Acma at Japan Pack 2011: Market remains<br>focused on tech solutions

TOKYO -- Acma took part in the Japan International Packaging Machinery Show, held in Tokyo from 18th - 21st October, to represent the Coesia Group, alongside Volpak and Hapa. The event was attended by crowds of interested visitors, which proves that the Japanese market known to be very attentive towards technological novelties remains as vital as ever. Acma focuses on Asian markets with great interest and consciously evaluates the specific features of the individual countries in order to study the most appropriate strategies. The Japanese market has always been interested in solutions for the confectionary industry: in particular, demanding "smart" solutions devised with resource and process optimization in mind.

Japan is indeed at the centre of the "just in time" production strategy which guarantees more efficiency by reducing in-process inventory and associated carrying costs; hence the market of the Rising Sun demands machines that are both flexible and hi-tech, equipped for example with particularly intricate size change systems, all backed by a highly proficient after-sales service. The market is balanced, consequently producers attempt to draw attention to their products through the packaging and this need translates into solutions that are able to produce and process unique packages.

So, the key factor of the Japanese market is quality. If, on one hand, certain emerging countries demand machines with straightforward equipment, focusing more on ruggedness and on performance, on the other, Japanese customers demand that the machines be developed focusing on the packaging shapes, dimensions and materials that will be used on them. Acma does indeed have its own proficient engineering department that is able to offer a "turnkey" service, to provide flexible solutions gauged on the different requirements expressed by customers, be they Japanese or any other.