mespack — packaging machinery

Flexible Film Materials

The main aim of flexible film is to keep the contents in good condition until they are sold and consumed, and to encourage customers to purchase the products.

Correct packaging is essential to achieve both these objectives. The importance of packaging can be summarized as follows:

• If adequately packaged and treated, the shelf-life of products may be extended, and this allows the products to be distributed to both domestic and export markets.
• Correct packaging prevents any wastage (such as leakage or deterioration) which may occur during transportation and distribution.
• Good packaging and presentation encourages consumers to buy.

High print quality can be obtained with actual flexible packaging films using either flexo or rotogravure printing.

Most common material used in our machines would be: PET/PE, PAPER/ALU/PE, ALU/PE, PET/ALU/PE, amongst many other combinations.

Polypropylene (PP):

• Polypropylene is a clear glossy film with a high strength, and is puncture resistant.
• It has low permeability to moisture, gases, and odours, which is not affected by changes in humidity.
• It stretches, although less than polythene.
• It has good resistance to oil, and therefore can be used successfully for packaging oily products.

Polythene Low-density (LDPE):

• Heat sealable, inert, odour-free, and shrinks when heated.
• It is a good moisture barrier, but has a relatively high gas permeability, sensitivity to oils, and poor odour resistance.
• It is less expensive than most films and is therefore widely used.

High-density polythene (HDPE):

• Stronger, thicker, less flexible, and more fragile than low-density polythene.
• It has lower permeability to gases and moisture.
• It has a higher softening temperature (121°C) and can therefore be heat sterilized.

Polyester (PET):

• The glossier film.
• It offers excellent appearance and has very good barrier properties.
• This type of film is widely used in flexible packaging due to its mechanical and dimentional characteristics at high temperatures.

Laminated films:

• Laminated films are two or more films glued together.
• Lamination improves the appearance, the barrier properties, or the mechanical strength of a package.
• Aluminium foil is widely used in laminated combinations for most pharma and food products.

Also it is to be taken into consideration that flexible films are more economic and environmentally friendly if compared with other types of traditional presentations as glass, PET, metal cans, etc.