May 25 2011
Multipeel Flow Wrap, an innovative multilayer coextrusion film for resealable tubular bags, is the result of a two-year-long joint development project between the packaging specialists, Südpack (Ochsenhausen, Germany), and the polymer producer, DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers (DuPont). Südpack uses DuPont Surlyn as a sealant, which is characterized by its ability to seal at very low temperatures and the very high sealing quality.
"The ability to seal both quickly and reliably is a basic requirement for our customers' highly efficient, horizontal and vertical form, fill and seal (HFFS and VFFS) product lines," explains Carolin Grimbacher, managing shareholder at Südpack. "This particular Surlyn grade, jointly specified with DuPont, provides several benefits in this regard when compared with other sealants.
DuPont™ Surlyn® is used as a sealant in the Multipeel™ Flow Wrap multilayer film structure developed by Südpack for resealable tubular bags. The low-temperature sealing and outstanding hot-tack of Surlyn® allow an increase in productivity on HFFS and VFFS equipment.
First, thanks to its low minimum seal temperature, less heat energy is required. Second, Surlyn seals reliably over a very wide temperature range, and its hot tack strength is very high. This widens the tolerance range within, which reliably tight seals can be created, meaning that packaging lines can be run at considerably higher speeds than with many other sealants. Moreover, users benefit from a further reduction in production waste and, as is the case for end consumers, from securely sealed packaging that reliably preserves its contents in the long term."
Interacting with other components of the multilayer structure, Surlyn also supports the controlled burst-peel behavior of Südpack's Multipeel Flow Wrap in terms of its low initial opening force, its clean tear propagation and its maintained resealability - all important sales propositions not just for single and small households. Examples of typical applications include small-piece products such as sweets, nuts, snacks and cheese-cubes, which should not dry up after opening. Grimbacher adds: "Our core competency lies in coextrusion. We even extrude our Multipeel seal layer ourselves. This gives us the freedom to constantly enhance the material."
Numerous grades from the comprehensive range of Surlyn packaging resins are available for use as a food contact or seal layer in flexible packaging. Depending on the grade selected, they are suitable for use in the highly efficient blown film or extrusion coating processes.