shrink, stretch & packaging machinery
A look at shrink film advancements
How shrink packaging helps the consumer connect with products on the shelf By Michael Hartmann
Michael Hartmann is marketing manager at Eastman, which offers packaging solutions for shrink labels, custom containers, carbonated soft drinks and water. For more information, visit
www.eastman.com.
In an age of increased customisation across almost all market sectors and industries, product differentiation for consumer packaging companies can come just as easily from the shape of a bottle as from its contents, leaving brand- owners challenged to find inventive ways to stand apart from competitors.
S
helf appeal is one important way to stand out from the crowd. Packaging that
enhances the product using eye catching colors and graphics or innovative shapes and designs more often than not comes out on top at the first moment of truth. And as plastic and glass bottle shapes become more romantically contoured to connect emotionally with consumers, so too must the labels that fit them. Increasingly, advanced shrink films have emerged as the go-to labelling option.
Over the last decade, new
products using shrink film labelling have exploded. In
26 FMCG News
2003, just over 2,000 new products were launched using shrink film labelling globally; by 2008, that number more than tripled, reaching 7,000. Advanced coployester resins for use in shrink film
applications meet this need and offer low shrink force and versatility within the shrink curve. They are recognised for their enhanced clarity, printability, toughness and reliable seaming and shrinkage, and are now used for a wide variety of beverage products, including dairy, water, juice, liquor and sports & soft drinks.
USING CREATIVITY FOR PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION Vibrant colors, eye-popping graphics and unique package design are all characteristics that make packages jump off the shelves. Copolyester resins for shrink
film are an ideal solution for flexible packaging and high contour containers of all shapes and sizes. With maximum readability and printability, they
enable brand owners to shed the costs and bulk of secondary packaging and maximise shelf appeal. Aesthetically, shrink film resins can be printed using thermochromatic, metallic and glow-in-the-dark inks and can be used with spot varnishing and Organic Photovoltaic (OPV) for a frosty-cold look. The shrink films are also more squeezable and have a soft and natural feel. With a shrink rate of up to 80 percent, film generated with copolyester resins contour more closely to complex surfaces for additional aesthetic benefits. Copolyester resins for shrink film also offer a 360º billboard for packages. This enables designers to use the entire package surface to communicate with the consumer, helping the product to stand out on store shelves. On top of these benefits, the
resins also offer a consistent film edge at the top and bottom of the package for fewer “smiley faces” on oval, square and oblong containers. Plus due to their high-quality printability,
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