Packaging Insight

Plastic Materials Used In Laminations

Lamination For Plastic Materials or Pouches

CPP

Description: Cast polypropylene (CPP) is extruded in-house, and can be used for a variety of applications, including, twist film, flow wraps, bag film, and a myriad of special applications. CPP extrusion is very common in Europe and Asia, but is more of a specialty film in North America.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, scratch resistance, heat seals, and hot tack. Good stiffness.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: Ranges from 60 ga up to 4 mil.
Applications: CPP is an excellent alternative to PE for bags with less than 1 lbs of content. CPP has significantly better heat seals than OPP and easily seals through contamination for dusty products. CPP is an excellent sealant web, laminated to OPP, PET, Paper. It is also often used for Twist Wrap applications.

 OPP

Description: Oriented polypropylene (OPP or BOPP) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, and stiffness. Good heat seals.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: We generally stock 70ga, 80 ga, 1 mil, 1.2 mil, and 1.4 mil.
Applications: Sealant web or outer web in laminations, or a stand-alone film for certain applications. Most grades of OPP is sealable on 2 sides, and can in most cases be fin sealed or lap sealed.

PE

Description: Polyethylene is extruded throughout North America, and is a readily available and commonly used material. We extrude PE in-house and also buy certain grades from local suppliers, depending on the requirements. PE is typically blown, but can also be cast. Cast PE is typically softer and clearer than blown PE.
Typical Features: Excellent heat seals, puncture resistance, and impact resistance.
Barrier Properties: Good water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: 1.5 mil, 2-4 mil.
Applications: PE is most commonly used as the sealant web in laminates of all kinds

PET

Description: Polyester (PET) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent stiffness, clarity, gloss and heat resistance.
Barrier Properties: Excellent gas barrier, poor water barrier.
Typical Grades: We stock 48 ga PET, which is the most common grade in North America for flexible packaging.
Applications: Polyester is almost always used as an outer web in laminations. The heat-resistance of PET makes it ideal for this application, creating a very "forgiving" material that is easy to run. Heatsealable grades of PET do exist, but they are not that common. As a result, PET laminations require a fin seal.

Metallized PET

Description:

CPP

Description: Cast polypropylene (CPP) is extruded in-house, and can be used for a variety of applications, including, twist film, flow wraps, bag film, and a myriad of special applications. CPP extrusion is very common in Europe and Asia, but is more of a specialty film in North America.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, scratch resistance, heat seals, and hot tack. Good stiffness.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: Ranges from 60 ga up to 4 mil.
Applications: CPP is an excellent alternative to PE for bags with less than 1 lbs of content. CPP has significantly better heat seals than OPP and easily seals through contamination for dusty products. CPP is an excellent sealant web, laminated to OPP, PET, Paper. It is also often used for Twist Wrap applications.

OPP

Description: Oriented polypropylene (OPP or BOPP) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, and stiffness. Good heat seals.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: We generally stock 70ga, 80 ga, 1 mil, 1.2 mil, and 1.4 mil.
Applications: Sealant web or outer web in laminations, or a stand-alone film for certain applications. Most grades of OPP is sealable on 2 sides, and can in most cases be fin sealed or lap sealed.

PE

Description: Polyethylene is extruded throughout North America, and is a readily available and commonly used material. We extrude PE in-house and also buy certain grades from local suppliers, depending on the requirements. PE is typically blown, but can also be cast. Cast PE is typically softer and clearer than blown PE.
Typical Features: Excellent heat seals, puncture resistance, and impact resistance.
Barrier Properties: Good water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: 1.5 mil, 2-4 mil.
Applications: PE is most commonly used as the sealant web in laminates of all kinds

PET

Description: Polyester (PET) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent stiffness, clarity, gloss and heat resistance.
Barrier Properties: Excellent gas barrier, poor water barrier.
Typical Grades: We stock 48 ga PET, which is the most common grade in North America for flexible packaging.
Applications: Polyester is almost always used as an outer web in laminations. The heat-resistance of PET makes it ideal for this application, creating a very "forgiving" material that is easy to run. Heatsealable grades of PET do exist, but they are not that common. As a result, PET laminations require a fin seal.

Metallized PET

Description:

Metallized OPP

Description: Metallized OPP is another common barrier material. We metallize our OPP in-house by evaporating a thin coat of aluminum onto the film under vacuum. 
Typical Features: Similar to OPP
Barrier Properties: Outstanding gas barrier and water barrier.
Typical Grades: 70 ga PET is stocked and metallized for the application. Other grades are also readily available, but since the metal provides the barrier, 70 ga typically works for a multitude of applications.
Applications: Metallized OPP is often used as the sealant web in an OPP/MET OPP lamination for a variety of applications from flow wraps for chocolate to VFFS for candy, etc. Metallized OPP can also be surface printed and used as a single web

 

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CPP

Description: Cast polypropylene (CPP) is extruded in-house, and can be used for a variety of applications, including, twist film, flow wraps, bag film, and a myriad of special applications. CPP extrusion is very common in Europe and Asia, but is more of a specialty film in North America.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, scratch resistance, heat seals, and hot tack. Good stiffness.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: Ranges from 60 ga up to 4 mil.
Applications: CPP is an excellent alternative to PE for bags with less than 1 lbs of content. CPP has significantly better heat seals than OPP and easily seals through contamination for dusty products. CPP is an excellent sealant web, laminated to OPP, PET, Paper. It is also often used for Twist Wrap applications.

 OPP

Description: Oriented polypropylene (OPP or BOPP) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, and stiffness. Good heat seals.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: We generally stock 70ga, 80 ga, 1 mil, 1.2 mil, and 1.4 mil.
Applications: Sealant web or outer web in laminations, or a stand-alone film for certain applications. Most grades of OPP is sealable on 2 sides, and can in most cases be fin sealed or lap sealed.

PE

Description: Polyethylene is extruded throughout North America, and is a readily available and commonly used material. We extrude PE in-house and also buy certain grades from local suppliers, depending on the requirements. PE is typically blown, but can also be cast. Cast PE is typically softer and clearer than blown PE.
Typical Features: Excellent heat seals, puncture resistance, and impact resistance.
Barrier Properties: Good water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: 1.5 mil, 2-4 mil.
Applications: PE is most commonly used as the sealant web in laminates of all kinds

PET

Description: Polyester (PET) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent stiffness, clarity, gloss and heat resistance.
Barrier Properties: Excellent gas barrier, poor water barrier.
Typical Grades: We stock 48 ga PET, which is the most common grade in North America for flexible packaging.
Applications: Polyester is almost always used as an outer web in laminations. The heat-resistance of PET makes it ideal for this application, creating a very "forgiving" material that is easy to run. Heatsealable grades of PET do exist, but they are not that common. As a result, PET laminations require a fin seal.

Metallized PET

Description:

CPP

Description: Cast polypropylene (CPP) is extruded in-house, and can be used for a variety of applications, including, twist film, flow wraps, bag film, and a myriad of special applications. CPP extrusion is very common in Europe and Asia, but is more of a specialty film in North America.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, scratch resistance, heat seals, and hot tack. Good stiffness.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: Ranges from 60 ga up to 4 mil.
Applications: CPP is an excellent alternative to PE for bags with less than 1 lbs of content. CPP has significantly better heat seals than OPP and easily seals through contamination for dusty products. CPP is an excellent sealant web, laminated to OPP, PET, Paper. It is also often used for Twist Wrap applications.

OPP

Description: Oriented polypropylene (OPP or BOPP) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent clarity, gloss, and stiffness. Good heat seals.
Barrier Properties: Excellent water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: We generally stock 70ga, 80 ga, 1 mil, 1.2 mil, and 1.4 mil.
Applications: Sealant web or outer web in laminations, or a stand-alone film for certain applications. Most grades of OPP is sealable on 2 sides, and can in most cases be fin sealed or lap sealed.

PE

Description: Polyethylene is extruded throughout North America, and is a readily available and commonly used material. We extrude PE in-house and also buy certain grades from local suppliers, depending on the requirements. PE is typically blown, but can also be cast. Cast PE is typically softer and clearer than blown PE.
Typical Features: Excellent heat seals, puncture resistance, and impact resistance.
Barrier Properties: Good water barrier, poor gas barrier.
Typical Grades: 1.5 mil, 2-4 mil.
Applications: PE is most commonly used as the sealant web in laminates of all kinds

PET

Description: Polyester (PET) is a commodity film that is typically produced in dedicated factories in North America, Asia, or the Middle East.
Typical Features: Excellent stiffness, clarity, gloss and heat resistance.
Barrier Properties: Excellent gas barrier, poor water barrier.
Typical Grades: We stock 48 ga PET, which is the most common grade in North America for flexible packaging.
Applications: Polyester is almost always used as an outer web in laminations. The heat-resistance of PET makes it ideal for this application, creating a very "forgiving" material that is easy to run. Heatsealable grades of PET do exist, but they are not that common. As a result, PET laminations require a fin seal.

Metallized PET

Description:

Metallized OPP

Description: Metallized OPP is another common barrier material. We metallize our OPP in-house by evaporating a thin coat of aluminum onto the film under vacuum. 
Typical Features: Similar to OPP
Barrier Properties: Outstanding gas barrier and water barrier.
Typical Grades: 70 ga PET is stocked and metallized for the application. Other grades are also readily available, but since the metal provides the barrier, 70 ga typically works for a multitude of applications.
Applications: Metallized OPP is often used as the sealant web in an OPP/MET OPP lamination for a variety of applications from flow wraps for chocolate to VFFS for candy, etc. Metallized OPP can also be surface printed and used as a single web

 

Benefits Of Using Batch Inclusion Bags To Help The Environment

Batch Inclusion film or bags derive their name from the fact the bag itself,along with contents,is actually included in the production batch or during rubber compounding. The bag, once melted and dispersed, becomes part of the product being made. Batch inclusion bags typically hold chemical additives for large scale industries, such as synthetic rubber and plastic compounding. Often the additives involved are difficult to handle, weigh to little or are used to hard to dispense automatically. These could include colorants, fillers, resins and even some polymers for large scale mixing. Because the bag and its contents become part of the batch, the user will realize a cleaner environment, along with other benefits such as reduce labor cost, reduce disposal cost and clean up cost, better hygiene. The bags or film has a number of benefits like more efficient use of raw materials and a more consistent mixtures of compounds. Also, you will find the use of material in a sealed bag allows for a reduction in storage space when compared to an open container, such as metal containers or plastic and sometimes paper bags. As sealed bags can pile in a bin, cardboard boxes, tubs, or carts.

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Cube Packaging / Reduce Your Packaging / Save Space

The Cube will help reduce your packaging and palletize for ease of transportation. Some key advantages that the Cube packaging system offers over traditional lay flat bags are as follows.

• Increase Sales due to instant billboard, stand up presentation of bag, enabling a ready made display directly from the pallet.
• Reduse waste and damage due to strong bi-axially oriented laminated structures used and the size of bags being perfectly matched to the pallet demensions eliminating over hang and therefore damage.
• Reduce transportation and storage costs due to efficiency of the cube shape enables all truck loads of finished products weigh out at the maximum allowable wieght, approximately 150,000 empty units are able to be shipped per truck load and the pallets of empty bags and finished goods are strong enough to allow pallets to be stacked, maximizing warehouse space.
• Optimize retail shelf space utilization by being able to fully stack the shelves and yet the stand up presentation style makes the bag fully visible. Customers report that 20 Cube bags enables a pallet to be sized to utilize all of the space that is present beneath a shelf.

dbanig@packflex.com

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Growth in Stand Up Pouches

Stand Up Pouches have altered the face of consumer packaging for such products as coffee, fruit juice, and soup mixes, yet they have a definite use for industrial applications as well. Using materials such as metalized films, foil lamination's, and custom blended barrier films, stand up pouches are constructed to not only be appealing but functional. Re-sealable zip lock closures; release valves, ultra clear films, and even pour spouts. Stand up pouches give retailers new opportunities to display products and maximize shelf space and manufacturers reduce their packaging costs by eliminating the "old style" bag-in-a-box method of packaging. Two types of printing of pouches are Rotogravure and Flexographic printing depending on the quantity of stand up pouches needed and the particular printing scheme required by your clients. The wide face of the stand-up pouch is perfect for an elaborate label or high quality print design.

There are three fundamental types of stand pouches:

Round bottom gusset stand pouches are one of the most common pouches in existence. In a round bottom gusset stand pouch, it is the welded edge of the material that provides the support that hold ups the package and allows it to “stand” in position. 

K-Seal pouch reaches a certain size it is not possible for it hold up the weight of the product while resting on the sealed edge of the material.

Plow Bottom is also called a corner seal. This style of pouch has grown rapidly in popularity especially among food product packagers and granular items like sugar and bath salts. In this case, the material that is in the package sits directly on the shelf. Pre-made plow bottom pouches replicate the appearance of pouches produced on automatic form fill and seal machinery, perhaps another reason for why they are gaining in popularity.

Woven Polyproplene Bags

A majority of pet owners have experienced the convenience of buying pet food in bulk: it means fewer trips to the store and in most cases a significant cost savings. But for many people, these benefits are quickly forgotten when they go to lift a bag of pet food, only to have the bag rip and spill all over the floor, while still at the retail location, or even later when they have already purchased the item and transported it home.

 

The traditional paper bags used to hold pet food can be endlessly aggravating – for consumers and retailers alike. Consumers can be frustrated by overly-heavy bags that rip and tear too easily, and retailers and suppliers are oftentimes forced to absorb the extra costs that come with replacing defective product, and cleaning up after the inevitable spill.

 

Packaging manufacturers are all too familiar with these frustrations, and have developed a product specifically designed to overcome some of the annoying drawbacks of large, multi-wall paper sacks. Woven polypropylene bags consist of thousands of strands of plastic woven together to form a fabric-like sheet that is very strong and extremely durable, and capable of carrying well over fifty pounds without any problems. They are also extremely stable, and rarely will they rip or burst when dropped.

 

In recent years, woven polypropylene bags have been extensively adopted by the agricultural and manufacturing industries, most commonly used to hold animal feed, sand, produce, grain, minerals, salt, chemicals, fertilizers, cement, coffee, sugar, wood pellets, bio-mass and much more. The bags can be custom printed with a logo and text on one or two sides and come in a variety of sizes. They can also be readily customized with gussets, anti-slip coatings, laminations, and treated to be UV-resistant. Many manufacturers of pet products have been particularly pleased with smaller bags, as their weight can be kept at a reasonable amount so that women, the largest buyers of pet food, can handle them more readily.

 

While paper bags have been the traditional packaging used in selling pet food, manufacturers of these types of products have grown weary of absorbing the costs that come with the need to replace bags on retailers’ floors. In addition, woven polypropylene bags are made from plastic, so they are inherently water-resistant. They will not smudge, sag, or get soggy, so they will still be sellable even after inclement weather. This is good news for retailers, many of whom have been looking to put pet food outside the store to make room for more profitable items within. Packaging that is weather-resistant increases retailers’ merchandising options, and decreases the risk of damaged product.

 

Heavey Duty shipping sacks are changing to woven polypropelene bags to eliminate waste especially dealing in big box stores. Improved flexo printing and lamination on woven polypropelene makes a very attractive package.

Wood Pellets - Renewable Energy

What is Pellet Fuel?

Pellet fuel is a renewable, clean-burning and cost stable home heating alternative currently used throughout North America. It is a biomass product made of renewable substances – generally recycled wood waste. There are approximately 800,000 homes in the U.S. using wood pellets for heat, in freestanding stoves, fireplace inserts and even furnaces. Pellet fuel for heating can also be found in such large-scale environments as schools and prisons. North American pellets are produced in manufacturing facilities in United States and Canada, and are available for purchase at fireplace dealers, nurseries, building supply stores, feed and garden supply stores and some discount merchandisers.

In short, pellet fuel is a way to divert millions of tons of waste from landfills and turn it into energy

Benefits Of Using Batch Inclusion Bags To Help The Environment

Batch Inclusion film or bags derive their name from the fact the bag itself,along with contents,is actually included in the production batch or during rubber compounding. The bag, once melted and dispersed, becomes part of the product being made. Batch inclusion bags typically hold chemical additives for large scale industries, such as synthetic rubber and plastic compounding. Often the additives involved are difficult to handle, weigh to little or are used to hard to dispense automatically. These could include colorants, fillers, resins and even some polymers for large scale mixing. Because the bag and its contents become part of the batch, the user will realize a cleaner environment, along with other benefits such as reduce labor cost, reduce disposal cost and clean up cost, better hygiene. The bags or film has a number of benefits like more efficient use of raw materials and a more consistent mixtures of compounds. Also, you will find the use of material in a sealed bag allows for a reduction in storage space when compared to an open container, such as metal containers or plastic and sometimes paper bags. As sealed bags can pile in a bin, cardboard boxes, tubs, or carts.

Benefits of using Batch Inclusion Bags are they improve quality and batch uniformity insures 100% compound ingredients go into the mixing of the material when doing in house weighing, batch inclusion bags eliminate the risk of cross-contamination due to chemical residue in tubs and weighing containers. Will increases productivity and eliminates the need to weigh ingredients in-house through the use of having the product weighed and ready to be thrown into a batch of rubber also eliminates the need to clean out tubs and weighing containers. Reduces the amount of solid waste disposal going into the land fills. You will have less product loss due to spillage and minimizes the accumulation of costly additives in the dust collectors. The idea is to minimizes worker exposure to hazardous materials.

dbanig@prflexbag.com http://www.prflexbag.com