Italian drinks producer Sangemini has taken to SIPA’s new XTRA rotary stretch blow molding system. Sangemini was a very early adopter, taking its first installation, an XTRA 10, in July of 2016, well ahead of the new line’s public debut at Drinktec last September. It expressed its satisfaction not long after by ordering a second unit – this time an XTRA 12 – which SIPA delivered in early December of last year. Sangemini is producing bottles for various brands of mineral water and also a stylish sport bottle on its XTRA machines, with volumes ranging from 330 mL to 1.5 L. Sangemini was founded in 1889 in the town of the same name (actually San Gemini) in Umbria, not far from Perugia. It is now part of the Acque Minerali d’Italia group, which has operations within five “centers of excellence” that sit on new fewer than 26 sources of spring water spanning Italy from near Venice in the North to Basilicata in the South. Most famous brands from the company include Gaudianello and Norda, as well as Sangemini. The source in San Gemini is rich in a form of calcium that is easily absorbed by the body, making the water especially suitable for the very young and the very old. The waters are also recommended for people with various disorders of the digestive system, with visitors coming for a cure swelling the local population of around 4500 in the summer months. SIPA’s new XTRA has higher unit output than any of its rivals – up to 2550 bottles per hour per cavity – reduced energy consumption, high flexibility and ease of use, as well as compatibility with other machines upstream and downstream. The equipment can produce bottles from 0.2 up to 3.5 liters in volume, quickly and easily. The new system combines unique features to boost performance and cut Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). It has an extra-wide processing angle of 275 degrees, leading to an astonishing active angle of 200° – a value that exceeds current market standards by some 15% – making it possible to apply high pressure air for longer and enabling production of containers with extreme accuracy. The clamp stroke has two settings: short, to produce bottles of up to 1.5 L at a maximum speed of 2550 bhc; and long, for containers up to 3 L and an output of up to 2400 bhc, with a simple replacement of a mechanical part .