New film provides cost-effective low-temperature sealing, says Wipak

The packager said that its uncoated Walothen C25XLS E film provides an alternative to conventional coated films and is capable of sealing at a temperature as low as 65° C, making it ideal for temperature sensitive foods such as bakery and confectionary products. "There is no other film on the market to my knowledge that is capable of offering reliable sealing at such low temperatures," Wipak R&D manager Bernd Sperlich told FoodProductionDaily.com According to Wipak, polypropylene is resistant to most chemical solvents, is tasteless and odourless and safe for use in contact with food. Cutting costs Rising polymer costs are placing great pressures on food packaging manufacturers, forcing many to push up their prices to maintain margins; however Sperlich claims the new BOPP grade film has cost advantages over standard oriented polypropylene films. "The C25XLS E provides excellent scratch resistance and slip properties coupled with reduced energy consumption as a result of the low temperatures employed, thus making it a cost effective substitute for cold seal films," he added. Sperlich said that the film, which has a thickness of 25 microns, is suitable for any high-speed packaging equipment. "While the optical and mechanical properties remain the same, using low-temperature sealing films will lead to significantly reduced packaging costs as machines can run at higher speeds or cycle rates," he claimed. Packaging reduction Overwrapping multipacks, bundles or clusters is another field of application and one that also provides savings for manufacturers, according to Sperlich. "Sealing at an extremely low temperature prevents the individual wrapping films from sticking to the bundle overwrap film. This process is an effective way of cutting costs, as other secondary packaging, such as cartons, is no longer required," he said. To enable it to be printed or laminated, the Walothen C25XLS E film is corona treated, which means that the surface is activated by a high-frequency electrical discharge and enriched with chemically bound oxygen, said the manufacturer. Wipak said that the film's excellent gloss and clarity as well as its mechanical strength are achieved by the orientation process the film undergoes during its production; it is stretched in machine direction to five times its original length, and then in transverse direction to 10 times its width, before being heat-set and finally wound into reels.

New film provides cost-effective low-temperature sealing, says Wipak

A new low-temperature sealing biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) grade film can increase output for bakery and chocolate manufacturers, while reducing their environmental impact, claims Wipak.

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