IMA on creating sustainable capsule packaging solutions

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IMA Coffee Hub highlights how it has developed new technology to enhance coffee capsule packaging processes and make products more sustainable.

In this golden age of innovation, developments in technology are helping coffee companies thrive in the fast-paced and evolving industry.

Through its constant analysis of the ever-changing coffee landscape, Italian coffee processing plant and packaging machine manufacturer IMA Coffee has recognised emerging trends in coffee capsule packaging. As part of its mission to provide solutions for its customers to meet current market demands, it has developed a new range of machines to cater for the packaging process.

“Nowadays, technologies for filling and sealing coffee capsules have to be as flexible as possible to adapt not only to different production rhythms but also to different capsule materials,” says Nicola Panzani, CEO of IMA Petroncini and Commercial Director of IMA Coffee Hub.

“New IMA Coffee machines have been created to boost the capsule filling and sealing potential of companies looking to reach higher targets.

“Our single-serve coffee capsule filling and sealing equipment can respond with high, medium, and low-speed capsule packaging solutions.”

According to Panzani, the demand for compostable packaging materials is on the rise. In response, IMA Group established the IMA OpenLab network of technological laboratories and testing areas dedicated to the research of sustainable materials, technologies, and production optimisation processes.

“Beyond the A to Z of coffee processing and packaging, IMA Coffee is committed to increasing sustainable practices to reduce roasting emissions and test alternative packaging materials, implementing advanced eco-friendly solutions throughout the industrial process to rise to the challenge of a more environmentally friendly industry,” he says.

“We see an increasing number of companies investing in sustainable packaging techniques to offset the environmental effect on the planet of traditional aluminium and plastic packaging. Demand for compostable coffee capsules is expected to grow as customers become more health conscious and aware of negative environmental repercussions of coffee capsule packaging.

“Compatibility testing on capsules, filter, and top lid films are performed at the IMA OpenLabs with the aim to identify and achieve optimum material sealing parameters and limits, as well as a suitable set up of IMA packaging machineries to handle compostable capsule materials successfully.”

The company believes its scientific approach has resulted in a unique solution for the market: its SYNKRO machine, specifically engineered for the capsule filling and sealing of compostable capsule material.

“Thanks to its innovative capsule transfer system based on the use of independent magnetic shuttles, SYNKRO guarantees high flexibility, allowing different dwell times at each operating station. This ensures even compostable materials requiring different sealing times can be optimally sealed without reducing the speed per cycle. It improves shelf life without compromising quality, and at comparable speed to standard materials,” says Panzani.

“Coffee capsules are complex structures where the capsule body, lidding, and filter must be precisely designed to deliver a consistently high-quality experience.

“Before the capsules reach the consumer, it’s important these components perform well during assembly, filling, and on the shelf. Coffee capsule preferences are always on the move, which is why IMA Coffee is prepared for any requests for packaging solutions.”

Image: IMA Coffee

Aware of roasters’ concerns regarding the quality and freshness of coffee, Panzani highlights that the coffee capsule dosing, filling, and sealing units integrated in IMA’s machines maintain consistency from start to finish. 

“We have created an innovative dosing unit that implements pre-compression to compact the coffee during capsule filling for a homogeneous product. This guarantees consistent dosing throughout each batch.” 

When developing the machine, the team paid particular attention to reducing package material waste and focused on implementing a fully sustainable end-to end process.

“Measuring weight is really important, so we have developed an on-line weighing system which checks each capsule and feeds data back to the dosing unit if automatic adjustments are required. The dosing unit’s off-set design minimises the distance between capsules for important savings on packaging material,” says Panzani.

“The different dwell times at the various operating stations also enable the customer to set parameters according to the production scenario, adjusting each single operation to optimise the final product quality.”

Continuing its spirit of innovation, IMA Coffee has also entered a new collaboration to develop a sustainable a turn-key compostable coffee pod solution for North American consumers.

“Recently, IMA Coffee partnered with NatureWorks, a leading manufacturer of polylactic acid (PLA) biopolymers made from renewable resources, to develop a new compostable coffee pod solution,” says Panzani.

The project was established with the aim to respond to the evolving trends in the North American market, which Panzani believes is more receptive than ever to sustainability and innovation when it comes to K-Cup compatible pod production.

“For the rigid capsule body, NatureWorks was able to combine non-compounded, highly crystalline, and heat resistant Ingeo PLA grades with a refined single-stage thermoforming process to achieve production rates comparable to incumbent polypropylene (PP) capsules,” he says.

“The rigid thermoformed capsule was then combined with a nonwoven filter and multi-layer top lidding solution also made with Ingeo. The use of one primary material through all three components of a coffee pod is more cost effective and offers greater consistency when heat sealing the components, thus preserving the taste and aroma of the enclosed coffee.”

According to Panzani, IMA Coffee packaging machines can adapt to handle the assembly, filling, and sealing of the compostable pods successfully and precisely at commercial line speeds. 

“We have sold several complete packaging lines for K-Cup-compatible pod production to the biggest North American coffee producers and, thanks to IMA Coffee’s North American branch, we can provide excellent customer service and specialised technicians,” he says.

“The coffee packaging sector is evolving and it is important for us to constantly innovate to meet the rapidly changing needs of our customers. In this process, we must also pay attention to the need for sustainable solutions in the coffee industry on a global level. We have noticed that countries tend to follow the lead of European trends, including the rise of single-serve packaging.

“Thanks to a high degree of automation and flexibility, every filler from the IMA Coffee portfolio can handle all types of capsules, whatever material they are made of.” 

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