PACKAGING
NEW COMPOSTABLE FILM
ILAPAK
ILAPAK FINE TUNES BAGGING EQUIPMENT TO RUN
NEW COMPOSTABLE FILM
Responding to the rapid need for food factories
to use sustainable packaging materials, Ilapak UK
has successfully adapted one of its vertical flow
wrapping systems, the Vegatronic, to run a new
compostable film. Following this breakthrough,
Ilapak plan to modify its entire fleet of over 1200
vertical and horizontal systems and offer an
upgrade option to existing customers wanting to
switch to environmentally friendly substrates.
From government through to consumers, the
nation has waged a war to stamp out the use of
non-recyclable plastics packaging*. Although
sustainable polymer-based films are readily
available, it is widely acknowledged that flow
wrapping machines struggle to achieve a
consistent pack seal due to the challenging
characteristics inherent with compostable
materials. Working together with innovative UK
materials manufacturer Four04, Ilapak’s R&D
department has developed a breakthrough
heating techniques and a new sealing jaw
coating to successfully seal EVAP – a clear, high-
gloss film which offers a high moisture vapour
transmission rate (MVTR) and is compostable to
the EN 13432 standard.
Tony McDonald, Sales and Marketing Director at
Ilapak explains: “When you’re running standard
oriented polypropylene (OPP) films, it doesn’t
matter if the sealing jaw temperature varies by
10deg C or so.
But to consistently seal a sensitive film such as
EVAP, the jaws have to be non-stick.
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The heat has to be balanced across the element
and you need accurate temperature control.”
The breakthrough came about when the EVAP
film was being used to wrap organic own-label
nuts for a major UK retailer. The breathable film
holds special properties to lengthen shelf-life
and, in particular, ensure that the nuts do not
dehydrate.
Uniquely in the UK, Four04 also provides offline
micro-perforation of its films, including the EVAP
used in the nut bagging application. Crucial