Ricci engineering has a long experience in the beverage sector. Could you briefly tell us about the history of the company and its relationship with Inoxpa?

Founded in 2013, Ricci Engineering was born from my experience as a technical director in another company in the sector. In 2019, it was acquired by the Interpump group, which also owns Inoxpa, a leading company in machinery for the food industry. Today, we work on customised solutions for breweries with a dedicated team. This enables us to offer high quality turnkey systems.

What solutions do you offer, and at what stages of the production process?

We offer complete systems for microbreweries and craft breweries, including malt conveyors, mills, cooking rooms, CIP cleaning systems and fermenters. The cooking room is the heart, designed for efficient and flexible cycles, adaptable to different recipes. We work on bespoke solutions to ensure consistent quality, with highly reliable components.

An important new feature is the Industry 5.0. approach. How does it differ from traditional systems and what benefits does it bring?

Industry 5.0 goes beyond 4.0, integrating automation and data collection with energy efficiency. In our plants, we include oversized heat exchangers and vapour recovery to reduce consumption by 15-20% compared to previous systems. This optimises consumption per hectolitre of beer produced, recording real savings on gas and electricity, with a tax recovery of up to 45% of the investment.

How do you carry out monitoring and traceability in your plants?

There is real-time monitoring of the process parameters, such as temperatures during cooking, to follow the recipe and optimise energy. Predictive software anticipates and corrects deviations, ensuring stability. Production data goes to a local server, and energy consumption can be checked periodically via meters. This setup is ideal for small breweries, with simple communications and post-implementation checks.

… and what about pasteurisers? Are they suitable for the production of craft beer?

Traditionally, craft breweries avoid pasteurisation to maintain the natural flavour, focusing on hygiene and cleanliness. But with the rise of low or zero-alcohol beers, pasteurisers become essential. Our systems are efficient, can be integrated with the rest of the line, and also extend to other beverage products.

In conclusion, how do the plants you offer help craft brewers compete in the market?

They offer energy efficiency, reduced operating costs and consistent quality, without sacrificing the craft quality. With 20% lower heat consumption and full traceability, breweries can scale production while maintaining control: a step towards sustainability and innovation.