CREMONA, ITALY — More than 150 guests from all over the world attended Ocrim’s “Grano, Farina, E…” (Wheat, Flour, And…) event Sept. 16-17 in Cremona, Italy.

After being postponed for two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ocrim was glad to meet once again with customers face-to-face.

“Human relations represent one of the principles we care about most and to which we have always given the utmost importance,” said Alberto Antolini, chief executive officer of Ocrim.   

The two-day event included discussions on topical issues, including energy saving, maximizing productivity, milling plant efficiency and food trends. The Ocrim “O|farmhouse” was inaugurated, in the area next to the Milling Hub plant, a recently renovated farmhouse that functions as a hospitality area.

The event started on the afternoon of Sept. 16 with a welcome from Antolini followed by Federico Vecchioni, Bonifiche Ferraresi CEO, who discussed the alliance between the two companies.

“So, you know that BF with Ocrim intends to preserve this vocation to internationalization, because Italy is our heart but the legs and the desire to run in the markets represent for us the discriminating factor towards a growing competition,” he said.

Sergio Antolini, president of Ocrim, discussed how the Ocrim world is built on values such as honor, courage, love for one’s work “... where dreams are not forgotten in the drawer, but kept tightly in hand, a world in which every new day is a new challenge….”

Ocrim experts then shared their know-how and gave suggestions for improving energy performance. Demonstrating how details can make a difference and make the electricity bill lighter, experts talked about energy power management, the advantages of smart automation and close collaboration with Ocrim technicians to find new solutions for both new plants and revamping.

The Sept. 17 conference began with greetings from the Mayor of Cremona, Gianluca Galimberti followed by professors from the Università del Sacro Cuore. Many topics were covered, from the globalization effect on new consumer tastes, to research data that focuses on the increased demand for “healthy” products at affordable prices, to the false belief that there is a relationship between gluten-free foods and loss of weight, to the need to combine biodiversity with virtuous manufacturing processes.

The conference moderator was Anna Buffa, a food entertainer who in recent years also has distinguished herself as a sensitive supporter of food sustainability.

At the end of the conference, attendees visited the Milling Hub mill plant, near the Ocrim manufacturing and logistical headquarters.

A cultural and relax moment could not be missing. Ocrim offered its guests a private guided tour of the Violin Museum in Cremona, including a performance by Sofia Manvati with Antonio Stradivari “Vesuvio” violin 1727c.

As per tradition, “Grano, Farina, E…” (Wheat, Flour, And…) 2022 Edition ended on Sept. 18 with an event dedicated to employees and their families in the Ocrim farmhouse.

From top left: Gianluca Galimberti, mayor of Cremona; Guendalina Graffigna, Psychology Department, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Stefano Boccaletti, Agro-food Economics Department, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore;  Edoardo Fornari, Agro-food Economics Department, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Lorenzo Morelli, Food Science and Technology Department, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore; Anna Buffa, food entertainer and moderator of the Ocrim technical day. Photo courtesy of Ocrim.