon, 23 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Comac can line mod. 18-4, installed at Oskar Blues Brewing Co. (Austin, Texas - USA) - 9,000 CPH (12 oz).

An automatic filler with 18 filling heads and a 4-head seamer grant a capacity of 9,000 cans per hour (12 oz.).

Comac can filler mod. 24-4, installed at Isle Brewers Guild (Rhode Island - USA) - 13.800 CPH (12oz)

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Comac can filler mod. 24-4, installed at Isle Brewers Guild (Rhode Island - USA).

An automatic filler with 24 filling heads and a 4 heads seamer grant a capacity of 13,800 cans per hour (12 oz).

Comac can line mod. 8-1, installed at Live Oak Brewing Company (Texas, USA) - 3.500 KPH

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can line mod. 8-1, installed at Live Oak Brewing Company (Texas, USA).

An automatic filler with 8 filling heads and a single head seamer grant a capacity of 3,500 cans per hour.

Comac can line mod. 8-1, installed at Bale Breaker Brewing Company (Washington, USA) - 3.500 KPH

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can line mod. 8-1, installed at Bale Breaker Brewing Company (Washington, USA).

An automatic filler with 8 filling heads and a single head seamer grant a capacity of 3,500 cans per hour.

Drinktec 2017: Thank You All!

Tue, 26 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

The 2017 Drinktec edition in Munich closed down a month ago with its traditional ingredients from the most important worldwide fair concerning the beverage sector. Lots of visitors from all over the world and great innovation have been remarkable.

Comac geared perfectly to the environment - Participants crowded our stand to to see live our innovative plants introduced for the occasion, as we previously mentioned on our posts of the blog.

Monoblocks CASSIOPEA 32206-S for glass bottles, PHOENIX 284-E for cans, PERSEUS 142-P and the microleakage control machine for kegs had a good impact, confirming the attention all departments dedicated to the appointment over the last recent months, from the Engineering Department to the Research & Development both in Comac and Comac Pro together with the Marketing and our Sales Dep. A delegation from all departments was present in Germany together with the full Board of the company.

For this reason, Comac wishes to thank all the people that stopped by our stand. Your appreciation will increasingly encourage us towards highly-technological solutions better able to satisfy our customers' needs.

See you at the next fairs!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac machines at Drinktec 2017: PERSEUS 142-P

Thu, 07 Sep 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Our overview of the machines that Comac will display at Drinktec 2017 is almost over. Now it’s the turn of PERSEUS 142-P. This machine has already been successfully presented at the last Craft Brewers Conference, held last April in Washington, USA.

Drinktec will be the European première for this monoblock, which has especially been designed for craft breweries that want to combine high-quality standards despite small spaces and small budgets.

PERSEUS 142-P for cans is part of the Comac electro-pneumatic monoblock family and is equipped with the latest generation of the electro-pneumatic filling valves.

The filling valves are compact and light, driven by a dedicated PLC and the customer can easily create and save dedicated recipes for his products, without limits for the filling cycles. These valves guarantee a fast, smooth filling with high accuracy in the final level and a reduced consumption of CO2.

The filling carousel height adjustment is automatic - It goes directly to the desired height and stops in position automatically.

The seamer, even if it is a small unit, is equipped with all the devices of the big machines such as the bubble breaker and the CO2 injection starwheel.

The monoblock is executed in “plug&play” version, meaning it is delivered ready to be connected to the customer utilities and started, so it’s the perfect solution for craft breweries, because of its small dimensions and high production output.

PERSEUS 142-P is the perfect solution for craft breweries - It guarantees a high-production output for a small-sized machine.

You only have to come to our stand at Drinktec: we will wait for you at Hall B4, Booth 306.

See you soon!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac machines at Drinktec 2017: Microleaks detection system and Brushless valve

Tue, 22 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Let’s keep on unveiling the machines that Comac will bring at Drinktec 2017. Today we talk about two absolute innovations in our range and both of them are Comac patented: the Microleaks detection system for keg lines and the Brushless valve for bottles and cans.

The purpose of the system for kegs is to detect any micro-leakage of CO2 from a pressurized keg.

At present, the technologies that are implemented allow to detect CO2 leakages via viewing systems or systems that monitor the differential pressure. The patented technology that Comac introduces, in cooperation with FT System company, offers higher precision and sensitivity compared to the means previously described.

Moreover, the machine is capable to handle all types of kegs, in stainless steel or plastic, with all fittings. With its modular architecture, the machine can be supplied and/or embedded in a pre-existing line. In both cases, the machine is equipped with its own PLC and a system for data, statistics and trend management easily accessible by the final customer. As for all Comac machines, this as well can be provided with remote assistance.

As far as the new brushless valve is concerned, it is suitable to fill bottles and cans.

The main feature of the valve is the presence of an electric cylinder (driven by a servo motor) in the upper part. The purpose of this cylinder is to move the filling valve spool.

At different height positions of this spool correspond the different phases of the filling cycle (vacuum, flushing, pressurization, filling, etc.). In other words, the electric cylinder moves the spool of the filling valve opening and closing the different passages.

This innovation allows to remove all the common pneumatic piston valves normally used on all the bottles and cans filling valves. Each standard filling valve normally mounts 3 to 6 pneumatic valves, so it means hundreds of valves used in a single monoblock, which can be eliminated with the new Comac filling valve.

Another important advantage is the almost complete removal of the pneumatic air consumption from the monoblock in advantage of the electric feeding. Consequence of what above mentioned is a high reduction of the maintenance timing and cost; the valve is also lighter than the standard ones and more compact.

As always, if you are curious to visit Comac stand at Drinktec, you will find us at Hall B4, Booth 306 and, waiting for the fair, keep an eye on our blog and Facebook official page!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac machines at Drinktec 2017 � CASSIOPEA 32206-E and PHOENIX 284-E

Wed, 09 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

While introducing our stand at the 2017 Drinktec edition, on our blog's last post we anticipated that Comac will bring at the fair four machines.

Let's get to know them better and outline the features, before you can see them live.

We go first with the two monoblocks that stand as an absolute innovation in Comac's range: CASSIOPEA 32206-E for glass bottles and PHOENIX 284-E for cans.

As the last letter in their names suggests, in fact monoblocks 32/20/6 CASSIOPEA 32206-E for glass bottles and 28/4 for cans PHOENIX 284-E are the first ones of the new Comac full electronic monoblock family, at the top of the production range.

CASSIOPEA 32206-E for glass bottles is equipped with electronic filling valves, while PHOENIX 284-E for cans is equipped with electronic and volumetric filling valves. Both types of valves guarantee the best performance in terms of filling speed, level and quality parameters (oxygen pick up as first).

In CASSIOPEA 32206-E, the filling level in bottles is determined by means of an electronic probe and this is an important innovation because the probe is movable inside the valve – The probe is inserted in the bottle just during filling, in this way, if the bottle explodes during pressurization, the probe will not be damaged.

Both types of valves do not require a bottle lifting cylinder, thus substantially reducing the complexity and cost of the systems.

The brand new monoblocks CASSIOPEA 32206-E and PHOENIX 284-E have some features in common:

- They are totally “gear free”, both for rotation and height adjustment: everything is moved by means of servo motors electronically synchronized

- The motors include a lot of interesting features such as electronic clutches (based on the torque real time measuring), safe limited speed in jog mode, safe “freeze” position for the starwheels changeover etc.

- The electric consumption is reduced by over 50% compared to traditional monoblocks.

As far as the PHOENIX 284- E is concerned, the seamer is set in a complete new “totally open” version, which simplifies the cleaning procedures while electronically synchronized with the filler as well.

Aren't you now curious to see them operating? You only have to come to our stand Hall B4, stand 306 at Drinktec. We will be happy to answer all your questions about these new machines.

As always, keep an eye on our blog and on our Facebook page if you want to have an anticipation on all the other Comac machines at Drinktec 2017. See you soon!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Drinktec 2017 preview: here is the Comac booth!

Tue, 01 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

42 days separate us from Drinktec 2017 while Comac's stand is starting to unveil!

We already supplied some info on our previous article of our blog: From the 11th to the 15th of September we will be at Hall B4, Stand 306, with our range of kegging and bottling machines.

Here is some other news about what this space will be offering, with all Comac activities hosted at Drinktec.

THE MACHINES

The heart of our stand will be the Comac machines, of course. This year, particularly, three of four machines on show at the fair will be a worldwide première.

This is what you will see:

- A 28-4 can monoblock equipped with electronic & volumetric filling valves (new machine)

- A 32-20-6 bottle monoblock with electronic valves equipped with a probe (new machine)

- A machine for microleakage check on kegging plants (new machine)

- A 14-2 can monoblock: PERSEUS 142-P

THE LEDWALL

As always in fairs where Comac is present, images will play a key role.

Through a huge ledwall, ax exciting video will be displayed, where Comac philosophy is described and spread all over the five Continents according to its key words: Total Quality and Customer Satisfaction.

THE CATERING SERVICE

We have stuck to tradition also in this case - A catering service will be available at our stand: breakfast, lunch or any other break moment during the day can be enjoyed by our customers, with freshly-made sweet and savoury specialities of the Italian cuisine.

However, this is just a sample of what you can find at our stand - Keep following us and stay updated about Comac and Drinktec!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Drinktec 2017 is here - Go with the flow!

Wed, 28 Jun 2017 00:00:00 GMT

As precise as a clock, like every four years, Munich will be hosting again Drinktec, the most important world trade show about beverage and liquid food, which will take place in September 2017, from 11th to 15th.

Comac, of course, will not miss such an important occasion, where the most interesting trends of the sector are revealed, from production to filling technologies, with also the bottling, labelling and packaging techniques for every type of drink and its container: kegs, glass bottles, cans and much more.

Drinktec allows exhibitors to get in touch with visitors from all over the world - The 2013 edition saw the participation of 67,000 people coming from 183 countries.

Comac, who has turned its international vocation into one of its landmarks, is ready to welcome anyone at its stand where for the first time the latest innovations from its range of kegging and bottling plants will be introduced. Of course, great attention will be dedicated to the craft breweries sector as well.

The rendez-vous is therefore at the Hall B4, Booth 306: The Comac team will be happy to meet you and give you all the info you may need.

To keep discovering what Comac has in store for you at Drinktec 2017, keep an eye on our blog and on the Facebook page - There is much info we are going to unveil during these weeks prior to the event.

Stay tuned!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac at the 2017 CBC - Thank you everyone!

Thu, 13 Apr 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Like every year, Comac couldn't miss the appointment at the CBC, the Craft Brewers Conference, that was held in Washington this time. The Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America® is indeed a very important occasion to meet customers and enthusiasts from the Continent and introduce the latest innovations from Comac.

The new machine Perseus 142-P for cans, with electropneumatic valves, in particular, has been introduced to the public.

To find it out, together with our staff at the CBC stand, we have shot a short video. This is our way to thank, once again, all our friends that trust us and that have come to visit, showing their appreciation towards our work. See you at the next edition!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac, Japan and Lean production - Interview with Federico Monti

Thu, 16 Mar 2017 00:00:00 GMT

A few months ago we talked to Stefano Gotti, our manager for Planning and Scheduling Operations and our Comac champion on Lean production. Today we get back on the subject interviewing Federico Monti, the new entry in this department that, since last October, started working in our warehouse and is now part of our Lean team. Lean philosophy is one of Federico's passions, together with his love for the Japanese idiom and culture, and for Japan, the country where this method took origin.

Federico, how did you approach the Lean method?

"Japan has always fascinated me, I first took a degree in Eastern languages at the Venice university Ca' Foscari to learn the language, then I followed a master's degree programme in International Management in London and I am currently attending another master's programme on Lean Management, at the CUOA, Centro Universitario di Organizzazione Aziendale (a university department of business organization) in Vicenza".

What are the principles of the Lean philosophy?

"There are 5 principles defined as the"5 S" methodology because the Japanese words from which they come from all begin with this letter. Here they are, in the following order:

- Seiri (Sort)

- Seiton (Set In Order)

- Seiso (Shine)

- Seiketsu (Standardize)

- Shitsuke (Sustain)

They represent the phases through which a lean production line must be thought of and implemented. The shared objective must be a reduction of waste and a saving of time"

How is lean philosophy implemented, substantially, at Comac?

"We choose to produce the necessary quantity, only when needed, the so-called Just-In-Time approach, which is also applicable to the warehouse via the Kanban"

What is it?

"Kanban" means card in Japanese. These cards have been attached to all the materials in the warehouse. The principle is the same as that applied in supermarkets - When we take something from the shelves, the card is being detached. In this way, the warehouse knows there is one less element, with that precise code, and that the element can be replaced or, in case of a shortage of supplies, ordered again.

One last question: in your opinion, can the lean philosophy be applied outside a working space?

"Sure. It is an excellent method to clean and tidy up your desk, your room or the other spaces we live in daily.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac Website Has a New Section

Mon, 20 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Comac's Procurement & Customer Care department has now its whole exclusive section on the company's Website. In fact, as of today, the new page introducing people and services in charge of all technical assistance and after-sale services of a plant is online.

The peculiarity of this page, available on both the Italian and the English versions of the website, is the interactive picture showing all the team members - With just one click you can read a short résumé, find out which languages are spoken and all contact data needed.

This update confirms, once again, the attention Comac reserves to the needs of its customers, even after the plants have been installed.

Are you curious about it? Click on"Comac" on the main menu, then click "Spare Parts Department" on the right.

What is your opinion about it? Write it in the comment section or leave a message on our Facebook official page!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac at Beer Attraction 2017

Thu, 02 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT

In less than one month Beer Attraction 2017 will take place.

From 18th to 21st of February, Comac will be there at the fair in Rimini, with its booth at Hall A5C5, Stand 026, and is ready to meet its customers and fans to introduce, first time for Italy, its innovative products for the kegging and bottling sector.

Stay tuned!

Belgian beer has gained the World Heritage status!

Mon, 30 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Comac is fully aware that beer in Belgium is a veritable institution: Just think about the Brussels Beer Challenge, that has seen Comac as the sponsor of the event for the last three years, or the tales that our friend Lorenzo Dabove, “Kuaska”, told on this blog. Now the official recognition for this tradition: As of the end of 2016, craft Belgian beer has been included in the updated Unesco's "Intangible World Heritage List".

Since 2003, this special list has been gathering hundreds of traditions, from each corner of the world, worthy of being protected (as it happens to famous monuments) due to their outstanding value for local populations.

Beer in Belgium falls neatly into this definition, as Unesco wrote, motivating the new entry on the list:

"The production and the appreciation of beer is part of the experience of many communities all over Belgium. Beer plays a role in daily life and in celebrations. Almost 1,500 types of beer are produced in the Country, applying several fermentation methods. Craft beers, in particular, have become popular since the '80s".

Another favourable factor is the green policies that have been experimented along recent years:

"Sustainable practices such as recyclable packaging and the new technologies to reduce water consumption during the productive process have become part of this culture".

In this respect, another piece of news is worth signalling, from Belgium again: In Bruges, a town itself on the Unesco's World Heritage list, the new "beerduct" has become operational: 3 kilometres of underground pipes, spread all under the old town, dedicated to conveying the drink.

This project, started three years ago and supported by a crowdfunding campaign, aims at reducing traffic in the old town, with the stop of trucks that would transport beer, improving in this way quality of air.

Belgium, when it comes to beer, never ends to surprise us!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Beer and vinyl - A record (club) pair!

Mon, 09 Jan 2017 00:00:00 GMT

Record Clubs were so far a British exclusive - During the '50s and the '60s they would reach even the farthest places where there were no music shops. Nice story, you'll say, but what is the tie between Comac world and this piece of news?

That's briefly said: there is a rebirth of Record Clubs and one of them, specifically, puts together vinyl and craft beer in one single project.

The club in question, whose name is Hurd, is a virtual one and was born form the idea of a young man from London, Jack Miles, who wanted to match his two passions in one single "job". The mechanism is simple: upon a monthly fare, subscribers receive a parcel at home containing an exclusive vinyl (specifically printed for the club) and four bottles of craft beer or cider, based on the preferred option. As of last December, the service is effective all over the world.

Jack chooses personally his “record of the month”, finding on the Internet the most interesting emerging artists, to whom he matches the labels of craft beers from Great Britain and the United States.

"It took us a while to understand that vinyl and beers would have been the right pairing - That it was what we would have liked to receive, and therefore to offer". What helped bringing the two things together is the surprise to always discover new flavours and the pleasure of vintage items, that are back in style again.

Congratulations to the team at Hurd and to Jack for his original idea!

What about you? Do you have a preferred beer that you associate to your favourite record? Tell us below in the comments or visit our Facebook page!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Season�s greetings from Comac!

Fri, 23 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

2016 is about to greet us and it is natural for everyone to take a stock of the year and get ready for a new start, with even more enthusiasm. Comac’s year has been very positive: The Company has consolidated its results, completely unexpected until a few years ago, confirming it is a major actor in the kegging and bottling industry.

Our deepest and sincere thank you therefore goes both to all of our customers, who choose us every time with confidence and, of course, to all Comac employees, precious professionals who, through daily commitment, are contributing to Company’s success.

2017, as always, will be rich in events: Beer Attraction in Rimini (18-21 February), The Craft Brewers Conference & BrewExpo America in Washington (10-13 April) and Drinktec in Munich (11-15 September) are already dates highlighted on our calendar.

Now, though, we wish all of you and your families a very, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac gave an interactive whiteboard to middle school in Bonate Sotto, winner of the PMI Day 2016 prize

Tue, 20 Dec 2016 00:00:00 GMT

On November, 19th, classes 3 A and 3 C of the Primary School “Clara Levi” in Bonate Sotto visited Comac in the context of the PMI Day, organized by Confindustria. Besides a tour of the company's premises, where students were able to closely observe the production lines and technology applied, Comac wished to add some playful competition for the day.

Classes were split in 4 groups, based on section and gender, and completed a questionnaire with 15 questions relating to what was shown during the visit: at stake was an Interactive Whiteboard (IWB) donated to the school by Comac.

Last Monday, after a month's wait, the winners were announced. Representing the Comac board were Giuliana Rossini (head of Human Resources) and Silvia Cimini (Marketing and Communication director) to award the winning class and give the prize.

The competition was exciting and the 3 C got it, only scoring 2 points up, although all the students had the pleasure to have their names pronounced loudly in front of their classmates.

By this initiative, Comac reaffirms, once again, its bond with all the parties on its territory and the importance of the social and educational function that is the essential condition in an important business reality.

For this reason, at the ceremony the mayor of Bonate Sotto, Mr. Carlo Previtali, the principal Mrs. Marta Bonacina and the teacher Mrs. Sara Crotti, in charge for the School Guidance area, were also present with their classes. Everybody underlined the importance of building networks, wishing this is the first step of a long path together.

The most important lesson for the students, though, was one: winning is fun, but getting a second place is not bad at all because this is as well what you need to get far, as the stories of some great sportsmen, shown on a video on that occasion, have taught us.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac gained a special mention at the �Export2succeed� award from UPS and Confindustria

Wed, 30 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Comac has received another acknowledgement, to award its international vocation: The company, in fact, received a special mention for the "Best SME Exporter" category for the Export2succeed award sponsored by UPS, in cooperation with L'imprenditore, Confindustria's (the Italian employers' federation) monthly magazine, dedicated to small enterprises.

The Export2succeed award was created to highlight the small and medium Italian enterprises that successfully export or want to start doing that. During the award ceremony held at the Circolo della stampa in Milan, the finalist companies presented their case study in the framework of the meeting “Export: small enterprises, big opportunities”.

Giorgio Donadoni showed Comac experience, exporting kegging and bottling plants over 30 Countries worldwide, for 90% of its turnover.

Due to these results, in fact, the jury decided to award Comac with the special mention, together with an event's plate.

Congratulations go to all collaborators that made this victory possible, demonstrating that this is the right path to become a presence in an ever-increasing global market.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac Trophy at the Brussels Beer Challenge: a "pas � deux" over three years�

Wed, 23 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Although the 2016 edition results have been recently revealed, three years have already elapsed since Comac decided to sponsor the Brussels Beer Challenge, an event that carries on the beer traditions of Belgium, home country of this drink. Comac and BBC paths crossed and grew up together: from 850 beers in competition in 2014 (judged by 60 experts), the number topped 1100 labels competing to won the consensus of 75 judges from all over the world.

What hasn't changed, though, is the care with which Comac prepares, many months ahead, its participation: since 2014, in fact, a very special Comac Trophy is awarded to those beers that have stood out during the three-day tasting event.

The Comac Trophy has always been entrusted to Luca Catò, a sculptor from Bergamo, who personally realizes his works using terracotta and other materials. These are unique pieces, that bear symbolic references tied to the world of beer and, most of all, to the beauty of art.

The debut work in 2014 was named Even things on earth can be filled with air and fly: It was a kite-fish that would bring together the solidity of the Earth, the lightness of the air and the sensation of freedom of a body that fluctuates in the sea.

In 2015, Luca realized The potion: a young woman, on the top of a tower, would scatter in the air leaves and their essences, symbolizing the ingredients that make a good beer better and different from the rest of them.

This year it was the turn of The Spirit of Hop, inspired by the old abbeys where beer was produced with traditional methods that have been handed down through the centuries. Here, as well, reality and metaphor travel together: from the building walls, in fact, a character, the spirit that leads the growth of hop, essential raw material for beer, comes out.

The Comac Trophy is, above all, the introduction to Comac philosophy: the making of highly technological plants all over the world, remaining faithful to its territory and keeping the needs and the story of each single customer as a starting point to develop increasingly customized solutions.

This is why, for three years, during the Brussels Beer Challenge in Belgium and at the winners' companies, thanks to Comac there has been a piece of Bergamo with the Italian outstanding quality.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relactions

Lindemans brewery is awarded the Comac Trophy at Brussels Beer Challenge 2016

Tue, 22 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday, hosted in the capital from the 3rd to the 6th of November, the fifth edition of the Brussels Beer Challenge experienced the most awaited moment: for the first time the award ceremony, following the tasting of the best beers by the judges during the three-day event was held in a separate event. The ceremony was held at the Horeca Expo in Gand, Belgium.

The Comac Trophy, awarded every year to the best beer for the category “International revelation”, was assigned to Oude Gueuze Cuvée René Special Blend 2010, from the Belgian brewery Lindemans. A twice-fermented lambic, first in oak barrels and then in glass bottles, this is a jewel in the production of this brewery known for its tradition since 1822, across six generations.

Every year, The Comac Trophy comes from Bergamo's artist Luca Catò, who created this unique piece just for the occasion. The sculpture, conceived for the 2016 edition of the Brussels Beer Challenge and named The Spirit of Hop, embodies the sense for beer tradition, based on very ancient techniques for the processing of raw materials.

The award was delivered in the hands of the winner by Mr. Robert Delée, on behalf of Comac board . In the special list of the Comac Trophy winners, Lindemans brewery succeeded to Schooner Exact Brewing Company in Seattle (USA) who was awarded last year, and to Daniel Thwaites Brewery in Blackburn (UK), awarded in 2014.

Congratulations to the winners!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac at Brau Beviale 2016 - So Much Innovation and a Positive Experience

Wed, 16 Nov 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The Brau Beviale 2016 edition closed with very positive results for Comac - During the 3-day stay at the important beer fair in Nuremberg, many people crowded the Comac stand to take a closer look to our machines and get more detailed technical pieces of information. So, the watchword, this year, was one: Innovation. In Nuremberg, Comac presented some absolute innovative products from its lines.

The 6-6-1-1 machine, particularly, recorded significant and considerable success due to its capability of managing glass bottles and cans in a single small-sized, compact installation, the only one of that kind to have been on show this year at Brau Beviale. Fully designed by Comac and Comac Pro R&D Departments by Lucio, Luca, Stefano, Patrick and Andrea, the two new filling valves combined to the 6-6-1-1 machine and to the can filler 14-2 have also been presented: The electronic one with probe for the 6-6-1-1 and the electro-pneumatic one for the 14-2. Of course, in the near future these valves will be made suitable to other types of filling machines as well.

This edition of Brau Beviale also hosted T1 and T2 keg fillers, always within Comac's range and now redesigned and standardized by the team counting Daniele, Renato, Luca and Luigi among others. Such standardization has been implemented also in order to manufacture the product on a large scale.

In front of experts and customers from all over the world, Comac stood out not only for its continuous research in the field of technological innovation but also for the warmth and professionalism of people who represented the company: the Sales and Marketing department staff, together with the whole of the BoD.

Comac wishes to thank all customers and collaborators that came to visit at our stand at Brau Beviale 2016 and hopes to meet them again at the next trade fairs, especially at Drinktec, scheduled for September 2017, in Munich.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Discovering the resources of Comac employees with a regatta - Interview with Giuliana Rossini

Mon, 17 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

On the 1st and the 2nd of October Comac went for a just-outside-the-town appointment, on the shores of Lake Garda. For a couple of days, Comac employees have turned into skippers and sailors, putting themselves to test in a real sailing race in Desenzano del Garda. This initiative, besides promoting leisure and entertainment for employees and their families, is part of one of Comac's programs about the development of managerial skills. We have asked a few questions to Giuliana Rossini, head of Human Resources, that followed the event throughout all its phases, from start to final result.

Hi Giuliana, let's start from the beginning. Where did the idea of organizing a regatta come from?

"It came from Giorgio Donadoni, one of the founding partners of the company, who loves sailing. We liked the idea and it became the opportunity to start a program for the development of managerial skills for the front-line supervisors".

Where does this need arise from?

This is something that was started about one year ago. The initial question was: "What does it take to be a good supervisor?". Through the self assessment from the front line and a feedback from the management, we have spotted four competences on which work should be done: planning, problem solving, communication and management of employees. These four competences were applied throughout the entire race, also during the training activity.

How?

"During the set-up phase, for instance, each crew had to gang up and everyone managed in their own way, meeting for a pre-dinner moment or creating a WhatsApp group. These are employees' motivational examples and communication".

Any others?

"On Sunday, right before putting out for a test sail, there was no wind and it was raining. The morning was re-organized but by 11 o'clock the wind was back! This is a way to manage unforeseen events (problem solving). Besides, when you are on a boat, things have to be called by their exact name (communication), so it becomes important to get to know and share pieces of information and meanings. This is true for sailing as it is inside a company like Comac".

Did Comac stop its commitment after the race?

"Obviously not, recently we had a debrief meeting with front-line supervisors, it was an interesting moment for the analysis of the event. Moreover, in 2017 we are planning other training events. If you want to be a good supervisor, being a good technician is not enough, this is why we give considerable importance to these transversal competences".

What is your personal account on the race?

"I am satisfied: the front-line team is getting out there and I am glad that employees and their families will have a nice memory about this experience".

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac at Brau Beviale 2016

Wed, 05 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

This year again, as in the past, Comac will have its stand at the Brau Beviale fair in Nuremberg!

Our blog will keep you posted on news and updates, so, stay tuned!

Comac has been awarded the Odysseus prize from Confindustria Bergamo

Tue, 04 Oct 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The greatest possible satisfaction for Comac! Our company has been awarded first prize for the fifth edition of the Odysseus award, from Confindustria Bergamo (the Italian employers' federation) dedicated to the small and medium enterprises committed to innovation for the category "Organizational Innovation and Company Welfare". Comac, represented by Giuliana Rossini (head of Human Resources) and Daniele Gotti (chief of Operations for the Technical Department), has been awarded for the project “Smart Company: The holistic philosophy that sets the human resource at the heart of the organization”.

The project embraces all the company departments, and is inspired by the lean philosophy, as acknowledged in the presentation:

To promote a business model, Comac takes its inspiration from the lean philosophy, applied to the several departments of the company, where all human resources are at the heart of the organization. All the office spaces have been redesigned to stimulate smart working, with a relax area equipped with a gym, and a multi-sensory garden to meet the company's green vocation. The new vertical warehouse has been designed to automate the handling of materials, while the new welding line allows for maximizing the processing phases.

The prestigious award was assigned during the Confindustria Bergamo annual meeting, at the Donizetti theatre, and was handed over to Giuliana Rossini and Daniele Gotti by Mr. Vincenzo Boccia, chairman of Confindustria, together with Mr. Ercole Galizzi, chairman of Confindustria Bergamo, and Mr. Ennio Gualandris from Radici Group, the sponsor company for the category.

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

A public fountain for beer? In Slovenia it really exists!

Mon, 26 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Zalec is a town of approximately 20 thousand inhabitants, in central Slovenia. So far that's nothing new - Over there though, they know really well what their strength is: beer. The region Zalec belongs to is, in fact, known as the "Valley of the Green Gold" precisely because hop farming, the fundamental ingredient of this drink, is dominant. The mayor of the town and the local businessmen have nonetheless gone beyond: a few days ago a public fountain pouring out beer instead of water was inaugurated!!!

A true monument to the local drink, that works in a very easy way - After buying in the town a beer mug with a microchip (which costs 6 euros) the mug can be filled with different types of beer available at the fountain, for a maximum of 5 times.

The microchip, on sale only for those of age, and the filling limit make such initiative totally safe, according to those who inspired the project. "We will not allow people to get drunk, we only wish to promote the culture of responsibly drinking beer", declared Janko Kos, mayor of Zalec.

In this case, beer is a classic tourist souvenir and once you've reached the maximum quantity allowed, you get to keep the mug as well.

Who knows if, really, thanks to this unique fountain in the world, there will be a rise in the number of visitors to Zalec?

What is your opinion? Are you curious about this initiative? Tell us in the comment section, if you like, or follow us on our Facebook official page!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Comac One of the Finalists at the Green Company Award - Our Garden is Part of the Exhibition at the Upper Town's Palazzo della Ragione

Fri, 16 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

There is even Comac among the "Masters of Landscape" the review that, as of last week through September the 25th, defines Bergamo as the green international capital.

Our company is among the first 19 local businesses that took part in the first edition of the "Green Company Award", a contest organized by the association Arketipos, the Municipality of Bergamo and Confindustria Bergamo (the Italian employers' federation), under the sponsorship of ATS Bergamo, in the framework of the project "Workplace Health Promotion" and in cooperation with the historical lifestyle magazine ABITARE, to enhance the companies that have created green spaces within.

Comac, who since always has focused on its employees well-being, with its awareness on the environmental issues, has presented the project of its green multi-purpose area, designed by architect Michela Lombardoni, starting March 2016.

As it can be read on the panel of the exhibition, opened in the beautiful space of the Sala delle Capriate at Palazzo della Ragione, in the Upper Town:

Adjacent to the new home for logistics and administrative offices, the garden is connected to the indoor fitness area, dedicated to employees. The design reflects and translates the functional input by the client company and by the genius loci, i.e. the spirit of place itself.

The garden has been designed for various functions:

1. Smart Area (Wi-Fi hotspot)

2. Relaxation area/sand (sensory, bare feet)

3. Relaxation area/water (reading, chatting)

4. Meditation area (with surrounding greenery providing intimacy)

5. Installation area

6. Catering area (where meals already reserved at the company canteen are served)

Symmetries, asymmetries, axial pattern, optical cones, an “imaginary bridge”, accompanying people on a relaxing amble from the entrance to the end of the garden.

The green area is available for all Comac employees during business hours (while working or for a short break) and for the future, during festive days for private events.

The main feature of the garden structure is its wave shape that does not clearly split spaces creating, instead, a path where essences, colours and sight of the multiple types of plants are discovered by whoever gradually approaches the garden.

If this sounds interesting to you, the exhibition dedicated to the finalists of the Green Company Awards project remains open until Sept. 25th, with the following visiting times: Monday: closed, Tuesday to Friday: 9.30-18, Saturday-Sunday & holidays: 9.30-19.

Comac is waiting for you!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Yes, We Can! Canned Beer Has Conquered the United States

Mon, 05 Sep 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The debate has been on for years and every now and then becomes topical again: Is beer better canned or bottled?

The Italian crafting breweries choose, with few exceptions, the second option, but in the USA the situation is totally different: More and more brands prefer to can their product, and sales agree with this choice.

The first craft beer produced and canned was, in 2002, the Dale’s Pale Ale by Oskar Blues Brewery from Longmont (Colorado), that specifically chose Comac in 2015 for the kegging and canning plants of its new site in Austin, Texas. Our company, with its twenty-year experience and continuous technological improvements, is able to meet the demands of small, big, and very big producers, with highly specific custom-made plants, compliant to every kind of technological demand requested by the customer.

The use of a can as a beer container allows to overcome some defects typical of bottles, first of all the one of sun exposure. As a matter of fact, one of hop components, when in contact with sun rays through the glass, unchains a chemical reaction that could make the beer taste bad.

Moreover aluminium, the material all cans are made of, is lighter, easier to transport and more biodegradable than glass: it will decompose in 80 - 100 years, while for glass it takes a million years!

Success is also a matter of marketing - A classic glass bottle can be customized only on the label or on the tap of a brewpub, while the can is suited to the most pop and bizarre creations. Major industrial groups, moreover, have taken full advantage of product placement: some among the most loved TV series, from True Detective to Mad Men, show their main characters drinking only canned beer!

In short, people love canned beer and sales confirm it. The first time the sale of cans overtook the sale of bottles in the USA was almost 50 years ago, in 1969, and this trend still continues today. The rise of canning, started with the first experiments at the beginning of the 19th century, cannot be stopped.

And you, which side do you stand on? Do you prefer to drink canned or bottled beer? Why? Tell us in the comment section, if you like, or follow us on our Facebook official page!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

The Increasingly Growing Sector of Craft Beers

Mon, 29 Aug 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Crafting is beautiful, also and especially in the world of beers. Comac knows that perfectly as, since 2011, through the 4SizeS project, dedicates a special attention to the needs of craft brewing companies, when it comes of kegging and bottling. Building on its experience gained on the difficult American market, where the art of craft beer has been a tradition for decades, Comac continues to keep quality level high, also towards this kind of small companies. The latest news on the sector is the increasingly extensive use of plastic kegs as containers.

A confirmation of this trend comes from one of the recent surveys by Confartigianato (The Italian Confederation of Skilled Crafts) where it resulted that Italian families spend 1,523 million Euros a year for craft beers. In the wake of this success,. the number of producers over the last three years has been constantly growing. According to data from Confartigianato, there has been an increase by 61.8% meaning that, every 11 days,a new craft brewing company is started in Italy.

This data is encouraging, although the American market keeps growing at such an incredible pace, if compared to our country: in the US, 2 craft brewing companies are started a day. The Italian system, on the economic and financial level, does not offer instruments efficient enough to encourage the starting of microcompanies. Any improvement, from this perspective, would help the birth of new activities and the development of a new entrepreneurial spirit in the sector, as it happens overseas.

Lombardy, where Comac is headquartered, is however the region in our country that sees the highest number of this kind of companies, followed by Sicily, Campania, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna.

Craft beer therefore is good, offers new job opportunities and is also healthy, as we have already written in some other posts of our blog. Confartigianato agrees as well: the Confederation has pointed out that, due to the ever increasing attention to traditional techniques and genuine raw materials, the percentage of Italian people affected by obesity is dropping, with the value at 9.8% for 2015, compared to 10.3% recorded in 2014, well below the average of European countries (16.7%)

Are you as well a fan of craft beers? Why? What would you do to improve the sector? Tell us below in the comments or visit our Facebook page!

Comac Office for Web, Marketing and External Relations

Beer & music, a perfect union!

Mon, 11 Jul 2016 00:00:00 GMT

Listening to music and drinking a good beer are, for sure, two stimulating experiences, but would you have ever thought that one could influence the other? And yet that's how it is: the right soundtrack can make us change the perception about the beer we are drinking. It would seem just a café conversation subject, but this has been shown by a research from the university in Brussels, a town expert when it comes of talking about beer.

On the September 2016 issue of the scientific magazine "Food Quality and Preference" a study will be published, coordinated by Vrije Universiteit of the Belgian capital, entitled "The influence of soundscapes on the perception and evaluation of beers".

During the summary presentation, professor Felipe Carvalho, one of the authors of the study, explained how his experiment was carried out. Participants tasted and judged a beer twice, ignoring it was the same, with a different background sound. Results showed, in fact, that music influences the perception of sweet, bitter, acid and even the alcohol content.

"Participants have assessed the beer as significantly sweeter when they listened to a more melodic soundtrack, and strong while they listened a harder one", declared professor Carvalho. "To a certain degree, it is like we are transferring our experience and music sensitivity into the beer we are drinking".

How can this bizarre effect be explained? The credit goes to our brain, where involuntary switching on of another sense takes place. Taste and hearing can therefore generate unusual pairings, and who knows, after such a discovery, someone might be tempted to try a multi-sensory experience at the restaurant or at home!

What about you? Have you got a favourite soundtrack when you are enjoying your beer? What is your playlist on various occasions (when you're home with family, with your friends, or with your partner)?Tell us in the comment section, if you like, or follow us on our Facebook official page!

Comac speeds up on the road to Lean Production - Interview with Stefano Gotti

Mon, 27 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

News at Comac's production department: as of June 2016, Stefano Gotti is the new manager for Planning and Scheduling Operations. We chatted with Stefano to let him explain his new role and, most of all, to know more about lean production, one of the matters Stefano deals with.

Hi Stefano, congratulations to you! Can you please explain what is your job all about?

"In simple words, I have to ensure that the effective dates for planning, supplying of materials, production and commissioning of a machine, in the framework of a job, match in the best way the timing requested by the customer".

What is the link between this job and the lean thinking philosophy Comac has been adopting for some time?

"Lean thinking is based on management and elimination of waste, and time is one of the most important factors.

How is lean production implemented, in practical terms, at Comac?

"The warehouse applies the Just-In-Time philosophy, that's to say we only buy parts we need, when they are needed. Another pillar of lean production is lean manufacturing - We make the pieces to be manufactured readily available to whoever must manufacture them, in order to spare time and energies. Finally, we are going towards the standardization of many of the components, in order not to have to manufacture them all from scratch each time".

How does that standardization combine with the possibility to customize the plants, which is one of Comac's strengths?

"Customization is of course a possibility peculiar to many components, but standard ones allow to strongly reduce times".

Let's talk about you. How long have you been following up the Lean Production?

"I have been working for Comac for four years now and this was the subect I started with since my very beginning. In 2014, I also visited the Toyota plants in Japan, where the LP was born. Japanese pay much attention to the rules, and maybe they can come up with personal ideas, but in the end they tend to follow the traced path. Italians are instead more creative, and maybe they look for a shortcut!".

What are the future projects for Comac and for the Lean Production?

"We aim at making production lines leaner and leaner. In our new logistics department, for instance, stations have already been designed according to these principles, we only need to make them operational. It's a long road, implementation of this path might require up to 10 years, but Comac is on the right way".

Comfort Beer: The Cuddling Beer Also Good for Sportmen

Mon, 20 Jun 2016 00:00:00 GMT

The word comfort food is in the English dictionaries since the Seventies but this notion, in Italy, has been making its way for some years, due to dedicated blogs and catalogues. Comfort food, as you can guess, is the food that conveys human warmth, which is maybe connected to a good memory or to family traditions. It is not per se the best food but it’s the one we eat when we need cuddles.

Everyone has their personal comfort food – sweet or salty, easy or difficult to prepare – while every beer passionate has for sure a comfort beer, to honour an unforgettable trip, a special dinner or simply a relaxing moment.

These days, for instance, for many soccer supporters the combination beer in front of TV with some friends and a soccer match of UEFA Euro 2016 is certainly a winning idea!

What’s more, for those practicing a sport, there’s also a good news: a few months ago, on the occasion of the meeting “Beer and health, beer and sport – possible or impossible matches?” sponsored by Unionbirrai (the brewers’ national cultural association for promotion of beer tasting), Mr. Luca Gatteschi, the doctor of Italy’s national soccer team, has given the green light for a low consumption of beer, away from physical strain. “Due to a lower content in sugar and a higher percentage of magnesium and phosphorous, calcium and vitamin B complex, beer is a valid and complete integrator” declared the doctor, who is also a beer enthusiast.

Moreover, green light has been given to craft beers in particular: their secret lays in cereals and hops, due to their antioxidant properties. One alcohol unit is the recommended quantity per day (equaling a can or a 33 ml bottle) for women, and two for men, with average alcoholic strength.

And how about you? What is your “comfort beer”, and what is the reason? Tell us in the comments, we would like to read your opinion!

The Comac Trophy goest to the Schooner Exact Brewing Co from Seattle.

Fri, 20 Nov 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Comac, official sponsor of the Brussel Beer Challenge since 2014, remembers with satisfaction the days spent in Anversa with 75 experts and 1,100 beers from all over the world. As main sponsor Comac assigns every year the Comac Trophy to one of the participating breweries. Last year it was given to Daniel Thwaites, a brewery in Blackburn.

This year the prize has been conferred to an American brewery, the Schooner Exact Brewing Co from Seattle for the great quality of its Hopvine India Pale Ale. Founded in 2006, from the idea of three friends who wanted to supply good beers to their nieghborhood, after just a few years it crossed the borders of West Seattle. Today they own a restaurant and sell beers in the States of Washington and Oregon and in the city of Tokyo.

Comac wants to celebrate the Schooner Exact Brewing Co conferring an other prize, an incredible sculpture made by an Italian artist, Luca Catò. It’s named La Pozione (The Potion) and it consists in a tower from with gushing drops made of clay representing the drops of a magic potion falling of a female smiling figure with open arms. A mystical and mysterious depiction that can be interpreted, as many Catò’s artworks, in different ways. It represents the meeting between different flavors and ingredients, symbolizing a sort of syllogism between beer and a magic potion.

Russian River - The Spiritual Legacy of Pliny the Elder

Fri, 27 Feb 2015 00:00:00 GMT

It’s widely known that the United States has become the leading country in a relentless growth of craft breweries, with more than 3,000 of them that presumably produce over 50,000 different beers.

If you ask leading experts, writers, brewers and industry workers which is the most thrilling and representative beer, the one that by far stands out against the others, the answer will be the fabulousPliny the Elder by the great Vinnie Cilurzo, a California brewer of clear Calabrian origin.

Talent and curiosity bind Vinnie, an innovator in the brewing sector, to Pliny the Elder, the Roman naturalist who died in Stabia due to sulphurous fumes, while studying them during the eruption of Vesuvius which destroyed the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum in the year 79 A.D.

Pliny the Elder probably defined the botanical term for hopper, that’s why Vinnie chose it for his Double IPA launched in Y2K, a style he created six years before in his brewery Blind Pig in Temecula, leaving it three years later to move to Santa Rosa’s Russian River, at the heart of the well-known, world-famous wine-producing region of Sonoma Valley.

Vinnie actually comes from a family of winemakers and learnt how to manage a family-run business together with his sister Chenin, although for years he had been in love with beer and had become a passionate homebrewer, experimenting with pots in his basement. So, when he was given the opportunity he had no doubts about what his future would have been.

Today, he’s rightly considered one of the most famous and imaginative brewers of the planet. Just to give you an idea of the eclecticism of his creativity, I wish to virtually take you by the hand to his brewery, where two completely distinct visions coexist "under the same roof".

On one side, state-of-the-art plants (Comac docet) in an immaculate environment and a series of "top class" beers covering a broad palette of styles, offering aroma and flavours so different to fascinate and satisfy each consumer.

On the other side, well separated by a metal cage is an an impressive shrine of barrels, where those that Vinnie calls "funky beers" are ageing. Here, every symbolic writing and notice is connected to the words "lacto", "pedio" and "bretta", meaning lactobacilli, pediococci and brettanomyces, as the Americans refer to bacteria and wild yeasts in a friendly way, a real nightmare for wine producers but which are instead precious allies for brewers in Pajottenland, and now for many other colleagues around the planet.

Every piece of equipment, every tool, everything here is painted bright red so as to clearly remind people working never to carry anything red-coloured out of the dangerous area.

In the "normal" section, "not very normal" beers are created, like the above-mentioned Pliny the Elder, the Belgian Damnation and the Blind Pig IPA, while the "funky" section hosts the "very funky" beers, such as Beatification, (a spontaneous fermentation beer) and the trio with lacto, pedio and bretta inoculations: Consecration, a stout aged in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels with blackcurrant, Temptation, a golden one, and Supplication, with sour cherries aged in Chardonnay and Pinot Noir barrels respectively, and supplied by the Sonoma County wineries.

I have left the legendary Pliny the Younger for last, a beer dedicated to the nephew of Pliny the Elder, an ABV-10 Triple IPA with “tons of hopper”, that has been on sale for 11 years only on draught, at the brewpub or at few super-selected spots, the first Friday of February and available only for two weeks.

Last year, under the pouring rain, the queue in front of the brewpub door was so long that fans had to wait for more than 12 hours, yes you read it right, 12 hours! The pub can accommodate 135 people therefore, from this year on, the maximum time allowed is 3 hours and devotees will be served the Pliny the Younger only in a 10-ounce glass (30 cl. approx.) with a strict limit of 3 glasses per person.

A deep friendship ties me to Vinnie and his extraordinary wife Natalie, who has always collaborated in running the business and supports her great husband with her strength and a warm and sweet smile. I love this wonderful and close-knit couple that I have met many times across Europe and America, and I love the Russian River universe

Lorenzo Dabove aka (Kuaska)

Allagash, a corner of Belgium on the coast of Maine

Wed, 21 Jan 2015 00:00:00 GMT

Kuaska’s Column

My first encounter with the Comac universe happened on the 13^th of January at the Lambiczoon, in Milan, on the award for the best Brewer of the Year 2013, event that saw me as the host.

Giorgio and his entourage were impressed by my verve, my passion and my paternal sense of protection towards my brewer “children”. I, for one, was particularly impressed in finding, among the huge list of their customers scattered across the globe, many of the breweries that I value the most, together with brewers with whom I have a close friendship.

Then is when the idea of a collaboration for events and projects was born, with a start by my official contributions to this blog. I wish, from this issue, to bring the readers to discover the various realities, personalities and souls of those that have chosen Comac.

Allagash, a corner of Belgium on the coast of Maine

My friendship with Rob Tod dates back to at least ten years ago. We met for the first time in San Diego on the spring of 2004, in the framework of the World Beer Cup where I was a judge, and he was the brewer awarded for his marvellous Allagash White, a blanche of clearly Flemish inspiration.

Since then, we met countless times in several US towns, in Canada and, of course, in Belgium. Yep, obviously, because Rob has always been a great connoisseur of the beers of my second homeland and when, in the summer of 1995, he started his business with a small production, with a plant of approx. 1,750 litres, he already had clearly in his mind the will to reveal the Belgian styles to the American public, more accustomed, already then, to German or British typologies.

His first beer, needless to say, was exactly the aforementioned Allagash White. The product was so successful that Rob was persuaded to carry on that path, so ideal for him, that soon enough a Dubbel and a Tripel were created by the book, or better, by the Trappist recipe J

Always with his sober style, a calm speaking and patient listening, quite different from his informal and eccentric colleagues weirdly dressed, with beards and horsetails, Rob looks more like a bank clerk rather than one of the top-leading professionals of the thrilling American renaissance, as he is universally and duly acknowledged.

Well, behind this gentle and shy guy from Maine, with short hair and short-sightedness glasses, a courageous pioneer and a reckless essayer is hidden. Rob was the first to think about using the t-shaped cork cappers with muselets for the 75-cl stylish bottles, following the Belgian tradition.

His terrific Curieux was his first beer, aged in Bourbon barrels, after which other gems followed such as, to name a few, the golden Interlude, aged in red wine barrels, and the stout Odyssey, aged in American oak barrels.

In my opinion, though, Rob’s courage and recklessness are intensified and emerge with the series named Coolship, the cooling tank that we can contemplate in the lambic breweries, in Pajottenland. Rob actually had one built and installed in his brewery in the summer of 2008, which is being used, during cold months, to cool wort and gather bacteria (lactobacilli and pediococci, in particular) and wild yeasts (mainly brettanomyces) that made up for the local multiflora.

Due to the extraordinary talent of Jason Perkins, his trustworthy and indispensable co-brewer, some “acid” (stout) masterpieces are thus born, all under the Coolship name, such as the Resurgam, similar to the flat lambic, the Red and the Cerise, both aged in barrels for six months, with local raspberries and cherries, respectively, a mix between the Montmorency and Balaton variety, all grown in Maine, of course.

In March 2006 I had the great honour to organize and lead five American top brewers in a memorable tour to Belgium, put together by Sam Calagione (Dogfish Head) in Delaware, who involved Californians Vinnie Cilurzo (Russian River) and Tomme Arthur (Port Brewing/Lost Abbey), Adam Avery (Avery Brewing) from Colorado and obviously Rob Tod (Allagash) from Maine.

The aim was to pay a sincere and warm tribute of gratitude to the country that inspired them introducing, by two beers each, their interpretation of the traditional styles inside the most authentic shrines of the Belgian beers. Rob chose his White and Curieux, earning a significant personal success that gave him stimulus to continue and try out, especially in the field of sour beers in general, and of spontaneous fermentation in particular.

You can relive the thrilling adventure on Youtube, watching the beautiful video shot by J.R. Richards, the movie director of “Beer Hunter The Movie” dedicated to the king Michael Jackson. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y_aZWRg7xyc

I was with Rob during all the six editions of the World Beer Cup, as a judge, on three Great American Beer Festival, on one Mondial de la Bière in Montreal and many times in Belgium, and each time we strengthened our deep friendship and mutual regard.

Rob is a perfectionist, in all that he thinks and subsequently puts into practice. He is well aware of his responsibility to represent excellence in brewing for his State, and of the expansion of current production (over 50,000 hectolitres a year), therefore the well-considered choice to rely on high-level Comac machines can only make the Bergamasque company be proud of it.

It is still alive in me and in my group of brewers, experts and lovers, the strong emotion felt during the important visit in May 2014. People from Maine are known for their hospitality, but that received from Rob, Jason and the entire Allagash staff was, to say the least, extraordinary. You can fully enjoy it by watching the video shot by Gianni Boscherini, our official photographer and operator, owner of Barbeer pub in Forlì. Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZS8j-xeNUc

Lorenzo Dabove aka Kuaska

A new corporate video for Comac

Mon, 22 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

A new corporate video for Comac

Comac and the year of the Horse

Tue, 16 Dec 2014 00:00:00 GMT

It is normal, natural, physiologic I would say, pull the sums at the end of the year... look back and see what we have done, what new paths we have taken, which meetings have been important, which have failed. Moreover, in the East part of the World, is tradition pay off all debts by December 31 to start the new year in the best way. Let’s remain in the East, just for a moment... just to remember that the year now ending is the year of the Horse and COMAC was born in 1990, the year of the Horse... precisely.

It has been a magical and lucky year full of news and changes, as expected from the best astrologers, Chinese and not, which saw COMAC present on several fronts, combative, determined, winning, like a true thoroughbred.

2014 will surely be remembered as the year of Manchester: a complete high speed keg line manufactured for Heineken: 900 kegs per hour of 50 liter each and 600 kegs per hour of 100 liter each.

But we cannot avoid to mention other important achievements such as the many plants for the CCM group in Mexico, installations in USA (Lost Coast Brewery, Great Divide Brewing Company, Surly Brewing Company ...), complete lines in Brazil for the IMBEV Group, Eredan in Russia and many others.

Among the innovations, we can not forget the changes in the technical department that is now going to design entirely in 3D with the program solid works.

New people have been employeed in COMAC and two children were born in this year of the Horse and someone else is coming for 2015. Our Alice got married, Aurora (do you remember?) arrived among the top tens in the International Unicycle Championships in Canada, Alessio and Rachele are keeping on with enthusiasm their highschool in the United States, our Engineer Giacometti became grandfather and the great Kuaska, aka Lorenzo Dabove, has joined our team.

In 2014 COMAC took part in many events and always as official player: the most important were the CBC in Denver, FOODTECH in Seoul, FOOMA Japan in Tokyo, EurHop in Rome, Brussels Beer Challenge in Lauven and Brau Beviale in Nuremberg.

Many travels were done to the "conquest of the East" to penetrate the Asian markets, always attentive to the western technological innovations...

Everything is ready to face the 2015 at the best possible way, the year of the Sheep, the meek and docile animal, able to put to use what started by the fiery and bizarre horse: in 2015 COMAC will celebrate its 25 years, and all of you are invited to celebrate with us, because certainly there will be many surprises!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

COMAC never fails to fulfill Breweries� expectations: once again at your side!

Fri, 31 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

For the very first time COMAC plays as sponsor at the international Brussels Beer Challenge 2014

The suitcases are packed. The gifts to be given to our guests are wrapped. The cup is under costruction. The videos are shot.

The team Comac is ready to leave.

Who: International Breweries
Where: Leuven, Belgium
When: October 31st to November 2nd
What: Brussels Beer Challenge 2014
Why: Because for the next 3 years Comac is sponsoring this exciting event.

This is the third edition and this year such an event takes place in the beautiful city of Leuven.

Belgium IS the hometown of beer and an event that compares the best international beers, could only take place there: this year more than 750 international beers will be tasted and judged by 60 tasters, national and international ones, in a taste marathon lasting two days.

Comac, for some years also in the world of craft breweries, or best known as BREWERIES, as "Kuaska" says, has chosen to be a sponsor of this important event to reaffirm its commitment to the world of beer and craft beer.
Waiting to know the Winner of each category, COMAC is pleased to award its prize to the best beer ever which gets the greater number of preferences.

We wish you a great success!
See you soon in Leuven.

We never stop!

Thu, 16 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The suitcases are packed. The gifts to be given yo our guests are done. The cup is under costruction. Power-point images are perfect. The team Comac is ready.

Location: Leuven Belgium.
When: October 31 to November 2
What: Brussels Beer Challenge 2014
Why: because for the next 3 years Comac will sponsor this exciting event.

This is the third edition and this year such an event takes place in the beautiful Leuven city.

Belgium IS the hometown of the beer and an event that would begin to compare the best international beers, could only take place there: this year more than 750 international beers will be tasted and judged by 60 tasters, national and international ones, in a taste marathon lasting two days.

Before electing the best beer for each category, the beers will be divided on their origin, style, and typicality.

What better chance to deal with the most famousbeeer names? An opportunity that many brewers have not missed even though few, very few indeed will go up on the podium.

Comac, for some years also in the world of craft breweries, or best known as BREWERIES, as "Kuaska" says, chose to be a sponsor of this important event to reaffirm its commitment to the world of craft beer.

Comac will be present both the days in order to give our support to ALL of the master brewers and we will keep you updated.

It is not a coincidence that I have mentioned Kuaska again, the most famous Italian expert of Belgian beers, but most of allo ne of Comac’s best friend : Kuaska has a surprise for all of us... and since it is a surprise keep calm and wait till next time.

Bottling machines: how important is the quality of the bottles and bottle caps?

Fri, 10 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The most important element to be taken into account during bottle filling operations is linked to the fact that the beverage must be kept away from any potential sources of contamination.

In this sense, in addition to the quality of the bottling machines themselves, the bottle caps and bottles utilized are also important for ensuring the optimal preservation of the bottled product.

Let's start with the bottles

There are various types of glass bottles on the market, with different shapes, sizes, weights and colours. In terms of size, for example, the most common beer bottles have capacities of 33cl. and 66cl.

Choosing the right bottle means maintaining the beverage's original properties. In the beer brewing industry, for example, bottles with dark glass are popular because they offer the beer greater protection. The use of dark bottles is also quite widespread in the wine sector. In fact, wine tends to age or oxidize faster in a transparent bottle with respect to a darker bottle.

Another fundamental element to bekept in mind for the bottles before they are used for production, is that they must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. One of a producer's most important tasks, in fact, is to make sure that there are no impurities that could potentially contaminate their product.

Regarding the bottle caps

Bottle caps play a major role in bottling operations.

This is one of the reasons for which there are different types of closure systems for bottles.

Glass bottles, for example, can be sealed using crown caps or mechanical caps with airtight or clip closures. Corks are used less frequently, and are mainly employed for niche markets. For obvious reasons (above all price and availability), bottlers tend to prefer the former models.

Regardless of the type of cap selected for the bottling operations, it must absolutely guarantee an airtight closure. In this sense, even the slightest imperfection could affect the final result.

The wine industry is much more complicated. In this case, the caps are even more important because of the famous "cork taint" problem; winemakers often use cork, a porous and elastic material that's derived from the bark of the cork oak.

Finally, whatever type of capping you intend to use, always remember that the caps must be in perfect condition in order to ensure the quality of the bottled product.

The Beer-Pipeline of Bruges

Wed, 01 Oct 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The Emperor Maximilian of Austria returning from the war was welcomed by the inhabitants of the romantic Venice of the North with a grand parade of jesters and juglers: requested for funds to carry out a national mental hospital, he replied with a phrase that, not only become very famous but characterized also the inhabitants of Bruges from that day onwards. "Bruges is already a big madhouse!"

Perhaps the Emperor Maximilian was not so wrong: a couple of centuries after the inhabitants of Bruges, or "The mad Brugse" have a bizarre and crazy idea. It is just a few days old that the famous Belgian brewery De Halve Maan, which actually uses the words "The crazy Brugse" (Brugse Zot) for its most famous beer, got permission from the Municipality to build a kind of underground “beerpipeline” for the transport of beer.

The decision has been taken to reduce the passage of trucks and vehicles for the transport of beer from the factory to the bottling plants.

This "Beerpipeline", about 3 km long, will pass under the famous canals of the city and connects the beer brewed in the brewery, located in the heart of the beautiful town, to all the bottling and packaging plants that are located in the suburbs.

Bruges, UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000, is daily stressed by the passage of several trucks which transport the beer and have to extricate themselves from the small medieval streets of the downtown with the risk of ruining both the cobblestone paving that the facades of the houses.

The decision to make this tube for the beer, it's definitely not an economical reason but an environmental one: both for the preservation of the historical heritage and the quality of the air that people and tourists breathe in the small medieval town.

Why not follow the crazy ideas of the inhabitants of Bruges?

Maybe some other brewery could achieve this kind of beerpipeline, restrict road transport and reduce pollution.

Monoblock bottling machine: the advantages of a versatile and compact system

Mon, 25 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

An overview of the monoblock bottling machines

Monoblock bottling machines are ideal systems for rinsing, filling and capping beverage bottles made from glass or PET.

In particular, there are different families of monoblock bottling machines: the first is specifically designed for glass bottles of different sizes (like our 12-12-1 model isobaric monoblock machine), while the second is designed for both glass and PET bottles (such as the 30-30-6 model).

Both monoblock bottling machines fall within the category of automated bottling systems, and are designed to simplify and accelerate bottling operations for companies that need to fill medium to large quantities of bottles per hour.

Depending on the model, they can be equipped with different rinsing, filling and capping systems. Therefore, by offering three functions in one, these complete bottling lines are capable of providing truly unique advantages with respect to other types of filling systems.

What are the advantages of monoblock bottling machines?

For one, monoblock bottling machines are compact: this allows the client to optimize their available space.

For example, this 12-12-1 isobaric monoblock bottling machine for glass bottles is equipped with a rinsing section with 12 fixed nozzles, a filling section with 12 mechanized valves, and a single-head capping section.

Comac monobloc bottling machines have AISI 304 stainless steel structures and are treated with anti-corrosion systems compliant with the food industry current regulations, thus ensuring a long life for the packaged product.

Who are the monoblock bottling machines designed for?

If you're not looking for a do-it-yourself bottling system, and are instead interested in a machine that's capable of guaranteeing a certain bottle filling rate per hour, then this bottling system might be perfect for you.

Depending on the model, in fact, monoblock bottling machines can fill different quantities of bottles per hour. For example, the Comac 30-30-6 filling machine is capable of filling up to 8000 bottles per hour.

The 12-12-1 model, on the other hand, is perfect for filling up to 2,700 bottles per hour: an ideal solution for microbreweries that need to fill a small to medium quantity of beer bottles.

Are you interested in a monoblock bottling machine for PET or glass bottles? Contact us!

Summer time: time for beers and festivals, parties and nights.

Wed, 06 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The word "diet", even in its Italian translation "dieta", immediately brings to mind images of strict diets: low calorie dishes, basically unseasoned, often sad, and aimed to get you to maintain a healthy and ideal weight .. "ideal" according to standard the most often questionable, which often do not correspond to the physical characteristics of each person.

In fact the word DIET, by δ?αιτας greek, means "way of life": a conscious attitude towards food "a set of skills, knowledge, practices and traditions ranging from the landscape to the table, including the crops, harvesting, fishing, storage, processing, preparation and, in particular, the consumption of food." UNESCO.IT

Traditions and food, fine wines and ancient villages: in other words the Italian festivals, that in summer cheer and enliven the warm evenings of the Italian peninsula, the mother of the "Mediterranean diet". There is no town, village or even district that does not have its festival for good food, great wine and delicious beer.

Here below are listed a few, perhaps the most strange and curious.

Festival of Peirbuieira

This festival takes place in late August in Rocca Grimalda, a small village in the province of Alessandria, and the protagonist is Peirbuieira, a dish of ancient folk traditions whose recipe is totally secret and inimitable.

Festival of Tajarin cun l’Oca

Staying in Monferrato and more precisely to Murisengo, you can not miss the Festival of Tajarin cun l’Oca (goose.) As the name implies, is the goose to make her queen, cooked in different ways and accompanied by famous wines of Monferrato.

Festival of pipindune e ove at Collecorvino, in Pescara.

For those who do not speak the Abruzzo dialect, the pipindune e ove are nothing but the scrambled eggs with fried peppers, usually eaten as a snack mid-morning ... broke the fast.

This simple and "poor" dish will welcome you with its unique taste, in the company of the best local specialties.

Festival of Vastedda fritta ( fried)

Moving decisively to the South of Italy, exactly to Gratteri, in the province of Palermo, in mid-August, you can take part in the festival "Vastedda fritta"

The Vastedda is a paste made ??of flour, yeast, olive oil cut into rectangles, folded in half and fried, then is passed into sugar. Can also be salt: in this case, at the end of frying, is passed in the salt, and it is served with anchovies placed at the center of the paste. The Vastedda is counted in the list of traditional products agroalimetari (PAT)

And finally, the Festival of Cazzata

A Casarano, in the province of Lecce, you can eat the "cazzata" that is nothing but the paste left over after the making of homemade bread.

This mixture is flatted, or to put it into the Salento dialect "cazzato", and then seasoned in many different ways.

During the festivals also traditional drinks flow in liters and in recent years, in addition to the already well-known wines from the different Italian region, it is possible to taste wonderful craft beers, now produced throughout the whole Country.

In Italy each village has its own festival and it is impossible to mention them all: which one do you recommend?

Here's how a tasty beer is born, from the selection of the ingredients to the beer bottling system

Tue, 05 Aug 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Beer is a preferred beverage among young people. It's the undisputed protagonist at summer parties, football games, and dinners among friends... and is certainly an ideal partner when it comes to having fun.

But how many regular consumers really know how good beer is made?

Many may not know it, but before it arrives inside the refrigerators of people around the world, this popular alcoholic beverage has its ingredients carefully selected and subsequently undergoes a series of sophisticated operations performed by high-tech beer bottling machines.

When performed properly, these steps contribute to the creation of an extremely high quality product.

The importance of beer bottling machines

Depending on the number of bottles that each brewery needs to fill every day and the amount of money it wants to invest in machinery, a brewery can choose from among various types of bottle filling machines.

For example, a bottle can be filled with tools requiring entirely manual interventions on the part of the brewer, or else can be filled using a high-performance automatic bottle filling system.

The first system, which is highly recommended for bottling in small quantities, is also the least expensive bottle filling system. These types of systems are easy to install, are perfectly suitable for filling, capping and labelling glass bottles, and are therefore the perfect choice for those who produce just a few dozen bottles a day.

If you frequent pubs and microbreweries that produce craft beers, then you will have likely enjoyed a beer bottled using this type of system in the past.

The second type of beer bottling system is the automatic kind.

For example, if you drink beers that are widely available on the market, the product that you purchase is most likely bottled by an automatic system designed for high production volumes. Divided into three categories, there are beer bottling systems for volumes of up to 4,000 bottles per hour, systems for 4,000 to 12,000 bottles per hour and machines for producing over 12,000 bottles per hour.

A glance at the bottles

When it comes to beer bottling machines, it's important to take into account the quality of the bottles themselves. Most beers are sold in bottles or cans. Today we'll only take the former into consideration.

You will have likely noticed that the glass used for bottles is often dark. This dark glass, in fact, helps to protect the beer organoleptic properties and reduce the potential risks associated with direct sunlight exposure.

Silica sand, soda and cullet are blended with small amounts of iron and other chemical dyes in order to give the glass bottles a darker colour.

This blend of ingredients is subsequently placed in special high temperature kilns and cast into the moulds used to form the bottles.

The quality of a good beer depends upon the selection of its ingredients

As previously stated, beer consists of a combination of ingredients.

Its quality, in fact, does not depend on the type of bottle or the type of beer filling system used for bottling.

Based on the various types and varieties, the selection of the right ingredients is indeed essential to ensuring a good final result.

Barley malt, grains, hops, yeast and water: the ingredients must always be carefully selected and blended.

Today, in fact, both small and large breweries typically have hundreds of beer varieties and recipes. These include historical beer production recipes dating back to the centuries before Christ, as well as more recent alternative recipes, like chilli pepper and pineapple beer. The secret, however, has always been the same: technique, passion and excellent ingredients.

The stability of the equilibrium: Aurora Radavelli

Thu, 17 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

"Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you have to move'". Albert Einstein, letter to his son Eduard, 1930.

Aurora Radavelli, born in 1994 and the Italian unicycle freestyle champion, knows it perfectly.

So does her father, Marino, for many years in COMAC, who uses all his skills as an "equilibrist" emotional support for his princess Aurora.

Aurora, whose name means Sunrise (nomen omen), has decided to bring to light, even in Italy, a sport already popular in the world, but still unfamiliar to most Italian people and traditionally relegated to the circus activities.

But what are we talking about? Unicycle, a kind of vehicle, equipped with a single wheel and that moves forward thanks to a powerful and balanced muscular work of legs.

Aurora, at 14 years old, attended a clown show where the clowns hovered on their unicycles. It is love at first sight and, like the best fairy tales, love is reciprocated: from mere infatuation becomes real passion that leads her to compete at the international level and classified in first place in the Italian league of female freestyle.

When I asked her: what is the unicycle for you? Aurora replied "unicycle, in some respects, is a metaphor for life: at first the most talented ones have to help the low performers, but, at the end, everyone has to find its own balance. It is normal to fall, but every time you have to find the strength to get up."

It is an ongoing, daily challenge to improve the style and improve as a person: the freestyle, the Aurora’s specialty, also provides a search of innovation. For every workout you have to study new steps, new choreography to be competitive, but ahead of the others.

In life as in business: we know it very well. We, COMAC, have always accepted the challenges issued by our customers, the challenges that have made us grow as a Company and as individuals, and that led COMAC to be worldwide leaders in the bottling industry.

The suitcase is ready: Aurora is leaving for Montreal, Canada, where from July 30 to August 10 the world championships in unicycle, UNICON 17, takes place.

We all in COMAC, together with her father Marino, cheer for Aurora triumph in Canada as a champion of freestyle and in Italy as a promoter of this difficult, elegant, choreographic and exciting sport.

With Aurora also begins a short course of brief articles that will be written to tell of the wonderful people that run around COMAC Company, children, grandchildren, the employees themselves, and that makes COMAC a balanced, international and competitive Company.

Have you never heard of unicycle as a sport?

Plungers and taps, beer and barrels

Wed, 09 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I cannot imagine how many times you sat at a table in a bar and, without paying too much attention, you asked for "a beer on tap". You did not ask for a beer in a bottle...

But where does this definition come from? In the past the beer was stored and packed in wooden barrels of different sizes, and, in order to tap the amber liquid, it was necessary to have a hammer and put a wooden plunger into the barrel to be used as a faucet.

The next step was the steel keg and the wooden plunger become a... tap... a tap connected to a tube embedded in the keg in order to keep it tightly closed and protected.

In the market there are different type of plungers - named slide, bayonet, a triangle - and each of them is suitable for beer to be tapped.

Consequently also the fitting change: each fitting has a different shapes, but all equally usable. COMAC produces machines and kegging lines able of processing any type of fitting.

Since the kegs are pressurized, some of them have a safety valve that prevents the disassembly of the tap without having first released the overpressure may be present. This key allows to disassemble it.

Moreover, a proper cleaning of the keg and of the plunger is extremely important : the taste of the beer can be irreparably damaged by an improper cleaning of the keg and of the plunger where the beer comes out to be tapped.

COMAC is pleased to suggest its customers to make use of the countercurrent washing with caustic soda, which, unlike the traditional one, is able to clean in an extremely accurate way all those minute and delicate parts that make up the plunger.

Even tapping is a very important step: each type of beer requires its own tapping method and the taste of beer can also change dramatically if a beer is not tapped properly. The tilt of the glass, 2 or more tapping steps, the correct temperature of service are some of the devices you can not ignore.

And finally, a recommendation, certainly not for beer expert: in beer there must be the foam, at the cost of sending back the mug.

Generally, in fact, the foam must be abundant, at least a couple of fingers, and its function is to preserve the aromas and perfumes, as well as keeping the correct beer temperature ... this is true for most of the beers except for the English and Irish ones, which traditionally, contain little CO2 and then have less foam.

And you prefer a beer or bottled water? We look forward to getting your comments.

TPS or Lean Thinking: "do more doing less" - part 1

Thu, 03 Jul 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I immediately state that it is NOT a beer. It stands for Toyota Production System, a modus operandi born in Japan in the sixties.

COMAC, Japan, TPS, Lean Thinking... what is the relationship with one another, someone would ask? COMAC has not gone to Japan only to present and sell its machines, but also to see and study the TPS directly on site.

At the beginning of 2014, in fact, Stefano and Bruno went to Japan to visit some companies in which the TPS is successfully applied. But what is the TPS?

I could summarize the concept of Taiichi Ohno, creator of such thinking, in a nutshell: to be able to use the available resources in a productive way to significantly increase the overall yield of the Company.

This is the primary objective, which is reached in several steps, the most important of which is the consideration of the people who work for the company in terms of esteem and respect: the figure of the worker, but also that of the employee, is completely revised. The employee should no longer be a mere performer, but a true actor who could intervene on the production process, changing also the procedure aiming to a continuous improvement.

The team work makes the difference, because the cooperation has to be effective at all levels.

The strengths of this system are:

maximum reliance between the management and employees
focusing on Total Quality, which must be an absolute must and a goal to be always pursued
Constant stress to improvement
immediate responses to market demands
reduction in inventories and almost total annihilation of the warehouse
just in time production: it has to be produced what the customer requires on precise and determined timing.

The TPS is the basis of modern Lean Thinking concept whose axiom is: to eliminate everything is superfluous to generate value and not unnecessary costs.

Having the quality as the first objective, is the axiom number 2.

COMAC applies the Lean Thinking program because COMAC wants to give his Customers the BEST QUALITY ever.

And have you ever heard of TPS? Please send us your comments, we are happy to deal with you.

Drinking in Japan...

Tue, 24 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

And after Korea, it was the turn of Japan: COMAC is willing to land in the East. It is hard to stop the intent of a dynamic company such as COMAC, actually present all over the world.

As soon as you arrive in Japan is difficult not to be won over and intrigued by the thousands of beverages and vending machines, or, to put it in Japanese, jidouhanbaiki: any type of beverage is available to the public 24 hours a day, including beers, because Japanese kids know very well that they can not drink the beer and so ... they do not drink it!

Beer, sake, shochu. nihonshu, water, green tea and cola, coffee, fruit juices, soft drinks of t unlikely tastes and colors. It is impossible that a Japanese has not with him a bottle of something to drink, whatever.

No one starts a business meeting without having on table some water, tea and / or coffee .. No one starts a chat without pouring something to drink.

The beer, imported to Japan by the Dutch in the seventeenth century, seems almost a world apart: there is no a Japanese home without a beer. Unthinkable! The Japaneses do love beer. The favorite is a lager, golden in color with a pleasantly and gently bitter aftertaste. If the percentage of malt contained in the drink is less than 67%, such a drink cannot be named beer but happoshu, a very popular and appreciated beverage which, since 2004, was joined by the equally widespread happosei, a third type of beer made of soybeans.

In Japan, where you can find every superfluous and unuseful thing, you can also find BEER FESTIVALS which are held weekly especially for the promotion of craft beers, a very recent phenomenon in the Japanese brewing landscape. You cannot miss the Oktober Fest, conceived and organized exactly like the original German one, in order to allow the Japanese people to take part in a virtual trip to the capital of beer.

The sales of beer rise exponentially during the Father's Day which is celebrated on the second Sunday in June: nothing better than to celebrate the beloved parent with boxes of beer!

Important to underline: the beer in Japan must always have lot of foam, otherwise you can not define it a beer. For this reason they have also invented a machine that, waving the glass of beer, causes the beloved foam. And finally, could you miss a palace in the form of a glass of beer? Take a ride to Asakusa in Tokyo and you will see it in all its grandeur and ... foaming shape.

And do you know the Japanese beers? Have you ever tasted a Japanese beer? We would love to hear your opinions...

Plants for craft breweries, here you are 3 proposals by Comac

Fri, 06 Jun 2014 00:00:00 GMT

When the beer has to be filled in small amounts is essential to choose the right system. Thanks to a compact and reliable solution, even the craft brewers can keep costs down without sacrificing the quality of the beer produced and of the plant. Here, in brief, three different models of plants for craft breweries to fill the beer in the bottles model 9-9-1, in cans model 8-1 and in kegs , model 2T automatic.

The isobaric monoblock filler for glass bottles, 9-9-1 model, is constituted by a rinsing section with 9 fixed nozzles, a filling section equipped with 9 mechanized valves and one crowing section: solid framework and bench welded structure in carbon steel submitted to anticorrosion treatment, such as: sandblasting, metalizing and painting, complete coating by AISI204L steel plate suitable for use in wet rooms and in compliance with food industry regulations.

The line has a capacity of 2,150 0.33 l. bph.: the hourly production rate decreases if the measure of the bottles increases. This plant for craft breweries can be equipped with one or more change over kits in order to fill and cap the different sizes of bottles present on the market.

For an hourly production of 3500 cans, COMAC produces the isobaric monoblock 8-1 with 8 mechanical valves for filling and one seamer station.

This model of plant for craft breweries, which is proving very popular in the USA where the craft beer in cans began to be increasingly common , differs from its competitors , for small breweries, for the filling system that is not linear and but rotary.

This is a great advantage for the product that as soon as put in the can is quickly seamed in order to avoid too much exposure to the air which affects the shelf life of the product itself , thus ensuring a very low oxygen pick-up, as required by the big beer producing groups.

To conclude, Comac has been producing for years a semiautomatic Keg Washer & Filler Mod. Line 2TSA provided with one AISI 316L stainless steel tank to heat and store one cleaning solution. The tank is equipped with an internal heating coil fed by steam. The proposed Machine has a nominal output of 34 Kegs/h with kegs of 30 L and is set for pre-washing, detergent solution cleaning ( acid and/or caustic), hot water rinsing, steam sterilization and filling of the keg.

Loading of empty keg, shifting of the keg from the first to the second head and unloading the full keg are manual operations.

Do you want to know more about these palnts? Get in touch with us and we will be happy to give you all the information you need or come and visit us .. you will surely find one of this plants under costruction..

Keg washing and filling plant model 1T

Tue, 27 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

At the beginning of the nineties was born that plant saw that even today, almost 25 years later, is the most reliable partner for the craft-breweries...

Some clues just to whet the curiosity:

1. It has a solid structure in stainless steel AISI 304
2. It has 4 adjustable feet
3. It has a big “belly” which contains the cleaning solution which can be acidic or caustic
4. It can process many different types of valves and containers, if provided with the necessary exchange format parts
5. It has a raising and lowering platform
6. Its measurements are: length 1,100 mm, width 1,100 mm, height 2,300 mm

But what are we talking about?

We are talking abouth the ever-green keg washing- fillering plant, 1T model (one head) which is able to process all the common types of stainless steel and plastic kegs , of different capacities - from 10L to 30L - height and diameter.

The keg is manually loaded upside down, then it is stuck on the head by a pneumatic press, the platform is lowered and then a plug opens the valve of the keg: this delicate operation is controlled by a sensor.

Subsequent operations are performed after checking the residual pressure within the keg. In case the keg has no pressure or present a pressure value lower than the set-point one , the keg will be rejected.

If the container is suitable, the following operations will take place:

Series of pulsed washings for the keg pre-washing with hot water supplied by the user.
Series of pulsed washings with detergent solution to clean the keg internal surfaces and series of washings with reduced flow of detergent solution to clean the fitting tube.
Series of pulsed washings with hot water (supplied by the customer) to rinse the keg internal surfaces and series of washings with reduced flow of hot water to rinse the fitting tube.
Discharge of the rinsing water by means of a jet of steam.
Keg steam sterilization during a fixed time; this operation is controlled by means of an analogue pressure transducer.
Introduction of CO2 for a total evacuation of the steam and condensate.
Keg pressurization with CO2 in order to generate the necessary backpressure during the filling phase; this operation is controlled by an analogue pressure transducer.
Keg slow depressurization in order to adjust the filling speed.
Filling of the keg with product. This operation is controlled
by means of a probe.
Washing of head and fitting with hot water in order to eliminate all traces of product.
Discharge of the hot water used to clean head and fitting by means of a push of CO2.
Head residual pressure discharge before releasing the keg.
Pneumatic presser ascent and keg release from the head.

This is our keg washing and filling plant model 1T: one of them is now travelling by boat to Tokyo to take part in the FOOMA trade fair in June: all Japanese microbreweries are invited to the stand to have a look a tour plant!

For the everybody else, please contact us and ask for an offer and, why not, make an appointment to come and visit our company.

A brief history of the South Korean beer

Wed, 21 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Only 8 days in Seoul and, most importantly, for business and not for pleasure, are by no means sufficient to make a judgment on one of the most populated cities on the planet, where the presence of many bars and cafes is a witness to the process of socialization in the style of Korean life: however, we can tell you something about the Korean beer.

The beer is a very common beverage in Korea even if it has to compete with the absolutely most popular soju, a distillate of rice, that, according to the World Health Organization, turns out to be the best-seller alcoholic drink in the world.

The beer was introduced in Korea in the early 20th century: the first brewery was opened in Seoul in 1908.

Hite and Oriental Brewery (OB), the two major breweries in Korea, date back to 1920, the third, Jinro Coors Brewery, was founded in 1990, but it was later acquired by Hite.

The Korean beer market is currently dominated by two large companies, Hite-Jinro and OB, which are proposed on the local market with different brands. Most restaurants and bars have only one of these beers on tap, as they are largely considered to be similar in taste and price and are produced mostly with rice malt.

Only two are produced from malted barley: the Max (Hite) and OB Golden Lager (OB). The foreign beers are available, but are generally expensive .

In 2011 the law on the production of hectoliters of beer has changed in favor of small producers who, until then, were not allowed to put on the market their products: in fact, recently, some microbreweries appeared and the phenomenon of microbreweries is giving strong signs of growth not only in the broad area of Seoul, but throughout the Korean peninsula.

At the moment, one of the most well-known Craft Brewery is Craftworks Taphouse and Bistro, which has its headquarters in Seoul, in an area very close to an American military base: a strategic location for the presence of foreigners who like to drink craft beers.

This is the first microbrewery Korean made by a couple of Canadian friends who have seized the opportunity as soon as the law changed: they do not only produce beer, but, in Seoul, have 3 well-established pubs and restaurants.

Another microbrewery, entirely run by Korean people, is the 7BRAU which boasts a good number of followers as well as a pub in Seoul, busy until late at night.

I guess few people know that in Korea the beer is very much appreciated by women , even young women, who love to spend the evenings chatting with other female friends and drinking blonde ales, IPA, larger...

And have you ever tasted some Korean beers ? What do you think about them?

Craft beers: absence of denominations and rules�

Thu, 15 May 2014 00:00:00 GMT

I'm not talking about wine, nor food, where today the denominations and especially the rules are very tight, but I am referring to craft beers.

Generally speaking, a craft beer is a raw beer, a beer that is neither pasteurized nor filtered and, in some cases, re-fermented in the bottle, as it happens for certain categories of sparkling wines.

That said, it is said almost everything: other rules do not exist, especially in Italy, and here it comes the great confusion that often displaces the consumer, but very often confuses even the big breweries industry that consider small producers a danger.

In fact the big industrial groups fear the growing number of craft brewers that can take an important part of the market not only for the individual productions but for the growing number of craft-beers producers... who together can be very strong. To counteract this danger, even large manufacturers are venturing into the production of craft beers, with inconclusive results.

It happens more and more often, even in the large-scale distribution, to find many different types of beers that intrigue the curious consumer because of the interesting labels, definitely not overlooking the smelling and tasting hazards, which, sometimes, may seem excessive. But, but if there are no regulations for production and conservation, here is that sometimes it can happen that these beers are abused by retailers and consumers to be undrinkable.

The phenomenon of craft beers is now a worldwide phenomenon that is spreading like wildfire: the pioneers were the Americans where some craft - breweries have now become perhaps more famous than the industrial ones. From the USA, the phenomenon went to Asia, where the beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage and it is absolutely arrived in Europe, where it has found fertile ground in the Belgian brewing traditions of the productions.

In Italy the first craft breweries, Birrificio di Lambrate, Birrificio Italiano e Baladin, dating from the mid -nineties, but we can say that it is still quite in its infancy and as it is demonstrated by the numerous events dedicated to the craft beer taking place almost every week in different locations in the Italian peninsula.

Last week was held the event - Beer Expo in Piacenza, where it was also presented the beer ARKA, created by the collaboration of 12 breweries in order to donate the proceeds of the sale to the flooded towns of Modena.

We of COMAC were also in Piacenza, because for COMAC the project to support small producers in Italy and in the world is now on a mission!

Are you a small brewer ? Contact us and we'll give you all the information you may need to erect a small bottling plant.

The Premix Unit makes your drinks more pleasant. Here's the secret

Tue, 15 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

A fine perlage makes the drink more pleasant for the palate ( and for the stomach ) and enhances the flavors. This is true for the champagne, and it is equally true for water and carbonated soft drinks.

So.... "BE CAREFUL TO PREMIX"

The Premix Unit performs the following operations:

water deaeration;
water and syrup mixing to get carbonated soft-drinks at predetermined brix;
Carbonation to get fizzy drink;

The deaeration system of the Premix Unit is constituted by a tank ( maintained in depression by a liquid ring vacuum pump o) in which the water is sprayed, increasing the exchange surface between the water and the surrounding environment.

In this way oxygen and other gases contained in the water are eliminated.

This procedure allows to lengthen the shelf-life of the soft drinks, in fact, the absence of oxygen prevents the aerobic bacteria to degrade the product, moreover, the absence of air in the product allows to avoid the formation of foam during the filling phase.

Following steps are: the water with syrup mixing phase, the cooling phase and the carbonation phase, where the carbon dioxide is added with a direct injection of CO2. The amount of CO2 introduced into the drink is adjustable by a modulating valve.

The carbon dioxide mixed with the still drink is sent to a static mixer which has the task of splitting the bubbles of CO2 and facilitate the absorption and the intimate drink mixing.

The drink leaking from the Premix Unit is collected in a CO2 pressurized storage tank and then sent to the filler.

The correct water / syrup ratio can be obtained by a double chamber piston pump ( one for the water and the second for the syrup ) with adjustable pistons in order to achieve variables dilution ratios in function of the beverage to get and in function of the concentration of the syrup coming from the syrup room.

The system is self-regulating thanks to the installation of a brix control device for the finished beverage.

Instead of the dosing pump, flowmeters can be installed in order to obtain the correct acqua/syrup/CO2 ratio, according to the given values, the modulating valves alter the instantaneous flow of the fluids.

The use of electronic meters has several advantages compared to the traditional system with the metering pump - even if the initial cost is higher - such as:

Reduction of losses of concentrated syrup at beginning and end of production
Reducing the time required for the change of product / recipe
Constant brix of the finished product even in the intermediate steps and regardless of the brix obtained in syrup room
Reducing the amount of concentrated syrup used
Greater ease of use and maintenance

Questions ? Requests ? Curiosity ? We are at your complete disposal: do not hesitate to get in touch with us!

One for all, all for beer...A barrel with friends!

Tue, 01 Apr 2014 00:00:00 GMT

What happens is that they definitely have fun and we rejoice in drinking something unique and choral.

A legend runs that in 2004 Adam and Vinnie, respectively from Avery Brewing and Russian River Brewing, realized they baptized one of their Belgianstyle - beer with the same name "Salvation "…No way but meeting behind the brewery for a duel to the hop: which one of the two breweries could use the name salvation? In reality, none of them...A good laugh, a pat on the back and the decision to make a blend of the 2 "Salvation" with the name of "Collaboration, not Litigation Ale"....

Another legendary tale involves our Mr. Kuaska who was appointed chief - guide for trip organized for a funny group of "boy-scouts" - the holders of 5 American craft breweries: Dogfish Head, The Lost Abbey, Allagash Brewery Company, Avery and Russian River Brewery Company. (FYI : 4 of which are COMAC customers!!) The last 2 are the heroic and well-known Adam and Vinnie, co-producers of the "Collaboration, not Litigation Ale".

Destination of the trip, or as they call it, of the pilgrimage, is the Holy Belgian Land, and the Holy Grail is ... Brett, better known as Brettanomyces yeast. The trip is a success, and drinking a beer after the other, pops up the idea of making a new beer all together: the Isabelle Proximus was born, a blend of 5 beers made by each manufacturer, aged in oak barrels for 16 months and made with 5 different yeasts ..

These are cases which have become famous, but there are many others, even in Italy, such as My Antonia, born from the master of brewing Mr. Baladin and Birra del Borgo or the Dozzinale, a beer brewed by 12 hands ..

At the base of these fascinating and delicious products, there is a great desire to know and experiment, to try and find new tastes, to play with different hops, but mostly to team together to tackle the industrial giants that invest very little in the research of new tastes ..

Just a few days at the opening of the Craft Brewers Conference in Denver: maybe a new "solidarity" beer will be presented at the event…Who knows.

Happy New Beer!

Craft brewers conference 2014

Wed, 26 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

21 years ago, in a small windowless conference room, in a little unknown American hotel, 40 craft brewers arranged a meeting to discuss about beer. The convivial meeting lasted for two whole days: it was an important occasion, and repeatable, for 40 small producers who had the opportunity to meet each other, exchange points of view and suggestions and to find new solutions in order to survive to big industrial breweries.

This meeting was organized annually in different cities across the United States not to penalize anyone and is dated to 1997, the first event officially named Craft Brewers Conference: that year the city was Seattle.

Since then, every year, thousands of people involved in the beer industry at international level do not miss this event that is not only a business opportunity, but also a place of knowledge, exchange of points of views and experiences. Furthermore, it become the birthplace of new and interesting collaborations between different brewers.

The press sneaks into the different stands to steal the latest trends in terms of products and technologies.

Brewers from all over the world, sometimes know only by reputation, have the chance to sit at the same table or to take part in numerous seminars and conferences organized during the whole event.

For companies involved in the bottling sector, as COMAC , is an important opportunity to develop new machines that meet the different needs of new and old customers .

For the duration of the event are also organized guided tours to the various breweries that are close to the city hosting the event and this year will be the turn of Denver. 6 of the breweries included in the tours make use our facilities: New Belgium Brewing Company, Odell Brewing Company, Coors Brewing Company, Oskar Blues Brewery, Avery Brewing Co., upslope Brewing Co.

Many years have passed and many cities: Comac will be present again with many new features...Not just concerning technology...But...This will be the subject of a future article.

Do not miss it!

CBC 2010

CBC 2011

Conveyors by Comac

Tue, 18 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Sometimes unfairly considered only as a simple connection between different machines for the handling of containers, boxes and pallets, conveyors are indeed a critical point of kegging and bottling lines.

In more than twenty years of activity, Comac Group has designed, manufactured and installed a relevant number of plants with nominal outputs going from a few hundreds to a hundred thousand units for 6000 hours per year.

In order to satisfy such a range of specific requests, Comac studies the most adequate type of conveyors for each single layout, so as to reduce handling and maintenance costs and, consequently, the price of its plants.

An accurate study leads to the choice of stainless steel or plastic components, self-lubricating oscillating support or traditional supports with central lubrication system.

The group formed by gear motor and frequency converter, energy saving and reduction of the noise generated by accumulations are fundamental points for Comac Group.

The solutions applied are: careful dimensioning of the gear motor assembly with high efficiency motors and maximum reduction of sliding friction in case of accumulation of containers on the conveyor chains, obtained by means of dedicated software.

Besides, motor starts and stops according to the real necessities of the line. The efficiency of the motors has been improved using brushless motors instead of asynchronous motors, in order to reduce the power losses due to magnetizing currents.

These measures result in a significant energy saving.

An area where Comac devotes special attention is the possibility to modify and integrate new equipment on existing layout. Through a specific study, Comac Group manufactures a complete revamping of old systems, updating in accordance with applicable regulations.

Consumptions and energy saving: Comac for the Earth

Tue, 11 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Consumptions and energy saving are important issues for Comac Group, who has always paid special attention to the environment.

As a matter of fact, besides complying with the safety and environmental regulations in force, the company has kept looking for further forms of promotion of an eco-friendly mentality and behaviours, even through apparently irrelevant details like the selection of promotional items manufactured with recycled or biodegradable materials or the meticulous selective waste collection in the company premises.

The renovation of the vehicles has also been an occasion to make an eco-friendly choice and finally, in 2010, Comac has decided to start using renewable energy sources and installed a series of photovoltaic power systems on its production sites in order to produce the electric power required to cover its whole consumption.

The same attention is paid to our customers’ consumptions, which we aim at reducing throughout all the different stages of each single project: from the design of the plant to the selection of the components and the constant cooperation with the customer even after the commissioning of the equipment, our efforts are concentrated on a thorough analysis of those points that can be improved in order to save as much energy as possible.

Actually, the accurate studies carried out by our technical departments during the design and project of a plant result in important energy saving.

Some examples: motor starts and stops according to the real necessities of the line; precise dimensioning of the components installed; centrifugal pumps provided with frequency converters in order to guarantee the correct pressure required by the plant at all times; the efficiency of the motors has been improved using brushless motors instead of asynchronous motors, in order to reduce the power losses due to magnetizing currents.

Besides, we always bear in mind the concept of energy recovery in our machine work cycles and keep on working on this aspect in order to reduce the consumptions of all the utilities required for the plant operation. The skill and expertise of our technicians is essential and constantly offered to our customers, who have the chance to work in close contact with us, analysing data about the actual consumptions and outputs to detect the possible areas of intervention and measures to adopt.

Bergamo Film Meeting

Thu, 06 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In 1983 the "Bergamo Film Meeting" Festival was born in Bergamo «with the aim of promoting the knowledge and circulation of film culture not only in Bergamo but all over Italy»; the festival, since its first edition, takes place in March and lasts 9 days, from Saturday to the following Sunday and this year too we are close to the count down..

Saturday, March 8th the 32 edition starts!

Over the years the festival has evolved , but, above all, it has been surrounded by many events that animate the city of Bergamo for the duration of the event and over: workshops, meetings and discussions with authors, music evenings, beer and good food, as well as the numerous films in the program. Many and beautiful movies are presented this year too, but for all the information you may need, please refer to the official website of the event: www.bergamofilmmeeting.it.

The beer attend the event due to the local Birrificio Indipendente Elav, ACTIVE PARTNER SPONSOR of the festival for 3 years: from March 6th to 16th in Piazza della Libertà, they handle the Elav Meeting Point. It is not only a meeting point but also a drinking and an eating place for all Bergamo Film Meeting fans and for all those that will happen there by accident, intrigued by the marquee..

For the occasion, the brewery prepared a special beer Punks Do It Bitter, Special Edition BFM 2014 which will present for the very first time on Thursday, March 6 . Not just beer... at the space ELAV MEETING POINT will be offered a full calendar of events, concerts, wine tasting and the traditional meetings with authors (www.elavbrewery.com).

Among the concerts, we want to report you the fun and cheerful group CARAVAN ORKESTAR that will play on Saturday, March 15 at the ELAV MEETING POINT: a cheerful and festive caravan of music in the style of the Balkan brass bands and with a hint of a klezmer Hebrew.

COMAC will keep you updated on all the upcoming events via our Facebook page and we invite you all to take part in this ever-awaited appointment.

We look forward to receive your comments and will notify you ours!

Art supported by beer

Tue, 04 Mar 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Comac until the end of 2014 will be on the side of art, a special art, even more special because it is made by the children in care at the Department of Child Neuropsychiatry at the Hospital Giovanni XXIII in Bergamo. Though supported by a valid artist like Luca Santiago Mora, helped by internationally renowned artists , the real stars are the children and their works.

Art: this ever evolving world, very important and fundamental to our personal and spiritual growth, is always looking for sponsors who will finance the construction.

And among the sponsors, often, there are also the brewers.

On February 23, 2014 in Madrid ended the historic event of contemporary art called "ARCO Madrid" which, for the 4th year in a row, saw Heineken Spain among the main patrons.

Since 2011, Heineken has been sponsoring a special award , the CA2M, dedicated to young emerging artists and has been organising Art Party Heineken, a well-established event for art and beer and new trends lovers: this year the event took place in a building of the nineteenth century, the Palace of Fernán Nuñez. But this year, Heineken, following the example of other events dedicated to the art, such as the famous Frieze Art Fair in New York, has chosen to work with top chefs to give the participants no longer trivial foods but street foods of high quality. The event took place under a large tent, with people sitting on wooden benches in front of long tables as in the best traditional festivals.

The beer was served in artistic bottles "Designed for the Night", specifically designed for Heineken by an American artist called Matt W. Moore.

But we can not mention J.C. Jacobsen founder of the famous Carlsberg brewery, who was himself a philanthropist and an avid collector of art: Carlsberg, always by the side of innovation in all its forms and by the side of who knows how to look at reality from different points of view able to grasp what is really authentic and original, for years has been sponsoring several events related to the world of art. In May 2013 Carlsberg Italy was the main sponsor of "WHO ART YOU? 2", an international competition for emerging artists.

Another Italian example: the first headquarters of the Peroni brewery, located in Testaccio, in the very heart of Rome, became itself a museum, MACRO, which celebrated the history of the very Italian brewery in a photographic exhibition which was held in the last months of 2013, being a hit with the public.

And what about the MENABREA ART PRIZE Award launched to support young emerging artists, in collaboration with Birra Menabrea, Untitled Association and Roma art2nights: in 2013, Diego Marcon, a 28-year old fartist rom Bergamo, was awarded for its originality and quoting the words of the jury in during the ceremony:

"Instead of creating immediate and easily recognizable label , the artist invites people to use the beer as a meeting, curiosity, discovery and sharing place. The crossword puzzle which by its nature is both image and text , becomes so compelling and original interpreter of Birra Menabrea."

And moreover, the "Maggia Prize", dedicated to the memory of the architect Federico Maggia from Biella, once again sponsored by the historic

craft brewery Menabrea, that has its headquarters in Biella.

The 2013 event, "Industrial places abandoned. Young designers produce ideas" consisted of the construction of 10 facilities, whose theme was the reuse of abandoned industrial heritage. The Menabrea Brewery, for this special occasion, produced and distributed about 200,000 bottles of beer with customized collar dedicated to the event.

Even the craft breweries, not only the Italian ones, but at international level, often rely on young artists for the realization of their labels for the common desire to research, innovate and experiment with new roads, new tastes, new ideas.

Do you know any breweries collaborating with art?

Armand Jean Le Bouthillier de Rance, who was this guy?

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

Definitely better known as Abbot La Trappe, named after the abbey in Normandy, where he lived and died, Armand Jean Le Bouthillier de Rance is the founder of the Trappists Order, also called the Order of the Strict Observance, a more rigid and strict Order than the Cistercian one who followed the rule of the Common Observance and, with the passage of time, became more and more liberal. Among the rules imposed by the Abbot there was to drink only water, but the monks began to specialize in the production of beer, now known as Trappist beers.

But what does “Trappist beer” mean?

In 1997 the well known red brand of hexagonal shape was created: Authentic Trappist Product. Today only 10 breweries can use this label, six of which are in Belgium: Bières de Chimay, Brasserie d' Orval, Westmalle Brewery Brasserie de Rochefort, Westvleteren, Brouwerij de Kluis Achelse, the Austrian Stift Engelszell (which produces the Gregorius and Benno beers), the Dutch Mary Toevlucht (which produces the Zundert beer), the American St. Joseph 's Abbey and the Brewery De Koningshoeven (La Trappe) in the Netherlands, to which the use of the logo temporarily revoked from 1999 to 2005 because of the failure to comply with the constraint of no profit.

The most important criteria in order to define a beer "Trappist" one are:

1. the production of beer should only be made inside the Trappist Abbey

2. the entire production process must be carried out under the direct control of the monastic community

3. revenues from the sale are to be used by the Order to pursue charitable acts

The monks also produce beers with an alcohol content significantly lower than those sold but are intended only to domestic consumption inside the monastery.

Since the Middle Ages the monks have been produced alcoholic beverages such as wine and beer and, in the organoleptic level, these beverages are to be considered real food, valuable support during some periods in which they practice religious abstinence from food. Also according to the dictates of ora et labora, using the fruits bestowed by God in order to create a high quality product is a way to thank him and honor him: that’s the reason why the Trappist beers have always been hight quality beers.

These beers, real gems for connoisseurs, produced according to secret recipes preserved inside the abbeys, following the ancient method of high fermentation can fall into the category of Ale beers. They usually have an alcohol content ranging from 6 to 9 degrees and have a full bodied structure.

The colors vary from yellow to dark brown, passing through the various shades of amber without losing shades of red.

On the nose the aroma is complex and often, due to the high fermentation process, hint of malt prevails.

We suggest you to match them with aged cheeses, blue-veined cheeses, structured courses and rich in spices and grilled meats and game.

There are also other beers named "abbey beers" that have nothing to do with those produced by the Trappist monks: due to high fermentation, these abbey beers can remember the Trappist ones, but they are not produced within abbeys. Among the "abbey beers" we can also include beers that are secular in name also, but whose style is close to the monastic ones, such as the Noel Baladin beer: the fact of not being "authentic Trappist" does not affect the quality although many kind of such beers are not so good..

And which Trappist beers have you drunk? What do you think about them?

We await your comments!

Lager? IPA? Dark Ale? Is everything clear as it seems to be?

Wed, 19 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The most immediate and instinctive classification of beers is definitely based on the color - blonde, red, brown - in the second instance on the basis of alcohol, but the most correct classification is the one based on the type of yeast and on the type of fermentation.

This classification allows to split the beer into 3 large families, which are divided into many sub-families.

Let’s try to make things clear!

ALE: are grouped under this name those beers fermented at high temperatures, between 18° and 20°. The yeasts are the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ones.

LAGER: the beers that go under this name are produced by Saccharomyces carlsbergensis yeasts and make a fermentation process at much lower temperatures, around 5°-6°. These beers have range of flavors that goes from sweet to bitter and a chromaticity range from light to dark. Most of the Lager beers are pale or of an intermediate color, with a high carbonation, hop flavor from medium to high, and alcohol content of 3-5% by volume. This method of brewing was widespread in the past and it is still used in the industrial process as it ensures the beer greater stability and repeatability.

LAMBIC: they are the spontaneously fermented beers, certainly the oldest beers in the world, with unique characteristics. Thanks to the bacteria present in the air, the sugars are converted into alcohol spontaneously without the addition of yeast. These beers, that follow this ancient rules, are produced only in a small area in southern Belgium: they are characterized by a typical sour aftertaste that can be mitigated by the addition of sugars or syrups.

The sub-families are very numerous and differ according to the different yeasts, grains, hops or malts used.

In the family of ALE we can remember the IPA, Indian Pale Ale: malts, hops and yeast are British and the beers have fruity and herbaceous aromas, medium body and they are characterized by a bitterness well balanced by the sweetness of the malts used. Close relatives of the IPA are the American Pale Ale which differ by a higher alcohol content and more pronounced bitterness.

The Belgian Ales are different from the English Pale Ale for the strong presence of spicy, fruity notes and the characteristic coppery color; the palate is softer, round and warm.

The Dark Ales, the typical British ales, are divided into two categories Stout and Porter, both synonyms of dark and strong beers, characterized by a "toasted " flavor, similar to coffee, due to roasted barley and wheat used in their production.

Among the Ales there are also the widespread Wheat Beer or Weissbier, the light-colored and turbid malted classic beer made of wheat.

The Pilsener, or Pils, is the most famous beer among the Lager ones: it is the typical Bavarian beer, born in the first half of the nineteenth century in the areas around the river Plzen, hence the name, and characterized by light color, almost golden and a sweetness due to the characteristics of the water used.

At the industry level is definitely the most produced and consumed beer.

Next to the Pilsener, in Bavaria, there is the widespread Oktoberfestbier, a lager with an amber color and a strong malt component, produced in spring and consumed in the traditional beer festival in Monaco: the wellknown Oktoberfest.

There is not a real regulation for the different styles of beer produced in the world and neither a rigid classification of belonging to one of the three main families: the producers of craft beers know it very well. Infact every master brewer creates, tests, tries to find a nice balance between the various components of beer without forgetting the typical bitterness of the beer, the only parameter that can be measured according to the scale IBU (International bitterness Units )

Which kind of beer do you go for?

Pasteurizers, these unknown plants!

Mon, 10 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

The word "pasteurization" refers to the thermal process (a combination of time and temperature) used to inactivate potentially pathogen microorganisms, thus increasing product shelf life in complete safety.

In principle, craft beers do not require pasteurization as they are usually distributed on a limited market, which is normally not far from their production site, and therefore consumed within a short period of time. On the contrary, beers produced on an industrial scale are usually pasteurized, although this process tends to be as limited as possible, in order not to affect too much the organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the product.

Flash pasteurization pasteurizes products before packaging them in glass or pet bottles, cans or kegs. The product is kept at a temperature of around 71/72°C during a very short time (20 seconds approximately). Both parameters (temperature and time) can be adjusted to reach the pasteurization units required.

A 3 section plate heat exchanger heats and then cools down the product: a first substantial heating takes place when the beer proceeding from the cellar “meets” the pasteurized product in the regeneration section of the heat exchanger. After the first heating, the beer temperature is raised until it reaches the pasteurization temperature in the heating section, and kept at this temperature in the tubular holding section long enough so as to reach the required PUs. After the holding section, the first substantial cooling takes place as the beer "meets" the cold unpasteurized beer in the regeneration section. Finally, the product is cooled down in the cooling section of the heat exchanger.

This cycle grants a thermal regeneration up to the 95%.

After cooling, the pasteurized beer is sent to a pressurized storage tank usually called buffer tank, and from there to the filling unit.

Tunnel pasteurization, on the contrary, is used to pasteurize beer already packed in glass or pet bottles and cans; therefore, the thermal action applies to the container, cap or lid as well, and to the gas contained in the headspace.

The pasteurization temperature (62°C approximately) is maintained stable during about 8 minutes.

The container temperature is gradually raised by means of water showers at growing temperatures, then kept stable during the time set in the machine control panel and finally lowered by means of water showers at decreasing temperatures. The crossed baths allow saving energy, as the water heated by the containers during the cooling phase is then used to heat the cold containers, and viceversa.

COMAC manufactures Flash pasteurizers with capacities up to 50,000 lph and single or double deck tunnel pasteurizers whose dimensions vary according to the hourly output requested and diameter of the containers.

Several machines of both types are installed all over the world.

Do you want to know something more about pasteurization? Contact us! We’ll be happy to give you all the information you need.

Canned IDEAS

Thu, 06 Feb 2014 00:00:00 GMT

In recent years, big international brewers have launched different types of cans to captivate and fascinate the consumers and, why not, maybe distract them from craft beers, which are taking an increasingly larger share of the market.

On one side the microbreweries , thanks to their reduced production, may experience different beers each season, on the other side the big breweries can invest more on packaging and advertising.

Last year AB-InBev launched its historic Budweiser beer in a curvilinear, sensual can containing approximately 11,8 oz and has about 137 calories , 8.5 calories less than the traditional Budweiser in cans of 12 oz. Pat McGauley , vice president of innovation for the historic brewery, said: "This new can will be the subject of various discussions. It is flashy, easy to grip , modern and , according to our research, very attractive for young people".

In 2013, to promote safety in the streets of Rio during the Carnival, from the creative minds of Antarctica , one of the most traditional brands of AmBev beer in Brazil, an ethic and brilliant idea was born: the empty can, once inserted into a special box placed above the entrance and identified by a barcode reader, allowed free access to the subway. Result: cleaner streets and better control in the subways.

In addition, the collected cans were recycled and the proceeds donated to charity.

On the other side of the world, in Japan, the historical Asahi brewery began using thermochromic ink on beer cans to indicate to the consumer the right temperature.

But Asahi has gone even further by using the silhouette of the new born Tokyo Sky Tree, the new Tokyo TV tower built in Asahi’s headquarters, as an indicator of the level of beer in cans.

These innovations may seem silly, but in reality they are two good and simple ideas that help to improve the consumer’s experience.

But perhaps the most original idea was born in Coca Cola: they insist that there are many ways to share the happiness and Coca Cola is part of such a happiness.. their idea is really cute and creative: with a simple rotation of the can, the can itself becomes.. 2 cans.

Share the can, share the fun.

Atelier dell�Errore

Mon, 27 Jan 2014 00:00:00 GMT

We promised it to Santa Claus and Comac keeps its promises, always. In fact we wrote him that Comac has decided to take part in an exciting new charity initiative for all the 2014 long, supporting the project called L’Atelier dell’Errore. This project was conceived and started 13 years ago in Reggio Emilia by Luca Santiago Mora, a visual artist and chairman of the non-profit organization called L’Atelier dell’Errore: a laboratory for expressive activities intended for children and young people affected by mental diseases and followed up by the Department of Neuropsychiatry of the Hospital “Pope John XXlll” of Bergamo, directed by Doctor Salvoni Laura.

The laboratory was born not to make art therapy but, as Luca Santiago says, to take care of the imagination of the boys, their creativity and their desire to draw even though "I can not do it". During the laboratory activities, the numerous "I can not" disappeared and become their very special and beautiful drawings.

The particularity, the uniqueness of the children and young people who attend the L’Atelier dell’Errore lies in their ability to consider and think themselves as real artists, passing over the creative phases, the limits and barriers of everyday life.

But any kind of project, well designed and structured, has different and many costs to bear and Rotary Bergamo West took charge of it for 6 months : the works of the boys, made in 2013, the first year of experimentation in Bergamo, were created in collaboration with six famous and international artists (Giulio Albrigoni, Emma Ciceri, Giovanni De Francesco, Giovanni De Lazzari, Parimbelli Francesco and Alessandro Verdi) who joined this initiative and exposed - until Sunday January 19th - in the exhibition " Mosche timide non trovano le parole” “Shy flies do not find the words," at the Museum of Natural Sciences " E.Caffi." in Bergamo.

"Mosche timide non trovano le parole” “Shy flies do not find the words," was the title of the exhibition which had a large participation of the public, especially during the two days in which the neo- artists, the famous artists and Luca Santiago did as guides for the people attending the exhibition explaining carefully each work and the path that led to the creation of colorful, monochrome, anguished, funny, great, assembled images, different from each other and unique.

The shy flies that do not find the words were certainly those who, like us, were attending the event and were amazed in front of the creative imagination of those disabled people who, without any word, managed to get us into their fantasy world.

2014 has just begun and COMAC, successor to the Rotary Club Bergamo West in this wonderful adventure, has been following and supporting throughout this year the L’Atelier dell’Errore workshop that will surely end with a new exhibition we are glad to welcome you at.

Dear Santa...

Fri, 20 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Dear Santa,

in a few days is Christmas again and this year, after a long time, we felt a strong desire to write you a short letter of simple requests.

Actually they are a bit special requires that affect us all and that involved us in their implementation .... we do not leave any task you!

The last years, as you know, have been difficult for the long moments of uncertainty we had, but with so much courage and determination we have learned that the crisis is a powerful opportunity for improvement and growth.

This is our philosophy, our battle cry : we have never given up and we have always supported our employees, being at their side.

We understood that the path we took is the right one and that the strategy for the future passes through two watchwords : corporate restructuring and strong internationalization.

We run a small Company, but extremely flexible, able to provide high performance by combining commercial and technical qualities: this has made our Company a highly reliable partner in the international beverage world that, once again, have chosen to entrust our production lines, bottling and keg.

For these reasons , dear Santa , we are absolutely grateful to you, but we want that all the seeds we have planted bear fruits in the new year that is about to begin.

We would like to find in your big bag all the results for which we have fought and are still fighting: our international recognition, the result of research, study and innovation.

We would like that all the projects we started - TPS , HR , Process Flow - were, after their first implementation , rendered inseparable parts of our daily actions in order to improve the quality of the work and life of everyone, especially of our employees , who are our first customers , and without whom we could not achieve any goal.

For 2014 we have decided to participate in an exciting new charity initiative supporting an important project for the kids of the Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, Hospital Pope John XXlll of Bergamo.

The “Atelier of Error “, carried out and led by Luca Santiago Mora, is one of the ateliers of expressive activities aimed at children and teenagers, hospitalized in the Department of Child Neuropsychiatry.

The children and teenagers who attend the “Atelier of Error” can express their particularity, creativity, perhaps the uniqueness acting as artists, being creative in overcoming the limits and barriers of everyday life. The works carried out by children, whose godparents are internationally renowned artists, will be on display, along with some installations of the artists themselves , at the “Natural History Museum “ located in the Città Alta , Bergamo, from January 12, 2014.

Under the Christmas tree, as you know , this year too, there will be the Christmas stars of the “Paolo Belli Association”, which will be given to all our employees during the “Christmas greeting night” that will begin this evening at 18.00 in the hall of COMAC, Street May 1st at number 14.

A toast will do to you because we are confident that in your big bag our gifts are already “bottled “.

Merry Christmas!

Giorgio, Giuseppe, Marco e Fabio

One-way keg system: discover our 1T-OW filling model

Thu, 12 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Tall, slender, strong, attractive and easily manageable. I'm not talking about the fashion model of the moment, but about the Comac one-way keg system mod. 1T- OW: single head, semi-automatic, suitable for filling one-way plastic kegs, with a nominal output up to 40 kegs / hour from 24 L of capacity.

This is one of the Comac system presented to Drinktec 2013: it has got a great success and a lot of appreciation especially from the small craft breweries that are considering the possibility of using the one way plastic kegs to market their products.

This machine has very interesting measures that allow it to be placed in small spaces: it is about 850 mm long, 780 mm wide, 2,000 mm high and empty it weights about 250 kg. It 's very robust thanks to its structure in AISI 304 stainless steel and is equipped with height-adjustable feet.

This machine, thanks to its casing, is very safe and protects the operator from possible splashes and manufacturing defects of the keg.

The total cycle time for filling the keg, calculated starting from the manual positioning of the same on the supporting base, passing through the different phases of cleaning and filling up to its manual unloading, is about 80 seconds and it allows to fill about 40 one way plastic kegs per hour.

The keg is filled from the top in order to avoid the rollover operation and, upon request, we can provide the structure with a side opening which supports a conveyor belt to allow the operator to download the kegs manually and sideways.

Since the keg does not need to be washed inside before being filled, this machine is equipped with a single tank which is used as a container of hot water necessary to wash the fitting of the keg and to perform, at a later time, the wash cycle of the machine itself, named CIP cleaning in place .

For further information, both technical and commercial, do not hesitate to contact us, we are at your disposal!

From barrels, to keg and now one-way keg: why do they have a strong appeal?

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMT

It 's really interesting to note the emergence of innovative and different solutions for a gesture – drafting a beer at the pub - which has remained unchanged for a long time.

No more wooden barrels, at least for the beer, the traditional kegs, which will dominate the scene for a long time, are perfect to meet the needs of the big breweries that need kegs up to 100 liters of capacity, and are ideal in a more forward-looking idea since as they are produced only once and last in time.

But recently the one-way kegs have begun to appear on the scene: a practical and functional solution for small brewers that are looking for efficiency and flexibility, but, more importantly, they can avoid a large initial investment for the purchase of kegs. In addition, plastic kegs allow them to meet the seasonal demands of the market (you drink more beer in summer than in winter!) and to be present also on distant markets without having to worry about the return of the container.

Currently on the market various solutions, different design can be found: some of them are similar to the steel ones or some others are made with an inner bag, so the product is further protected and the absorption of oxygen and the loss of CO2 are extremely reduced.

The one-way kegs have one common denominator: the ability to maintain a good quality of beer as their "big brothers" in steel.

In addition, disposable kegs are easily manageable when they must be sent: less weigh and, consequently, also the shipping cost is lower, and those who use them do not have to worry about returnables.

Not to mention that the kegs are environmentally friendly disposable. Made entirely of plastic and cardboard, one-way kegs are 100% recyclable: which means to use a product that meets the most stringent European standards in terms of packaging with low environmental impact.

A wise choice therefore, able to match ethics and efficiency, especially when the budget is limited and a brewery can not bear the costs associated with the traditional kegs as the costs of purchasing, storage, and handling.

For all these reasons, but especially for our ability and peculiarity to adapt to changes of the market and for the interest that we have to offer our Customers innovative solutions, COMAC has been producing and manufacturing machines specifically designed for the filling of disposable kegs.

Do you want more information on one-way kegs and our filling machines for one-way kegs? Contact us, we will be happy to help you!

When communicating means being able to tell: the "open story" by Giorgio Donadoni

Thu, 05 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A hot summer in the province of Bergamo in the early 70s: not every family was blessed by the economic boom and a boy of 11 years old, like many of his peers, has been sent by his mother to work at the grocery store of the village. Mummy Paola’s real reason was simply to remove from the road his vivacious second son, a potential danger and a possible cause of not clearly specified troubles.

This, in short, the synopsis of the story written by Giorgio Donadoni, not a writer by profession, but Responsible of Public Relations and one of the founding members of the Comac Srl, who got the 4th place at the last literary competition organized by Luberg.

The literary contest "Open Stories" was "Born with the aim of enhancing the writing and creativity" said the Professor Brevini, president of the jury "it recorded an unexpected success, totaling sixty works. These texts seem to refute or at least make less gloomy the prophecies on the sunset of writing."

Surely the title of the competition and the opportunity to give free rein to his creativity facilitated and enticed Giorgio to write a story that runs fast, stirs emotions and evokes almost tangible memories in those who have experienced such years personally, but also in those who have heard tells from uncles or grandparents about that period.

A glimpse of life in Bergamo that if it were not for the incipit "Lù, al ghe ocor mia u s’cet?" (Excuse Sir, don’t you need any helper?) it could settle in any Italian little village.

The characters are those of the grocer's shop that mix their scents and moods with the scents of exotic spices and liquorice sweets; they are the brothers with whom he meets in the evening for a last game before going to sleep; the parents always busy in some activity, apparently distant, but present and attentive to the needs of the 4 sons and the first loves, that even years later, make us smile.

The landscape is that of Bergamo countryside, watered by the river Brembo, that, during the hot summers, echoes of the voices of children and young people: "Sundays afternoon in the summer, with good weather, were spent at Brembo, where, in addition to find refreshment in the summer heat, we could see the girls, women already, in swimsuit, further encouraging those fantasies that were beginning to accompany me so far."

Nearly a story that can be read with pleasure, and that tells us a bit' of Giorgio, of his desire to be a storyteller able to tell not only with irony, but also with so much sincerity and a touch of nostalgia: definitely a skilled communicator who understood that comunicate means also to be able to captivate the audience with simple and immediate stories.

The stories of the winners and finalists have been published in a volume edited by the Sextant publisher, but there we are going to publish it on this blog very soon.

Christmas Beers: special editions and new tastes to be discovered

Tue, 03 Dec 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Here we are, once again, close to Christmas and, in addition to the brightly lights and various decorations, the typical fragrance of ginger, cinnamon, cloves, honey, chocolate, raisins, dried fruiti is in the air. Usually used as ingredients for traditional desserts, from simple cookies to more elaborate cakes, but since few years now it has been possible to find such a bouquet of aromas also in craft beers specially prepared for Christmas: the Christmas Beers.

Historically, the initiators of this tradition were the Belgian brewmasters who, from the end of the nineteenth century, began to produce special beers able to match the delicious and full-bodied dishes prepared on the occasion of these festivities. Of higher alcohol content than regular beers, also suitable for the harsh winter temperatures, these Christmas Beers, thanks to the different spices and ingredients they are enriched with, go perfectly with most of the traditional Christmas dishes.

Initially these seasonal and spicy beers were consumed within the family or at least within the village where the brewery was located, but, over the years, thanks to the success gained, these beers began to be marketed outside the small circle of local consumers and the tradition of the Christmas Beers became to widespread in Europe first and then land on the shores of the United States, where now the craft brewers are very popular.

At the beginning of the twentieth century this phenomenon took place even in England, where, to this day, it has been becoming a product that attracts more and more scholars and lovers of spicy beer. The Ridgeway Brewery, located in a small town, west of London, set up in 1779 for Christmas produces ten special beers, including five dedicated to the"bad elf" who makes bad jokes to Santa Claus (look at the labels).

The Bad Elf, a very aromatic and excellent roasted IPA, full of English hops and perfect for winter evenings. Very Bad Elf, a darker and more alcoholic version of the previous one, with sweet notes of toasted hazelnut and characterized by the massive use of Pale malt. Seriously Bad Elf, a very personal interpretation of the Belgian tripel beer, with hints of honey, white fruit and rhubarb, in the end pleasant bitter aftertaste closes the tasting. Criminally Bad Elf , a "happy" version for a classic barley wine, with a sweet aroma of candied fruits. The last one is the Insanely Bad Elf, an imperial red ale, with a wide bouquet of sweet plums, bananas and honey (this beer can be aged).

Even in Japan, where Christmas is not a traditional festival, but where the people are always ready to not miss an opportunity to celebrate, the first Christmas craft beers begun to be produced.

In Italy the phenomenon began a few years ago and breweries like Birrificio di Lambrate, Birrificio Indipendente Elav or Baladin are ready to put on the market their originals and seasonal productions.

What they are going to brew for this year?

Have you already tasted some of them? Can you give us a hint?

Alternative uses of beer

Wed, 27 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Maybe anybody doesn’t know that beer can have several and interesting uses.

One of the most unusual but functional use of the cans of beer is definitely the one adopted to achieve the thermal insulation of a house. The cartons for egg are used for sound insulation!!

Never heard of Earthship structures?

They are environmentally sustainable housing systems with heating and cooling systems at zero energy, independent from the point of view of water and energy supply: they are made with different materials such as earth, clay, straw, wood and, most of all, tires, filled with earth for load-bearing walls, and bottles or cans for the non-bearing walls. The environmental impact is significantly reduced and these houses often have better characteristics than the more traditional ones.

Cans of beer for warming up the cold winter nights: in fact, due to their alcohol content they can absorb the cold without freezing.

For DIY lovers here is a shocking news: it is possible to use the beer for polishing the wood. It sounds weird, I know, but try it and you'll see amazing results. Put some beer on a microfiber cloth and pass it on wooden furniture. The effect will be similar to the wax: the "experts" recommend to dilute the beer with some water that covers a bit the smell of beer and it is less sticky to the touch.

Another interesting use of the beer for the feminine world is the cleaning of costume jewelry. It happens quite often that especially rings and bracelets change their color due to the passing of time: in this case, just soak the costume jewelry in a bowl with some beer and et voilat, they become beautiful and bright as they were new.

If you pour a little bit of warm beer on a cotton cloth, it is possible to bring back shiny on old objects of tin.

The beer can be also a sleeping aid. I'm not suggesting to drink big quantities of beer and then fall into a deep sleep, also because the day after it would not be the most pleasant awakening.. What I recommend is to wash the pillowcase it with beer: the smell of hops, which is reminiscent of hazelnut, promotes sleep.

Beer is also an excellent stain remover. If you have a difficult stain, put on it some beer and sparkling water and, due to carbon dioxide present, the stain will be detached from the fibers and the washing will be easier.

As an insecticide. For your pots plagued by snails here is an easy and environmentally friendly way to get rid of it. Put some beer in a glass jar or an empty tin and put it in the ground so that the edges of the container are at the same level. The snails will be attracted by the hops and fall into the tin.

Beer is also a great ally of beauty, but we'll talk about in a future post, in view of the upcoming Christmas festivities.

Do you know other alternative uses to add?

Automatic CIP units for washing and sanitizing any filling plant

Fri, 22 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Automatic CIP units for washing and sanitizing any filling plant. How to clean and sterilize completely any kind of filling machines and reduce dramatically the risk of contamination. Learn why it is important to have an automatic cleaning system CIP.

There are lots of big and small bottlers that every day have to face with the issue of cleaning, disinfecting and sanitizing their plants. As everybody knows, in the beverage industry, as well as in the food one, hygiene plays an important role: the more accurate is the cleaning of the machines , the better is the quality of the product to be entered the market.

What is a CIP, Cleaning In Place, unit and what is it necessary for?

The CIP unit, which stands for Cleaning In Place, is nothing more than a machine that allows to clean and sanitize the whole plants for storaging, bottling, filling or kegging without having them to be dismantled .

Equipped with a variable number of tanks with an adequate capacity to sanitize the equipment, the automatic CIP units allow to prepare cleaning and disinfection solutions, to carry out the planned cycle and to verify that such a cycle has been actually carried out as required.

The goal is to eliminate completely any kind of product residue from the kegging and bottling plants, at the end of the cycle as well as at any product change; the mechanical action of high flow washing combined with the chemical action of detergents and disinfectants allows to thoroughly clean even the most critical parts in the systems.

The cycle starts by rinsing the plant with water to lose in order to remove all coarse soiling; this phase is followed by the washing step with caustic solution, previously and automatically prepared. Then there is an intermediate rinsing phase followed by a disinfecting one with the acid solution, and, at least, a final rinse with cold and hot water able to remove all the leavings of detergents.
Different washing programs (product change, end of the day, weekends) are stored in the PLC. Additional programs can be easily added.

Which are the advantages of an automatic units CIP - Cleaning In Place?

Labour savings: the PLC starts automatically the selected cycle at the set time , without the presence of an operator.

Savings of chemical products: dosages are automatically performed and controlled by a conductivity meter.

Certainty of outcome: the control devices on the washing circuit ensure that the cycle has taken place in accordance with the set program, human error is banned!

Thanks to a good washing system a better product can be produced.

Are you a microbrewery or a big beer producer, or a water or soft drink bottler and are you looking for the ideal cleaning system for your filling equipment or storage tanks ?

Get in touch with us in order to to receive more information about our CIP (Cleaning In Place) systems!

Microbreweries and labels: a green and economic solution

Mon, 18 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT

It's called laser engraving and, in long term, it will be the labeling system that allows microbreweries (and not only), cut costs and reduce to zero the environmental impact.

The labels, applied to the bottles, have been always considered an integral part of the product itself.

We do not consider them as a simple rectangle of paper that contains some useful information; on the contrary, they have become a real marketing tool able to communicate their identity and enhance the image of the brand.

An example are the bottles of beer, especially of craft-beers, which make use of graphics and artists to give voice to the personality of their brand.

Have you ever drunk an Elav craft-beer (www.elavbrewery.com)? Its alternative labels fully reflect the spirit of the brewery!

And what about the "historical" labels of the Lambrate Brewery, strictly printed on recycled paper?

And the funny and colorful labels of Lost Coast beers? Unforgettable, funny, gritty and sunny, just like the guys in California can be.

But on the other side of the Pacific Ocean Japanese breweries do not miss this creative opportunity and here are some interesting labels of the Kikuchi brewery where the owl, fukurou in Japanese, also means no hassle, no difficulty in addition to being considered a powerful lucky charm...

In a few words, for microbreweries that want to give rein to their creativity , the traditional labeling remains the most used, and sometimes the easiest to accomplish.

A computer, a dedicated software, a printer, a bit of paper, some glue are enough... But are you really sure that this is the most beneficial method to make your own labels?

We do not think so.

There is a more economical and environmentally friendly marking system: it is called laser engraving and comprises etching directly your own graphics onto the glass bottle.

Same glamourous result, zero impact on the environment: with laser engraving, in fact, there are less wastes, less chemicals, less paper consumption in circulation.

Have you ever happened to hand a bottle of Rogue beer (www.rogue.com)? Their engraved labels are masterpieces that deserve to be collected!

And the savings?

The glass etching allows to reduce the costs associated with the shipping of the labels and their disposal.

Possible objection: "Ok , but what about the cost of engraving?"

It is true, as long as it is covered by the intelligent system of "returnable" (the return of empty bottles). With small incentives, in fact, the microbreweries may encourage the consumer to return the empty bottles, as well as not having to produce every time new.

Beer producers buy 10,000 bottles and keep on filling those ones. The laser-etched label is made only once, and the costs, associated with the removal of old labels and the application of new ones, is completely eliminated: maximum cost optimization and zero environmental impact.

Really a great opportunity, do not you think?

Printing of labels: a 400 years old history

Tue, 12 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The labels are one of the most important communication system for promoting a product and making it recognizable among many others: an indisputable role played by this advertising tool.

But when the labels were born and how their printing process evolved over the years?

The first labels date back about 400 years ago when, using embossed stamps -made of metal or wood- any kind of image or character was engraved on hand made paper. To be clear, the first labels were made by a printing process very similar to the working process of the old typewriters that used to be on our desks.

A rudimentary but charming technique was born from a brilliant idea of the father of letterpress printing: Johann Gutenberg.

It was not until the arrival of the Industrial Revolution to witness a real change in the printing of labels.

With the beginning of the nineteenth century and thanks to Mr. Robert Barclay a new printing process, known as offset printing, was born. A technique that takes its cue from lithography and it is achievable through the use of cylinders in contact, which transfer the ink to the paper passing through a system component called rubber.

It has been an important change which, together with the paper mechanical production, not only sped up the labels molding sector, but has also led to a big improvement in print quality and favored itsevolution: during the centuries, in fact, the first coated papers and the first color prints begun to appear.

It is the beginning of the label as a marketing tool.

From this very first moment the labels are applied on the boxes of cigars and matches, luggages, pharmaceuticals products, on bottles and so on. No one is more willing to give up this new concept of packaging.

We have to wait the beginning of the XX century for seeing the first self-adhesive labels produced in rolls: this is a real revolution that comes to capture around 40% of the European market.

Thanks to self-adhesive labels, UV inks, hot stamping machines and the first printing machines, Companies are able to engrave on paper any kind of image, color and font, shortening the lead time and printing their own labels at the most competitive prices.

But it is the New Millennium that declares the rise of the most revolutionary printing technique in history: the digital printing. A technique that, among electrophotographic and dry toner technologies, UV technologies and inkjet ones water based, has led to the evolution of the near future: the possibility to print directly on glass, plastic and other materials.

An ecological choice that allows to eliminate completely the use of paper, as well as to reduce the environmental pollution due to the disposal of glues and other industrial materials and that allows, at the same time, a significant cost savings.

The big brand Companies have already figured it out: see the new bottles of Heineken beer that are abandoning the printing on paper labels in order to adopt the more traditional, convenient and environmentally correct, direct printing on glass!

What about follow their example?

Can Filler 8-1 for micro and craft brewery

Tue, 05 Nov 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The can filler model 8-1 has been produced for bottlers who, in spite of small productions, for the first time want to face the market for canned beverages, guaranting the total quality of the product.

This plant, isobaric type, is suitable for filling the beer cold or at room temperature, however, can also be used to fill non-carbonated soft drinks.

The technology ensures, thanks to laboratory measurements, a very low oxygen enrichment in the beer during the filling phase: this is also proven by analyzes which are normally performed during the start-up of the plant itself by certified electronic instruments that assure the veracity of the declared values.

The central distributing manifold of the product is made with a ceramic coating which ensures a longer life of the seals without maintenance for years.

The seamer installed is made with a base in AISI 316: it is a very robust structure that ensures high reliability over time, ensuring a perfect hermetic seal for the safe maintenance of the quality of the product filled.

The preference granted by the most famous American craft brewers testifies to the quality of the Comac product.

Need more information about the can filler model 8-1? Visit our page automatic systems up to 4000 CPH!

Can versus bottles: which is your best?

Thu, 31 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Cans or bottles? Good question.

This is one of the issues that has always divided the opinion of consumers and producers of beer (and other drinks).

And, of course, the answers change depending on the different points of view.

For example, microbreweries could argue that the glass bottle is a strong sign of recognition, consumers, on the contrary, could assert that they would never give up the typical gesture of opening a can of beer relying on the tongue.

Where is the truth?

At first glance, we would say that there is no a single answer. In reality, however, recently, breweries and microbreweries in general, are moving towards a definite direction. Let's see which one.

The glass bottles have always been the ideal and irreplaceable container for alcoholic beverages and non-alcoholic ones: just thinking of a cold beer in a bottle during a terribly hot day, makes your mouth water.

Easily recyclable, hygienic and less expensive to produce (with the same energy used to produce a 33 cl can, two glass bottles can be made), the glass has been the preferred material for packaging of beverages for years.

At the same time, however, disadvantages such as the fragility of the material, the difficulty of transporting glass bottles and, above all, the highest exposure of the beer to the sources of light and heat, seem to have convinced many breweries and microbreweries to rethink their packaging systems.

Without considering the costs. The microbreweries that bottling their beers should support greater investment both in terms of labeling and transport (the glass, in fact, has a weight higher than a can of aluminum and it has superior handling costs ).

Here the can enters the stage.

In the past the can was criticized both in terms of production and disposal costs, responsible of a metallic taste that aluminum would be able to give the product.

To prove that this problem does not exist anymore, now the cans have new inner linings; moreover various tests and tastings highlight that there is no difference in taste between a canned beer and bottled one.

In the U.S., where the phenomenon of microbreweries was born, for some years now, the trend is towards cans because " bottles are not good for river trips”, emphasizes Mr. Dave Welz, manager of the the Ska Brewing, Colorado.

So, which are the real advantages of an aluminum can?

The cans, unlike glass are a kind of airtight container that allows the beer to cool down more quickly. Secondly, they allow to protect the alcoholic beverage from the sources of heat and the formation of oxygen, ensuring an unaltered taste.

In addition, the can is able to protect the beer from the light that destroys all those typical organoleptic flavors and aspects the people go crazy for. Moreover, as some American producers confirm, the double seam of the can provides a better grip and prevents the contact with the air, enemy number one of the delicious beer.

For all the reasons listed above and for economic ones (using cans, the costs of transporting and labeling are reduced), many microbreweries have already decided to go in this direction.

In 2002 the microbrewery Dale's Pale Ale and other craft brewers chose to produce only canned beer.

We had also got a direct witness at the Drinktech Trade Fair 2013, where we presented our plant for can, model 8-1, perfect for small and medium production: it has been a great success.

It is amazing, isn’t it?
Now it's your turn: beer in cans or in bottles?

Craft beer and spicy cuisine: a perfect pairing

Tue, 29 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Although there are no tough and fixed rules for beer and food pairing, there are some guidelines that can help you to evaluate a particularly appropriate approach: generally speaking, assonance is the best matching of beer and food.

Light beers such as the Pilsner one and other Lager varieties, for example, are perfect with bread, raw fish, fresh cheeses and desserts; on the contrary, the special caramel or roasted malts of some craft beers go perfectly with white meats and medium-aged cheeses.

In addition there are the flavors of different kind of aged cheeses like pecorino that match very well with the different varieties of Ale or Stout or even the blue-veined cheeses such as the spicy gorgonzola cheese or grilled red meats that are enhanced by the pairing of a beer with a strong character like the abbey beers, more alcoholic and structured.

The more followed trend seems to be the pairing per assonance, but even this is not always true.

In pairing beer-food, more and more often people speak of contrasts.

Which is the most refined pairing?

For the moment, the matching of sweet-spicy flavors seems to win over everyone.

Examples of this are the many pairings of the typical spicy Mexican or Indian dishes and the classic Lagers, where the main aromatic note is the sweetness of hops (Light Lager for example).

In fact, the fresh and light beers, with low alcohol, are able to quench the burning sensation of the pepper, the paprika or other spices such as curry and, at the same time, they can enhance the hidden flavors of the dish that you are tasting.

The result is a truly amazing taste experience.

Experimenting with new flavors, however, is not limited to match beer and spicy food. Someone went far beyond that.

Some brewers have come to even produce varieties of beer with chilli: the Chili Beer Arizona or the Italian Verdi Imperial Stout, for example, perfect in pairing with a good chocolate.

The recipe of the chilli beers is a secret and the lovers of craft beer, driven by the desire to explore new flavors, can not help but experience...Until reaching the perfect combination of taste.

Do you have the wish to experience (and taste) original pairings between beer and tasty food? You'll be glad to know that, throughout Italy, many microbreweries and brewpubs organize events and tastings.

For example, if you live in Milan or in the surrounding areas, we can advise the Lambrate Brewery, landmark for lovers of excellent craft beer: they are also very good in organizing numerous events based on music, culture and....Great food.

Visit the website of Lambrate Brewery and do not miss the next culinary events.

Complete keg line installed at the Stone Brewing Company (California, USA) - 120 kegs per hour

Fri, 18 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, standard type, installed at the Stone Brewing Company (California, USA).

Two parallel keg washers/fillers mod. 4+1T grant a capacity of 120 kegs per hour.

Bottle filler mod. 6-6-1, installed at Birrificio Magia (Novara, Italy) - 750 bottles per hour

Wed, 16 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac bottle filler mod. 6-6-1, installed at Birrificio Magia (Novara, Italy).
An automatic linear filler with 6 rinsing nozzles, 6 filling heads and a single head crowner grant a capacity of 750 bottles per hour.

The fifth taste: UMAI

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

UMAI is one of the first word that Japanese children learn and it recalls all the pleasure of a good tasty food. If at the adjective UMAI you add the noun MI (flavor, taste), the word UMAMI is done..Such a new and cool expression…Lately very popular in the world of sommelerie and restaurants.

Let’s be serious: we have been taught that the taste buds identify 4 primary tastes - sweet, bitter, salty and sour – and from this combination originate all the others flavors we know. But in ’80 some Western scientists and Japanese ones discovered the fifth taste: savory, tasty and similar to the meat soup or, to be closer to the East areas, similar to the unmistakable flavor of soy sauce.

A taste that has always been with us but we have never been able to recognize.

You cannot immediately feel it because… it’s partially hidden: the umami receptors are in the back side of the tongue, they cause a soft stimulation of the throat and are stimulated not only while chewing but also after swallowing. For this reason, it’s defined as an aftertaste.

Actually it was not the arrival of the Japanese sushi neither the Chinese caramelized duck to cause the birth of the fifth taste: it has always been present in our culinary tradition, without being able to discern it from the other 4.

The Parmesan cheese has the primate of umami and overcomes every other dressing with about 9 grams of glutamate, linked with other proteins, for every 100 grams of cheese. This explains why it is used in a multitude of recipes. And while meats have about 2-3 grams of glutamate, peas count around 5 gr… that’s easy to understand why kids prefer them compared to the spinach with only 0.3 gr.!

UMAI! Good meant as TASTY!

The worldwide approval of the pizza can be easily explained: the different kind of pizzas are normally topped with products of a high umami content. The ripe tomatoes, as well as mozzarella, contain more glutamate compared to the soy sauce and the anchovies give the final contribution.

And why beer is linked with the umami?

The combination of different elements of umami is able to create interesting experiences in the world of flavors: this is one of the key to understand how the different beer flavors pair with food in order to create the umami’s pleasure.

In other words, when we eat meat, fish and mushrooms (foods with high content of umami) we exalt their taste by adding salt or spices with high acidity and bitterness. In the craft beer we find two out of three of them: the acidity and the bitterness.

An example could be the pairing between oysters and Stout, for many people, a winning combination: the acidity, given by the beer fermentation, united with the typical flavor of roasted malt and barley helps the appearance of umami proteins in the oysters, leading to a “wow” experience.

Do you want to discover the umami taste? Try the following pairings (and let us know):

Parmesan Cheese and Porter
Spanish sardines and IPA
Aged ham and Pilsner
Grilled mushrooms and Pale Ale

It is not a simple matter of pairing; it’s from the combination of these flavors that born a new extremely pleasant tasting experience: the umami.

Comac gives you the free-entrance ticket to the EurHop! Beer Festival

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Rome, 18/19/20 October 2013

Surrounded by a chirpy and suggestive atmosphere, in the hearth of the EUR (not too far from Rome down-town), one of the most expected event of the year is taking off: the EurHop! Beer Festival, il Salone Internazionale della Birra Artigianale.

40 Italian and International craft breweries in an area of 2.000 sqm and in a really unique, elegant and suggestive location: Salone delle Fontane.

An architectonical building with a great visual impact that, for the event, will be turned into a real pub with 45-metres long counters and about 200 plugs available for all breweries, guests of the event.

Why come to the EurHop?

Because you’ve the opportunity to get in touch with the excellences of the craft-beers.

Because you can chat with someone of the Comac staff – official partner of this event -, You can meet the brewers of those breweries selected by the famous Roman pub Ma Che Siete Venuti a Fà- and tast their excellent craft beers.

Why visit Comac’s stand?

Because you can find competence and professionalism.

Comac team is present at the Salone delle Fontane to show you the news of 2013, to share with you curiosities and know-how, but also to introduce you “4SizeS”, an international project expecially focused on microbreweries.

In addition, many gadgets-surprise wait for you at Comac’s stand.

Would you like to win a free-entrance to the EurHop Beer Festival?

Leave your comment in this post
and fill in your name – surname- address – phone*.

If you are among the first tens, you will be given a free-entrance ticket, a tasting glass, a pocket glass holder and the guide to the beers!

*Your personal data won’t be shown in the blog

For the programme and other info, visit www.eurhop.com.

People at Drinktec 2013 - Comac Management: Mr. Giuseppe Scudeletti, Mr. Fabio Donadoni, Mr. Marco Scudeletti e Mr. Giorgio Donadoni

Fri, 13 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

COMAC is the brainchild of two friends, peers, Giorgio and Giuseppe, who have known each other since childhood.

When the project takes shape, they decide to involve their brothers and during the years, through intuition, courage and great determination they have managed, all together, to become international leaders in the field of kegging and bottling.

The members of the Board of Directors are: Giuseppe Scudeletti: President, Giorgio Donadoni: Purchasing, Marketing and Communication Manager, Marco Scudeletti: commercial / financial area and Fabio Donadoni: technical and product innovation area, four entrepreneurs who, while covering decisive and fundamental roles in the Company, over the years have been able to surround themselves with capable staff who have been entrusted with important assignments of responsibility: employees who are regarded as "fellow travelers", as the human factor is the basis of COMAC success and philosophy.

"What separates a successful entrepreneur from the one who fails is perseverance. In addition there is a strong motivation for an idea or a problem to solve. If passion does not spur you from the very beginning, you'll never get until the end. This is our deep conviction and, day by day, we have been trying to pass it on to our employees, who reciprocate us with a passion that strived every day in the development of each given project, mission, even the simplest".

Quotation:

“Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul”. Kahlil Gibran

People at Drinktec 2013 - Yehezkiel Rochman and Michael Rochman

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about our worldwide representatives. Mr. Yehezkiel Rochman and his son Mr. Michael Rochman are our Comac Israel Agents.

Office location: Tel Aviv.

COMAC ISRAEL: ITAS INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGY & SERVICES

People at Drinktec 2013 - David Balcells

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about our worldwide representatives. David Balcells is Comac Spain Agent.

Office location: Barcelona.

COMAC SPAIN: PROSIMA TECH. S.A.

People at Drinktec 2013 - Marino Cotic

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about our worldwide representatives. Marino Cotic is Comac Croatia Agent.

Office location: Zagreb.

COMAC CROATIA: POLJOOPSKRBA-INZENJERING

People at Drinktec 2013 - Craig Wilson and Gianluca Zammarchi

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about our worldwide representatives. Craig Wilson and Gianluca Zammarchi are Comac united Kingdom and Ireland Agents.

Office location: Pulloxhill Beds - England

COMAC UNITED KINGDOM - IRELAND: ENTERPRISE TONDELLI

People at Drinktec 2013 - Robert and Floris D�l�e

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

All Drinktec long, at Comac‘s booth you will find also Mr. Robert and Mr. Floris Délée, father and son. Involved in the beverage sector for years, they deal mostly with the BENELUX and Caribbean markets.

They have been collaborating with Comac for years and they are a constant presence in every European event Comac takes part in.

People at Drinktec 2013 - Frederic Petit and Eric Corticchiato

Thu, 12 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about our worldwide representatives. Frederic Petit and Eric Corticchiato are Comac North American Agents.

Office location: Dallas, Texas.

Languages: English, French.

COMAC AMERICA: EUROSOURCE.

People at Drinktec 2013 - Fabio Giacometti

Wed, 11 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Fabio Giacometti. At Drinktec 2013 he will be at Customers’ disposal to meet any technical and commercial requests.

Tasks: Sales Manager for the national and international markets.

In COMAC Fabio is one of the referents for the bottling sector and he is supported by various collaborators, he is in charge of:

Relationship with Customers
Study of the markets and definition of the commercial strategies.
Definition of the equipment technical specifications and technical evaluation of the same ones.
Choice of the machines that make up the bottling - line
Relationship with the suppliers

In the world of bottling and packaging for years, Fabio joined the Comac team in 2001 bringing with him, an unquestionable experience, kindness, availability and positivity: he can be told a gentleman of the past and certainly not for his age!

Languages spoken: Italian and English.

Innate qualities: reliability, availability. Fabio is a shy and reserved person with a strong personality; he is a tireless worker and he always present in the company... even when he is somewhere else.

Hobbies/Peculiarities: Travel (he has traveled the world far and wide), photography, fine cuisine and trekking.

Quotation: His quotation: "che lavoroooo..." (what a mess!) absolutely said in the manner of Parma.

People at Drinktec 2013 - Silvia Locatelli

Tue, 10 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Silvia Locatelli. At Drinktec 2013 Silvia will be at your disposal for any further technical and commercial requirements.

Tasks: Commercial employee, experienced in sales department.

Skills:

She is involved in the kegging and bottling sectors: she gets the purchasing orders, prepares the offers and inserts them in the Company computer system
She is the reference to the geographical francophone and anglophone areas in relation to customer service.
She is always in contact with the shipping department.

In case of important orders for keg lines, Silvia is also responsible for the Customer training.

She collaborates with the Communications Office too, especially for the management of social networks and advertising.

Reserved, delicate, ethereal and light, an apparently impalpable presence, behind which lies a professional, helpful and cooperative figure, always vigilant and attentive to what happens around her.

Languages: Italian, Spanish and English.

Innate qualities: Reliability, patience and availability.

Skills acquired: Competence.

Hobbies/peculiarities: Reading, cinema, art and photography. She loves to travel and keep up to date on what happens in the world, talking also with her international friends. She used to dance flamenco and occasionally dusts off his bicycle, although she prefers a warm sunny beach, even better, the sofa!

Quotation:

Caminante, son tus huellas

el camino, y nada más;

caminante, no hay camino,

se hace camino al andar.

Antonio Machado

Traveller, it’s your footprints

that are the path, nothing more;

Traveller, there is no path,

the path is made by walking.

Social Network:

People at Drinktec 2013 - Bruno Arina

Thu, 05 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Bruno Arina. At DRINKTEC he will be pleased to introduce you the machines that are not physically and really there...!

Tasks: Specialist of immersive vision technologies and Technical Director of the Virtual Reality division.

Skills:

He is involved in graphics computering and virtual reality.

His main task is to look for solutions for the Virtual prototyping as an aid to design and marketing

He has been working in this sector for years but he thinks he is still a young guy who has to learn more...

For more than twenty years he has ben working in the different aspects of the computer graphics experiencing the applications for industry and design. He also worked in the field of special effects for movies.

Languages: Italian and English.

Innate qualities: Curiosity for technology and availability.

Skills acquired: Competence and professionalism.

Hobbies: Music, Reading, Skiing, Mountaineering, but the work does not allow me anymore to overdo it...

Quote:

The soul of a person is hidden in his glance, for this reason we are afraid to be looked into our eyes. (Jim Morrison)

Social Network:

People at Drinktec 2013 - Elena Belotti

Wed, 04 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Elena Belotti. The Drinktec 2013 will be a good opportunity for her to meet the Comac Customers and fix intersting meetings with the suppliers.

Tasks: Assistant to the Management Purchasing Department.

Skills:

Coordinator of the Purchasing Department
Management, contacts and negotiations with suppliers
Scouting
Spare parts Dept.

She joined the Comac team recently, but she is already an integral part of it; considering her strong communication skills, she is also working with the Marketing and Communications Dept.

Elena has always worked in the automotive sector covering, at different times, both the role of assistant to the Sales Department as well as assistant to the Purchasing one. These experiences have shaped her professionalism , a person perfectly aware of the importance of the role of buyers, one of the strategic factors that determines the success of a company.

Languages: Italian and English.

Innate qualities: professional, serious and helpful, empathetic and communicative, Elena knows how to work in a team and has a strong predisposition to the management of employees, essential skills to obtain successfully the required results.

Hobbies/ peculiarities: Reading, writing, country dance, music, art exhibitions, theater, travel, .. but, above all, she is a motorcycle riders: "the bike gives me a sense of freedom that is hard to find elsewhere."

Major flaw: Relentlessly greedy, she does not begin neither end up anything without eating a sweet better if enriched with soft and velvety cream.

Quotation: "The best roads do not connect anything with anything else, and there is always another road that takes you faster."

From "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values" by Robert M. Pirsing

People at Drinktec 2013 - Francesco Frattarolo

Tue, 03 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Francesco Frattarolo. At Drinktec 2013 he will be at Customers’ disposal to meet any technical and commercial requests.

Tasks: Sales Manager for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and Ex-Soviet Republics.

Skills:

he is involved in the the kegging , bottling and packaging systems

Direct relationship with Customers
Marketing, product promotion, market research and business strategies development.
After-market management

He is always close to the customers in order to monitorize the market (which changes frequently).

In the world of bottling and packaging for years , Francesco landed in Comac 5 years ago bringing with him his indisputable experience, exuberance, positivity, optimism and a strong dose of color...impossible not to notice his always diverse and colorful glasses.

Languages: Italian, English, Russian and Spanish.

Innate qualities: reliability, availability. Francesco is a communicative person with a strong personality, optimistic and tireless worker; he loves beautiful and well-made stuff and creating harmony between people.

Skills acquired: competence and professionalism.

Hobbies/ peculiarities: the piano and Sofia, his 8 months baby, are his greatest passions in addition to theater, opera, art exhibitions and traveling. Regarding the sport...since long he has hung up his boots as a player.

Quotation: “The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want. And if they can't, they make them. (George Bernard Shaw)

Social Network:

People at Drinktec 2013 - Manuela Villa

Mon, 02 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Manuela Villa. At Drinktec 2013 Manuela will be at your disposal for any further technical and commercial requirements.

Tasks: commercial employee, experienced in sales department.

Skills:

She is involved in the bottling sectors:

She gets the purchasing orders, prepares the offers and inserts them in the Company computer system
She is the reference to the geographical francophone and anglophone areas in relation to customer service and complaints handling
She is always in contact with the shipping and spare parts departments.
Management of technical operations at customer’s sites

As assistant to the Marketing Manager, she looks after the organization and preparation of the noumerous national and international exhibitions Comac takes part in: Drinktec is a significant challenge but... it's already a success!

Clarion voice, wild hair, just sometimes tamed, always colorful ballerina shoes and culinary suggestions: this is Manuela, a lively presence in the office.

Languages: Italian, English and French.

Innate qualities: reliability, patience and availability.

Skills acquired: competence.

Hobbies/ peculiarities: Travel, cinema, cooking, design and antiques. Greedy and lazy, loves the sport... that others do!

Quotation: "People do not take trips, trips take people" John Steinbeck

Social Network:

People at Drinktec 2013 - Alexei Piatakov

Sun, 01 Sep 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Alexei Piatakov. At Drinktec 2013 Alexei will be at your disposal for any further technical and commercial requirements.

Tasks: commercial employee, experienced in sales department

Skills:
He is involved in the kegging and bottling sectors:

He gets the purchasing orders, prepares the offers and inserts them in the Company computer system
He is the reference to the Russian and English speaking areas in relation to customer service and complaints handling
He is always in contact with the shipping department.

Languages: Russian, Italian and English.

Innate qualities: Reliability and kindness.

Skills acquired: competence and professionalism.

Hobbies/ peculiarities: fishing, reading, cinema, eating and drinking well .. another sleepless colleague who spends part of the night walking Lady, his sweet and jealous American Staffordshire Terrier. By far the most impressive ice-blue eyes of the Commercial Department …. From his 1,95 meter hight he looks, controls and observes everything .. in a nutshell, Alexei is present and you can always feel his presence!

Quotation: “You can have the best product in the world, but if nobody knows about it, it will not get you anywhere," L. Lariviere

People at Drinktec 2013 - Flavia Milesi

Sat, 31 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Flavia Milesi. At Drinktec 2013 she will be at your disposal to meet your technical and commercial requests.

Tasks: commercial employee, experienced in sales department expecially for the Asian markets.

Skills:

she is involved in the the kegging and bottling systems

She gets the purchasing orders, prepares the offers and inserts them in the Company computer system
She is the reference to the geographical areas Japanese and English speaking, in relation to customer service and complaints handling
She collaborates with the Marketing and Communications department and she is the "social networks" project manager

For more than twenty years she has been working in the export sector for the South-East Asian market and has collaborated with important Italian Companies ranging from haute couture to disc brakes, not to mention the world of wine & food, and now she is involved in the bottling lines: COMAC!

Unlike Federica, Flavia is the oldest in the office but the youngest in order of arrival... The tallest and most exuberant ...

Languages: Italian, Japanese and English.

Innate qualities: reliability, availability, Flavia is a very communicative person with a strong propensity for teamwork.

Skills acquired: competence and professionalism.

Hobbies/ peculiarities: Reading, writing, watching movies, listening to music, art exhibitions, travelling, traditional and ethnic cooking and outdoors walking.. curious and tireless, like Stefano, she does not sleep at night for watching the Japanese dramas!

Major flaw: she loves Japan above anything else!

Quotation: “Do not walk in front of me, I may not follow you. Do not walk behind me, I may not be your guide. Walk beside me, and together we will find the way. (Albert Camus)

Social Network:

People at Drinktec 2013 - Federica Locatelli

Fri, 30 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Federica Locatelli. At Drinktec 2013 Federica will be at your disposal for any further technical and commercial requirements.

Tasks: commercial employee, experienced in sales department

Languages: Italian, French, English and German.

Skills:

She is involved in the kegging and bottling sectors:

She gets the purchasing orders, prepares the offers and inserts them in the Company computer system
She is the reference to the geographical francophone and anglophone areas in relation to customer service and complaints handling
She is always in contact with the shipping department.

Innate qualities: reliability, patience and availability.

Skills acquired: Competence. The youngest of the office but the older as per expertise. The more petite, but the most lively and tireless.

Hobbies / Peculiarities: Reading, cinema, travel and jogging... unlike Stefano, the night she sleeps very well! Greedy and always on a diet, but luckly there is the jogging!

Quotation: “One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes””. The Little Prince di ?Antoine de Saint Exupéry

Social Networks:

People at Drinktec 2013 - Stefano Gotti

Thu, 29 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Today we talk about Stefano Gotti. At Drinktec 2013 will be your guide in the dark room of virtual reality.

Tasks: Process Manager and IT

Skills:

Problem Setting / Problem Solving: he is in charge with the business processes of all the departments, analyzes any organizational problems and looks for the best solutions. His modus operandi refers entirely to the Toyota Production System to streamline business workflow.
Document Manager: he is the responsible for ARXivar (software for document management), creating workflows (workflow) specifically for each department.
IT: he solves technical problems of any kind related to tools and implements programs for the automation of procedures for any department. In addition, for some months now, he follows the virtual reality.

Languages: Italian, English

Innate qualities: reliability, patience and availability.

Skills acquired: competence

Hobbies/ peculiarities: playing the guitar, playing basketball and, instead of sleeping, he spends the nights together with video games.

Quotation: “Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted”. A. Einstein

Social Networks:

Drinktec preview - Here's what you'll find at Comac booth!

Tue, 27 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

In less than 20 days the Drinktec 2013 will kick off. All Comac staff is ready for the big event and great news are waiting for you: let’s discover the first three!

The first one : Virtual Reality Area

For the first time Comac will allow everybody to attend the installation and the dismantling of a whole production line. It will be a virtual but exciting experience, in a dedicated room. In detail, the plants chosen are:

A keg line: model HS4 / 3, 150kph, with 4 washing heads, 3 filling heads and 5 cleaning tanks.
A bottling line: model 12.12.1 with 12 rinsing nozzles, 12 filling heads and 1 capping head.
2 different models of flash pasteurizers

The second one : 3D Video Area

Comac will offer all visitors the opportunity to virtually visit some of the most interesting plants already installed. In a dedicated area, a 3D screen will be set in and the classic glasses will be provided in order to let the visitors enjoy the spectacle of the great Heineken plant in Seville, the one in Bergamo as well as the charming small bottling line of the Birrificio di Lambrate, in Milan.

The Third one : Machinery and plants

Not only 3D videos and virtual reality, this year too it will be possible to see and touch some of our plants.

At our booth will be installed:

Monoblock isobaric can filler/seamer, model 8-1
nr. 2 1-head keg fillers for one-way plastic kegs
1 washing and filling keg line model 4 +1 T

Drinktec 2013 - Go with the flow

Fri, 09 Aug 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Every 4 years, in Munich the Drinktec exhibition takes place, the most important and international fair exclusively dedicated to beverages and liquid food products.
Let's meet in September 2013, from 16th to 20th.

Comac has always taken part in the Drinktec, since this exhibition is one of the most important appointments for the field in which our company has been working for almost 25 years . Visitors come from all over the world, while the public that visits the Brau Beviale, the annual exhibition held in Nuremberg, is mostly European.

For Comac, whose plants and machines are installed in all continents, Drinktec is an important occasion to meet old and new customers, that do not normally attend to the other exhibitions, and present a preview of the new products and the latest technology for processing, filling and packaging any kind of drinks and beverages.

The growing phenomenon of craft beers has now spread out globally and small companies, like microbreweries, are supposed to attend to Drinktec and meet the professionals: Comac takes part in this important event for introducing new machineries and equipments dedicated to microbreweries and craft breweries.

At the Hall A6, Booth 329 the 4sizeS Team - Federica, Silvia, Manuela and Alexei - together with the whole Comac staff, is pleased to meet and provide you with all the information you may need in Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Russian and Japanese.

Lunch at ... Comac!

It a pleasure for us to welcome you at our booth for lunch and let you enjoy a traditional Italian meal prepared in front of you. All day long, you will be also delighted with Italian snacks and drinks.

For more information pleas contact us by telephone 0039 035 4994211 or by email webmarketing@comacitalia.it.

Oxygen pick-up

Wed, 31 Jul 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The oxygen pick-up is a basilar information for those producing non pasteurized and non filtered beers.

In fact, during all the processing and packaging steps, the assimilation of oxygen in the product compromises the quality and reduces its shelf life.

For this reason, microbreweries and craft breweries must apply all the necessary stratagems to reduce the oxygen pick-up, in order to prevent their product from oxidation and, consecutively, to keep high quality as long as possible.

First of all, it's necessary to contact companies with a deep knowledge of beer: each product has in fact different characteristics from the others so, a really high specialization in the brewing sector, is fundamental for a company which produces plants for beer processing and packaging.

A generic experience in kegging and bottling industry is not a sufficient warranty as the beer is a product completely different from wines, soft drinks and other kind of beverages.

As the brew-masters know, even among the different types of beer there are important differences, significant for the packaging process.

Another fundamental aspect for the craft breweries, is to refer to companies with an adequate experience, able to help them to reduce the oxygen assimilation and able to solve all the other problems that may come up during the packaging stages.

The experience allows to develop an important know-how, a background of big and small advices that the manufacturer of bottle, keg and can lines can pass to the brewery during the installation of the plants, the staff training and the after sales assistance.

Comac has been working in the brewing industry for over twenty years and has gathered all the required experience and know-how necessary to suggest craft breweries the best solution in order to safeguard and guarantee the best product quality.

Thanks to these skills, Comac ensures lower levels of pick-up comparing to those required by the biggest breweries in the world. In fact, even if the usual required standards are between 100 and 150 ppb (parts per billion), Comac is able to ensure a pick-up of 50 ppb, for bottles, sometimes reduced to exceptional levels of 20 ppb: these remarkable results were obtained thanks to the synergies between Comac and its Customers.

However, this is not still enough. A final requirement, as important as the others, is the availability of adequate control tools for monitoring the oxygen pick-up. For Comac to affirm that its own machines and plants are able guarantee a low level of oxygen assimilation is not enough if there is not a precise control able to demonstrate the real data of oxygen pick-up.

Although these tools are expensive, a producer of bottling and kegging machines must offer its customers a certified and evincible warranty.

Comac is provided with these tools because the quality is the heart of the Company’s philosophy: the quality of our plants as well as the quality of our Customer's products.

For any further information you may need, we will be very happy to answer to all your questions.

US craft beer exports reached a stunning increase of 72%

Wed, 26 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT

In May, USA celebrated the American Craft Beer Week. A really exciting event for small and medium independent craft breweries and for all the people who are passionate about beer and who work in this fascinating industry (brewers, marketers, distributors etc).

Seven intensive days on which lovers and professionals of craft beer met for the sake of sharing knowledge, promoting successful ideas and doing business.

It was actually during this very event that some really interesting information about craft breweries broke through.

The Brewers Association (a not-for-profit organization born exactly to help small and independent American brewers to promote their beers), sponsor and organizer of the event, announced that, in 2012, the American beer industry set new important records.

Sales registered a successful increase (about 17%), more than 18% new breweries were born and, most of all, craft beer export volumes rose to an incredible +72% compared with 2011.

Even if the number of kegs sold abroad is still a small percentage if one compares it with the internal sales volume (less than 200.000 barrels against 13 million) the numbers leaked days ago seem to be promising.

Canada, South America, Sweden and UK (despite the nearest Ireland, known all around the world as one of the best beer producers) seem to be the main buyers of American craft beer.

But all this was already well-known.

What actually surprises is the stunning increase of American craft beer export volumes toward the Far East Countries of the World (Japan, China and Thailand) and Australia.

This is a signal of even more people demonstrating their appreciation for the high quality standard of American craft beer. A knowledge reached thanks to a great commitment to R&D and a really deep passion of the operators. And there’s something more.

Supporting this increasing trend, there’s a really interesting and well structured Export Development Program signed by the US Brewers Association in 2004. An important program developed in support of all the small independent breweries wanting to promote and celebrate, all over the world, the wonderful American beer.

Bottle filler mod. 12-12-1 (Italy) - 2,800 bottles per hour

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac bottle filler mod. 12-12-1, installed at Birrificio Lambrate (Lambrate, Italy). An automatic filler with 12 rinsing nozzles, 12 filling heads and a single head crowner grant a capacity of 2,800 bottles per hour.

Bottler & Packer - July 2009

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Bottler & Packer - July 2009

Download pdf n.1

Download pdf n.2

Drinktec 2009 preview

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Drinktec 2009 preview

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Bottler & Packer - February 2010

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Bottler & Packer - February 2010

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Brauwelt International - February 2010

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Brauwelt International - February 2010

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Bottler & Packer - May 2010

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Bottler & Packer - May 2010

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Brauwelt International - Fair preview Brau Beviale 2010

Tue, 12 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Brauwelt International - Fair preview Brau Beviale 2010

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Brauwelt International - Fair Issue - Brau Beviale

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Brauwelt International - Fair Issue - Brau Beviale

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Brauwelt German - November 2010

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Brauwelt German - November 2010

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Brau Beviale 2010 - Preview

Fri, 26 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Brau Beviale 2010 - Preview

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Info Birra 2011 handbook

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Info Birra 2011 handbook

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International Bottler & Packer - May 2011

Mon, 09 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

International Bottler & Packer

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Brauwelt International - April 2011

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Brauwelt International - April 2011

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Institute of Brewing and Distilling - Handbook 2011

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Institute of Brewing and Distilling - handbook 2011

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Brewer and Distiller International - May 2011

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Brewer and Distiller International - May 2011

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Miae Kim

Thu, 06 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

Miae Kim was born in Seoul, South Korea. She moves to Italy in 1985, where she studies sculpture at the Arts Academy and set design at the Arts and New Technologies Academy in Rome.

The artist cooperates with some important Italian theatres and is one of the founders of the "Samizdat & Company".

Her experimentations in the context of the visual arts start in the second half of the ‘90s.

Miae Kim PDF

Iran Food + Bev Tec 2009

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Tehran - Iran, from 24 to 27 May 2009

In collaboration with the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Comac Group takes part in the Iran Food & Bev Tec 2009, an exhibition dedicated to machines for the food and beverage industry.

Drinktec 2009

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Munich - Germany, from 14 to 19 September 2009

The new high speed keg filler THS12T for high productions and a bottling line specially conceived for microbreweries premiere at the most important beverage exhibition in Munich this year.

Upakovka / Upak Italia 2010

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Moscow, 26 - 29 January 2010

In collaboration with the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Comac Group takes part in the Upakovka / Upak Italia 2010, an exhibition dedicated to packaging machines and materials.

Craft Brewers Conference 2010

Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Chicago, 7 - 10 April 2010

Comac Group takes part into the Craft Brewers Conference presented by the Brewers Association, which will take place in Chicago from the 7th to the 10th April. For professional brewers, the Craft Brewers Conference is the most important environment in North America for concentrated, affordable brewing education and idea sharing to improve brewery quality and performance.

Sibfoodexpo 2010

Sat, 24 Apr 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Novosibirsk, 20 - 22 April 2010

Comac Group takes part in the Siberian food and beverage exposition, from the 20th to the 22nd of April 2010.

Brau Beviale 2010

Tue, 21 Dec 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Nuremberg, 10 - 12 November 2010

Like every year, it was inconceivable for Comac to desert the annual meeting of the beverage sector in Nuremberg. The 2010 edition has been a great success. Thanks to all those who came to visit our stand and see you at the 2011 edition! As always, we'll be pleased to welcome you and offer you a typical Italian dish to make your visit even more enjoyable!

Upakovka / Upak Italia 2011

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Moscow, 25 - 28 January 2011

In collaboration with the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Comac takes part in the Upakovka/Upak Italia 2011, an exhibition dedicated to packaging machines and materials.

Craft Brewers Conference 2011

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

San Francisco, 23 - 26 March 2011

Comac takes part in the Craft Brewers Conference presented by the Brewers Association, held in San Francisco from the 23rd to the 26th March. For professional brewers, the Craft Brewers Conference is the most important environment in North America for concentrated, affordable brewing education and idea sharing to improve brewery quality and performance.

Sibfoodexpo 2011

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Novosibirsk, 19 - 21 April 2011

Comac takes part in the Siberian food and beverage exhibition, from the 19th to the 21st of April 2011.

International Algerian Fair - FIA 2011

Thu, 19 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Algiers, 1 - 6 June 2011

In collaboration with the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Comac takes part in the International Algerian Fair - FIA 2011 and strengthens its presence on the North-African market.

Brau Beviale 2011

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nuremberg, 9 - 11 November 2011

Like every year, it was inconceivable for Comac to desert the annual meeting of the beverage sector in Nuremberg. The 2011 edition has been a great success. Thanks to all those who came to visit our stand and see you at the 2012 edition! As always, we'll be pleased to welcome you and offer you a typical Italian dish to make your visit even more enjoyable!

Bergamoscienza 2010

Sun, 03 Oct 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Bergamo, 1 - 17 October 2010

Co.Mac is among the sponsors of the 8th edition of the Bergamoscienza, the scientific festival that brings Bergamo to life from 1 to 17 October 2010.

Bergamoscienza 2011

Sun, 25 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Bergamo, 1-16 October 2011

Co.Mac is among the sponsors of the 9th edition of the Bergamoscienza, the scientific festival that brings Bergamo to life from 1 to 16 October 2011.

Keg line mod. HS6T (Spain) - 1,000 kegs per hour

Tue, 05 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, mod. HS6T, installed at the Heineken Sevilla brewery (Sevilla - Spain) - 1,000 kegs per hour. Four parallel lanes mod. HS6T grant a capacity of 1,000 kegs per hour.

Keg line (Tenerife) - 120 kegs per hour

Tue, 19 Jun 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, standard type, installed at the Mahou San Miguel Anaga brewery (Tenerife).Two parallel keg washers/fillers mod. 5+2T grant a capacity of 120 kegs per hour.

Keg line mod. HS6T (Belgium) - 250 kegs per hour

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, mod. HS6T, installed at the New Belgium Brewing Company (Colorado - USA) - A single lane mod. HS6T grant a capacity of 250 kegs per hour.

Keg line (France) - 600 kegs per hour

Sun, 09 Oct 2005 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, standard type, installed at the Heineken Schiltigheim brewery (France).Ten parallel keg washers/fillers mod. 6+1T grant a capacity of 600 kegs per hour.

Keg line mod. HS6T (Italy) - 750 kegs per hour

Thu, 23 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, mod. HS6T, installed at the Heineken Comun Nuovo brewery (Bergamo - Italy) - 750 kegs per hour. Three parallel lanes mod. HS6T grant a capacity of 750 kegs per hour.

Keg line mod. HS6T (Australia) - 600 kegs per hour

Sun, 22 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, mod. HS6T, installed for Carlton & United breweries at the Yatala brewery (Australia) - 600 kegs per hour. Three washing lanes mod. HS6T and two filling lane mod. HS6T grant a capacity of 600 kegs per hour.

Keg line (California, USA) - 60 kegs per hour

Sun, 24 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac simple and complete keg line, standard type, installed at the Karl Strauss brewery (California, USA). A single keg washers/filler mod. 4+1T grant a capacity of 60 kegs per hour.

Can filler mod. 16-4 (Azerbaijan) - 6,500 cans per hour

Sun, 04 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can filler mod. 16-4, installed at Baltika brewery (Azerbaijan). An automatic filler with 16 filling heads and a 4 heads seamer grant a capacity of 6,500 cans per hour.

Keg line mod. Jolly 6T (Italy) - 200 kegs per hour

Wed, 18 Sep 2002 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, mod. Jolly 6T, installed for Coca-Cola at Oricola factory (Italy) - 200 kegs per hour.

Two sterilizing/filling lane mod. Jolly 6T grant a capacity of 600 Cornelius kegs per hour.

Bottle filler mod. 12-12-1 (Virginia, USA) - 2,800 bottles per hour

Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac bottle filler mod. 12-12-1, installed at Bold Rock brewery (Virginia, USA). An automatic filler with 12 rinsing nozzles, 12 filling heads and a single head crowner grant a capacity of 2,800 bottles per hour.

Can filler mod. 8-1 (Texas, USA) - 3,500 cans per hour

Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can filler mod. 8-1, installed at Real Ale brewery (Texas, USA). An automatic filler with 8 filling heads and a single head seamer grant a capacity of 3,500 cans per hour.

Installation of the can line mod. 8-1 (Texas, USA) - 3,500 cans per hour

Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

See in 13 seconds how Comac installed the plant at Real Ale brewery (Texas, USA). An automatic filler with 8 filling heads and a single head seamer grant a capacity of 3,500 cans per hour.

Bottle filler mod. 9-9-1 (Colombia) - 1,800 bottles per hour

Sat, 02 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac bottle filler mod. 9-9-1, installed at Bogotà Beer Company (Colombia). An automatic filler with 9 rinsing nozzles, 9 filling heads and a single head crowner grant a capacity of 1,800 bottles per hour.

Can filler mod. 24-4 (Russian Federation) - 15,000 cans per hour

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can filler mod. 24-4, installed at Buket brewery (Rusian Federation). An automatic filler with 24 filling heads and a 4 heads seamer grant a capacity of 15,000 cans per hour.

Electronic bottle filler mod. 30-50-8 (Algeria) - 8,000 bottles per hour

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac electronic bottle filler mod. 30-50-8, installed at Mamì boissons (Algeria). An automatic filler with 30 rinsing nozzles, 50 electronic filling heads and a 8 head capper grant a capacity of 8,000 bottles per hour (2 liters).

Conveying system (Austria)

Sun, 06 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac conveying system, installed at Gasteiner Mineralwasser (Austria). An automatic conveying system for PET bottling line.

Can filler mod. 16-4 (Latvia) - 6,000 cans per hour

Fri, 18 May 2007 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can filler mod. 16-4, installed at Latvijas Balzams (Latvia).
An automatic filler with 16 filling heads and a 4 heads seamer grant a capacity of 6,000 cans per hour.

Can filler mod. 36-6 (Indonesia) - 24,000 cans per hour

Sun, 20 Nov 2005 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can filler mod. 36-6, installed at Multi Bintang Brewery (Indonesia). An automatic filler with 36 filling heads and a 6 heads seamer grant a capacity of 24,000 cans per hour.

Bottle filler mod. 40-40-10 (Italy) - 14,000 bottles per hour

Wed, 07 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac bottle filler mod. 40-40-10, installed at Romanella Drinks (Italy). An automatic filler with 40 rinsing nozzles, 40 filling heads and a 10 heads crowner grant a capacity of 14,000 bottles per hour.

Bottle filler mod. 40-8 (Russian Federation) - 9,000 bottles/hour

Thu, 15 Jan 2004 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac bottle filler mod. 40-8, installed at Real Business (Russian Federation). An automatic filler with 40 electronic filling heads and a 8 head capper grant a capacity of 9,000 bottles per hour (1,5 liters).

Can filler mod. 40-6 and single deck tunnel warmer 8.6 sqm (Morocco) - 20,000 cans per hour

Fri, 04 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac can filler mod. 40-6 and a single deck tunnel warmer 8.6 sqm, installed at Coca-Cola (Morocco). An automatic filler with 40 filling heads and a 6 heads seamer grant a capacity of 20,000 cans per hour.

Combined depalletizing-palletizing system in a wine farm (Italy)

Tue, 29 Jan 2002 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac combined depalletizing-palletizing system for keg, installed at Maccari wine farm (Italy).

Keg line (Italy) - 240 kegs per hour

Thu, 21 Mar 2002 00:00:00 GMT

A Comac complete keg line, standard type, installed at the Heineken Massafra brewery (Italy).Four parallel keg washers/fillers mod. 5+2T grant a capacity of 240 kegs per hour.

Upakovka / Upak Italia 2012

Thu, 02 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Moscow, 24 - 27 January 2012

In collaboration with the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Comac takes part in the Upakovka/Upak Italia 2012, an exhibition dedicated to packaging machines and materials.

Sapore 2012

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rimini, 25 - 28 February 2012

Comac takes part in the Sapore exhibition, from the 25th to the 28th of February 2012.