FLEXIBLE PACKAGING WITH NICHROME
According to the Flexible Packaging Association, flexible packaging is any package or any part of a package whose shape can be readily changed. Examples include pouches and bags. Its opposite is rigid packaging, which includes formats like bottles, cans, and jars. Flexible packaging accounts for 19 percent of the overall packaging market and is expected to grow at a rate of 3.9 percent CAGR by 2023, according to the 2019 Flexible Packaging Marketing Assessment by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies. Convenient packaging, excellent barrier properties, sustainable materials and growing customer base for fast‐ moving consumer products and consumer durables in emerging countries are driving this expansion. Especially for food manufacturers and even pharmaceutical and cosmetic product manufacturers, flexible packagingis emerging as the preferred choice. Here are some of the reasons why:
Convenient ‐ fulfils consumer demand for portability Cost‐efficient ‐ low cost per package Lightweight ‐ low storage & distribution costs Safer distribution ‐ less risk of breakage and injury Eco friendly ‐ small carbon footprint Customisable ‐ can be moulded into varieties of shapes & sizes Brand building ‐ more surface for graphics & messaging; scope for creative concepts
AUTOMATIC FLEXIBLE PACKAGING MACHINES Automatic flexible packaging machines can be divided into 2 broad categories: Form‐Fill‐Seal: FFS machines are the most widely used flexible packaging type. As the name suggest, themachine forms bags, fills them with the product, and seals the filled bag. Some FFS machines work vertically(vertical‐form‐fill‐seal or VFFS) and some perform the process horizontally (horizontal‐form‐fill‐seal or HFFS). VFFS are the more popular type as they occupy limited floor space and usually cost less than HFFS machines.