BARRIER FILM | MATERIALS
Protected species: latest in barrier film
Recent innovations in barrier film include ways to cut the use of polyamides, details on the rise of metallised film and how appropriate coatings can help to create sustainable products
Barrier film has become more complex in recent times – especially in areas such as recycling. Speakers at a number of AMI events last year addressed the topic from a number of angles. At Speciality Packaging Films Asia – held in
Bangkok, Thailand – Esa-Matti Aalto, general manager of Matthews Industrial Technologies, told delegates how the latest converting and coating techniques can be used to create sustain- able packaging.
“Dispersion barrier coatings play an essential
role in sustainable packaging solutions,” he said. Coatings can be applied to paper, mono-materi- al plastic and bio-plastic substrates to boost sustainability, he added. As cellulose-based plastics are becoming more
commercially interesting, there need to be ways of coating them. One solution, offered by the com- pany, is to use a water-based PVdC system to apply a barrier using a two-head coating line. This is
www.filmandsheet.com
appropriate for applications such as chocolate, twist-wrapped confectionery and dried foods. The line to apply these coatings typically has a working width of 850-1650mm, a speed of 400 m/min and a reel weight of up to 2,000kg. Similarly, the company can coat mono-material plastics using a four-head off-line coating line. This adds a PVdC barrier coating as well as primer and functional top coatings. The line also has four gravure coating stations and a thermal drying system. It is aimed at applications such as primary packaging for potato chips, sweets and snacks. The line is typically 1500-3000mm wide, operates at a speed of 550 m/min and has a reel weight of 3,500kg. Typical materials used are BOPP, BOPE and BOPET. The company also supplies a coating line for label stock material. The lines can also incorporate a Digimarc digital watermark, which helps to improve the recycling
Main image: Vacuum packaging is a common method of barrier food packaging
March 2025 | FILM & SHEET EXTRUSION 37
IMAGE: SHUTTERSTOCK
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 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
