allfo Vakuumverpackungen GmbH is using interpack 2011, together with its Italian development partner Saccardo Arturo Figli S.r.l., Thiene, in order to present a world innovation to the trade visitors. The film specialist and the Italian producer of filling and packaging machines present a line that enables, for the first time, fully automatically vacuum packing of "Euroblock" slicing cheese (15 kg). The original prototype of the highly efficient equipment, with which even 75-80 kg blocks can be easily processed, has been running successfully already since Autumn last year at Allgäuland-Käsereien GmbH in Bad Wörishofen. This hard cheese specialist has been involved since the start of the concept phase and gave input of its specific requirements in development of the machine specification.

"Start-up of the new line means an enormous gain in rationalisation", states Harald Steinhöfer, Plant Manager at Allgäuland in Bad Wörishofen. While much three-shift manual work was required before acquisition of the line, in order to pack the 75-80 kg heavy hard cheese blocks in special ripening film and to vacuum the packs, due to the innovative line, only one man per shift is needed now to supervise the line and to feed tubular film when it is needed. Everything else is performed by the machine on its own, in 1a quality. The cheese blocks then go from here directly into the store for the final ripening process. Meanwhile, approx. two blocks per minute and daily up to 60 tonnes of Emmental cheese are processed. As the equipment was designed for higher output performance already at the concept phase, the cheese plant is also very well equipped to fulfil bigger requirements in the near future.

The consistent structure of the film produced by allfo ensures defined specific gas permeability at each point of the bag. This ensures that optimum ripening is reached, simultaneously with CO2 extraction. A multilayer composite film was specially developed for the jointly developed worldwide first innovation, to enable optimum processing on the new machinery. The suitable packaging for the vacuum process has therefore been specifically tailored for this type of vacuum packaging line. The allfo development staff ensured, among others, that high mechanical strength as well as good weldability is provided. "That was simply imperative for the fast production rate of the new line", explains Karl Berktold, who is responsible for development and quality management. allfo has also acquired from Saccardo the right for exclusive sale of the lines in Western Europe.

Construction of the patent-pending highly functional prototype of the line for fully automatic vacuum packing of the bulky and heavy cheese blocks material has been earned through technological leadership in the joint development project. Also and above all because the new line ensures an enormous jump in rationalisation in packaging of 15 kg heavy "Euroblocks".