Italy's GNA horizontal electronic flow packers

"Adjustable speed and flexibility are the main features of Squalo ("shark" in Italian), one of the best performing horizontal electronic flow packers in the range of Italian GNA," said Andrea Antonelli, owner of Antonelli Fabio, an Emilia-Romagna-based company that grows, packs and markets fruits and vegetables.

"In 2006 we bought our first packaging machine. In 2008 and 2010 we added two more. We use them to pack fruits, mainly stone fruits, in flowpacks ranging from 250 to 1,000 grams. The machines work well and, very important to us, their speed is adjustable. On average, we can do 90 to 100 cycles per minute."

"Despite the fact that these are models designed by GNA before 2015, the company continues to help us when problems arise. For example, if a part is not available, GNA will proceed to manufacture it in a short time. We were among the first in Emilia-Romagna to rely on the company and so far, we can only express satisfaction. For a mixed use of packaging, like the one we have, the payback period is quite short. The Squalo is highly recommended. Often the formats of our packaging on the machine change even three times a day."

"The Squalo is suitable for different application areas, including fruit and vegetables, but also convenience products. The machine is made of stainless steel and aluminum, with rounded corners to prevent the accumulation of product and make cleaning easier. It has a maximum speed of 150 cycles/min, a power consumption of 3 KW and a compressed air consumption of 15 Nl/min," added the GNA managers.

"It is a modular and adaptable machine. The experience of many years of work in direct contact with customers has taught us how essential it is to be able to respond quickly to customer requests."

"The Squalo has a two-part structure, allowing the mechanical-electrical part to be separated from the working area, with cantilevered units. Currently, our packaging machine is used in Italy, France, Germany, Russia and Norway, among other countries."

The packaging material is placed on top of the machine. The two brushless motors and the multifunctional touch screen guide the operator through the most important operations, namely preparing and storing data before starting the Squalo.

"The packaging materials used are micro- or macro-perforated films or paper materials with a window in plastic film, cellulose or PLA or a net in cotton or linen. Thus, we try to meet the different needs of the customers."

"It is a fully automatic machine, for high performance. Thanks to its versatility, flexibility and reliability, it can package any kind of solid product, food and non-food. In the AGF sector, Squalo is suitable for packing various fruits, such as kiwis, grapes, strawberries and peaches, and vegetables such as tomatoes and baby leaves.