Zambelli Packaging: turning the packaging line into a competitive advantage

For over 50 years, Zambelli Packaging has been designing and building tailor-made secondary packaging lines for FMCG companies worldwide. At interpack 2026 – the packaging industry’s flagship fair, spanning sectors from food and pharma to beverage and beauty – the Bologna-based company presents a solution that goes beyond individual machines: a fully integrated end-of-line concept, where energy efficiency, robotics, and extreme customisation deliver measurable value to customers.

More than a machine
Interpack is, by definition, a fair about processes rather than single sectors. It is where a ketchup producer and a pharmaceutical company can exhibit side by side, each with unique requirements for speed, format, material, and logistics. It is precisely in this context that Zambelli Packaging’s approach reaches its full potential.

Every Zambelli Packaging project is engineered to integrate seamlessly with the client’s production process,

says Andrea Alessandrini, Managing Director of Zambelli Packaging.

We do not offer standard machines: we develop custom-engineered solutions that accompany the customer from process analysis through installation and after-sales support.

A successful solution in liquid food: ROBO WRAP
A prime example is the ROBO WRAP robotic case packing and tray line developed for a leading international ketchup producer. The technical challenge was complex: five bottle formats, with irregular profiles and varying centres of gravity, had to be handled across 12 different packaging configurations, combining tray and wrap-around formats depending on distribution channels. Accumulating or pushing the containers using traditional systems was simply impossible, leading to product drops, damage, and frequent machine stoppages. Zambelli Packaging’s solution was the ROBO WRAP line with robotic pick & place, capable of recognising and handling each bottle format gently, automatically adapting to all 12 pack configurations, and processing up to 60 packs per minute, while drastically reducing maintenance on mechanical components. The line was custom-built and engineered to match the product, complexity, and variety of references, tailored to the customer’s specific production environment.

A complete end-of-line offering for every requirement
At interpack, Zambelli Packaging highlights its ability to address any production configuration with a comprehensive and technically advanced range. The Shrink wrappers cover the full spectrum of speeds and formats: from SOLVIA, a compact sealing bar machine for entry-level lines, to ENERGIS, the flagship of the range, capable of over 120 cycles per minute on three lanes, available in Film, Film+Tray and XL configurations for large formats. Between these models, APTA, VERSA and DINAMIS ensure the right configuration for any production, whether bottles, cans, bricks, clusters or multipacks.

The Case Packers offer equal flexibility: continuous-motion versions (WRAP, up to 50 packs/min) for wrap-around carton or tray packaging; intermittent-motion models (SEAL, FLEX) for wrap-around or RSC American boxes; and the robotic versions (ROBO SEAL and ROBO WRAP) for production environments where product geometry calls for a completely different handling approach. These two robotic solutions significantly reduce mechanical maintenance and downtime, ensuring continuous production even with difficult-to-handle products.

The Zambelli Packaging range is further complemented by Cartoners – compact, robust, and available with two types of closure, by hot glue or by interlocking – as well as the COMBI solutions, which integrate multiple packaging modes within a single line: wrap-around, high tray, tray + film combinations. One machine, multiple possibilities.

For customers seeking maximum integration, Zambelli Packaging also designs complete turnkey solutions, coordinating every end-of-line component with the customer’s existing systems, in line with Industry 4.0 principles.

Energy efficiency that truly makes a difference
At a time when energy costs weigh heavier than ever on manufacturers’ budgets, Zambelli Packaging demonstrates a tangible competitive advantage.

Internal testing shows that competitor machines can consume up to 97% more energy than Zambelli Packaging standards – data collected on the high-speed shrink wrapper, operating at up to 60 cycles per minute on two lanes (in the reference configuration for high-productivity lines). This translates into real operational cost savings and a reduced environmental impact, without compromising performance.

The secret lies in the design of the shrink tunnels: advanced systems that minimise heat loss, optimised oven geometry, and the possibility to work with next-generation thin films that require less energy for sealing. This efficiency model preserves throughput, with Zambelli shrink wrappers matching competitors’ performance while significantly reducing energy consumption.

Innovation and sustainability are not at odds with productivity”,

notes Andrea Alessandrini.

Viewed from the right perspective, they are one and the same.

60 countries, 2,500 installed machines, and 24/7 support
Behind every Zambelli machine is a structured support system designed to ensure operational continuity over time. Zambelli Care includes global 24/7 service, scheduled maintenance, original spare parts always available, remote assistance, and on-site interventions via direct offices in the United States (Oakland Park, Florida) and UK (Walsall, Midlands).

Every machine is engineered to be upgradable, protecting the customer’s investment with certified upgrade kits. An operational lifetime of over 20 years is both the company’s stated goal and the norm across its installed base, now spanning more than 60 countries.

Industry 4.0 connectivity, automated format changes powered by servomotors, remote monitoring, and CAT3/PLd safety level complete a technological offering designed for the future while remaining fully in tune with the day-to-day needs of the production environment.

Process meets customisation
At interpack 2026, Zambelli Packaging will showcase an exhibition concept designed to demonstrate end-of-line design starting from the customer’s process, not the other way around. This tailored approach has built a customer base of more than 2,500 installed machines worldwide over 50 years, now enhanced with new managerial skills, greater international focus, and a product range that is broader than ever.

End users at the heart of the project
Beverage producers, personal care companies, pharmaceutical groups, and system integrators seeking a reliable secondary packaging partner find in Zambelli Packaging a trusted specialist capable of developing the right solution through a shared design process that places the customer at its centre.