Flexible Packaging Collaboration expands extrusion capability
Oracle Packaging is one of the leading providers of flexible packaging solutions for the healthcare, consumer, tobacco and industrial sectors. Combining specialised aluminum foils, steel, films, paperstock, resins, sealants, adhesives and 10- colour rotogravure printing capability, Oracle manufactures custom lid stock, pouch stock, cable armoring, and sterilisable laminates requiring specific barrier and sealant performance. Oracle’s extrusion capability is based on tandem laminating, coating and co-extrusion coating. Multiple lines have either tandem or co- extrusion coating capability and Oracle’s lines are configured to process multiple substrates, including paper, paperboard, aluminum foil and oriented films (PP, PET and PA). The company’s newest extruder is a custom,
multi-layer coating line designed by Davis- Standard. Technical personnel from both companies collaborated on the design for approximately nine months. The line went into production immediately following completion of acceptance and validation runs. This line increases Oracle’s width capacity by 30- 50 per cent and expands its co- extrusion capability.
In order to hear more about Oracle’s new
developments, Converter spoke to Chris Payne, VP of sales and marketing at Oracle Packaging.
NEW PRODUCTS INTRODUCED BY ORACLE Oracle has recently introduced a compostable lid and pouchstock to its range, as well as sterilisable co-extruded, high barrier laminates - which have now been fully qualified in recent healthcare applications.
The compostable lid and pouchstock have only just been introduced to customers, however Payne says: “There is a great energy in the marketplace for sustainable solutions that can also be designed to be renewable and compostable. This gives brand owners options to market a more environmentally friendly, multi-layer, flexible material that provides high barrier protection. We expect to be on the leading edge within this area of the market and believe that we have developed an application process that can keep costs in line for end-users, meets package specifications and delivers a more environmentally friendly product.”
SIMILAR PRODUCTS ON THE MARKET Payne adds: “Our product incorporates our sealant technology with compostable materials that include paper and biopolymers over a material that is fully industrially compostable.” He also suggests that Oracle is not aware of any other similar compostable lids and pouchstocks on the market.
BENEFITS OF ORACLE’S PRODUCTS The compostable lid and pouchstock, composed primarily of renewable materials, is fully industrially compostable. It is also suitable for low barrier applications with PLA containers and pouch applications. Moreover, Oracle uses a lower cost sealant in its
sterilisable co-extruded, high barrier laminates, which also enhances peelability or seal performance, improving efficiency for consumers.
THE FUTURE OF THE COMPANY Payne concludes that Oracle is on track for a significant period of growth. The company is expanding its pipeline into the healthcare, consumer-lidding and industrial sectors and making significant capital investments and refined stage gate developments. Oracle is looking to expand and improve upon what is already on offer. Payne concludes, “There are expectations of double digit growth rates being achieved by focusing on solutions in high growth areas within our business.”
www.oraclepackaging.com
Flexible packaging solutions that are easy to open O
ne of the most important dimensions of flexible packaging is convenience of handling, which also happens to be a
pivotal component of the pack’s functionality. When this convenience is compromised, the utility of the packaging nose-dives, simultaneously eroding consumers’ faith and confidence in brand image. Arun Anand, executive vice president
marketing at Uflex Packaging, says, “Uflex has been the first company to introduce laser scored flexible packaging in India. The sophisticated Laser Scoring Technology incises the outermost layer of a laminate with laser beams. Virtually every type of incision can be made by this technology. A predefined tearing path is created which guides the end-user to conveniently open the packaging. The fact that all of this is done without compromising the barrier properties required by the product packed inside is commendable. “One of the conventional tools that have been used to create tearing paths on flexible packaging is a serrated cutter fitted on form, fill and seal Machines. This is not considered as a very conducive option as the tool gets worn out, frequently needing to be replaced.
24 June 2017 “With laser scoring technology we are able to
offer a non-contact, clean processing solution that eliminates the need for mechanical tooling or associated consumables. “The laser system is capable of a precise scoring process that adds accurate features not obtainable through other mechanical methods. This also reduces production downtime, as pattern or design modifications are made rather instantaneously.
“The laser scoring technology that we have
invested in provides the ability to precisely and consistently score flexible packaging at controlled depths at varying web speeds. Score lines are created in specified areas of the film or laminate, forming a narrow channel in the material for a tear to follow. Effectively, a laser weakens targeted layers of packaging material to produce score lines without compromising the barrier properties of the flexible film. Various laser scoring configurations, such as half- moon cut, wedge cut, umbrella cut, slant cut, to name just a few, are possible at our packaging manufacturing plants.” Anand concludes, “With the help of the value added by laser scoring technology we have been able to offer easy to tear flexible packaging solutions to various FMCG brands of snack foods, ketchups, condoms, pet food, tea, coffee, rice and spices. For a leading snack brand in India, we engineered a three- layered laser scored diaphragm comprising PE/MET PET/PE, which has resulted in tremendous ease of opening for end-users. The demand for laser scored, easy to open, flexible packaging has been on a rise not only in India but overseas as well.”
www.uflexltd.com www.convertermag.co.uk
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