Grissin Bon, a renowned family enterprise operating for three generations, has been manufacturing and marketing bread substitutes (in particular breadsticks and melba toasts) for the last 50 years. Production capacity currently accounts for a turnover of around 72 million euro per annum, with a growth trend that is decidedly in contrast with the widespread economic difficulties of today. The Grissin Bon brand is the leading manufacturer of bakery products in Italy, marketing them through a variety of channels (from large-scale distribution to catering), and continues to boost its presence on foreign markets, whilst still maintaining its production completely “Made in Italy”.
The collaboration between Grissin Bon and Mattei has now reached the thirty year or so mark. The meeting of the two companies, leaders in their respective markets, back in 1985 is all thanks to Commatré S.r.l. an enterprise boasting over 40 years experience in the compressed air sector, with services that span from advice when choosing a compressor to after-sales servicing of equipment.
From the installation of the first Mattei compressor, we currently have an outstanding six plant systems, installed at our two factories in the Reggio Emilia region.
Efficiency, reliability and energy savings: these are the four words that summarise the core qualities of a Mattei high-efficiency compressor, and make it ideal for use in the food industry.
“In a sector such as ours, with non-stop production cycles 24 hours a day, up to 7 days a week, we need efficient machinery which is also reliable in the long term – states Vanes Fontana, CEO at Grissin Bon Spa - The Mattei compressors proposed by Commatrè, were the best possible solution to meet these specific requirements. Today we have an impressive six Mattei plant systems that supply compressed air to all the automated mechanisms”
Grissin Bon used four Maxima series machines whose main feature is the low pump unit rotating speed, just 1,000 rpm.
“The advantages of this technology are easy to see and make the Mattei compressors extremely competitive compared to the traditional screw compressors – says Guglielmo Rossi, from Commatré – This reduced speed generates lower mechanical stress on components, reducing maintenance operations and acoustic impact. In a nut shell, their main feature is their exceptional long-term reliability: this is why I consider them to be the best solution to meet the requirements of the food industry”
Maxima is a compressor designed to guarantee energy savings along with increased respect for the environment and mainly suitable for end-users who need consistent and even compressed air supplies throughout the day. Furthermore, Maxima is the first single-stage compressor which is capable of matching the energy efficiency of the dualstage compressors currently on the market.
“We placed our trust in Commatrè and we can only express our satisfaction seeing that, over almost the last 30 years, we have consistently increased the number of Mattei compressors installed in our two manufacturing facilities – states Vanes Fontana. They are at our side from the installation phase to after-sales services which include a scheduled maintenance contract. This was, shall we say, a rather prudential measure that allows us to effectively manage the efficiency of the plant systems: routine maintenance operations are carried out regularly every three-months”.
Respect for the environment is a topic that is a key feature for Grissin Bon, Mattei and Commatrè, and something that has rendered this collaboration even stronger over time.
“Eco-sustainable production is not simply an abstract concept, and is an important part of the commitment undertaken by Grissin Bon during all decision making, something that is highly appreciated by end consumers– explains Vanes Fontana – The company has, in fact, realised a series of significant structural interventions towards achieving energy savings, such as the new roofing which now boasts a photovoltaic system. The choice of high-efficiency Mattei compressors perfectly suits this industrial context, contributing to improving the global energy performance of the factory”.
“The research conducted by Mattei in the energy saving sector led to the design of the Optima and Maxima ranges – explains Flavio Molinari, Sales Manger - Italy at Eng. Enea Mattei SpA - The aim was to provide a solution that could help reduce the environmental impact, including acoustic pollution, to sectors which, due to their particular production cycles, consume large amounts of energy”
Guglielmo Rossi shares the same philosophy: “Commatrè is committed to finding the best possible solutions for its customers, also from an energy viewpoint. In the specific case of Grissin Bon, we proposed machinery that could guarantee top quality performance whilst cutting consumptions. The low vane rotation speed of a Mattei compressor was, in my mind, a trump card that guarantees significant energy savings”.
The use of compressed air is highly popular in various industrial sectors but requires consistent energy costs, equal to about 10% of electrical energy consumption. Mattei compressors are distinguished by a 1:1 ratio between electrical motor speed and the pumping unit, a feature that provides high energy efficiency plus high performance.
Equipped with a Maestro XS electronic controller and energy saving high-efficiency performance electrical motors, Maxima series compressors have truly extraordinary features:
Maxima’s mark of distinction is the low pumping unit rotation speed that is only 1000 rpm. Thus, this machine has extremely simple operating principles and low noise emission.
Another key feature is the cooling system, variable according to the load and environmental conditions. In fact, Maxima has a two-speed electro-fan sensitive to heat variations and able to keep the internal temperature constant, increasing or decreasing the cooling air flow. Maxima is also the first single-stage compressor with an energy efficiency equal to that of the two-stage compressors found on the market. The secret behind such extraordinary efficiency is our ongoing technological research that has allowed us to achieve an exceptional result of 5.4 kW/m3/min. Maxima also has a complete range of accessories which increased customisation possibilities. In fact, a heat recovery kit can be installed to reuse the heat energy produced in the compression phase to heat water for industrial or sanitary use. Lastly, the oil-water separator kit and condensation separator and drain kit can also be installed.
With power from 30 to 160 kW and flow from 6.45 to 32.15 m3/min, fully water-cooled versions with built-in air dryer are also available.
Due to their features, Maxima series compressors are ideal for applications that require constant and even compressed air flow throughout the day.