TECHNOLOGICAL
DEVELOPMENT
IN THE SERVICE OF INNOVATION

M.A.SILVA GROUP HAS BEEN A TECHNOLOGICAL LEADER
IN THE CORK INDUSTRY SINCE 1972

The quality of M.A.SILVA cork stoppers results from the focus of our business strategy, centered on Research, Development and Innovation.

Over the last few years, M.A.SILVA has invested heavily in developing the most advanced technologies, which, together with the best talents, has enabled us to ensure the best performance and quality of cork stoppers, with a guarantee of non-detectable TCA. *

Continuous investment in innovation and quality reinforces our position as a reference producer of premium natural cork stoppers.

*Releasable TCA content below the quantification limit of 0.5 ng/l; analysis carried out according to ISO 20752

RD+I & QUALITY

Over the last 50 years masilva has established itself as a cork industry technological leader and its proprietary cork cleaning processes are recognized worldwide
OnebyOne

Individual cork testing

NEO®TECH

Raw material vaporization

DYNAVOX

Raw material sterilization and vaporization

SARA ADVANCED

Extraction of volatiles and sensory standardization

MASZONE

Elimination of microorganisms

CORK STOPPER QUALITY FIRST

MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY WITHOUT TCA

Quality is the reason for everything we do, and the consequence of everything we produce. The quality of our cork stoppers results from the best raw material, experienced and talented teams and constant investment in research, development & innovation.

The quality of the corks speaks for itself, and so do the numbers.

TCA analysis by GC/MS

TCA analysis by GC/MS

Sensory analysis

Sensory analysis

PURPOSE

Producing top quality cork stoppers that contribute to the preservation and evolution of wines and sparkling wines.

VISION

Being a global leading company in sustainability practices through an activity that is 100% verticalised, in the production of natural and technical cork stoppers.

MISSION

Transforming the best cork into value for stoppers, wines and people, in perfect harmony with nature.

VALUES

Proximity • Commitment • Sustainability • Quality • Innovation • Resilience

MANAGEMENT POLICY


Ensure customers satisfaction:
  • Engaging employees and suppliers in achieving the company’s goals, with a particular emphasis on ensuring food safety for end consumers.
  • Ensuring appropriate employee skills and effective internal communication.
  • Always working in accordance with the best cork industry practices in order to preserve the properties of cork as a natural product and for contact with food.
  • Manufacturing cork stoppers in compliance with legal, statutory, customer and management system requirements and applying FSC® core labor requirements.
  • Always looking for ways to reduce waste, optimise natural resources, improve operational efficiency, seeking innovative solutions.
  • Ensure the continuous improvement of the organisation, ensuring the communication model in the cork stopper production chain.
  • Contributing to the increase of the forest area with responsible management through FSC® certification (FSC-C009204).
  • Not to use child labor, any forms of forced and compulsory labor of the workers.
  • Ensure that there is no discrimination in employment occupation.
  • Respect freedom of association and the effective right to collective bargaining.
  • Continuously improving the organisation’s environmental performance and preventing pollution.
  • — M.A.SILVA

CORK STOPPER PRODUCTION FLOW

Where there is control, there is quality

M.A.SILVA produces and delivers the best natural cork stoppers available in the world market, promoting the perfect pairing: cork stopper – wine.

To guarantee maximum quality throughout the cork stopper production flow, maximum quality must be guaranteed at all stages. And for the process to be efficient, it is also necessary that all the stages are controlled – from the forest to the final product – as it happens at M.A.SILVA.

The quality of our production flow starts in the forest, and the health of the trees of contracted forest owners is constantly monitored.

The demanding and rigorous Quality & Control team at M.A.SILVA is present throughout the entire production flow, and supported by exact protocols and cutting edge technology, allowing us to decide which batches of cork are approved and which are rejected.

Before stripping, tests are carried out on samples, guaranteeing the maximum quality of cork. Once the best raw material has been selected, the next step is to ensure its cleaning and disinfection. M.A.SILVA’s patented cork cleaning and disinfection systems reduce average TCA levels to below human detectable levels.

The M.A.SILVA strategy and philosophy, focused on the quality of the cork stoppers and consequent client satisfaction, lead to predictable results and constant performance of the production process, often verified and tested by entities outside the group.

Production Flow

Raw
Material

CORK OAK STRIPPING
[ Cork planks are stripped from cork oak trees ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
YARD STABILIZATION
[ Planks are stored from 6 to 9 months on a concrete floor ]
BOILING | DYNAVOX ® SYSTEM
[ Planks are sterilized and disinfected through a vaporized pressure system ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
STABILIZATION AFTER BOILING
[ Stabilization period after vaporization ]
CORK PLANKS SORTING FOR PRODUCTION
[ First sorting of planks for production ]

Production

NATURAL | EVACORK®

CORK PLANK CUTTING
[ Planks are cut into strips ]
PUNCHING
[ Punching of cork strips ]
STERILIZATION | SARA ADVANCED® SYSTEM
[ Natural cork stoppers are vaporized and sterilized ]
PRE-DRYING
[ First moisture level definition ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
CORRECTION OF SIZES
[ Precise correction of corks sizes ]
ELECTRONIC GRADING | 2D AND 3D
[ First electronic sorting to determine visual classes ]
WASHING | MASZONE® SYSTEM
[ Washing and sterilization ]
DRYING
[ Final moisture definition ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
ELECTRONIC GRADING | 2D AND 3D
[ Second electronic sorting to determine visual classes ]
MANUAL SORTING
[ Final visual grading control ]

VIVA.2 ® | VIVA.1 ® | SILKTOP® | SILKTOP ADVANCED®

GRINDING
[ Cork granule production process ]
STERILIZATION | NEOTECH® SYSTEM
[ Cork granules are vaporized and sterilized ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
AGLOMERATION
[ Production of agglomerated bodies ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
DISC PRODUCTION
[ Thinner strips of cork are punched for disc purposes ]
ELECTRONIC GRADING | 2D AND 3D
[ Electronic sorting to determine visual classes of the discs ]
STERILIZATION | SARA ADVANCED® SYSTEM
[ Natural cork stoppers are vaporized and sterilized ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
GLUING
[ Assembly of agglomerated bodies and discs with grade glue ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
CORRECTION OF SIZES
[ Precise correction of corks sizes ]
DUSTING DOWN
WASHING | MASZONE® SYSTEM
[ Washing and sterilization ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
DRYING
[ Final moisture definition ]
ELECTRONIC GRADING | 2D AND 3D
[ Electronic sorting to determine visual classes ]

NEO PLUS® | NEO PRESTIGE® | NEO II® | VIVA NEO PLUS® | VIVA NEO PRESTIGE® | VIVA MIX®

GRINDING
[ Cork granule production process ]
STERILIZATION | NEOTECH® SYSTEM
[ Cork granules are vaporized and sterilized ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
AGLOMERATION
[ Production of agglomerated bodies ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
CORRECTION OF SIZES
[ Precise correction of corks sizes ]
DUSTING DOWN
WASHING | MASZONE® SYSTEM
[ Washing and sterilization ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
DRYING
[ Final moisture definition ]
ELECTRONIC GRADING | 2D AND 3D
[ Electronic sorting to determine visual classes ]

Customization
and packaging

PRINTING
[ Customized printing on stoppers ]
FINAL
TREATMENT
[ To facilitate the bottling process ]
GC / MS TCA CONTROL
PACKAGING
[ According to specifications ]

PROVEN QUALITY

M.A.SILVA exceeds the quality levels set by leading European institutions such as APCOR, C.E.Liège and Systecode.

M.A.SILVA’s efforts encompass the combination of forest management with highly technological processes that have been patented and awarded prizes by leading entities in the sector.

Within the framework of forest management efforts and the development of sustainable forests and products, M.A.SILVA has several units certified according to the standards of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®).