Altopack targets African expansion exporting pasta packaging technologies to the continent

As part of its focus on emerging markets, Altopack is increasing its presence in Africa by supplying pasta packaging technologies and meet  an increasing desire for pasta.

In the last 10 years, worldwide consumption has almost doubled, passing from nine to 17 million tonnes.

Altopack noted that pasta was born in Italy, the country with a per capita consumption of about 23 kilos per year (source: Italian Food Union), but it is also the birthplace and breeding ground for the development of packaging technologies. The company boasts a diverse portfolio that can cater to various production needs, ranging from large multinational productions to smaller contractors.

Altopack is using its consolidated presence in Africa where the country is a basin of enormous importance for pasta sector. The value on the market is about 11 billion dollars and is expected to show a growth rate of 11.67%.

Over the past two decades, Altopack has installed more than 50 production lines in this region, becoming a reference company for everyone is looking to initiate or expand pasta packaging or production activities.

Thanks to relationships with SACE, ICE and different ‘Camere di Commercio’ the company can supply and install machines everywhere in Africa, supporting customers technically and financially. This was evident in Angola, where Altopack supplied packaging machines for two production lines for a significant local brand: one dedicated to packaging short-cut pasta and the other designed for handling long pasta.

The first Angola project is a line multi-shape made up of two vertical machines for packaging: Altopack AVE-PC Linear Motion. The second one, multi-shape too, is made up of three multi head weighers Altopack AP 120 and three horizontal flowpack Altopack AOD PL. Short cut pasta packaging machines and also those for long cut pasta can achieve, depending on the shapes, to a speed up to 120 bags/min. Very significant is the quantity data of pasta processed by the plant: thanks to integration of Altopack machines, the two lines can achieve to pack up to 4000 kg pasta/hour.

Altopack is participating in major packaging exhibitions – one at the end of March 2024 in Tripoli, Libya, and at Propack East Africa, in Nairobi, Kenya.

Kenya is the main economy of the eastern side and it is establishing itself as the fourth largest economy after Nigeria, Sud Africa, Angola, representing a market of enormous interest for pasta consumption, according to Altopack.

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