What is flow pack packaging
Among the many packaging techniques, flow pack packaging is one of the most innovative and advantageous, both in terms of economics and performance; in addition to being very good in practical terms, it is also among the most sustainable packaging and is therefore a favorite product of companies in recent years, especially in the food and large-scale retail sectors.
Flow pack packaging basically involves the use of a carrier produced in film and stored on a reel, which, thanks to special machines, creates customized and ad hoc packaging for the products for which it is selected.
Among the innovative techniques developed in recent years, flow pack packaging is a relatively recently developed technique that continues to improve, identifying new possible applications and achieving great success. Indeed, it is an ideal solution for the packaging of food products, as well as for the packaging of small and medium-sized objects in various commodity fields.
The basic principle for which this packaging technique is so popular is undoubtedly its versatility. In fact, depending on the type of film used, the flow pack obtained can be simple or multilayer, to meet specific product needs, and this is one of its flagships for use in the food sector. However, this customizable packaging can be very useful and functional In many other sectors: from pharmaceuticals (just think of masks) to information technology, from hardware to gardening, etc. What makes flow pack packaging suitable for such a wide range of products is precisely the use of film, which in turn is the most versatile material ever in the field of packaging: the composition of the classic plastic film can be easily modulated by adding materials that give it more or less resistance, elasticity, impermeability, even compostability. Not only that: the same film can be substituted with more sophisticated compounds, such as films coupled with other materials such as paper or aluminum, which give the film special characteristics suitable for the most particular products.
How flow pack packaging works
Flow pack packaging, as anticipated, involves the use of plastic film, appropriately selected in composition, which is produced on a reel and used by an entirely special packaging machine, which proceeds to wrap the film around the product to be packaged. The wrapping of the products, therefore, takes place in series, along a belt where the items to be packed are lined up, transported and accompanied inside the machine, which proceeds to wrap them entirely, and then cut and weld the resulting packages appropriately. The term “flow pack” suggests for all intents and purposes the packaging technique: a true flow of products being conveyed into the packaging machine.
The package can be sealed in a variety of ways, with one or more seals, with or without a protective atmosphere, in any case leaving its contents as isolated and protected from the outside as possible, thus from dust and weather that could compromise its integrity, quality and preservation.
As we will see later, packaging machines dedicated to flow pack packaging are called horizontal, because they convey the products to be packed on a belt. This allows the machine to be dedicated to packaging one specific product at a time, making it possible to guarantee the hygienic standards required by food products, as well as modified atmosphere packaging, which is necessary for certain types of particularly delicate foods such as coffee, dairy products, baked goods, etc.
Advantages of flow pack packaging
As anticipated, the main advantage of flow pack packaging is definitely versatility. This virtue is expressed on several levels, from the purely practical but also on the aesthetic level, without forgetting the application from an ecological and sustainable perspective.
First of all, format versatility: through flow pack packaging, any type of product, potentially of any size, can be packaged. From single-serving packages of chocolates and candies, to those of snacks, but also, with the use of appropriate laminated films, of liquids such as beverages, medicines, household products, even cosmetics.
Increasingly, companies are adopting this solution because it allows them to customize their packages in different formats, for example, from the single-dose version to the family format, but also different variants of the same product, achieving significant time and cost savings. Flow pack packaging combines all the most attractive properties of plastic films in one adaptable solution.
Another aspect of the versatility of these packages is expressed in the wide, almost unlimited customization possibilities of the plastic films used for flow pack packaging.
Not only bright, inexpensive and easily customizable graphics printed in flexography, but also tailor-made materials that achieve the desired and necessary performance of strength, impermeability rather than breathability for the product in question. This means that flow packs can be produced in any type of plastic film, from the thickest and strongest to the thinnest, compostable and recyclable, even bioplastics that make packaging even more environmentally friendly and sustainable. The reduced environmental impact of flow pack packaging is also denoted by the lower use of packaging material required to produce the films compared to traditional rigid plastic packaging, bottles or tubs.
It is truly remarkable that such a simple packaging system can have so many advantages in terms of adaptability to any commodity sector, resulting in excellent savings, performance and environmental impact: in short, flow pack is the most convenient, practical and safe packaging solution to entrust your products to!
Types of use of the flow pack system
Flow pack packaging is so versatile that it can be used in so many fields in industry and beyond. However, the sector in which it is a real must is the food industry. Let’s look at some of the most popular and successful examples.
Food packaging for single-serving flow packs
Single-serve products need essential packaging that takes up little space, is durable and protective but also minimalist in design, so that they can be produced on a large scale at low cost. For products such as snacks and single-serving desserts, flow pack is ideal because it allows for the agile creation of single primary packaging within multiple packages, as well as making it possible in packaging of fruit juices, energy drinks, cake mixes but also powdered or grained foods such as powdered sugar, nutritional yeast, dried fruits, cereals, etc.
Single-serving food envelope and vending machine pouches
Another type of single-serving food pouch made using the flow pack technique is one intended for a very particular use: retail sales through vending machines. This type of pouch differs from the others because it must potentially be self-contained and therefore carry all product information, from lot number to expiration date, as well as being customized for a wide range of products and their variants. Plastic film and the flow pack technique undoubtedly prove to be the most efficient technique for optimizing materials, creative marketing efforts and production time.
Examples of flow pack use
Le flow packs are fantastic allies for making visually striking packaging, suitable for a wide variety of products but also useful for displaying them in stores. Coils wrapped around objects can be sealed in a variety of ways, for example, with the application of spouts that facilitate dispensing, handles that allow for agile transport, to strategic folds, such as those in the doy pack, which make the packs “self-standing” i.e., give the possibility of arranging them vertically, to make even better use of the printed surface for marketing and communication purposes.
Celvil’s flow pack packaging machine
Celvil is an experienced and reliable manufacturer of packaging materials, and in particular we specialize in the production of plastic films of all kinds, from the more general ones for the industrial sector to the more specific ones for various types of food, and these are our flagship.
Whatever your industry of choice, we not only produce films of all types on reels, but also offer an excellent contract packaging service.
Our professional packaging machine is of the horizontal type and is the tool by which we can guarantee our customers flawless, legally compliant but also high-performance packaging lines with distinctly advantageous timelines and costs.
In addition, our packaging machine is made of stainless steel and is therefore also suitable for safe use in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical packaging, as it is easily sanitized.
Contact us without obligation to learn about our most interesting solutions that suit your needs: from the strongest materials with better barrier effect to the most environmentally friendly and sustainable ones, we will find with you the perfect packaging to dress your product and bring it to success.
