About Giorgio

Giorgio draws upon 35 years of professional activity in technologies and applications for the plastics industry. His current position of CEO has been instrumental in the reconfiguration process of the current business structure at CMG, that now specializes by application sectors. His experience evolved from a technical background with a hands on approach through to solutions engineering management, sales management of specialty systems, management and coordination of marketing and R&D, and general management. His first steps in the plastics industry date back to 1988, when he started his career in the production of equipment for industrial cooling applications.

About CMG Granulators

CMG Granulators has a 45-year history in the production of granulators. Our journey began in 1976 when Negri Bossi requested we develop a granulator for their injection moulding machines. Driven by our commitment to providing personalised solutions, we have evolved into the most innovative granulator supplier in the industry boasting the widest range of products, that guarantee the highest performance with the lowest TCO of the category.

Can you explain the importance of high-quality granulation systems to the recycling process?

Granulation is the most critical phase in plastics recycling. The granulator is a machine that represents a small fraction of the investment to set up a recycling line, but can literally make it or break it for the performance of the entire plant. Not only must the level of reliability and dependability be the highest, but the quality of the ground plastic – particularly in terms of dimensional uniformity and the proportion of small particles – is also crucial. A CMG granulator produces no more than 3% small particles, (ie particles with dimensions under 3mm), compared to the 15-20% typically produced conventional granulators.

Are there any challenges associated with scaling up granulation systems to be high-capacity and how do you overcome these?

The answer is yes, the larger the granulator the more difficult it is to produce dimensionally uniform regrind. CMG is the only granulator supplier that produces cutting chambers entirely from CNC machined components. This approach ensures the highest level of assembly precision, accurate to the hundredth of a millimeter, resulting in a clearance of just 100 microns between the rotor blade and the bed blade. This feature is consistent across all CMG granulators, regardless of their size.

What sustainability considerations, such as energy efficiency and raw material selection, do you make when developing your machines and how do you design machinery to account for this?

Energy efficiency is one of the signature features of our granulators, achieved through several key factors. One significant aspect is the use of high-efficiency components, such as EISA motors with premium efficiency ratings. Another important factor is our advanced machinery controls. CMG granulators feature AMP (Adaptive Motor Power) technology, which automatically adjusts the torque needed for optimal granulation based on the motor's operating conditions. The AMP system manages various variables—such as the amount of plastic to grind, feedstock thickness, temperature, and shape—to ensure the granulator operates at peak efficiency while consuming the least amount of energy.

Additionally, the design of the granulator frame and body contributes to energy efficiency. For example, our largest model, which can process up to 6,000 kg/h of plastic, weighs 18 tons, compared to the 25-26 tons of conventional granulators. Moreover, CMG granulators do not require floor anchoring and operate without producing vibrations, whereas conventional models must be anchored to prevent movement despite their heavy weight.

How important are ESG aspects to your company and what actions are you taking to ensure your commitment to these standards?

We are actively engaged in a variety of initiatives, demonstrating our strong commitment to ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) factors. In May of this year, we proudly received the bronze medal from EcoVadis. The EcoVadis assessment evaluates 21 sustainability criteria across four key themes: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.

Giorgio Santella will be speaking on Day 1 at the Plastics Recycling World Expo Theatre.