The challenges of modern aseptic packaging systems: low production costs, high quality and the importance of maintenance

04 June 2019

Contents of the article

1. THE FACTORS THAT CHARACTERISE ASEPTIC PACKAGING

2. SERVICE SOLUTIONS AS A MEANS TO ACHIEVING CORPORATE OBJECTIVES

3. THE KEY FEATURES OF MAINTENANCE SERVICES AND CONSEQUENT BENEFITS FOR BUSINESS

4. PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE: A WAY TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND MINIMISE COSTS AND RISKS

5. IPI AT YOUR SERVICE

Companies that use aseptic carton to pack products, from milk to various fruit juices, are subject to continuous challenges to tackle increasing demands by the global market. In these contexts, each minute of inactivity affects production profitability, which is why machine reliability and efficiency are essential features.

The factors that characterise aseptic packaging

The main factors that characterise the aseptic packaging process are:

Heat treatment system
Type of filling machine
Aseptic primary packaging material
Secondary packaging line
Line control and management personnel

The individual contribution of each of these 5 elements is key to achieving corporate objectives in a market where competition is more and more tough.
Their interaction determines the overall process result, which can be measured through an Overall Equipment Efficiency (OEE) value, in which the various factors interact differently.

Ensuring high OEE levels, by mastering the technology and the features that influence its behaviour, means fully understanding of the interactions between the various system components.
This type of expertise is highly specialised and requires industry expertise that is not available in all production contexts.
The greatest cost of improvement is represented by the acquisition of internal know-how through tests, experience and failures.
In the same way, continuous innovation and searching for increasingly advanced solutions that are adequate to needs leads to the search for advanced partners that can guarantee high added value services.

Service solutions as a means to achieving corporate objectives

There is no specific formula to improving performance. The client company’s differing maturity levels may require different support methods: from start-ups, where the client needs constant support during the learning phase, to advanced clients for whom continuous performance improvement requires specific activities based on structured analysis of production data.

The common denominator that all clients must consider to consolidate their business is margin protection, an aspect that is reflected in increasingly lower operating costs in the long term, predictable and stable operating costs in the medium term.

For this reason, a process of continuous improvement is necessary to accompany clients in the evolution from start-up to consolidation in the market.

This process must take into consideration all the elements that enable the optimisation of the operational performance of the packaging lines and, in particular, reduce operating costs.

The Service Solutions that allow the achievement of set objectives must be based on a structured and consolidated product portfolio. This should consist of a series of services aimed at providing the most appropriate support for the needs of each specific client.

Among the services necessary to achieve and maintain the changing business goals that characterise different production contexts we certainly find:

Maintenance Services
Spare parts and Consumables
Upgrades kits
Plant kit parts consumables
Training Services
Installation Services and Expert Service engineering
Augmented reality (smart glasses for remote assistance)

The key features of maintenance services and consequent benefits for business

Packaging lines represent a substantial investment for companies, but it is also true that their operational capabilities are the key to a successful production.

It is essential that each manufacturing company have a variety of support services available to ensure the reliability of their equipment, avoiding the risk of machine downtime.

Usually, the best Maintenance Service systems include:

Preventive maintenance
Corrective maintenance (troubleshooting)
Production support
Maintenance management
Equipment assessment
Spare Parts & Logistics
Training
Line Improvement

The key benefits of maintenance activities concern achieving OEE goals, and can be summarised in:

Consistent equipment performance
Equipment availability and reliability
Operational cost reduction
Consistent product quality
Low waste levels
High competence of operating, maintenance and quality control personnel

Preventive maintenance: a way to improve performance and minimise costs and risks

Doing preventive maintenance doesn't mean waiting until an unexpected stoppage or breakdown occurs.
By closely monitoring equipment functionality and pre-planning downtime, it is possible to isolate issues and make flexible repairs without a lengthy production downtimes. All this translates into the extension of the equipment life and maintaining performance over time.

Preventive maintenance, based on a stable and predefined process, is the main pillar with which the performances keep consistent over time, minimising the unpredictability tied to system downtime caused by malfunctions or breakages.

Good and efficient preventive maintenance enables maintaining product quality levels stable as well as optimising the time available for production.

Correct preventive maintenance allows minimising production stoppages generated by failures, maximising the time available for production. The end result consists of high efficiency and stable performance.

The additional advantage tied to preventive maintenance is given by the predictability of operational costs and production efficiency.
These aspects are based on planning system downtimes (scheduling interventions and estimating their duration in advance) rather than from unforeseen events that are extremely harmful to company production.

Although preventive maintenance has an additional cost to be considered, this is largely compensated by the possibility of avoiding damage due to unplanned downtime, production waste and sudden breakdowns.

grafico cost reliability

The importance of data collection systems

The reduction in the processing times of production trends, through automatic data acquisition systems, allows an objective and timely implementation of action plans, eventually shared through on-site performance audits, aimed at recovering efficiency or improvements. When there are reductions in performance, it is essential to have a digital system that can analyse the operational data of the lines and find a quick solution for recovering efficiency.

Monitoring takes place through control systems installed on the machine that can collect data at predefined intervals. Information is selected based on identification of the critical functions that must be monitored and processed. All data gathered is managed by computational systems designed to understand and solve anomalies.

The detection of anomalies can also be performed through systems based on augmented and virtual reality, i.e. tools that allow companies to receive constant support without the need to wait for technicians to visit their production facilities.

Service Solutions customised based on needs: the value of Maintenance Agreements

The implementation of Service Solutions that are based on the client’s maturity level and geared to their real needs, enables quickly achieving the operational goals of the business.

The focal point in the predictability of costs associated with maintaining performance and quality is ensured by the fact that a Service Solution (which includes multiple services) is integrated into a fixed-price maintenance contract.

Let’s delve further into this aspect by comparing 3 types of Maintenance Service Solutions to which companies typically resort:

	COMPANY 1	COMPANY 2	COMPANY 3
How do they maintain their production line?	No maintenance agreement	Standard agreement	Full service pack agreement
How does the company behave when an unscheduled stoppage occurs?	It fixes it autonomously and in emergency	It requests an intervention to IPI	IPI's core team arrives straight away to fix it
Uptime
How much does the stoppage cost to the company's production?	The cost of an emergency intervention	The cost of a corrective intervention	Zero: corrective maintenance is included in the agreement
How long does it take before the equipment is restarted?	A lot	A little	Very little
How do the operators skills develop?	Independently	Along with IPI Group core team	On-the-job, since the coaching is part of the agreement
How does the company deal with troubleshooting?	Reactively only when a problem occurs	Diagnostic visits are available on demand	Diagnostic visits are included in the agreement
How’s the company's OEE?
How are its costs over time?	Irregular	Linear, plus the cost of corrective intervention	Linear during the agreement duration
	No maintenance pack: Worldwide spare parts supply delivered on-time in-full	A dedicated core team of IPI's group takes care of the scheduling and execution of preventive maintenance Worldwide spare parts supply delivered on-time in-full, both for those activities that have been scheduled and emergencies On-site maintenance supervisor for all line maintenance activities Tailored preventive maintenance	A dedicated core team takes care of the scheduling and execution of preventive and corrective maintenance Periodic diagnostic and technical visits Emergency troubleshooting Technical visits Remote access On-site maintenance supervisor for all line maintenance activities Worldwide delivery of spare parts, on-time in-full, both for those activities that have been scheduled and emergencies Condition-based maintenance at fixed cost

Invest in maintenance: what does it mean for the production?

modern aseptic packaging systems and preventive maintenance

preventive maintenance in modern aseptic packaging systems

Decrease operating costs

Control your cost over time

IPI at your service

IPI boasts of a portfolio of services that enable creating a highly custom solution for all types of clients.
Maintenance services for packaging lines such as preventive maintenance are essential for maintaining top-level performance. This requires an integrated approach to maintenance, which IPI can offer.

Indeed, IPI works synergistically with clients, to better understand their specific needs and offer suitable strategic planning, which takes the form of custom maintenance and ongoing support.
The highly specialised service team helps to maximise productivity performance while reducing operating costs.

More in general, IPI’s tailored services optimise production processes and ensure product quality throughout the life cycle of production lines.

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Consent to personal data processing with regard to the purpose specified under the letter e) of article 4 of the Privacy Policy below

(“Privacy Policy”)
Version May 2023

SUMMARY

1. INTRODUCTION
2. CONTROLLER AND CONTACT DETAILS
3. DATA SUBJECTS
4. PURPOSE OF PROCESSING, CATEGORIES OF DATA AND LEGAL BASIS
5. DATA RETENTION PERIOD
6. OPTIONAL/MANDATORY PROVISION OF PERSONAL DATA
7. PERSONS ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE CONTROLLER AND OTHER RECIPIENTS
8. TRANSFER OF DATA TO THIRD COUNTRIES (EXTRA EU OR EEA)
9. RIGHTS OF THE DATA SUBJECT
10. RIGHT TO OBJECT
11. COMPLAINT

1. INTRODUCTION

This Privacy Policy, in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (EU) 2016/679 on the protection of natural persons with regard to the processing of personal data(“GDPR”), aims at providing our customers and suppliers (also potential ones) with all the information related to the processing of their personal data (“Data”) carried out in order to enter into, manage and terminate contractual relationships with IPI S.r.l.

2. CONTROLLER AND CONTACT DETAILS

IPI S.r.l. (“IPI”), with registered office in Italy, San Sisto (ZIP 06132 - PG), Via Giuseppe Piermarini n.19;

website: https://www.ipi-srl.com/it (“Sito”);
email: privacy@ipi-srl.com;
phone number: + 39 075 528521.

3. DATA SUBJECTS

Natural persons who establish relationships with IPI as:

Customers, also potential ones;
Suppliers, also potential ones (e.g., consultants, contractors and sub-contractors);
Representatives/Contact persons of legal persons (e.g., of customers, contractors and sub-contractors);
Personnel of Suppliers;

4. PURPOSE OF PROCESSING, CATEGORIES OF DATA AND LEGAL BASIS

PURPOSES OF PROCESSING:	CATEGORIES OF DATA:	LEGAL BASIS:
a. to enter into and perform contractual relationships with Customers and Suppliers (also potential ones), as well as to comply with the related legal obligations (for instance, the obligations provided for by the law concerning the protection of health and safety in the workplace (as per Legislative Decree 81/2008), with particular reference to the assessment of the technical/administrative suitability of Suppliers).	- *- data collected through the contact form* available on the Website - data concerning the assessment of financial reliability -identification data (name and surname, tax code); - contact data (phone number, email/certified email and address); - data concerning professional qualifications and working/job positions; - billing data(VAT, business/company name) - payment data (for instance, bank account details or details related to credit cards); - data obtained in the context of technical interventions, including evolutionary maintenance**.	- performance of contractual obligations or pre-contractual requests (article 6.1.b. GDPR); - compliance with a legal obligation (article 6.1.c. GDPR)
b. to verify that Personnel of Suppliers hold the necessary qualifications and certificates showing the suitability for carrying out certain activities/jobs, as required by the by the laws concerning the protection of health and safety in the workplace and to verify the regularity of fulfilment of remuneration, social security contribution as well as regularity of fulfilment of insurance and/or fiscal obligations and however the compliance with legal obligations by contractors and sub-contractors, also with a view to protecting IPI having regard to its joint liability.	- identification data of Personnel of Suppliers - data concerning qualifications and working/job positions related to Personnel of Suppliers; - data concerning remuneration, social security contribution, insurance and/or fiscal aspects related to Personnel of Suppliers; - data concerning professional qualifications and skills to carry out certain jobs/activities related to Suppliers and Personnel of Suppliers.	As regards to common data: - compliance with a legal obligation (article 6.1.c. GDPR); - legitimate interest of the controller (article 6.1.f. GDPR). As regards to special categories of data (health data): - - carrying out the obligations and exercising specific rights of the controller or of the data subject in the field of employment and social security and social protection law (article 9.2.b GDPR); - reasons of substantial public interest (article 9.2.g GDPR).
c. to verify and check the absence of any conduct that could represent as potentially or actually a crime under the Italian Legislative Decree n. 231/2001 concerning the corporate liability, as well as to verify the absence of potential related risks (e.g., criminal convictions and/or disqualifications measures referred to Suppliers).	- data already processed by IPI by virtue of existing relationships with Customers and Suppliers (also potential or former ones); - further data collected by IPI as a consequence of controls, inspections and/or audits to the extent permitted by law.	As regards to common data: - legitimate interest of the controller (article 6.1.f. GDPR); - purposes compatible with the purpose for which personal data have been collected (article 6.4. GDPR). As regards to special categories of data: - - reasons of substantial public interest(article 9.2.g GDPR). As regards to data relating to criminal convictions and offencesthe processing is carried out in accordance with the provisions set forth in article 10 GDPR and article 2-octies of the Italian Legislative Decree n.196/2003.
d. except where the right of objection has been exercised by Customers(“Opt-out”, see paragraph 10 of the Privacy Policy), to send - within the framework of a previous sale of a product or service - general informational, promotional and advertising communications concerning the goods and/or services provided by IPI or the corporate group of which IPI is part similar to the ones previously purchased by the Customers (c.d. “Soft Spam”).	- email address of Customers and/or the relevant Representatives/Contact persons.	- - legitimate interest of the controller (article 6.1.f. GDPR).
e. to send marketing, promotional and adverting communications and materials concerning the products and/or services provided by IPI or by the corporate group of which IPI is part.	- contact data(name and surname); - -Company of belonging and related Country; - email address of Customers and/or the relevant Representatives/Contact persons; - phone number of Customers and/or the relevant Representatives/Contact persons; - *data collected through the contact form* available on the Website,** whenever the data subject has given its consent to the processing of its data for marketing purposes.	- consent(article 6.1.a GDPR).

5. DATA RETENTION PERIOD

Data of Suppliers, Customers and the related Representatives/Contact persons and Data of Personnel of Suppliers are processed by IPI for the entire duration of the contractual relationship and, without prejudice to Data that must be retained to comply with legal obligations (e.g. invoices, transport/shipping documents and other documents required for the accounting records), are erased after the termination of the contractual relationship, once expired the periods of limitation from time to time applicable, as provided by the applicable law, usually corresponding to ten years from the termination of the relationship.

Data of Personnel of Suppliers, processed by IPI by virtue of its joint liability as required by law, are retained until the expiration of the joint liability period pertaining to IPI and/or the related periods of limitation as established by the applicable laws.

In order to pursue the purposes related to fulfilment of legal obligations concerning the protection of health and safety in the workplace regarding the assessment of suitability of contractors/sub-contractors (paragraph 4a of the Privacy Policy) and verifications of Personnel of Suppliers (paragraph 4b of the Privacy Policy), IPI – as a mean of the processing activities - relies on a supplier portal.

Data processed for the purposes of verifications, controls and/or inspections carried out under the scope of the Italian Legislative Decree n. 231/2001 are retained for no longer than it is necessary in order to perform the related activities and are erased once expired the period of limitation set forth by the applicable law, usually corresponding to five years, without prejudice to reports made by the Supervisory Committee of IPI as a consequence of verifications, controls and/or inspection activities.

The above-mentioned data retention criteria/periods could be extended in the event a lawsuit has been filed before courts/ judicial authorities or in the event of any out-of-court negotiations/settlements. In such cases, Data shall be processed until the dispute has been settled.

Data processed for Soft Spam purpose (paragraph 4d of the Privacy Policy) are processed until the Customers’ exercise of the right to object Opt-out and, in any case, such data are erased once the term of 24 (twenty-four) months has elapsed from the previous commercial relationships with IPI.

Data of Customers and/or the Representatives/Contact persons which are processed for marketing purposes (paragraph 4e of the Privacy Policy) are processed until withdrawal of the related consent, provided however that such data are erased after 24 (twenty-four) months, unless a consent renewal is collected or the Data are anonymized.

6. OPTIONAL/MANDATORY PROVISION OF PERSONAL DATA

Except for the purpose described in point 4e, in relation to which the provision of Data is optional and the related consent can be withdrawn at any time, the provision of Data is essential to IPI in order to comply with legal obligations to which IPI is subject as well as to fulfil its contractual obligations or to take steps at the request of data subjects prior to entering into a contract. The failure of providing such Data, wholly or partially, will prevent IPI from replying to the above-mentioned requests, to perform its contractual obligations and/or to comply with the relevant legal obligations.

7. PERSONS ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE CONTROLLER AND OTHER RECIPIENTS

a) persons acting under the authority of IPI(in particular, employees and collaborators), also including the members of the Supervisory Committee, specifically authorized and instructed on the processing of Data;

b) external recipients(also including other suppliers), belonging to the following categories (i) entities/persons performing shipping and/or delivery activities of IPI’s products; (ii) parent company and other companies belonging to the corporate group of which IPI is part, (iii) service providers for the IT infrastructure’s implementation, development, management, assistance and maintenance, with particular reference to the management software and portals/platforms used to manage relationships with Suppliers and the CRM used for marketing purposes; (iv) providers of management software, applications, hardware and the related assistance and maintenance services; (v) providers of connectivity and email services and the related assistance and maintenance services; (vi) legal, accounting, tax, environmental and health and safety consultants; (vii) banks/credit institutions and insurance companies; (viii) public authorities/entities, even for purposes different from the ones for which Data have been originally collected.

8. TRANSFER OF DATA TO THIRD COUNTRIES (EXTRA EU OR EEA)

In principle, Data are not transferred to third countries outside the European Union or the European Economic Area. If such a circumstance should occur, the transfer, in any case, shall take place upon verification of compliance with articles 44 and following of the GDPR.

In particular, the transfer of Data – if any - from IPI to other group companies, located outside the EU or the EEA will take place on the basis of intercompany agreements and after having signed the applicable standard contractual clauses.

Exclusively for products to be delivered to recipients located outside the EU or the EEA, the relevant transfers of Data, will take place according to art. 49 lett. b of the GDPR as it will be necessary for the performance of a contract entered into by the Customer and IPI.

9. RIGHTS OF THE DATA SUBJECT

The data subjects, using the contact details provided in paragraph 2, can exercise the following rights:

- right to obtain information on the processing and access to the Data (articles 12, 13, 14 and 15 GDPR);

- right to rectification (article 16 GDPR);

- right to erasure (article 17 GDPR);

- right to restriction and to object the processing (articles 18 e 21 GDPR);

- right to be notified in case of rectification or erasure of personal data or restriction of processing (article 19 GDPR);

- right to data portability (article 20 GDPR).

10. RIGHT TO OBJECT

According to the same modalities set out in the paragraph above, the data subjects can object, wholly or partially, to the processing of the Data where the relevant legal base is represented by the legitimate interest of IPI, in accordance with article 21 GDPR.

11. COMPLAINT

Every data subject who believes that the Data concerning him or her are processed in violation of the GDPR, shall have the right, according to article 77 GDPR, to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in the Member State of his or her habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement. For more information, here’s the link to the Italian Supervisory Authority: https://www.garanteprivacy.it/web/garante-privacy-en/home_en.

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