We interviewed the strapping division development Manager, Ludmil Tchavdarov, about SIAT new product VIPER, the battery-powered next-generation plastic strapping tool.

Good morning, thank you for being here with us today. Could you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your role in the development of the Viper?

Ludmil: Certainly, thank you for the invitation. I’m Ludmil, Head of Development Strapping Division at Siat Group. I coordinated the development of the Viper, our new tool for PP and PET strapping. This project is part of our continuous improvement process aimed at taking our machines to the highest levels of excellence in the industry.

The Viper seems to be a truly innovative product. Could you share with us some of its key features?

Ludmil: Absolutely. The Viper is designed to be the next step in plastic strapping technology. It’s battery-powered, extremely versatile, compatible with PP and PET in three different sizes: 9, 12, and 16 mm. One of the most interesting features is its innovative touchscreen interface, like that of a smartphone, providing an intuitive and immediate user experience.

Interesting. How was the issue of usability and setting programming addressed?

Ludmil: We worked hard to make the parameters programming as simple as possible. Thanks to our touchscreen interface, users can easily adjust values, save preferred settings, and recall them at any time. Tensioning force can be programmed in Newton, Kg, and lbs, and users can record the type and dimensions of the strapping. Differently from previous models, in which settings are made with adimensional numbers, here we have units of measurement known to everyone (kg., seconds, etc.). It is easy to switch from the international to the Anglo-Saxon system and vice versa. In addition, we have given the user more control over parameters not accessible in previous models. One of these is the cooling time.

Very interesting. What about the maintenance of the Viper?

Ludmil: We also paid close attention to maintenance. The Viper offers the possibility to easily perform functionality tests and report any errors for prompt resolution. This means users can rely on a machine that is always efficient and ready to use.

How was the Viper launched on the market?

Ludmil: Before launching the Viper, we conducted a detailed study of the market identifying three key elements: Italian design, easy of use of the interface, and the versatility of the Viper, which can be used in a wide range of applications, from heavy-duty to lighter ones. We incorporated these points into all marketing materials, ensuring a strong and convincing message.

One final question: what were the main objectives during the development of the Viper?

Ludmil: During the development of the Viper, our main objective was to create a tool that combines maximum efficiency and functionality with an ergonomic and user-friendly design. We wanted it to be a complete solution for plastic strapping, and I believe we have successfully achieved this goal.

Thank you very much for having shared so interesting information about the Viper with us. We are excited to see how this innovative tool will be received in the market.

Ludmil: Thank you for the opportunity to talk about our work. I’m confident that the Viper will be a success and will bring added value to everyone who uses it. I also thank the whole team for their commitment and devotion. Let’s get on with it, guys. We have new challenges ahead of us.

The full team – from left to right: Nicola Mezzasalma – Ludmil Tchavdarov – Luca Spelta – Nicola Izzo

We are thrilled to share the exciting news that Siat has successfully completed the acquisition of N. American packaging equipment manufacturer Combi LLC, marking a pivotal milestone for both organizations. This strategic move marks a significant opportunity for growth and expansion, allowing both companies to broaden their technological horizons.

Siat and Combi assure all stakeholders that business operations will continue without interruption. This commitment reflects Siat Group’s dedication to supporting and enhancing the strengths of both companies.

As we embark on this exciting journey together, we express gratitude to our teams, clients, and partners for their ongoing support.

Read more in the press release below:

https://www.siat.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Siat-Press-Release_Siat-S.p.A-Achieves-Full-Ownership-of-Combi-in-Successful-Acquisition.pdf

WHERE WE COULDN’T MISS IT!

Interpack, the world’s leading trade fair for packaging, back in 2023 after many years of absence, brought together industry professionals, innovators and exhibitors from around the world. This highly awaited event held every three years in Düsseldorf, Germany, serves as a platform to present the latest advances, trends and solutions of the packaging industry.

Interpack 2023 was an unprecedented meeting of industry experts, and offered a unique opportunity for networking, knowledge exchange and business development. The event characterized by the presence of exhibitors representing various industries, including food and beverage packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, confectionery and industrial packaging.

The importance of Interpack goes beyond the exhibition halls. It serves as a catalyst for driving innovation, promoting collaborations and shape the future of the packaging industry. Bringing together key stakeholders, industry leaders and decision makers, Interpack serves as a melting pot of ideas and inspiration, opening the way to breakthroughs that redefine the packaging landscape.

In addition, Interpack demonstrates the commitment of the industry toward sustainability and environmental responsibility. With an increased focus on packaging environmentally friendly, waste reduction and circular economy principles, the event shows the industry’s efforts to address global challenges such as pollution from plastics and the resources exhaustion.

This year INTERPACK hosted about 2,700 companies from all over the world and more than 140,000 visitors, confirming itself as the world’s most important fair within our industry. SIAT once again presented itself with highly successful innovations, proving to be a pioneer in machinery capable of processing sustainable consumables such as WAT tape, paper tape and films with a high percentage of recycled material.

A rigorous example that has gained much interest is NASTRO AQUA™, the revolutionary taping machine for gummed paper tapes. The NASTRO ACQUA taping system offers the possibility of using WAT tape for professional use, thus realizing the goals of productivity and eco-sustainability with the possibility of making single-material packaging when using non-reinforced tape.

At the fair it was also presented the VENTO taping unit, the pneumatic solution for the most difficult boxes, empty or with unevenness. Designed to be mounted on the NASTRO SB ™ and on machines with SIAT logic. In representation of the pallet wrapping line, SIAT presented: ProWrap+, the new automatic wrapping solution for automated lines and higher performances and also BeeWrap with Laser Scanner, a solution suitable for heavy items, unusual shapes and large dimensions loads but also for absolute safety of the operator who, upon entering the working area of the machine, stops it, giving a restart signal only once exited the delimited area.

Finally, our booth dedicated a space also to our associate company Combi, which gave us the opportunity to show the integration of one of their best-selling formers, installed in line with our automatic SM11 taping machine. A big thank to all the people who worked and contributed to the realization of this edition of INTERPACK 2023 and to all colleagues and collaborators who have visited the SIAT booth and contributed to confirm the success and interest for our products.

Within the large exhibition setting of FIERA MILANO RHO, the 2022 edition of IPACK-IMA was held from May 03 to 6; with over 74,000 visitors, it was the international benchmark event for market professionals.

IPACK-IMA went beyond the best expectations; there were 166 exhibitors of which 76% were Italian, 59,837 professional traders from over 122 countries, and nearly 400 internationally accredited trade journalists!

In four days, our booth was visited by numerous visitors, more than 160 were direct contacts from customers from all over the world motivated in requesting information about our product range and the many new products presented in this edition.

A great success that confirmed SIAT as a leading company for innovation and sustainability.

Great interest was shown in AQUA™, the revolutionary water-activated gummed paper tape taping unit; a true innovation that makes SIAT a pioneer in the field of environmentally sustainable products.

Specifically designed to fit into all existing SIAT machines, including those of the new NASTRO-SB™ series, it guarantees a perfect, secure, and tamper-proof sealing.

Presented at the fair it was also mounted on the NASTRO-SB™-L5, the SIAT’s new range of semi-automatic taping machines designed and engineered by SIAT specifically for small, medium, and large fixed boxes with on-board logic.

Great curiosity also by VENTO™, the innovative pneumatic taping unit capable of handling even underfilled boxes or those with holes in the portion to be taped.

Designed to be fitted on all SIAT machines with logic on board, it was presented at the show mounted on the NASTRO-SB™-R6, the SIAT new range of semi-automatic random taping machines for small, medium, large and king-size boxes.

Another major innovation presented to the public is BoxMaster™.

The new automatic forming machine designed by SIAT to form and seal the bottom of boxes with both adhesive tape and hotmelt.

The easy storage of boxes in the innovative external warehouse, the production flexibility and the infinitely customizable programs with advanced settings make it a state-of-the-art flexible solution.

As next-generation pallet wrapper at our booth was presented the ProWrap, a semi-automatic rotary table wrapping machine, a model of versatility and efficiency capable, thanks to the VIKING™ carriage, of optimizing film consumption and ensuring full control of all wrapping parameters throughout the entire cycle.

The ergonomic and intelligent design of SIAT’s pre-stretch systems allows a safe reel loading and quick and easy setup, giving the possibility to reach pre-stretch values from 100 to over 400%, ensuring huge savings and film optimization.

Thanks to all the people who worked and contributed to this edition and to all the colleagues who visited the SIAT booth helping to confirm the success and the interest in our new products.

See you again in 2025!

SIAT is the market leader for taping machines, and we are recognized all over the world for the quality of our products. For this reason, we also have the important task of leading our sector not only in words but also in deeds.

Innovation is one of our most important and founding values of our company, and it is from these roots that the idea of the NASTRO SB™family was born.

We have therefore created this project, a completely new family of side belt taping machines (SB, is precisely the acronym for Side Belts) that could give the best on all its most important variables, all protected by an international patent: a better use for the operator, higher productivity, and the ability to exchange data with today’s interconnected world.

It is precisely on this last element, the interconnection that we want to focus the attention. We are once again forerunners in our sector, launching for the first time a range of 4.0 taping machines which, on the one hand, allows, even only through the panel of the L and R models, to see the production data, the alarms and the machine stops and on the other hand, through the cloud-based portal OptiRun, to have access to this data and many other statistics from your computer.

Another important element of our NASTRO SB™is that with this range the green vocation of the company is once again underlined.

These machines have, in fact, been designed with an energy saving system that switches off the machine when it is not in use.

We are truly proud of this new family of product that will kick off a long series of changes that will lead our company to have the best technology and maintain the state of the art in its sector for the future as well.

NASTRO-SB™ R5 – R6 – R8 RANGE

Where R stands for “Random”.

These are the semi-automatic machines with automatic sizing, derived from the XL45, XL46, SM48. For the NASTRO-SB™ R5 – R6 we have been able to build a safe machine even without the side protections (now optional) and thus making the operator’s work more ergonomic.

Using a high-quality pneumatic unit, combined with the customized electronic board that boasts the intellectual property of SIAT, these machines are also able to increase production capacity compared to the old models and exchange data / information with the network, as well as save electricity when not in use in stand-by mode and stop the machine due to tape end / break alarm.

The NASTRO-SB™ R8 version, which for reasons of size will still have side protections, will also be available in the R8H version with double motorization to manage boxes up to 1.3 meters high.

We have also worked on the names of the machines, so that they can be easily used both by all the staff of our company but also for those who work for us and for those who buy our products.

NASTRO-SB™ L5 – L6 – L8 RANGE

Where L stands for “Logic”.

The NASTRO-SB™ L5-L6-L8 are new models with manual adjustment based on the M series but are equipped with an electronic board and photocells capable of taping a box with a variable speed, increasing the total production capacity up to 70%.

They are also equipped with a standard energy saving system and an IoT gateway that allows the exchange of data between the machine and our cloud based OptiRun portal with the possibility of exchanging production data, alarms, machine downtime and above all the real-time monitoring of machine consumption.

NASTRO-SB™ M5 – M6 – M8 RANGE

Where M stands for “Manual”.

The new generation of NASTRO-SB™ M5-M6 derives from XL35, XL36 and NASTRO-SB™ M8, a new model never made before, with manual adjustment but more robust and able to work hard and continuously, manages up to a maximum box width of 800 mm.

NASTRO-SB™ X5 RANGE

The NASTRO-SB™ X5 is the evolution of the S8 model – with a maximum of 500 mm manageable box width – which brings with it some of the improvements present in the entire NASTRO SB™ portfolio, such as the new system for removing the taping heads, the more solid structure, and the possibility drive belt change without metal joints.