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D E A R R E A D E R

Everybody will remember 2020 as one of the most difficult time of our long history under different point of views. For example now we have the deep awareness that everything can change rapidly. What seemed to be certain can become suddenly uncertain, what was right yesterday, can be wrong tomorrow. All these feelings have become part of our daily lives and are changing dramatically our businesses and industries. Even though food & beverage could be considered as one of the less impacted sector by Covid-19, the partial or total lockdown imposed all over the globe as well as the related travel restrictions have heavily impacted the Ho.re.ca distribution channel. This situation has driven a significant slow-down in sales volumes which, in some specific sectors, the retail channel has not been able to fully offset. As a consequence of the above uncertain situation, related investments in capital goods have been delayed or just postponed waiting for a clear view on the future. On top of that, the cancellation of the main exhibitions and the limited mobility have deeply changed the way of doing daily business. I strongly believe that this new attitude will continue after the pandemic, since most of us have understood that this could save time and money, increasing efficiency and efficacy. In the light of the above, under the market standpoint, CFT Group has leveraged on its diversified portfolio and global presence in order to face the current situation. We have been able to mitigate the risks, offsetting the slowdown of some sectors like those driven by the Horeca channel (i.e. beer in keg), with the increase of others more related to retail channel. Under the operational standpoint, we have continued our operations in all our facilities, succeeding in keeping all our commitments towards our customers. Moreover, we have guaranteed the health and safety of our employees, who represent our main asset. I would personally like to thank each of them for their commitment in this critical period. Once this pandemic will end, I strongly believe that, as always happens after war-periods, our behaviours and attitude in managing daily business and investments will change dramatically. I’m sure that the companies that will be able to overcome the current situation, will become stronger than before, ready for facing the future business challenges driven by the restart of the global economy as well as by the key megatrends which will necessarily determine a growth perspective of the food & beverage industry.

ALESSANDRO MERUSI CEO CFT spa

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VOG ZIPPERLETRENTINO ALTO ADIGE, ITALY

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Fruit purée plant for Vog Italia

CFT Group and VogOne of the CFT Group’s historical clients is based in the town of Laives, in the province of Bolzano: Vog Products.Vog is an innovative, cutting-edge company in the fruit processing sector (in particular apples) and works in collaboration with all the fruit cooperatives in Trentino-Alto Adige. In practice, this means that most of the apples in the region are processed by Vog, along with other types of fruit.Vog and CFT Group have known each other for over 20 years: the first fruit purée plant that they had installed in fact dates back to 2000 and was a true success: the two companies discovered that they shared the same passion and attention to quality and productivity. In 2018 we were again called upon by Vog, who had in the meantime changed management, for a project to expand and update their production lines. We were happy to take up the challenge once more: although we had already worked together in the past, this time it was about winning the trust of the new people running the company and the whole CFT Group team was motivated and determined to reconfirm their skills.

Productivity increaseThe new board of Vog called us with the aim of increasing productivity in its fruit purée plants: this meant adding a second fruit purée line and a second dedicated aseptic filling plant, in addition to the one already up and running at the company. Very early on however, we ran into a problem. Adding only one line with cutting-edge technology, at the end of the installation Vog would have found itself with two fruit purée plants that, although similar, had many differences between them at the same time. Separating them would have been more than fifteen years of innovation and technological development, with a notable difference in quality between the two final products.

What could be done?After discussing it between ourselves and listening to and analyzing Vog’s requests, we proposed our ideal solution.

CFT’s solution for VogFirst of all, the new state-of-the-art line for fruit purée was designed using the latest CFT Group technology for the processing of fruit either with or without stones. The absolute protagonist in this case is the Zenith Chrono enzyme inactivation system with cold extraction, short processing time and anaerobic environment, customized for Vog with the insertion of an automatic pneumatic soda wash. The enzyme inactivation is immediate in the Zenith Chrono, guaranteeing an optimal consistency and an output product of really fantastic quality, minimizing the consumption of ascorbic acid and conserving colour, flavour and other organoleptic properties.

The fruit purée plant already in use at Vog was not replaced, but revised, reassembled and automated: the reception part was modified and installed the same as the one in the new line and the old extractors were replaced with CFT Group’s Giubileo technology, to then skilfully integrate these new components with those that were already there.

This will allow Vog to still reap the benefits of the original investment made for several years, by running two lines in parallel that although different are still both efficient and highly productive. Having two similar but not identical lines allows Vog to also speculate a further differentiation in the products on offer in the future by proposing two different products.In addition, to take full advantage of the potential offered by a group such as CFT, both lines have been equipped with a Raynbow optical sorter produced by Raytec (a company that is part of the CFT Group), that uses a high speed and double vision technology, able to examine 100% of the surface of the product in a very short time.

Composition of the plantsThe proposed solution was enthusiastically approved by Vog and installed in a few months.The two automated fruit purée lines are composed of:• Reception and washing system• Brush machine• Raynbow optical sorter (Raytec)• Possibility of manual sorting• Zenith Chrono cold extraction and enzyme inactivation system

The product resulting from this line is stored in a cellar and kept at 5° until subsequent processing. A new aseptic filling line consisting of an Olimpic 12 t/h plate sterilizer and a Macropak AF/2 filler, installed together with a tubular sterilizer and an existing CFT filler, was also supplied in a modernized area of the factory. In this current configuration the line was completed with an articulated system of pallet transport, complete with shuttles designed and built by CFT Robotics with the aim of automating and managing the feeding of empty drums and the transport of the full drums up to the final phase in complete safety, passing through a station for the automatic labelling of every single drum and a strapping station.

Today the line looks like this:• Olimpic plate sterilizer• Existing Olimpic tubular sterilizer• Macropak AF/2 aseptic filler• Existing Macropak TM2000/2 aseptic filler• Conveyor system complete with CFT Robotics shuttles for the automated transportation of the drums• Labelling machine

• Strapping machine

The complete satisfaction of what was done by the CFT Group convinced Vog to make the new sterilization and aseptic filling room visible through a glass corridor. In this way the potential end customers of the South Tyrolean company can verify the cleanliness, organization and management of what is the most delicate phase in the whole production process.

The added value of CFT GroupWe believe that this project is very interesting for at least two reasons: it confirms the quality of the CFT Group technologies and innovations, also demonstrating our ability to offer customized solutions, artfully tailored to the customers’ needs. In some cases, as it was for one of Vog’s fruit purée lines, it becomes necessary to be able to design “hybrid” systems, where new technology is perfectly integrated with that which is already installed, improving it. Thanks to the experience, variety and quality of the solutions, CFT Group is without a doubt an ideal partner for this type of project.

Market prospects*The fruit purée market is poised to hit $14,549.8 million by 2023, with an impressive average growth rate of 4.4%. Europe will be one of the areas with the highest growth rate.

William Dattaro – Sales Area ManagerManuel Gonizzi – Project ManagerAndrea Malvisi – Project Manager

*Source: marketwatch.com

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TRENTINO ALTO ADIGEAseptic filling and end-of-line

robot for Zipperle

Hans Zipperle SpA

A family storyZipperle is a historical family business, deeply rooted in its territory. We are in the north of Trentino-Alto Adige, a region famous for the Alps and unspoilt environment, an ideal place for anyone working with natural raw materials focussing on quality and authenticity.In 1951, Hans Zipperle began a story based on passion, research and ongoing technological development. In just a few years, the company became one of the main producers of juices and fruit purées in the region until, in the 1980s, the path of the South Tyrolean factory crossed that of another large Italian company, Rossi & Catelli. Camillo Catelli and Hans Zipperle thus created a relationship of trust and mutual collaboration between their respective companies, which continues today with the aim of guaranteeing increasingly efficient and technologically advanced production. Just think that in the last ten years, CFT Group has designed and installed three fruit purée lines for Zipperle, comprising aseptic fillers, sterilizers and a state-of-the-art evaporator, a double-effect Apollo Mixflow capable of concentrating the purée to 32 brix; in the meantime Zipperle has managed to drastically reduce its carbon dioxide emissions and become one of the first companies in Italy to have an environmental audit.

The new projectBy 2019, the time had come for further expansion of the production capacity: Zipperle has in fact begun to produce fruit juices and drinks that are sterilized and packed in various sized aseptic bags (5, 10, 15 or 20 litres), which are then sold to be combined with carbonated drinks or juice dispensers. The new line that we designed for this occasion has a multi-purpose characteristic, allowing Zipperle to work not only with juices, but also semi-finished products such as natural, concentrated fruit purées filled with the bag-in-box system, that represents the company’s core-business. This means very high flexibility, because it is a single line capable of working products with a viscosity that varies between 10 and 1500 cP.

A second key feature of this project is the very small footprint: at the request of the customer, the entire line (sterile filling and packaging) was in fact set up in a very limited space of about 80 m² on two floors.The aseptic filling line developed for Zipperle was made with the following components:

Olimpic TC tubular aseptic sterilizer• Patented heat exchange technology, hygienic design and no thermal expansion stress• Quick and easy maintenance• Long production cycles and minimum temperature difference between water and product

Aseptic tank • Allows the filler to be constantly fed• Allows for maximum dosing precision, up to ± 20 grams from the set point

One head Minipak aseptic filler • Filling valve which guarantees a perfect seal, even with particularly dense or fibrous liquids• The valve is automatically washed after every single filling• The machine allows high flexibility, able to fill aseptic bags with a capacity from 5 to 25 litres

CFT RoboticsThe filled and dried aseptic bags are packed inside cartons and then palletized. At this stage the CFT Robotics technology, which takes care of the end of the line, comes into play.After being formed, the cartons are filled with the aseptic bags from the filler, via an automatic system equipped with a hopper for inserting the bag inside the carton itself.The cartons are then closed by a sealer for top flaps and labelled. The next step takes place thanks to a robotic system: an anthropomorphic robot picks up and palletizes the cartons automatically and without the need for any size change even in the presence of many different sizes as in this case. The software developed allows the robot to recognize the size concerned and consequently the motorized gripper

is able to automatically adapt and pick it up for palletizing. In addition, thanks to the “Pallet Maker” software for palletization configuration, in the event of new sizes, the customer is able to create different setups automatically.

The use of robotic technology has allowed for the use of less space and the ability to insert the line into the area available inside the plant, in addition to guaranteeing much lower line management and maintenance costs than those of a traditional solution.Once the pallet has been formed, it is wrapped in plastic film make it stable and ready for shipping or storage.

CFT Group and ZipperleWe are particularly satisfied with the latest development project for Zipperle, also because what we designed are two 100% integrated solutions for aseptic filling and packaging, with the added advantage for the customer to have a single point of contact for the whole project.The story of our collaboration with Zipperle tells of two companies that during their long journey have pursued objectives of a continuous search for quality and constant innovation, values which even today, after 70 years, continue to be the basis of all business choices.In particular, at CFT Group we are very proud to continue to collaborate with those, who like many of our clients, perfectly embodying the spirit of our work: understanding, anticipating and guiding the needs of the market.

Market prospectsThe global fruit purée market is expected to grow at an average rate of 4.4% annually by 2023, with a total value of over $14 billion. Fruit purée is used as an ingredient and food product and, if processed correctly, retains most of the acid, sugar and colour of the fruit. It is used as an ingredient in the food processing industry for preparing baby food, jams, pastries and baked products. The growth in the market is mainly driven by the rising demand for natural, healthy food ingredients.Being a naturally healthy food, fruit purée is emerging as an ideal substitute for various synthetic ingredients that are often added to food to improve flavour and sweetness. This factor is also increasing the demand for fruit purée worldwide.

William Dattaro – Sales Area Manager Marco Galeazzi – Aseptic Engineer Stefano TIberini – Robotics Engineer

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PEI

REGAPOMPEI, ITALY

TOMATO concentration for Agriconserve Rega

agriconserve rega

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Made in CampaniaAgriconserve Rega is a family business established in the Sixties in Campania, just 15 km from Pompei. From the Forties onwards, the tomato processing and concentration industry has grown enormously in this area, and the product has become a Southern Italian

speciality.The founder of the company, Luigi Rega, set up the company in a small workshop, but soon made his mark with the outstanding quality of his product. Agriconserve Rega eventually became a cooperative in order to control the quality of its entire supply chain, and in 1998 it became a member of the San Marzano PDO tomato consortium.This elongated tomato, the quality of which is renowned worldwide, is particularly suited for the preparation of peeled tomatoes and conserves. It is characterized by a dense, meaty pulp with a low water content and very few seeds, and is thus ideal for a fast cooking process, which preserves its original flavour in the sauce. San Marzano PDO tomatoes are cultivated, harvested and processed with precisely-defined procedures subject to stringent quality controls.And this is what makes Agriconserve Rega stand out from its competitors: the original concept of

its founder, Luigi Rega (and now his sons), was to focus on the niche market for San Marzano PDO and make the Made in Italy brand known worldwide for its outstanding product quality. The company now exports 75% of its product, mostly to the USA, and 25% of its production is organic.

CFT Group and RegaBut what does it mean to say that a company “stands out for the quality of its product”? As we have seen, it is essential that the raw materials be of as high quality as possible. The next step is to invest in technologies that guarantee that the finished product fully expresses the original quality of the raw material.Agriconserve Rega has always chosen CFT Group technologies for the primary components of its processing lines. Our engineers have developed and installed peelers, fillers and seamers, culminating in 2017 with the installation of an Apollo evaporator designed specifically for the requirements of Agriconserve Rega.

A tailor-made Apollo solutionWe have been installing the Apollo solution since 2003, with tens of clients fully satisfied with the performance of this evaporator technology. The

Apollo evaporator has enabled many companies to increase the quality and efficiency of their tomato processing lines, with excellent results.Compared with recirculating evaporators, Apollo reduces the time the product is held in the machine (just a few minutes), with a minimal temperature differential between the vapour and the product itself (4-6°C). This completely avoids damaging the processed product. The Apollo is normally designed to handle the first phase of tomato concentration - up to 8-9° brix - with other technologies completing the process. But our solution for Agriconserve Rega goes beyond this limit. The client required a tomato concentration of 12° brix, which is usually only obtained from recirculating systems. Nearly all Southern Italian companies use this approach. In this case, however, we took on the challenge and were able to demonstrate concentrations of up to 12° brix with a falling film evaporation system. The consequent energy savings and considerably improved quality of the finished product were immediately evident.

The project was both exciting and very challenging! Falling film technology consists in passing the product once through very small diameter tubes. The system must be very precisely sized to obtain the specified results. During the tender process, CFT Group was the only company able to guarantee Agriconserve Rega a constant output concentration, thanks to our engineers’ meticulous calculations and a solution made specifically for their requirements.What is more, for the first time we configured Apollo to generate two different product concentrations at the same time, to ensure that the company’s two production lines were both running at full capacity.And what about product quality? I remember very well the first time the system was started up. One of the company’s directors compared the product output by Apollo with that made by their previous machine, and there was a vast, immediately evident difference between the colour and flavour of the two products. The tomato concentrate produced by Apollo is bright red, with a fresh, natural flavour. Combining San Marzano PDO tomatoes with the Apollo technology has enabled us to produce a tomato concentrate of the very highest gastronomic quality.

Energy and cost savingsApollo employs the MVR (Mechanical Vapour Recompression) technology, which recovers the product vapour. A mechanical compressor compresses the vapours, thus increasing their temperature, and uses them in place of the steam usually generated by a boiler.This technology enabled Rega to save on the costs of running its boilers, one of which has been shut down as soon as the system started up. This in turn enabled the company to obtain energy efficiency certification for the low environmental impact of its processing. The increased quality, which is visible at first sight, has also led to a growth in its market share in competitive markets like the USA, where Agriconserve Rega has already gained an excellent return on the initial investment.

Future prospectsAgriconserve Rega is characterized by a forward-looking business philosophy. The considerable initial investment in the Apollo system has already been repaid: in just a few years, energy savings and increased market share driven by outstanding product quality have given an excellent return on investment.According to Grazio Rega, one of Luigi’s sons and now part of the company’s management, the reason for choosing CFT Group is very simple:

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“We chose CFT Group because they’re a world leader in tomato processing, and I believe that every manufacturer should have such a reliable partner at their side. Of course we made an investment, but it’s our duty to invest in improving our product and we have gained enormously in efficiency and quality.”

The tomato market*The tomato concentrate market is projected to grow considerably in the near future due to the product’s wide use in the food industry. Every year, around 40 million tons of processed tomatoes are consumed worldwide.The growing demand for organic tomato concentrate will drive the profitability of the global tomato market over the next few years. Global tomato production peaked in 2018, and will probably continue to grow consistently in the near future.

William Dattaro – Sales Area ManagerGabriele Botti – Processing Project Manager

*Source: tomatonews.com

CASE

RTA

DE LUCIACASERTA, ITALY

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Since the cooking and sterilization are carried out by the same machine in a single cycle, the production line only needs to be completed by a filler that adds all the ingredients to the packages before being placed in the autoclave.The solution was highly appreciated by Da Lucia, which in this way was able to expand its business with reliable, safe and versatile technology.

Market prospects*The global ready-meal market is expected to grow with a

CAGR of 4.3% over the 2020-2025 period.The trend amongst younger consumers is to mostly buy ready-made food products, considered more convenient because they are affordable and quick to prepare. Currently, ready meals make up the largest segment in the food industry and one that is growing rapidly thanks to their high popularity amongst consumers worldwide. The general improvement in lifestyle, rapid urbanization and high disposable income are increasing the demand for ready meals, which have the added advantage of being easily consumable while on the move. Future developments expected in the field of organic food and packaging technology will provide further opportunities for growth within the sector.

Geographical areas concernedNorth America holds the largest market share of ready meals. The United States are the main consumers, due to the high disposable incomes and the continuous technological innovations and the hectic lifestyles they bring. The European region also represents a large

market for ready meals, that can easily be found both online and in the supermarkets. The developing regions of South America and Asia are also strongly growing markets, with countries such as China and India rapidly growing and taking on rhythms of life similar to the West, also due to rapid urbanization and population growth.

Simone Anghinetti - Product SpecialistGianfranco Ceci - Automation Division Manager

*Source: mordorintelligence.com

Domenico De Lucia Spa is a well-known Italian company with over 90 years of trading history and based in the province of Caserta in southern Italy. De Lucia mainly bases its production on dried fruit processing and Fifth Range products, which are

steamed and vacuum-packed vegetables such as carrots, potatoes, sweetcorn, French beans, fennel and artichokes. The packaged product is sold to large retailers and has the advantage of being able to be cooked at home in just a few minutes or used as an ingredient in the preparation of more elaborate dishes. Fifth range is central to new fruit and vegetable consumer habits, Domenico De Lucia Spa works on new concepts to communicate the evolution of fresh food that goes beyond the concept of pre-cooked, that of fresh steamed.In 2018, the company decided to expand its fifth-range catalogue by adding a range of “classic” and “premium” risotto ready meals, made up of rice and other ingredients such as vegetables and flavourings. In order to produce these ready-made risottos, De Lucia needed a safe, lean process, that could easily be guaranteed by one of the Campania company’s historical suppliers: Levati Food Technologies.

The Levati - CFT Group solutionLevati was founded in 1966 and quickly became an important international market player in the sterilization and pasteurization of food by autoclaving.

In 2019, the company was acquired 100% by CFT Group, further enriching the know-how of the Group in terms of the handling and processing of foodstuffs.The solution proposed to De Lucia is an “SRC Rotary Retort” rotating autoclave, capable of both cooking

and sterilizing the packaged risotto in a single step.

The main benefits of this technology are:• The ability to sterilize packaged food in all types of packaging: metal cans, plastic, glass jars, packets, trays and tetra briks• The possibility of modulating the water sprinkler cycle between static and rotating sprayers, to allow even heat distribution

throughout the autoclave• The resulting reduction in sterilization times and the considerable improvement in the quality of the outgoing product compared to other similar technologies• The possibility of also being used as a static autoclave, since the baskets on the rotating Levati

autoclaves can also be used on the static autoclaves, so they are therefore easily interchangeable• The reporting relating to the freshly cooked or sterilized product, which allows immediate verification of the correct processing procedure.

Cooking and sterilization of De Lucia Risottos De Lucia Spa

De lucia

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TOMACITHE IVORY COAST, AFRICA

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“CFT Group has made our machinery with quality materials and automation of a high standard, assisting us for all the time necessary to make the lines purchased

efficient and reliable. The company has also provided us with very satisfactory after-sales service, which has allowed us to never have to stop the plants. Our lines have been working 6 days a week in 3 shifts, for a total of 130 hours per

week for over three years.”Dr Alessandro Abbo – Tomaci Technical Manager

CUSTOMERS WORLWIDE

TOMATO PROCESSING ON THE IVORY COAST

THE CARRÉ D’OR GROUPWe are in Abidjan, the capital of the Ivory Coast. The sixth biggest city in Africa, with one of the fastest growing economies on the continent. The skyscrapers and a port are the symbols of this place, which is the most important hub on the west African coast.The Carré d’Or Group is one of the principal players in the economic growth of Abidjan and the Ivory Coast. The company is one of the biggest industrial groups in west Africa and was born from the desire of Ibrahim Ezzedine to create a group of companies capable of participating in the industrialization of the country, creating wealth and employment. Operations started in 1988, thanks to the importation and sale of many kinds of goods. A few years after its creation, the group decided to diversify its own production, giving rise over time to many diverse companies. The main businesses are distribution and handling, the production of pasta, flour, water and tomato concentrate and the realization of packaging materials. The turnover in 2019 stabilized at around 50 million euros.

FROM IMPORTS TO OWN PRODUCTIONAfter having imported and distributed tomato concentrate, ketchup and canned legumes for years for the local market, the Carré d’Or Group decided to create a plant for its own production of these products and to open a dedicated company, whose name is Tomaci. The company detected three fundamental needs for identifying the ideal partner for the project’s development:

• Having one supplier for the majority of the production lines• Being able to rely on a partner with experience in the processing technologies of all types of foods • Finding a supplier with a solid know-how and a strong vocation for exportAll the major manufacturers of machinery for the food industry were consulted, and each was asked to present their work plan, including references and pre and post sales services. Competition was very fierce, considering also the overall value of the project and the challenge represented by building something entirely new, complete and with an undoubted impact on the industrial development of that area of the African continent. The history, the references and the complete offer put in place by CFT Group convinced Tomaci and the Carré d’Or group to entrust us with the task: a challenge and a responsibility that we welcomed with intense pride.

CFT GROUP FOR TOMACIThe first two plants for processing tomato purée and producing ketchup built for Tomaci date back to February 2015. The two preparation lines, with capacities of 5000 and 2500 kg /h, were allocated to packaging the product in cans and aluminium foil plastic sachets and pouches.The two lines were designed ad hoc taking into account the customer’s request to obtain high viscosity values of the final product.In December 2015 the factory was expanded with two more lines, the first for packing the tomato sauce in 2.2 kg and 400 g cans, the second for the rehydration, cooking, filling and sterilization of legumes in 400 and 800 g cans.In 2019 we supplied Tomaci with two more lines for tomato concentrate processing, to produce tomato-based sauce and ketchup, with a capacity of 2500 and 3000 kg / h.

TOMACI

Tomaci had no experience in the production of tomato-based sauce: for this reason, a fundamental part of our work was to provide continuous training and assistance in the field, and also adapting and modifying the equipment sold after their start-up.The latest lines supplied to Tomaci include many of the most advanced CFT Group technologies for food processing. Below is a summary of the machines and technologies designed and installed over time for Tomaci.

2015 SUPPLY5 t/h capacity lines for tomato concentrate processing, made up of:

• Tomato concentrate drum emptying unit• Ingredient preparation section (such as salt and flavourings)• Phenix model continuous system for the standardization of the final product• Olimpic model tube in tube pasteurizer

2.5 h/t capacity ketchup production lines made up of:

• Concentrate drum emptying unit• Ingredient preparation section (vinegar, salt, water)• Vulcano S model cooker for the mixing and cooking of the ingredients• Olimpic model tube in tube deaerator and pasteurizer

Spiral for pasteurization / cooling of sachets and pouches (70 g, 500 g and 1 kg)

• MECAIR Air Cooler model

Line for filling 400 g and 2.2 kg tin plate cans

• CFT 201S model depal• PF21-2000/4L piston filler for 400 g cans• PF6-1H piston filler for 2.2 kg cans• Linear tunnel pasteurizer and cooler for 400

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g and 2.2 kg cans• Automatic carton packing machine

Rehydration line for legumes and autoclaves for the sterilization of the canned product.

• No. 5 rehydration tanks• 12-30 model continuous cooker/blancher• CFT CS1200 model semi automatic crate loader• Prima model No. 3 static sterilization retort• CFT DS1200 model semi automatic crate unloader

Line for filling vegetables in 800 g cans

• CFT 201S model depal• CFT RVA 30 model pocket filler for inserting legumes in boxes• CFT VF16 + 2000/4L model vacuum filling and seaming group for adding preserving liquid and crimping the boxes

Supply of 20L line for the production of 2500 kg/h tomato sauce made up of:

• Tomato concentrate drum emptying unit• Vulcano S model cooker for the mixing and cooking of the ingredients

2020 SUPPLYLine for the production of 3000 kg/h tomato sauce and ketchup made up of:

• Tomato concentrate drum emptying unit• Vulcano S model cooker for the mixing and cooking of the ingredients• Horizontal storage tank “CFT Group has made our machinery with quality materials and automation of a high standard, assisting us for all the time necessary to make the lines purchased efficient and reliable. The company has also provided us with very satisfactory after-sales service, which has allowed us to never have to stop the plants. Our lines have been working 6 days a week in 3 shifts, for a total of 130 hours per week for over three years.”Dr Alessandro Abbo – Tomaci Technical Manager

The launching of the last plants took place in August 2020 and we are definitely satisfied with what we managed to build for Tomaci. A complete, state-of-the-art factory, with great yield potential. Another successful project, which confirms us as a reference partner for African companies that are investing in the development of the food sector in their countries.

Alberto Quintavalla – Regional Sales ManagerNicola Pisani – Processing PM Engineer

TOMATO PASTE/CONCENTRATE IMPORT IN AFRICA, 2015-2020 AVERAGE**Trade data Monitor LLC via tomatonews.com

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RALI

A

EATWELLvictoria, australia

fully automated control system, energy saving, a perfect uniformity in the distribution of the internal temperature and a correct and documented recording of the thermal cycle.Of course, we are talking about a greater investment when compared to a pasteurizing oven or tunnel. For this reason, Eatwell also considered other types of technology and different autoclave models. The goal, however, was to not take any risks with quality and safety and the decision in the end was to award CFT Group.

Market prospects*The global market for tofu and derivative products is expected to grow at a CAGR of + 5.1% in the 2020-2025 period.The market is driven by a growing preference for plant-based products, with a shift of consumers towards a vegan diet. In addition, the rich nutritional profile of tofu is fuelling its demand globally.

Simone Anghinetti - Product SpecialistGianfranco Ceci - Automation Division Manager

*mordorintelligence.comCFT Group has the right know-how and technologies to transform the capacity and production quality of any company, ensuring its business grows along with its ability to adapt to different market situations.

More and more vegansWe all know it: in recent years there has been a dramatic drop in consumer interest in products of animal origin, mainly due to the growing concern for animal welfare, personal health and sustainability. The consumption of animal protein in certain cases can be associated with raised levels of cholesterol, fats and calories, that increase the risk of heart disease, high blood sugar levels and obesity; for these reasons, people are demonstrating an inclination towards vegan sources of protein. This has created the basis for the growth in the market for tofu, vegetable burgers and all those foods that are seen as “healthy alternatives” to meat.Following this trend, many companies have been created that offer an ever-increasing portfolio of tofu products to attract consumers, such as “premium” category tofu, tofu enriched with omega-3, vacuum-packed tofu, tofu cutlets and so on. One of the main challenges of this market is the shelf-life and food safety of tofu-based products.

Australian Eatwell and pasteurizationAustralian Eatwell is a company that was founded in 1990 and specializes in the production of tofu and vegetable burgers, foods that are also becoming increasingly popular in Australia. Eatwell’s management contacted CFT Group in 2019 with a specific need: the goal was to raise its quality and safety standards during production, in particular to pasteurize their tofu in the safest and

most effective way possible. Pasteurizing this type of food has the advantage of being a much less aggressive process than sterilization, it preserves the organoleptic characteristics of the product and allows the shelf life to be extended up to 45/60 days in the fridge.Pasteurization technologies can vary. Pasteurizing ovens and tunnels fall into this category, even if sometimes, especially if not used with the right procedures, hygienic pitfalls can be hidden thus not allowing the levels of food safety to be met as required by the market. The real risk that many companies which do not dedicate the right resources to these operations run is to fail to pass quality controls and have their products rejected by customers or large-scale distributors, with consequent serious economic and image damage. In our experience, this happens more often than we think.

The CFT Group solutionThe solution that we designed for Australian Eatwell goes in the opposite direction: 100% safety and quality.To guarantee “state-of-the-art” pasteurization, we proposed the use of a two-cycle static autoclave. In addition to allowing safe and easily manageable processing, this type of technology has the advantage of returning the product to 6-7 degrees once the pasteurization is finished: this means that you do not have to use a blast chiller in the next stage. Other characteristics of this autoclave are a

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EATWELLPASTEURIZING EQUIPMENT FOR

TOFU AND VEGGIE BURGERS

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DIXIE BEERNew Orleans, USA

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manager Matteo Melzi responded to Dixie’s needs with commitment and expertise and followed the project in all its phases. They chose the machinery needed, calculated the space needed for the line, installed the equipment and trained the staff. Every aspect was managed and coordinated by Comac in cooperation with the Dixie Beer team to ensure that everybody was fully aligned and involved in a process that required years of work.

First Results, with an Eye to the FutureAll the hard work has given more than satisfactory results, as confirmed by Stephen Borutta, Director of Brewing Operations at Dixie Beer.For example, the canning line has a capacity of 10,000 cans per hour and boasts:

• An exceptional level of dissolved oxygen• An extremely low level of CO2 maintenance• Very low oxygen pickup

These values translate into a simple result – top quality beer.Moving forward, Dixie Beer can now think of taking the next steps towards even greater success. The first goal is to improve product shelf life in order to expand sales in regions distant from New Orleans.

Find Out MoreIf you are curious and would like to learn more about the project Comac completed for Dixie Beer, take a look at the video accessible via the link at the top of this page, filmed a few days after the new plant was inaugurated. Visit Dixie Beer’s social media pages too!

Cheers!

Written by Comac Communication, Web and Public Relations office

Dixie Beer is a historic beer brand, famous not just in New Orleans but throughout the United States. Founded in 1907, Dixie Beer has over a century of history behind it and remains closely associated with New Orleans. From its origins to the Prohibition, and from failure to success, Dixie has always managed to overcome difficult moments and continue to pursue its mission: crafting quality beer.

The Latest Revival and Collaboration with Comac29 August 2005 is a date that will always remain in the memory of New Orleans and its coastland. That day, hurricane Katrina crippled New Orleans and destroyed the entire production site of Dixie Beer. For the next fifteen years, Dixie was forced to produce its beer in third

party factories (contract brewing).Dixie Beer was finally able to return to New Orleans a few months ago and inaugurate a new headquarters. The new site covers nearly 85,000 square feet and is home to two brewing plants and a brand-new and complete high-speed line for kegging, bottling and canning supplied by Comac. The new line regularly impresses the thousands of people that go on guided tours of the brewery.

A Project Developed Over TimeAs explained by General Manager Jim Birch, Dixie was looking for a line that could combine high speed operation with ease of use, and that could be controlled by just a few operators.A team of Comac professionals under project

DIXIE BEERComac and the Rebirth

of Dixie Beer

CUSTOMERS WORLWIDE

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

(Jim Birch, Dixie Beer General Manager)

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

(Jim Birch, Dixie Beer General Manager)

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SABABAY WINERYBALI, INDONESIA

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SABABAYWine production plants

for Sababay

CUSTOMERS WORLWIDE

The phone callIt was a work afternoon like so many others, and while I was in the office, my mobile phone began to ring.“Hi Harry, how are you?”. Harry is one of our agents in Southeast Asia and we are often in touch to deal with opportunities and mishaps in that area. Fortunately, as in this case, the opportunities are often greater than the inconveniences. “Hi Pier, fine thanks. I’ve got something for you in Bali; a wine producer I know has got a bottle filler that isn’t working properly and he’s in trouble. Can we have a chat?”.The wine market has always held a great appeal. We are in fact talking about one of the élites of the Beverage industry, that also requires a huge amount of preparation and know-how in terms of processing and filling technology. Right from the start, then, Harry’s proposal looked very interesting and his call allowed our group to get to know the Sababay winery, one of the main wine producers in Bali.

SababaySababay is a very well-known winery in Bali, where it organises guided tours and tastings which are always appreciated by locals and tourists. It produces both still and sparkling red and white wines, but at that time was facing significant production problems that risked seriously damaging its business.

From the preliminary exploratory meeting, it had in fact emerged that Sababay needed support for various aspects. The winery needed a new bottle filler that would overcome the current reliability problems and it also wanted to take a step forwards is terms of quality and productivity. Not only this: production at Sababay was still tied very much with tradition, meaning an almost total absence of automation in the production phases.

The race to win the project put us in competition with some of the best manufacturers of wine-making equipment in the world. Although the wine sector is not among the main markets where CFT Group

usually competes, our technology for this industry is on a par with the major players. This is thanks to the fact that CFT Group came about from the union of various brands, each with a specific know-how, some of which enjoyed a significant position in the market of equipment for wine production.

Once Sababay was convinced from a technical point of view, what allowed us to stand out from the others was the possibility of also offering local support following installation, thanks to Harry and our branches in that area.

There are not many companies that can boast a widespread presence like that of CFT Group and having technical support in your own area is often an important factor in the customer’s decision.

CFT Group solutionThe bottle filler supplied to Sababay is part of CFT Group’s Master line, an isobarometric filler capable of reaching a speed of 60,000 bph, a perfect solution for still, semi-sparkling and sparkling drinks. In this case, given the product and the needs of the customer, the equipment installed had a capacity of 4,500 bph. For the occasion, Sababay decided to use an innovative closure for the bottle, which is widespread especially in Australia. The Zork closure has a shape that is very similar to a champagne cork, but is made of plastic. The advantage is that it keeps the bottle perfectly sealed,

even without the use of the wire cage and can be easily reinserted into the bottle, really useful in countries where yes, wine is consumed, but in smaller quantities than it is in Europe. The bottle filler was therefore customised for Sababay, in order to integrate the capping machine suitable for this type of closure. In addition to this type of “Zork” closure, the machine is also capable of capping aluminium screw-top bottles with a 30x60 mm cap.Sababay also needed the support of CFT Group to transition from largely manual processing to a highly automated one. To do this, we put in place some of our best technicians, who worked on site together with the company, putting their vast experience into play, helping the Sababay team to optimise its equipment in the best way.

For the winery it was therefore a useful moment to review and adapt its production procedures, accompanied by advice from CFT Group both for the installation of the machines and for production organisation. The arrival of the product, its storage, the insertion in the line and the washing system were optimised and where possible automated, to the huge satisfaction of the customer and consequently also to the technicians, to me and to Harry.

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The bottle with the Zork closure was an innovation for the Bali wine market and the plant has managed the new type of closure very well, which in a short time also became a marketing tool for Sababay wines.

I am particularly fond of the “Sababay project”, primarily because it shows that CFT Group can compete in the wine production equipment industry on a level pegging with other companies who are much more focussed on this market.

Another reason for feeling satisfied is the fact that it was not only an opportunity to supply a customer with our technology, but also accompany them and guide them in the growth process of their company.

Piermario Zuccati – Regional Sales Manger (and narrator)Harry Nazarudin – Sales RepresentativeStefano Casini – Project ManagerManuel Varacchi and Pietro Pocaterra – Technical support

Market prospectsThe wine market is expected to grow with an average rate of 5.8% in the next 4 years. Asia-Pacific is the area where the most important development is expected, thanks also to the fact that many more producers are appearing in China, Japan and India *.Source: mordorintelligence.com

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ANDWEST BERKSHIRE BREWERY

YATTENDON, WEST BERKSHIRE, ENGLAND

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WEST BERKSHIRE BREWERY

Beer production and filling for WBB

CUSTOMERS WORLWIDE

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Beer production and filling for WBBFive years ago, there was a large barn in a green area known as Frilsham Park, 85 kilometres west of London. The first time we went there, we had accepted Tom Lucas, CEO of West Berkshire Brewery’s invitation, to make an inspection. Tom immediately proved to be a person who is enthusiastic about his job. He had only recently become CEO and had summoned us to tell us about his ambitious project, which concerned this particular large barn in Frilsham Park.

The structure was surrounded by greenery and covered an area of about 12,000 square metres. When we went in, it looked as though it had been abandoned. The rough concrete flooring was still covered in rubble, bits and pieces of straw and some work tools. In the air there still lingered the strong aroma of barn and animals.Tom illustrated his idea to us: “We want to build a new brewery here to produce and bottle our beer”. From the

way he smiled, it was clear that he was already imagining it, and we were ready to make his dream come true. We were going to turn that abandoned barn into a brewery and filling facility, made up of cutting-edge technology.In this video, shot at that time, David Bruce, West Berkshire Brewery chairman, is promoting a fundraiser

and describes his project which also shows the original barn.

Complete solutionA few months later, the CFT Group’s idea and project won Tom and the whole West Berkshire Brewery team over, standing out from the other proposals for quality, efficiency and long-term planning.As with many other previously built plants, we also prepared a convincing “Master Plan” for WBB to make the most of the plant area in as rational a way as possible. To do this, it was necessary to predict what the seasonal peak production characteristics of that geographical area would be,

optimizing internal logistics and keeping various development hypotheses in mind.

Beer production processThe project foresees a production based on four 60-hl (cold must) brews, with a 96% yield equal to 240 hl/day - equivalent to around 50,000 hl/year.The 3-vat CFT Group brewing room can produce 4 brews a day, extendable to 8, and is a state-of-the-art system in terms of technology, automation and attention to energy saving. It is made up of:

• Plant for receiving, storing, cleaning, milling and transporting malt with a 1,500 kg/h capacity, with a vacuum system to reduce to a minimum the areas needing explosion prevention systems.• 83-hl boiler, complete with static water-malt mixer with low oxygen content and CO2 protection; a low-speed, three-blade mixer for homogeneous and gentle mixing; accessories sized for low speed so as to reduce the stress to which the must is subjected.• 140-hl filtration vat with CFT technology: consisting of a balanced hydraulic system, guaranteeing a high filtration speed, the clearness of the must and a solid content of less than 100 mg/l. All managed through a specific constant flow automation programme.• 108-hl brew kettle, capable of working with large hop yields. The two-level tangential entries of the must ensure efficient extraction of volatile components and other unwanted substances.• External boiler with low evaporation rate and a difference in temperature between product and steam of 0.7° C.• Automatic loading of hops to reduce operating times and risks.• Controlled temperature extraction system of the aromatic components of the hops.• Three-container washing system, with a customizable washing programme and compatible with the working times of the individual components of the system.

Before the addition of the yeast, the must that arrives from the brewing room is cooled using a single phase heat exchanger. All of the heat from the must is conveyed in the brewing process.

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We designed the cellar for a production of 50,000 hl. The sizing of the tanks was calculated on the basis of production needs and proportionate to the characteristics of the filtration, saturation and storage room. All phases of the process are connected and optimized for an automated production with very short cycles and in complete safety.

Beer fillingFor the bottling and canning of the beer, we proposed to the West Berkshire Brewery the two machines best suited to their needs: a counter-pressure filler for glass or plastic bottles and a monobloc for filling and seaming cans.The MASTER RS GLASS / PET filler model is based on counter-pressure filling technology, suitable for filling glass or PET bottles with carbonated or still drinks. This machine is one of the best examples of CFT Group technology for medium / high capacity lines.Its main characteristics are:• Speed from 3,500 to 60,000 bottles per hour.• Excellent performance in terms of precision in filling, product management and control of the oxygen content, with PLC controlled work phases.• Hygienic design• Centralized decompression system

MASTER C BLOCK is an automatic monobloc for filling and seaming cans. It reaches a speed of 15,000 cans per hour and is part of CFT Group’s “premium” range dedicated to craft and small to medium-sized breweries. Its strengths are:

• Extreme compactness: small size and very high production standards. Suitable for small spaces and easy to install• High precision: technology with highly accurate flow meter• Speed: up to 15,000 cans per hour• Also available as a 24-valve version

The cans and bottles are then labelled and palletized on the spot.

Installation, training and testingThe placement of the brewery’s vats and equipment around the structural pillars and the trusses of the old barn had to be planned down to the last centimetre: in particular, the height of the ceiling required ad hoc

design and careful examination of the pipes.In parallel with the commissioning of the plant, we started three months of training dedicated to the workers. As always, in order to use the most advanced technologies, training is necessary to learn the correct skills. However, CFT Group’s control and monitoring system guarantees easy and intuitive processes, with new and faster work procedures that have contributed to increasing staff motivation and an improvement in the company’s internal communication.In a short time, the new project had a positive impact on several fronts. In addition to the economic aspects, the consequences were to minimize risks and a new incentive for the brewery to commit itself to environmental sustainability. As we always repeat to all of our customers, eco-compatibility is in fact an essential factor for the production philosophy. This includes both the optimized treatment of natural resources and the attention to identifying potential energy or consumption inefficiencies and correcting them in time.Tom and all of his staff were extremely satisfied with the project and the installation and decided soon afterwards to further expand their brewery with new tanks and other components, thus achieving a production capacity of 100,000 hl/year.

We have grown significantly in the last 30 years.We have recently completed our fourth expansion, which was the biggest one!

Our brand new brewery was designed and installed by CFT Group (Parma - Italy) and included a brewery with a 70-hl capacity made up of 5 vats, including a dispenser and hop filter.

In the cellar we have eight 60-hl, twelve 120-hl and one 240-hl fermenters.We are very enthusiastic about this new equipment: we will be able to produce even more beer while being more

flexible and more creative.West Berkshire Brewery

Market prospects *Beer is the most important sector in the global alcoholic beverage market, both in terms of volume and value. Market revenue amounts to $522,299 million in 2020. An average annual growth of 9.4% is expected over the 2020-2023 period. Most of the revenue is generated in the USA ($101,847 million in 2020).

Matteo Avanzi – Sales Area ManagerElio Poloniato – Brewing Process Engineering SpecialistDaniele Biancheri – Process Technical ManagerCristiano Macrì – Packaging Process Manager

*Source: statista.com

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CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY: A GOAL THAT CANNOT BE MISSED

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Sustainability has always been a topic that has occupied centre stage. It is of particularly relevance for companies operating in the manufacturing sector who have always reserved a solid commitment towards it.The economy offers significant development opportunities thanks to the use of sustainable or eco-friendly innovation. On the other hand, the question on everyone’s lips is: at what point does innovation become sustainable? According to numerous studies and researches, this happens when the criteria for measuring the environmental performance of producers exist. This urge us to consider the entire lifecycle of the products and services offered, thus creating both a more transparent communication and a more sophisticated request from the consumers.There are two main spheres within an entrepreneurial organization where the concept of sustainability can find its correct place. A more corporate and institutional sphere, and one related to the rationalization of production processes, the reduction of waste and the improvement of design efficiency. From all these points of view, CFT Group has made a firm commitment to pursuing its social and revenue objectives. A view to sustainability, including a proposal to reduce the emissions of its plants, is the instrument to ensure the conservation and protection of the environment in which we operate. The aim is an ongoing improvement of the performances, while minimizing the environmental risks

associated with the activities carried out and the products / services provided.

Among the activities that our company carried out we find:

- A geothermal system inside the new headquarters that allows the production of hot water for heating in winter and for sanitary purposes in addition to the possibility of having cold water in the summer to cool the rooms.

- Still about renewable energies, the Group headquarters has been equipped with many solar panels and has recently introduced specific charging stations for electric vehicles.- The company restaurant, one of the most shared spaces within the headquarters, has seen a series of measures implemented to aim at reducing waste and using increasingly popular eco-compatible materials. In addition, an effective separate collection system has been implemented.- The adoption of bins for used batteries present on each floor of the company. - The “box for ideas” initiative, where all employees can suggest good “sustainability causes” for the community and local area.

It is important to remember that our commitment is not only focused on the environment where the company operates, but also extends to the well-being of the people who are part of the local community. This includes multiple acts of charity including the collection of clothing for under privileged children, donations of vouchers for the purchase of toys for the city’s paediatric oncology department and further donations to various associations, through the purchase of specific products.Moreover, we are participating in the redevelopment project of the Parma-North production area, with the aim of creating an industrial park with an eco-district content of reference for the city of Parma.

Sustainability of the production processesIn addition to be a structured organization made up of socially committed people, CFT Group is also a company that deals with manufacturing. In this regard, it is possible to discuss how the issue of sustainability in CFT Group has been addressed also with

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CORPORATE SUSTAINABILITY: A GOAL THAT CANNOT BE MISSED

a focus on internal production processes, regarding the technologies related to Packaging.Packaging - whether single-trip or reusable - plays a crucial role in protecting goods, preventing damage during transport and offering safe storage from the elements, vibrations, drop and compression. It also provides the opportunity to communicate information to a customer regarding the product’s contents – whether promotional, factual or mandated by law, as well as providing product security making items more tamper-resistant. Before going more into the concerned study, we must say that the realization of a paper or an article focusing on sustainability is not an easy process. It must be carried out by following a standard procedure (LCA), based on a series of impact factors that must necessarily be taken into account and whose measurements cannot be separated from a specific context.

LIFE CYCLE ASSESSMENT (LCA)The Life cycle assessment (LCA) is a technique that quantifies the environmental impacts of a product or system. Typically, it considers every aspect from the winning and conversion of raw materials, through manufacturing of products, distribution, use and finally management of wastes. Lots of LCA studies have been performed to evaluate and compare reusable packaging systems and equivalent single-trip packaging solutions. A structured and reasoned review of these existing studies was made in order to identify key trends.

THE STUDYThe study, carried out by some of the major bottled mineral water producers in the USA, has been realized on the basis of a LCA procedure to determine if the returnable PET 4 gal. bottle can be considered more sustainable than the single-trip PET bottle and the commonly used HDPE one. Some critical impact factors involving bottle design and blowing process were identified and taken into consideration for this analysis.

It is in this context that SIAPI, the CFT Group’s company specialized in offering blow-molding solutions, cooperated to find the best design and process solution to meet the required values for the specified impact factors. We were asked to:- Maximize n (number of cycles) reaching n>=25- Minimize rejection rate reaching Sr=25Thanks to the above-mentioned activities we are currently blowing bottles and are able to reach at least n=30

COMPARISON BETWEEN SINGLE-TRIP AND RETURNABLE BOTTLESKg of PET used per 1000 BOTTLE/WEEK N=30Sr=2%Bottle weight:OW 350 gRET 650 g

FUTURE GOALSAfter these tests, our R&D Team wants to reach the following targets, always taking into consideration their calculation and the same impact factors:• Reduced weight: a returnable PET bottle weights 650 g while a single-trip PET bottle weights 350 g• Usage of recycled PET: recycled PET use in big formats is difficult due to reduced elasticity. PSB allows to stretch recycled PET• Increased n: new goal is n=40

Stefano Tonti - SIAPI CEO and Packaging Engineering DirectorJessica Petrilli - Marketing & Communication Manager

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TACKLING CHANGE, TOGETHER

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TACKLING CHANGE, TOGETHER

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In last year’s CFT magazine, various articles spoke about “time spent in the company” and of the “passion” that every person in the CFT Group puts into being a present and active member of their department.

It is easy to see that over the past few months, all our routines, points of reference, job security (or not) have been severely tested in the context of a scenario that has turned everything on its head and as a result we have had to put ourselves completely out there. For many of us, our physical presence in the company has all but disappeared and we have had to learn new ways and means of doing our job better.

Coronavirus is not just a global health emergency. It has also been a significant push for change in our day-to-day experiences that has radically transformed both individual and social behaviour. Every one of us has been forced to accept, in addition to different working conditions, social isolation, different ways of relating, new buying behaviours, and management of family and of free time. From a work point of view, what does all this entail?

Places and social identityThe German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies divided social groups into two broad categories: society and community.

Society is based on weak ties: a collection of individuals who meet for occasional or instrumental reasons - for example, the purchase of goods, the provision of services - and they agree to respect a series of common principles. For this reason the relationships between the subjects do not touch on their diverse individualities, just their performance. Households, groups of friends, sporting associations, and yes, even companies, are made up like communities. It is strong bonds that create communities: blood ties (family and kinship), emotional (relationships) and place (the sharing of spaces). At the foundation of the community we have a mutual relationship felt by the participants and based on a lasting, intimate and exclusive coexistence. The result is a link that makes members

similar to each other and creates a permanent bond.

As the social psychologist goes on to explain, the concept of community is closely linked to that of place and recently the husband and wife team, May-Britt and Edvard Moser (winners of the Nobel Prize for medicine), found out why: our brain has the innate capacity to recognize physical places and the people within them. In fact several neurons are able to immediately recognize both the boundaries that surround us (place cells and grid cells) and the position of other people within them (social place cells).This capacity plays a central role in our memory function, especially autobiographical, because it uses places to build our social identity. We are workers because we go to the company, we are students because we go to school, we are fans because we go to the stadium, we are sick because we are in hospital and so on.

What a lot of us have found out for ourselves is that since we don’t live in the workplace, it is difficult to build a sense of community. If we think, for example, about video-conferences: there is no doubt that talking to your colleagues on Teams is not the same thing as having a chat with them over a coffee.Teams, Zoom, and Meet are not places and do not activate spatial neurons.Without places, our autobiographical memory does not update, leaving us with the feeling of having spent many days that are almost the same, weakening our sense of being part of the same community.

Tackling the changeWe are people with the need to evolve. In a constantly changing environment, losing the challenge of change means holding on to old mental patterns that no longer work, fuelling fears and frustration in the different areas that shape our lives.Mental schemes acquired over the years give certainties and do so regardless of their efficiency. Calling them into question means letting go of a little security while we wait to consolidate new schemes that better serve our goals.

The first step is becoming aware of this moment: how many times have we heard the phrase “the first step in solving a problem is to understand that there is a problem”? It is time to embrace this sense of loss and disorientation that we are experiencing, and look for new elements while reformulating what community means for us.

This is the intention that has accompanied CFT Group in recent months and one that we will continue to pursue in 2021.

HR activities in this new contextIn this regard, the HR Department has gone through a process of constant evolution in 2020 with a view to improving its role. With the primary objective of a comprehensive employee management, we are increasingly structuring it as a Group role to support all the subsidiaries concerning the administrative aspects of personnel, organization and development.

New methods have been adopted, new programmes, new approaches to newly identified needs. From the major effort of recording attendance in smart working, to the management of trips by the Travel department, to looking after the safety protocol. Training is migrating from physical presence to Digital Learning while maintaining a high degree of involvement from the participants. Communication activities have been strengthened internally as well as externally in close contact with the Marketing department, including Smart Guides, LinkedIn and corporate website restructuring.

The best we can hope for in 2021 is to be able to exploit the changes taking place as a big opportunity for growth. Let’s do it all together, as a community.

Pier Mauro Dallasta - HR DirectorBenedetta Silla - Organization & HR Development

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CFT S.p.AVia Paradigna, 94/A - 43122 Parma - Italy

www.cft-group.com