Altopack Debuts AOD Ultra: High-Efficiency, Low-Impact Packaging for Long Pasta
Italian packaging machinery specialist Altopack has unveiled the AOD Ultra, a new iteration of its flagship long pasta packaging machine, signalling a major step forward in sustainable industrial automation. Presented during the IPACK-IMA 2025 exhibition in Milan, the AOD Ultra joins the company's EcoFriendly® line, which is designed to combine high efficiency with reduced environmental impact.
The live unveiling featured a fully operational long pasta packaging line, allowing industry visitors to assess the equipment's industrial performance in real-time production conditions. "This live demonstration highlighted the machine's reliability and capabilities in an industrial setting," Altopack said in a company statement.
At the core of the AOD Ultra's design is a focus on reducing energy consumption, packaging material use, and product waste—all while maintaining operational precision. The traditional heating elements have been entirely replaced by an ultrasonic cold sealing system, which enables longitudinal and transverse sealing with reduced power usage and greater process control.
According to the company, this innovation alone reduces electricity consumption by approximately 70%. Furthermore, tighter control over the film band and cutting pitch yields significant material savings—more than 20 tonnes of packaging film annually. The risk of defective packages is also greatly reduced, thanks to a sealing system that avoids entrapping pasta fragments, even during line stoppages.
"Altopack proved that choosing environmentally friendly solutions can be economically advantageous, dispelling the common misconception that climate action measures offer no additional benefits," the company stated.
The AOD Ultra also enhances worker safety by eliminating hot surfaces and the associated burn risk—an often overlooked but important factor in production environments.
A further distinguishing feature is the optional EcoFriendly® Display, a real-time carbon footprint monitor designed to provide transparent and quantifiable sustainability metrics. "This is not greenwashing, but an approach based on measurable and verifiable data," Altopack emphasized.
While the AOD Ultra brings new technological capabilities, it maintains the performance standards that have made the AOD line one of the company's bestsellers. The machine supports smart automation features such as integrated vision systems, print inspection cameras, zero air consumption sealing, and various dosing and weighing integrations tailored to specific production requirements.
"With the new AOD Ultra, Altopack confirms its ability to innovate within the tradition of Italian industry, while paying close attention to market and environmental needs," the company said. "This machine is not only a technical evolution but also a concrete sign of how sustainability and performance can coexist in the factory of the future."