Innovating is meant to provide answers, but in doing so, the Italian manufacturer company Unitec has not forgotten its centennial history (1924-2024). "At Unitec, we never assume that we have reached a finish line. Each time sets the stage for another goal," explains Angelo Benedetti, president and CEO of the company, which was founded in 1993 from the merger of Tomorrow New Technology (TNT) and Dalle Vacche di Massa Lombarda, a company that has been operating since 1924.
Angelo Benedetti during a recent exhibition
"Today, there are about 120 people working in the Research and Development Department, which is housed in a recently inaugurated building in front of our head office in Lugo (Ravenna). Our customers are always coming up with new needs and new objectives, and we want to help them by providing them with concrete answers as quickly as possible. We can only find the right solutions through research and innovation."
The year 2023 ended on a positive note for Unitec, with a turnover of more than 200 million euros, exceeding all expectations, and 800 employees, including 600 in Italy and 200 in the rest of the world. "But this doesn't mean that it was an easy year. We have had peaks in orders, and then we have had waves of periods of relative calm. This requires great adaptability in organizing and managing our people. After all, it is becoming more and more difficult to find workers, both in our sector and in the field," continues Benedetti.
The R&D center in front of the headquarters in Lugo (Ravenna)
It is precisely the lack of specialized manpower that has led Unitec to invest heavily in innovative projects that propose increasingly precise and versatile sorting machines. "Think of blueberries. The harvest can now be completely automated, from harvesting to packaging. The aim of our sorting machines is to guarantee the consumer a product of consistent quality, with particular attention to shelf life and logistical aspects," says Benedetti. "In fact, the decline in fruit consumption is largely due to years of low-quality supply. This undermines consumer trust. Now, we have to rebuild that trust, we have to bring back fruit that can satisfy consumers again. And this can only be done with quality that lives up to its promises.
For 2024, Unitec's goals of reaching and satisfying customers around the world will not change. "Every year is different. Bad weather conditions are enough to compromise a season. In 2024, with Spain, France, and Italy in the lead, we want to be even more present in Europe. We offer machines for more than 50 different products, ranging from blueberries to watermelons. There is no type of fruit or vegetable for which Unitec does not have a sorting solution. And I can already announce that we have new technological updates, including innovations for apple processing. Even in segments where you have already achieved a high level of competitiveness, you can never stand still, you must always evolve."
Unitec headquarters in Lugo (Ravenna)
"In different parts of the world, there are supermarket chains that have asked growers to sort their fruit, for example cherries, with Unitec machines. This shows respect for the high-quality standard of our solutions. But I repeat, we do not think we are there yet. Robotics still offers great potential for improvement, and this is true for every type of fruit. This is the reason why we invest so much in research, so that we are always one step ahead," Benedetti continues.
"The choice of Unitec technologies means a reduction in production costs, a guarantee of consistency in the quality of the fruit, and greater efficiency in processing," explains Benedetti.
The year 2024 is going to be an important one for Unitec. There will be a series of events to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the company, with the presentation of important innovations and the strengthening of the Research and Development Department.
"We are an international company capable of meeting a wide range of requirements and needs. We never shy away from a new challenge from a customer. We have been challenging for 100 years, and we want to continue doing so for the next 100 by innovating," the Chairman concluded.
For more information:
Unitec Group 
Via Prov.le Cotignola, 20/9
48022 Lugo (RA), Italy
Tel.: +39 0545 288884
www.unitec-group.com
[email protected]