producers making investments in eco-friendly packaging
In order to maintain food safety and quality while pursuing sustainability objectives, bakeries and snack manufacturers face a challenging and never-ending quest for improved, more sustainable packaging.
Vice President of Market Development at PMMI Jorge Izquierdo stated, “That’s more and more important for consumers.” The materials that bakers use are changing significantly as a result of a lot of activity in that area. If you were previously utilizing a multi-layered film, you are now switching to mono-materials or, in certain situations, plant-based films for certain specialist items.
According to him, businesses that have been using the same materials for years are testing and implementing new packaging more often, which probably calls for some equipment modifications and might slow down throughputs.
“There are a lot of important implications when you’re changing the formulation and going to a mono-material, going to more biodegradable or compostable materials, and there’s a lot of movement toward those materials now,” Mr. Izquierdo said. A form-fill-seal machine maker I spoke with during a conversion explained to me how this is forcing them to switch from thermal sealing to ultrasonic sealing. They now have more flexible access to a greater variety of materials thanks to the ultrasonic sealing.
Two bars vibrate quickly during ultrasonic sealing, and the friction seals the product. Compared to other sealing techniques, it has the benefit of being able to squeeze out any product that could be in the way and yet accomplish the task, he added. Additionally, it uses less material since it is a thinner seal than the heavier thermal seals that many manufacturers utilize.
It is essential to have equipment that can adapt to new materials.
Vice president of TNA’s North America Mukul Shukla stated, “It is crucial to choose packaging equipment that can handle all sustainable packaging options relevant for this segment, including the use of compostable materials that can be easily composted at home.” Through the utilisation of gentle rotational vertical form/fill/seal technology, snack manufacturers may effectively address the growing consumer demand for environmentally friendly packaging materials while also achieving sustained success in a constantly evolving market.
According to Christian Romualdi, group marketing and communication manager at IMA Ilapak, bakeries and snack manufacturers are investing money on movable equipment that enables users to process a wide variety of wrapping materials and switch automatically or semi-automatically between films. According to him, this includes “machines capable of handling multiple applications and easily managing critical parameters without requiring specific operator skills.”
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We Seal is a firm that specializes in producing applicator machines and recyclable tape-based bag closures.
The company’s CEO, Richard Hobson, stated, “Our closures are easy to open, resealable, thermal transfer compatible, have no sharp edges, and use 80% less raw material than rigid plastic tags.” “Closures are fully recyclable and can be made from recycled materials.”
Manufacturers are introducing innovative technology that is more user-friendly, versatile, and efficient. Producers will be better able to meet OEMs’ packaging demands as they strengthen their relationships and work together more effectively.