Flexible Packaging
Inventing safe and efficient solutions for flexible packaging
Using Desmodur quix 175 based adhesives offers
several benefits for the downstream process chain. It enables packaging converters to cut standard curing times in the production of flexible packaging films from up to two long weeks to just two days, without sacrificing safety or speed. This brings production cost savings due to reduced storage times, reduced lead times, less bound capital as well as a higher flexibility to react to their customers’ needs. This in turn helps them to improve their position in a competitive environment. Desmodur quix 175 has been developed with an eye on industry trends, meeting the need for food safety with advantages in efficiency and process costs.
Flexible packaging is becoming increasingly popular for protecting sensitive food and adding the required brand messages. Consumers want to see products that are easy to open and reclosable for use on the go, saysCovestro
countries, the fast-growing market for pre- cooked meals and the need for a prolonged shelf life, thus tackling the issue of food waste. Besides the increasing importance of functional
C
integration there is also a growing demand for greater sustainability. Flexible packaging using lightweight plastic materials is superior to glass or metal solutions, as they save energy during transportation. Regulations for food packaging are becoming stricter, with new outlines frequently issued. Covestro, a supplier of polyurethane raw materials for adhesives, coatings and printing inks for flexible packaging, is working closely with its customers to fulfill the requirements of the industry arising from these trends. Julia Hellenbach, marketing manager, packaging
at Covestro, states: “For us it is very important to be in close contact to our customers and the industry to offer solutions that the industry really needs.”
STRICTER FOOD SAFETY REGULATIONS The question of which raw materials are used for which individually-packed product is considered throughout the value chain, starting at the raw material provider. The industry is looking for economical products that simultaneously deliver a high degree of safety and avoid risk. With aliphatic isocyanates from Covestro, there is no risk of migration of polymeric aromatic amines (PAA); these make life easier for packaging converters
30 February 2017
urrent trends across the industry also include the increasing number of single households in developed
who have to do migration testing. Desmodur N 3300 is already an established hardener for solvent-borne as well as solvent-free adhesives. The most recent innovation, Desmodur quix
175 allows for adhesive formulations for high- performance packaging lamination, which cure quickly at room temperature and can be safely used in retort food and pharma packaging.
MAXIMISING EFFICIENCY In a competitive environment it is crucial for packaging converters to operate at the highest possible level of efficiency. That means high lamination speeds as well as the shortest possible production to customer times. Since ever-faster changes in packaging design are leading to smaller order sizes, converters need to adapt their production to this changing environment with a high degree of flexibility, while at the same time maintaining a high level of efficiency. Covestro is working on new product
developments that will enable the flexible packaging industry to respond to these trends. Desmodur quix 175 is one example of this. Another production solution addressing the
need of maximising efficiency is based on Desmodur XP 2802 for waterborne adhesives. It offers direct slitting after lamination and no risk of PAA migration. Adhesives on its basis show very fast curing at room temperature, which makes it suitable for roll-to-roll applications. It even brings the advantage of making a pre-mixed adhesive possible with the hardener already included.
DEMAND FOR GREATER SUSTAINABILITY The growth in flexible packaging is partly due to the fact that it is lighter than other packaging solutions like glass or metal, which makes it the more sustainable choice. This saves energy during transportation, which also makes it more cost- efficient. At the same time, the flexible packaging industry is constantly looking for solutions to make its packaging even more sustainable, such as through bio-based raw materials, even thinner materials, or recyclable solutions. Covestro wants to support the industry in finding
more sustainable packaging solutions. Desmodur eco N 7300 is the first bio-based hardener for adhesives that enables customers to increase the renewable content significantly, reduce CO2 emissions and bring additional value to customers. The hardener achieves the high level of conventional, petrochemical-based isocyanates. 70 per cent of its carbon content is based on biomass. Dispercoll U 2682 is a dispersion for water-
based adhesives, aimed at customers wanting to offer industrially compostable packaging. The polymer is tested according to DIN EN 13432.
uwww.covestro.com www.convertermag.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36