Umberto Sacco, Moderne Semolerie Italiane: “For over 50 years Moderne Semolerie Italiane grinds the best durum wheat to obtain high-quality durum wheat semolina offered at the largest pasta factories on the national and international scene. One of the main objectives we have set ourselves is to increase our product offerings, expand our customers in order to strengthen our already consolidated market position. These objectives can only be achieved with the cohesion between investments in new production activities and the constant training updates of our operating staff.”

Interview: Namık Kemal Parlak

Italy is the world’s biggest producer and exporter of pasta. One pasta dish out of 4 in the world has its origin in Italy. Over 100 companies produce pasta in the country. Pasta is made out of durum wheat, and only high-quality durum wheat can be used for the production of high-quality pasta. Special types of quality characteristics are required from the semolina and here comes Moderne Semolerie Italiane, a durum wheat milling company located in the Tavoliere delle Puglie, which has always been known as “Italy’s granary”.

Over 50 years of experience in wheat processing, Moderne Semolerie Italiane produces one of the best semolina in Italy. It is among the most important milling plants in the country.

Moderne Semolerie Italiane is a family company which has its own tradition. The company was founded by the Sacco family. The company is currently run by Umberto Sacco, representing the third generation of the family.

Umberto Sacco is an important name in the Italian milling industry. He was the President of Italmopa, the Italian milling Association, which represents the most important milling industry in Europe.

Speaking to Miller Magazine, Umberto Sacco, CEO of the Moderne Semolerie Italiane, tell his family’s 100-year-long story in milling. And he defines the major challenge for the Italian durum wheat milling industry today as ‘maintaining a high quantitative and qualitative standard in a sector that has become increasingly competitive and diversified over time.’

Mr. Sacco, your family has a long story in the milling industry. Could you tell us about your company's history in the milling industry and your corporate story? In the 1920s, thanks to the intuition of Nicola Sacco, the famous mill and pasta factory "Nicola Sacco & sons" was born, which will export pasta all over the world.

From the passion of Umberto Sacco, his son Mario and Vittorio Sacco, Moderne Semolerie Italiane was born in 1967 in Foggia, in the heart of the wheat land of Italy.

In this land, unique in the world, always dedicated to the production of durum wheat, the tradition, experience, professionalism and innovation that the Moderne Semolerie Italiane transfer to their customers are born.

The passion for this unique work will then be passed on by Mario Sacco to his three sons Pio, Patrizia and me.

Moderne Semolerie Italiane is a company that continuously renews this profession over time thanks to the strong bond between family members and the desire to look into the future.

Moderne Semolerie Italiane was born in a territory where the production of durum wheat is a centuries-old tradition and is still expanding today.

Thanks to the long experience gained in this sector, Moderne Semolerie Italiane combines innovation and Italian tradition becoming one of the first mills in Italy.

What can you say about the position of your company in Italy and the world? For over 50 years Moderne Semolerie Italiane grinds the best durum wheat to obtain high-quality durum wheat semolina offered at the largest pasta factories on the national and international scene.

Can you give us some information about your factory’s capacity and technologies in it? Which kind of products do you produce? How many people do you employ? Our mill is able to grind 700 tons of durum wheat daily. The structure is divided into two areas: one is dedicated to the storage of the raw material and one is dedicated for grinding of durum wheat for the production of durum wheat semolina. We produce durum wheat semolina, organic durum wheat semolina, and whole durum wheat semolina. We employ 27 people.

Where do you export your products? How many countries are you currently exporting? We mainly work in Italy. Durum wheat semolina is sold to the best Italian pasta factories. We export bran to North Africa and Turkey.

What can you say about the innovations and solutions that you have brought to the milling industry? Moderne Semolerie Italiane has a laboratory for quality control. Thanks to the high technology and to the control of every single batch, the company is able to guarantee high food safety standards and the traceability of each product.

The mill has been completely renovated. Today it is a Bühler mill with a very high-quality level thanks to technology and process control. The production process has decortication, optical sorters and real-time control of some quality parameters.

Could you tell us changes in your business and industry in your long journey? What do you owe your success to? Changes concerned the technological renewal that has elevated the quality of the products increasing the competitiveness. It was fundamental to offer customers a complete range of products.

What are the major challenges for the Italian durum wheat milling industry today? Certainly maintaining a high quantitative and qualitative standard in a sector that has become increasingly competitive and diversified over time.

What are your future targets in your operating market? Could you tell about your future investment plans? Certainly one of the main objectives we have set ourselves is to increase our product offerings, expand our customers in order to strengthen our already consolidated market position.

These objectives can only be achieved with the cohesion between investments in new production activities and the constant training updates of our operating staff.

Is there anything you want to add and share with our readers? I think it’s very important to maintain and observe a network of relationships at an international level to share and manage the problems of the sector together with European and non-European partners in order to understand in advance the needs of customers and the international market.