CONAPI Consortium of Italian Beekeepers and Organic Farmers – Agricultural Cooperative Registered office and production site: 40050 Monterenzio (BO), Via Idice, 299
Project title 2
“Investments aimed at introducing processing facilities to add value to members’ bee-derived raw materials through the creation of innovative health products and dedicated packaging” submitted under Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 – RDP 2014/2020 Measure 4 – Type of Operation 4.2.01 “Investments aimed at agro-industrial enterprises through individual and system-based approaches” – 2017 Regional Public Call for Proposals – System-based approach
Abstract / Brief description
In detail, the project involves the following: In order to produce the dietary supplements, plans have been made to purchase a sachet-filling machine equipped with a cartoning machine and an independent mixer, which will be able to package the new products quickly and efficiently for both the specialist retail sector and the large-scale retail sector. The high quality of the raw materials used, the skilful combinations of plant parts, and the care taken in processing make these natural products particularly effective, and the project as a whole is decidedly innovative. Whilst the dietary supplement project is getting under way, it is necessary to streamline the management of the company’s labels. There are a large number of product references, some of which are in foreign languages, and there is a high risk of errors being made when selecting the correct label during production. Labels are frequently subject to revisions, and for this reason too, their management becomes increasingly complex over time. Last but not least is the issue of storage in a suitable environment. To this end, plans have therefore been made to purchase a vertical drawer cabinet, where labels can be stored efficiently and be ready for processing, with retrieval carried out via optical scanning of the EAN code. The expected outcomes of this investment can be summarised as follows:
Increase in the company’s turnover – increase in the volume of products exported
Consolidation of employment and achievement of safety standards and working conditions exceeding those required by mandatory regulations
Project cost and funding granted
Approved project amount: €191,929.17 Amount of support granted: €67,175.21
Project title 1
“TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION MEASURES AIMED AT WATER AND ENERGY SAVINGS” submitted under Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 – RDP 2014/2020 Measure 4 – Type of Operation 4.2.01 “Investments aimed at agro-industrial enterprises through individual and system-based approaches” – individual approach – Emilia-Romagna Region
Abstract / Brief description
The planned investments are aimed at achieving efficiency, improving the quality and quantity of production and diversifying it, saving energy and reducing consumption, and improving working conditions for staff. Specifically, the project involves the following measures:
investments in the mixing area through the purchase of 2 air extractors and new windows. The area, which is humid and hot, particularly in summer, will be fitted with air extractors and new windows that open fully and are fitted with suitable fly screens;
to facilitate waste management operations, particularly the plastic from the bags used by members to fill the honey drums, the purchase of a baler is planned;
to enable the honey to be easily packaged into 20–25 kg drums, the purchase of a flow (weight) measurement system for the buckets is planned
moving on to the blending room, a de-aerator will be installed. The machine requires cold water (approximately 1.5 cubic metres per hour) to operate, which is heated during the air extraction process. In order to recycle this water, thereby enabling its use in a continuous closed-loop system, a cooling tower will be installed outside the premises to lower the water’s temperature. Alongside the cooling tower, a chiller (a gas-based heat exchange water cooling system) will support the cooling tower’s operation only during the summer months when ambient temperatures are high. This system is expected to deliver water savings of approximately 15–18 cubic metres per day whilst the deaerator is in operation and can therefore be considered a measure in line with the principles of green building;
moving on to the packaging area, the introduction of a capping machine fitted with a steam heating system for the inside of the cap is planned. This will be followed by a checkweigher to be integrated into the line, equipped with a system for rejecting non-compliant products and a system for recording weights; Further along the line, the introduction of a latest-generation labelling machine is planned. The introduction of a printer alongside the labelling machine will enable the names of the producers to be printed on the jars where the specific member’s details are required, as well as any other information to be included regarding the place of origin or other product characteristics. To complete the packaging process, a logistics labelling machine will apply labels to the heat-sealed packaging;
at the end of the packaging line, an automatic wrapping machine is to be installed;
the project therefore includes the installation of a honey jar dosing and capping line for the packaging of small formats. The line will be equipped with all necessary safety systems, including a metal detector, a device designed to detect any metal particles in the product.
The construction of a partition wall in the warehouse, which has been returned to Conapi’s possession, and the installation of a new and efficient air-conditioning system will enable a more rational flow of goods and products, as well as a more efficient and safer product crystallisation process.
The project involves replacing a further 102 windows and doors, in addition to those mentioned for the mixing room, as detailed in the technical report by Architect Paolo Vivaldi attached to the application. The work will be aimed at energy saving, as the new windows and doors will offer significantly better thermal insulation than the current ones. The new windows will provide more natural light to the production areas concerned; they do not emit substances harmful to the environment and can be reused, allowing them to be classified entirely under the green building category referred to in point 11.2.3 of the call for proposals.
Voluntary mitigation measures will also be carried out through the creation of a roof garden above a section of the services building, consisting of a green roof covering 96 square metres, corresponding to the area occupied by the caretaker’s flat and management offices, in addition to the ‘zero land use’ requirement that characterises all works forming part of the Conapi project. These investments comply with the requirements set out in points 11.2.4 and 11.2.5 of the call for proposals.
The expected outcomes of the aforementioned investment can be summarised as follows:
• Increase in the company’s turnover – increase in the volume of products exported: The project proposed by CONAPI is aimed not so much at boosting the production capacity of the Monterenzio plant, but at further enhancing the quality of production through product and process innovation. The improved seasonality of supply, which will be achieved thanks to the new climate-controlled warehouse, will enable members’ products to be placed on the market at times of peak demand, thereby maximising their returns and selling greater quantities of the finished product. The ability to produce smaller pack sizes will open up new markets in Asia and channels such as the hospitality sector (Horeca); together with the overall improvement in quality guaranteed by the deaerator, spectrophotometer and metal detector, this will lead to an increase in the product’s value and, consequently, a corresponding rise in turnover of around 2–3 per cent compared with the last financial year considered (2014–2015). Exports are expected to increase by at least 10 per cent compared with the previous financial year, starting from the year following the project’s completion;
consolidation of employment following the investment described;
achievement of safety standards and working conditions exceeding those required by mandatory regulations, thanks to the reduction in workplace risks associated with improved health and safety in the areas dedicated to processing activities and the use of state-of-the-art machinery, which minimises manual operations by staff and thus the associated risks of accidents;
reduction in unit production costs; thanks to the planned investments, there will be a significant reduction in the proportion of fixed costs per unit of product, mainly as a result of the energy savings provided by the new windows and doors, which will help retain heat more effectively during the winter months and improve natural cooling during the summer months. This will lead to significant savings on both electricity and gas bills.
Achievement of environmental protection standards exceeding those required by mandatory legislation; environmental sustainability is one of the project’s most important objectives, characterised both by the use of eco-friendly and green building materials for the windows and doors, and by the energy savings these will deliver. Similarly, the evaporative cooling tower will enable significant water savings, thereby also falling within the concept of green building. The economic benefits of the project will be passed on to the producer members through improved remuneration for the produce supplied, thereby helping to stabilise and increase the profitability of the agricultural sector.
