Please share some background on yourself and your company

I’m Giorgio, and I have over 35 years of experience in the plastics industry, working across a range of technologies and applications. I’m currently the CEO of CMG Granulators, where I’ve played a key role in reshaping our business structure to specialize by application sectors. My career has grown from a technical, hands-on background to leadership roles in engineering management, sales, marketing, R&D, and general management. I started in this field back in 1988, initially working on equipment for industrial cooling, and my passion for innovation and solutions engineering has only deepened since then.

CMG Granulators has been in the business for 45 years, starting in 1976 when we were asked by Negri Bossi to develop a granulator for their injection molding machines. Since then, we’ve grown into the most innovative granulator supplier in the industry, offering the widest range of products with superior performance and the lowest total cost of ownership in the market. Our commitment to providing personalized solutions has always driven us forward, making us a leader in the field.

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 2 at the Plastics Recycling World Expo Theater.