AIP June 2015 eNewsletter by Australian Institute of Packaging

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

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AIP LAUNCH INDUSTRY-FIRST AUSTRALASIAN PACKAGING & PROCESSING SALARY SURVEY

n an industry-first the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) is pleased to announce the launch of the first Packaging & Processing Salary and Education Survey designed to better understand the individuals who make up the food, beverage, manufacturing and packaging industries in Australasia. The 2015 Packaging & Processing Salary Survey is not just about salaries; it asks for opinions on the economy and how it impacts a person’s career; how individuals feel about how their job has evolved (or not) during the past 12 months; if they feel secure in their position; and information about education and training status of the industry.

NEW MEMBERS The AIP would like to welcome the following new Members...

STATE Jefferson Diniz Christina Gebert Shane Gough Norwind Khor David McGarity Andrea L Steen Simon Tassone Paul Timbrell Liza Vernalls

Member Associate Member Member Member Associate Member Associate Member

VIC VIC NSW VIC VIC NSW VIC NSW NSW

The AIP will provide a summary report to their members, industry bodies who collaborate on the report and the wider industry. Each industry member has the opportunity to understand the industry better and how they fare in terms of salaries, conditions, training and education. The AIP would encourage all packaging industry members to participate. The more people that are involved the better the outcome for all. The survey is confidential and respondents will not be asked for personal or company details. The AIP invites everyone to complete the survey to allow the Institute to better understand the current state of our industry. Start Survey - click the link: http://aipacksurvey.creatop.com.au/Survey.cfm?SurveyID=42

AIP PARTNERS

Find out how your company can become a partner of the AIP by emailing info@aipack.com.au AIP National Office 34 Lawson Street Oxley QLD 4075 Australia  +61 7 3278 4490  +61 7 3009 9916  info@aipack.com.au  www.aipack.com.au

DON’T MISS OUT ON THE LATEST AIP ACTIVITIES FOR 2015 ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND ANY EVENTS ACROSS AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND To register to attend any of the events simply email info@aipack.com.au or visit the events page on www.aipack.com.au

FOOD LABELLING, REGULATIONS AND SERIALISATION TECHNICAL DINNER

VIC

When: Wednesday 3rd of June Where: Box Hill Golf Club, VIC Speakers: Dean Stockwell General Manager, Food Standards Australia New Zealand The importance of food packaging in food regulation – a new chapter. Gennady Volchek Chief Executive Officer, Authenticateit Establishing Track & Trace: Serialisation to gain complete traceability and enable authentication.

QLD

WINSON GROUP SITE VISIT

When: Where: Time: What:

Thursday the 18th of June Winson Group 9.00 am The Winson Group is the holding company of Signet and insignia. Signet is one of Australia’s leading manufacturers and distributors of packaging materials, safety supplies and industrial marking products. insignia supplies and manufactures labelling and coding solutions for primary products and outer cases.

INTRODUCTION TO PRINT TECHNOLOGY HALF-DAY TRAINING COURSE

VIC

REVISED COURSE When: Friday the 19th of June Where: Viewpoint Centre, St Kilda Time: 10.00 am Presenter: Andrew Readman Trainer & Assessor – Printing & Graphic Arts, Spectra Training Have you ever gone to a press approval and What: struggled to make the printer understand what you wanted? Do you want a basic understanding of what problems you are likely to encounter with each print process?

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

FOOD SAFETY-PACKAGING STANDARDS & REGULATIONS HALF-DAY TRAINING COURSE

When: Where: Time: Presenter: What:

NSW

Wednesday the 22nd of July Oatlands Golf Course Club House 10.00 am Pierre Pienaar MSc, FAIP, CPP This Food Safety-Packaging Standards & Regulations half-day training course will help suppliers and packaging businesses as well as retailers become fully familiar with the requirements of the Standard. Attendees can expect to take away a clear understanding of the importance of knowing, understanding and being able to applying the Standards and Regulations effectively and correctly. It will help them apply what they have learned to their own production and distribution situation saving waste, improving delivery and increasing profits.

AIP/SPE TECHNICAL DINNER

NSW

When: Thursday 6th of August Where: Oatlands Golf Course Club House Speakers: Marlene Cronje-Vermeulen MAIP Packaging Technologist Diageo Australia Innovative Packaging Developments From Diageo Australia Jackie Smiles MAIP Environment and Sustainability Manager Blackmores Ltd Presenting the new Blackmores Amber Bulk packs and describing the journey from concept through to commercialisation along with all the considerations and testing they carried out.

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2015 Queensland

QLD

AIP/SCLAA ANNUAL CHARITY GOLF DAY

QLD

BUILDING the SUPPLY CHAIN BRAND • ADAPT • BALANCE • CONNECT

When: Where: What:

Friday the 30th of October Carbrook Golf Club This charity golf day has been running now for over twenty years and has seen thousands of dollars raised for many charities.

Proudly Supporting

FOODBANK CHRISTMAS HAMPER PACKING DAY

When: Where: What:

Thursday 20th & Friday 21st August Sofitel Hotel Brisbane More than 5000 delegates from across Australasia have attended the Queensland Supply Chain & Logistics Conference in its 16 year history. Will you be among them in 2015?

 info@qldscc.com  www.qldscc.com

When: Where: What:

QLD

Friday the 4th of December Officers Mess, Victoria Barracks Members spend the day packing Foodbank Hampers to distribute to those in need at Christmas; many of whom are without employment, families with young children and living on the poverty line.

Good things come in great packages! CUSTOMISED PACKAGING, PRINT AND PRODUCT FULFILMENT

Expert advice, quality assembly and fulfilment to make your product stand out! • Custom Packaging • Gift Packs • Presentation Packaging • Barcodes and Labelling www.xpadite.com.au

Find out more: 61 2 9653 9127

• Point of Sale • Product Assembly • Fulfilment and Distribution

andrew@xpadite.com.au

www.xpadite.com.au

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

AIP WELCOMES NEW MEMBER FROM ASSA ABLOY Q: WHY DID YOU JOIN THE AIP? WHAT BENEFITS DO YOU BELIEVE THE AIP OFFERS ALL THEIR MEMBERS? Joining the AIP will assist me to gain knowledge in my career whilst developing networking and up-to-date packaging processes/materials. To be part of this great Institute from my perspective, will advance my knowledge on a ad-hoc basis with content provided in the newsletter, training and workshops. This will support furthering my career development within the packaging sector and delivering opportunities of success to Assa Abloy Australia.

Jefferson Diniz MAIP Packaging Engineer Assa Abloy Australia

Q: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN IN THE INDUSTRY? WHAT ARE YOUR AREAS OF EXPERTISE? I have been with the industry for the past 10 years throughout the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, automotive and hardware industries. Some of my experiences and expertise are in manufacturing processes locally and overseas (injection, blow moulding, vacuum forming and printing) and model design and analysis via SolidWorks and AutoCAD. Q: WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT JOB ROLE AND WHAT ARE YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES? Today I am the packaging engineer for Assa Abloy Australia; we are the global leader in door opening solutions. My responsibilities are design and implementation of new packaging, managing the Australian Packaging covenant and ensuring the entire packaging material chain is up-to-date with our guidelines, and also supporting development of new packaging, supply chain and marketing strategies.

PACK A PALLET PACKS REAL APPEAL

ack a Pallet is an app developed for the FMCG, box-making and other industries to quickly and easily optimise a pallet load of cartons or boxes. Suited to shipping pallet sizes of 1165mm x 1165mm, 1200mm x 1000mm and 48 inch x 40 inch, the app makes it possible to resolve an incorrect pallet pattern or improve on an existing pattern using your phone or other portable device. It is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. All you need to do is enter the outside dimensions of your pack, height x length x width, then enter the maximum height for the load, including the pallet. Then hit ‘next’, and at least one option for the pallet pack will be shown. Select the 2D model for the layout on the pallet, or the 3D model to show the bottom layer on the pallet. This model can be rotated for best effect. The results provide Universal pallet patterns and will identify the number of packs on the pallet as well as the number high. The approximate pallet deck fill percentage is shown also. You are then able to select ‘PDF’ to display a printable PDF file of the chosen solution, which can be emailed and saved. Pack a Pallet is simple to use and supported by experienced technicians from the box packaging industry. Visit https://www.aussiepacknship.com.au for PC and other versions of higher capability. For the Pack a Pallet app that suits your iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch, go to https://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/ wa/viewSoftware?id=735917888&mt=8. Note: Maximum box size is 610mm (24 inch) Length x 460mm (18 inch) Width and the minimum size box is 200mm (8 inch) length x 150mm (6 inch) width. The app only provides pallet patterns that are within the length and width confines of the pallet. The results provide Universal pallet patterns and will identify the number of packs on the pallet as well as the number high. The approximate pallet deck fill percentage is shown also. You are then able to select ‘PDF’ to display a printable PDF file of the chosen solution, which can be emailed and saved. THIS ARTICLE WAS REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM PKN PACKAGING NEWS

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

POSITION VACANT

PACKAGING AND PROCESS TECHNOLOGIST (12 MONTH CONTRACT) • Huntingwood location • Great entry point into a global market leader • 12 month fixed term contract

s supply business people in Diageo, we are proud to lead the future of some of the world’s most famous and admired brands. Brands built by entrepreneurs and philanthropists; true visionaries whose values we must honour and sustain. We stand on the shoulders of these giants.

We are the world’s largest premium drinks business, with an unrivalled collection of brands including Smirnoff® Vodka, Johnnie Walker® Scotch, Tanqueray® Gin and Baileys® Irish Cream Liqueur. Operating from eight locations, Diageo Australia is the leading spirits and ready-to-drink (RTD) company with iconic local brands including Bundaberg® Rum and UDL®. We recruit the best people; we inspire and nurture them into the giants of tomorrow. We are looking for amazing talent - people bursting with real energy and flair. Amazing talent for us looks like thought leaders, creators, individuals with a core essence of magnetism that inspires contagious passion. You are winners by nature and expect the same from people around you. You are the future leaders of Diageo. We are now looking to recruit a Packaging and Process Technologist on a 12 month contract playing a key role within our commercialisation team. This position ensures all packaging related elements of Innovation and Product changes are executed with a high level of efficiency and ‘packaging excellence.’ You will specifically develop, validate and implement new and changed packaging for products, including management of material specifications, die-lines and material quality; support the innovation process with operational support for the commercialisation of Innovation led projects and actively work with procurement team to identify packaging cost savings and efficiencies. To be successful in this role you will have strong experience within package development coupled with excellent project management and commercialisation skills. In addition you will understand key packaging categories with the ability to engage and build superior relationships across a variety of stakeholders. Diageo will help unlock your individual genius and do the best work of your life. It won’t be easy; you will be challenged, tested and stretched but always deeply fulfilled. Are you prepared to take risks in the pursuit of greatness? Do you hold yourself to the highest standards with real accountability for results? Would you treat the business as if it is truly your own – because you want your legacy to be worthy of that of our founders? Then, let’s talk. INTERESTED? PLEASE APPLY BY CLICKING THIS LINK

2015

AUSTRALIAN PACKAGING DESIGN AWARDS

RIE

We are on the hunt for creative, imaginative & innovative packaging designs!

The categories include: • Health & Beauty • Food • Household & Office • Beverage

• Industrial & Supply Chain • Seasonal & Promotional

Registrations close Wednesday 29 July

www.pcaawards.com.au/apda AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

OWNING IT: A CREATIVE’S GUIDE TO COPYRIGHT, CONTRACTS AND THE LAW NOW AVAILABLE THROUGH THE AIP

wning It: A Creative’s Guide to Copyright, Contracts and the Law is a 560-page full-colour hard cover book written by renowned Melbourne intellectual property lawyer Sharon Givoni. The book aims to demystify copyright, contracts and intellectual property law for Australians working in creative industries and running their own businesses. Comprising expert insight and explanation of intellectual property law in ‘plain English’, Owning It drives home key legal concepts through enlightening and entertaining real-life case studies. The book also contains user-friendly flowcharts and tables that simplify legal terms, processes and procedures that creatives regularly encounter. The book aims to point Australians in the creative sector in the right direction regarding: the protection of their designs, trade marks, copyright, reputation, confidential information and other intellectual property (IP); how to reduce the risk of inadvertently infringing someone else’s rights; contract basics; licensing; how the law applies online and to certain aspects of social media; how to better achieve positive legal outcomes and much more. AIP Members $60 Inc GST + P&H Non-Members $75 Inc GST + P&H

CLICK HERE FOR THE ORDER FORM

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

AIP ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL CERTIFIED PACKAGING PROFESSIONAL FOR AUSTRALASIA

ollowing the recent launch of the Certified Packaging Professional designation in Australasia the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) is pleased to advise that the inaugural recipient of the CPP designation is Pierre Pienaar. “As the inaugural recipient to attain the CPP designation in Australasia I am thrilled to be a part of the newly-formed partnership between the AIP and the IoPP. To date, there are about 2,000 packaging professionals worldwide that have attained the CPP designation and I am really looking forward to seeing other packaging technologists across Australasia join the program,” Mr Pienaar FAIP,CPP said. “What I like about the CPP program is that it helps the international packaging fraternity to better understand the level of knowledge and expertise that you truly have in the packaging field. The CPP designation is also based on current skills and expertise, as each candidate requires recertification every 3 years. The CPP Program ensures that candidates are regularly keeping abreast of current packaging trends, innovations and knowledge and the program ensures that packaging technologists are the same level playing field globally,”

“I personally believe that attaining the CPP designation is an excellent investment in my professional development and a commitment to excellence in the global packaging profession. I would like to encourage all those that seek to make packaging their profession and who wish to be recognised in a vibrant and ever-changing industry to seek this internationally accepted packaging designation. Being able to have the CPP program now available in Australasia allows packaging professionals the opportunity to join recognised packaging experts from around the world with the industry’s leading professional designation.” he said. Using the CPP program to assess and evaluate one’s professional competency validates you as internationally proficient as a packaging professional, a cut above your peers. The CPP designation will become the leading mark of excellence internationally and a must-have recognition of industry proficiency and achievement for packaging professionals. MAKE HISTORY BY BEING ONE OF THE FIRST CERTIFIED PACKAGING PROFESSIONALS (CPP®) IN AUSTRALASIA. For complete details and requirements on the CPP program, email info@aipack.com.au

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

NEW MASTERS DEGREE IN COLLABORATION WITH THE AIP & FOOD AND PACKAGING INDUSTRY

he University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences has worked with the food and packaging industries to create a new Masters degree to drive innovation in these sectors.

The Master of Food and Packaging Innovation combines food science, packaging and product design with business skills like project management and entrepreneurship. Food, confectionary and beverage manufacturer Mondelēz International identified this as an area that was underserved in tertiary education, and selected the University to create a Masters-level degree in 2013. A cross-disciplinary team of University staff worked with industry advisers and research groups to design a degree that filled this gap. Partners include Mondelēz International, Simplot Australia, Dairy Innovation Australia, the Food Innovation Centre and the Australian Institute of Packaging, which will assist with the delivery of packaging subjects. The University’s Carlton Connect group will continue to engage industry partners on research and development opportunities across the wider University under the leadership of Professor Frank Dunshea, Chair of Agriculture.

“We are confident it will both promote innovation and bring about stronger engagement between the tertiary sector and the food and packaging industries.” Professor Davis said the University’s ongoing projects indicate its continuing commitment to working with industry. These include its partnership with Mondelēz International on the Australian Research Council (ARC) Industrial Transformation Research Hub ‘Unlocking the Food Value Chain’ and the ARC ‘Dairy Innovation’ Hub undertaking dairy science and engineering research. “This major partnership effort is a credit to Mondelēz, and on the University’s side highlight a strong belief in industryrelevant research, in collaborative partnering with industry and the preparation of graduates who are ready to lead the way, with industry and in industry.” Amanda Banfield, Mondelēz International Managing Director ANZ for Australia and New Zealand, said it is important for large companies to invest in a training and development pipeline to sustain and grow their business.

Professor Glyn Davis, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, said the degree represents continuing University engagement with industry through teaching and research.

“While we have been investing internally to make sure that we have the best capability possible, we recognise that we can greatly benefit ourselves and the industry if we’re able to reach out and perform a role in building industry capability,” Ms Banfield said.

“The Master of Food and Packaging Innovation is a specially exciting initiative for the University, because it helps us tackle a number of critical needs – for new answers in global demand for food, for industry ready graduates across every sector, and for closer collaboration between universities and those on the front line of industry, such as many represented here today.”

“This program has really been tailored to broad industry needs and it has been built in collaboration with the industry. It has had input from Mondelēz, along with many of our competitors, industry bodies and associations. This means we can be confident that this is a program that will cater to industry needs and be a great example of industry working together to set up our future.”

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

COMMENT

NEW MASTERS DEGREE IN COLLABORATION EDITORWITH THE AIP & FOOD ANDwww.packagingnews.com.au May-June 2015 PACKAGING INDUSTRY

Ms Banfield said she expects graduates will be in high demand. “It’s a globally-relevant qualification that spans the entire R&D pipeline, from concept, right through to production. We see it addressing a major skills gap within the industry.” Professor Ken Hinchcliff, Dean of the MANAGING and EDITOR Faculty of Veterinary Agricultural Hughson Sciences, saidLindy the food and beverage (02) 9213 8239 sector requires innovative product lindyhughson@yaffa.com.au CONTRIBUTING designers, able to examineEDITOR and redesign Candide McDonald processes to create healthier and bettercandidemcdonald@yaffa.com.au tasting foods.NATIONAL SALES MANAGER Carol Ewing

109 414 “Australian 0419 agribusiness will be Fax: (03) 9773 8825 increasingly carolewing@yaffa.com.au focussed on exports to Asia over coming decades,” Professor ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Dan Lal (02) 9213 8216 Hinchcliff said. danlal@yaffa.com.au SUBSCRIPTIONS

“The fast-moving consumer goods WWW.GREATMAGAZINES.COM.AU 1800 807 760 It requires sector is drivenCALL: by innovation. EMAIL: SUBSCRIPTIONS@ creative thinkers, who can take a critical YAFFA.COM.AU view of processes and products and SUBSCRIPTION RATES yearcreate $77.00 new goods that improve these1 to 2 year $138.60 surprise and excite consumers.” 3 year $184.80 1 year (overseas) A$90 “They must beNZ food science experts, who ASIA A$105 ROW A$140and package that can design a product PUBLISHER can take a long journey and arrive safely Lindy Hughson at the other end looking and tasting as CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER good as the day itPhillpott was made.” Martin MARKETING MANAGER

Chris Hamilton “Graduates of this degree will help PRODUCTION/CIRCULATION to develop goods that will appeal to MANAGER customers inLamya Australia and overseas Sadi as well as contributing to innovative PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Matthewand Gunnfood safety.” packaging design SUB EDITOR Alison Leader

The University of Melbourne will make ART DIRECTOR a number of $25,000 bursaries available Ana Maria Heraud for high-achieving students. STUDIO MANAGER Lauren Esdaile DESIGNER For more information about the Bree Edgar Master course please contact ISSN 0048-2676. educate@aipack.com.au Member Circulations Audit Board. PACKAGING NEWS is published by Yaffa Media Pty. Ltd. ABN 54 002 699 354 17-21 Bellevue Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010. Tel: (02) 9281 2333 Fax: (02) 9281 2750 All mail to: GPO Box 606 Sydney 2001.

Minding the skills gap INNOVATION is the lifeblood of industry growth, especially in the fast moving food industry — this is not news. Australia wants to export its food and beverage innovation in the form of packaged goods to Asia, where there's a growing demand for Australian wares among the increasingly affluent, brandand-health conscious Asian middle class. This is not news either. Nor is the fact that there's a major skills gap in the area of food, beverage and packaging innovation in this country. But we do have some news — some very good news: food giant Mondelez International, the University of Melbourne and the packaging industry's leading educational body, the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), have teamed up to develop a Masters of Food and Packaging Innovation post-graduate qualification, which will make huge strides in closing the skills gap. Launched in April, the program is offered over two full-time years (or four part-time). It covers food science, entrepreneurship and innovation in product and packaging design at an advanced level (read more about it at www.packagingnews.com.au). Mondelez, recognising the crucial role packaging plays in the success of food product innovation, approached the AIP to coordinate the Food Packaging Materials and Processes and the Food Packaging Design subjects for the program. These are both industry-based units which will see specialised and skilled industry experts teach these subjects — something the AIP is well-versed at providing. At a time when many associations are evaluat-

It’s absolutely about finding a talent pipeline and ways to stimulate innovation all the way through the supply chain.

ing their relevance, this institute, to my mind, is providing the most valuable service to our industry — education and training across a diverse and accessible range of courses and programs to promote professional development at all skill levels. In the case of the Masters program, the result will be a course that harnesses the industry’s finest talent to develop essential, creative thinking skills to drive new product development. As Prof Ken Hinchcliff, Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences at University of Melbourne said at the launch, “this sector requires creative thinkers who can take a critical view of processes and products, and use this to create new products that will surprise and excite consumers”. For Mondelez, this is about building capability to sustain competitiveness long term. Mondelez International Australia and New Zealand MD Amanda Banfield told PKN: “Innovation, for us, is really one of the most important growth levers that we have. We see [this degree] addressing a rather major skills gap within the industry. It’s absolutely about finding a talent pipeline and ways to stimulate innovation all the way through the supply chain.” It’s clear that as an industry we do mind the gap and we’re taking steps to close it. The real skill will lie in doing it fast enough.

Lindy Hughson – Managing Editor

THIS ARTICLE WAS REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM PKN PACKAGING NEWS

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

CHEMICAL MIGRATION, FOOD PACKAGING AND THE CODE

SANZ is in the process of reviewing the Food Standards Code in relation to chemical migration from packaging into food, but what does this mean for food manufacturers? It is an offence to sell food packaging or handling materials that are unsafe or will make food unsafe, but the Code does not yet comprehensively pin down at what level or exposure certain chemicals will become unsafe when used in packaging.

THE CODE – AS IT STANDS

Food businesses must comply with requirements in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Currently, there are four main areas of the code which cover chemical migration currently in force.

STANDARD 1.4.3 – ARTICLES AND MATERIALS IN CONTACT WITH FOOD

This standard specifies that any material in contact with food, including packaging material, must not cause bodily harm, distress or discomfort. But it does not specify materials that can be used in the manufacture of food packaging materials or the method of manufacture.

STANDARD 1.4.1 – CONTAMINANTS AND NATURAL TOXICANTS

Butow says manufacturers can help ensure their product is safe by going back to their suppliers for assurance. “I think they need to be aware what the packaging material is, what potential chemicals could migrate from there and under what conditions. If it’s a material that’s going to be stored for a long time, is it greater potential for migration or leakage of chemicals.

STANDARD 3.2.2 – FOOD SAFETY PRACTICES AND GENERAL REQUIREMENTS.

“They need to look at how’s it going to be stored and what food is the packaging going to be used for. All those things are good manufacturing practice. If it’s following GMP, then you can look at some of the iso standards. If people are concerned about mineral oils leaking from cardboards then maybe put a barrier in, although some people say the barrier might not be adequate.

The standard includes maximum levels (MLs) for a few chemicals associated with migration from packaging, but is in no way exhaustive. It covers the real nasties, including vinyl chloride, tin, acrylonitrile (a genotoxic carcinogen) and other potential contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls.

This Australia-only standard details requirements on food businesses to only use packaging material that is fit for its intended use; only use material that is not likely to cause food contamination; and ensure that there is no likelihood that the food may become contaminated during the packaging process. The code needs work, and they’re getting there. But in the meantime, what should manufacturers do? Dr Barbara Butow, a senior scientist at Food Standards Australia New Zealand, says manufacturers can look to EU and US regulations, which are more comprehensive than Australia’s current standards.

EU OR US CODES – HOW ARE THE TWO DIFFERENT?

The EU requirements regulate migration limits and migration into food, whereas the US requirements are around the packaging itself. “The USFDA requirements are incredibly detailed around what you can use your packaging for and under what conditions, so temperatures and times and for what materials,” Butow says. “So the outcome is the same, as I understand it, but the way that you get there is slightly different. I think the EU regulations appeal to a lot of companies because it’s a level that can be measured, whereas the US regulations, they’ve got a database of Cumulative Exposure Data Intake (CEDI), which is around the exposure to the chemical from the packaging.”

“So there are codes of practice out there which describe all these things and then there’s a code of practice for printing inks, the EuPIA code of practice.” Butow says that while food manufacturers can access international regulations, they’re not easy to navigate. [International regulations] are not a one stop shop and certainly the code of federal regulation in the US, you have to go through layers upon layers to get down to the chemical that you’re interested in to get the actual requirement. It is there, but not the risk assessment behind it.”

IS IT SAFE?

Butow says that while consumers might not assume there’s regulation on absolutely everything, they “just expect packaging to be safe. It’s only when there’s something on the news and again it tends to have a bit of an imported food bend to it than people’s ears prick up. We really welcome input from industry, it’s just a call for information, a call for participation,” Butow says. “So if and when we go down the track of adding a bit of regulation, or touching up the standard, at least we’ll know who to approach for input.” Dr Barbara Butow presented at the 2015 National Technical Forums.

THIS ARTICLE WAS REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM FOOD MAGAZINE

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

10 TECH SPEAK

www.packagingnews.com.au

May-June 2015

Innovation at its best certainly have a point of difference which could be used to enhance brand awareness and loyalty. Samples handed out on the day allowed attendees to try the feature themselves (pictured left) leading to an appreciation of the technical hurdles this development has overcome.

2 LIQUIFORM

At the recent National Technical Forums held in conjunction with AUSPACK, two innovations stood out for their remarkable design capabilities, writes Llewelyn Stephens FAIP.

ITH all products there is a

packaging design and development cycle that starts with an idea and eventually, if the idea warrants the investment, it becomes marketable. The two stand-out innovations discussed are at different stages of design and development before they will reach the hands of consumers.

1XO RESEALABLE CAN END

Chris Smith, GM Sales, Marketing & Strategy at Orora Beverage, presented the XO resealable can end, one of the most advanced resealable can ends available in the world. He advised delegates that Orora Beverage is currently looking for suitable beverages for the innovation and several companies are running trials locally and globally right now. So what is the XO resealable can end? The XO can end has a sliding plastic resealable feature that offers product differentiation and the ability to re-close a beverage

can. The question is, which company will see the merit in adopting the XO end first? The option to reseal makes a beverage can with the XO end leak-proof between drinks. This allows the consumer to take their time to finish their drink because they no longer have an open container that can spill. The XO end also offers product security against drink spiking or any unwanted pest entry. Tamper evidence is provided by a small plastic strip and the plastic slider can be made in a range of colours or embossed to tie in with branding. The end can be applied by current equipment with very little modification and does little to affect the recyclability of the aluminium can because the plastic is separated as part of most modern recycling processes. The shelf life of carbonated products using XO is currently six months, while future versions available next year are aiming at 12-18 months shelf life. XO can end development is ongoing and a new improved version will become available early next year, but early adopters will

When I saw the announcement of the Liquiform process in various technical journals in late 2014, I was impressed by the proposed step change and the potential it offered. The idea of using the end product contents (e.g. beverage, detergent, food) as the means to ‘form’ (previously called ‘blow’) a bottle certainly can simplify the multiple steps of bottle blowing and filling, and is intuitive enough to make you ask why hadn’t it been thought of before? Then you start to think about the different characteristics of liquid products, how products would react at the temperature needed to stretch blow mould PET or polyolefins and the current focus on chemical leaching potential and you start to get an appreciation of the technical hurdles that Amcor, and their partners, Sidel, Yoshino and Nestle have had to address and research as part of the process development. Richard Smith FAIP, GM Technical Development, Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific, explained the technology is still in the development stage with commercial production predicted to be some three years in the future and broad adoption across the industry to follow after that time. If my reading of the situation is correct, it would appear that the LiquiForm team will be looking for equipment manufacturers willing to partner or take up licences to further develop and tailor the process for specific applications. To date, testing has shown that a wide range of beverage and non-beverage liquid products can adopt this technology. The process will certainly have significant energy savings and reduced equipment maintenance and operating labour costs. XO and Liquiform were just two of the many innovations presented. We look forward to seeing some of these innovations in store in the not-too-distant-future. ■

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN ATTAINING THE INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNISED AND HIGHLY-VALUED CERTIFIED PACKAGING PROFESSIONAL (CPP)® CREDENTIAL? INFO@AIPACK.COM.AU OR PH: +61 7 3278 4490 THIS ARTICLE WAS REPRODUCED WITH PERMISSION FROM PKN PACKAGING NEWS

AIP NEWSLETTER JUNE 2015

May-June 2015

INDUSTRY INSIGHT

www.packagingnews.com.au

Stand up and be counted Is there anything pouches can't do? The answer is almost nothing, judging by some of the examples of innovative pouch packaging from around the world presented by Euromonitor's Daniel Grimsey at the AIP National Technical Forums that ran alongside AUSPACK in March. SETTING the context for his presentation Driving Growth Through Packaging Innovation, Euromonitor's senior research analyst Daniel Grimsey noted that market saturation has led to the development of functional packaging solutions as a way to help consumers ease their increasingly fast-tracked, active lives. Convenience is therefore a key driver of innovation, and this doesn't only play out in easy-to-use, on-the-go- solutions, it also translates into making it easy for people to control calorie intake, so feeding the rise in portion control packs. (Australia’s fastest growing pack sizes are 50-100g and 100-300g.) Looking at the annual unit growth in food and beverage packaging consumption (not production) in Australia, he noted that there is a severe slowing of growth in food packaging. "Although beverage packaging appears to trend slightly upwards, there is still only one per cent of growth at the best of times," he said. There are some high perfomers, however. "[Globally] stand-up pouches are among the five pack types which are forecast to grow fastest over the 2012-2017 period," said Grimsey. "Their versatility allows them to offer safety in baby food, convey portability and value in confectionery, allow microwavability in rice, and to stand out in bakery products. “In Australia, the fastest growing pack types are stand-up pouches at 55 per cent compound annual growth each

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In Australia, stand-up pouches are the fastest growing pack format.

year, over the last five years,” he said He cited local and overseas cases across a wide range of food categories — from gherkins to coffee to babyfood — of the growing penetration of pouches. As one example, the Kellogg's Snack Attack portion control pouch encourages on-the-go consumption, increases consumption occasions, and differentiates the product onshelf from the standard cereal packaging. One of the most prominent pack formats to be used for snacking on the move is the plastic pouch fitted with a zip/press closure. It allows the packaging to be opened and reclosed any time, minimises mess and maximises product freshness, and is most notable in “bite sized” chocolate confectionery. In a category like soup, where consumption is flat around the world [recording volume growth of less than one per cent globally in 2013] the pouch has the potential to reinvigorate the category because of its microwaveability, an advantage over the traditional metal can format.

ch innovative Out-of-the pouelling and coding, lab lutions. inspection so

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"Stand-up pouches were also the fastest growing pack-type in beverages, with a compound annual growth rate of 61 per cent over the last five years, and for similar reasons to their popularity in food packaging. This is however, starting from a lower base,” Grimsey said, noting that in the world of Euromonitor definitions, milk is a food, not a beverage. “In alcoholic drinks packaging, stand-up pouches still play a very minor role globally,” he said. "Yet the pack type has proved that it can carve itself a niche in certain growth areas in what is a rather hermetic industry, by offering not only pack functionality but also a modern brand image." Pouches have certainly proven their versatility and their growth is set to continue. Meanwhile, HDPE bottles are the second fastest growing pack type in beverage packaging, driven by their use for RTD iced coffee, and the same goes for brick liquid cartons thanks to the massive penetration of Up&Go liquid breakfasts. But the packaging format to watch, Grimsey concluded, in both the food and beverage categories is the shaped liquid carton. ■

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1300 CODING (1300 263 464) www.matthews.com.au ww

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PACKAGING

Controlling food losses through better packaging Various packaging technologies can help food handlers remain competitive by reducing spoilage and delivering consistent, quality products, Pierre Pienaar writes.

hose involved in food and beverage packaging know well that consumers and brand owners are both demanding less food losses and increased shelf life from products. The modern food industry has developed and expanded because of its ability to deliver a wide variety of high quality food products to consumers on a nationwide and worldwide basis. This feat has been accomplished by building stability into the products through processing, packaging, and additives that enable foods to remain fresh and wholesome throughout the distribution process. The terms active packaging and smart packaging refer to packaging systems used with foods, pharmaceuticals, and several other types of products. They help extend shelf life, monitor freshness, display information on quality, improve safety, and improve convenience. More recently this has been updated to include intelligent functions (sensing, detecting, recording, tracing, communicating and applying scientific logic) in order to extend shelf life, enhance safety, improve quality, provide information and warn about possible issues. There is a commercial need to allow products to stay fresh on a retailer’s shelf for longer. This extension of shelf life is aimed at slowing down the deterioration of the product using a range of processes. Each of the processes is interdependent on packaging to preserve the product in a suspended state. The principal mechanisms involved in the deterioration of processed foods are: 1. Microbiological spoilage sometimes accompanied by pathogen or germ development. 2. Chemical and enzymatic activity causing the breakdown of colour, odour, flavour, and texture changes. 3. Moisture or other vapour migration which produces changes in texture, water activity and flavour. Therefore to enhance shelf life the focus ought to be on: • Reducing microbial activity • Increasing the acidity • Addition of additives • Reducing water activity • Modified-atmosphere packaging (Modify the immediate environment) Initially extending the shelf life of products was an issue for the supply chain, but it is now a consumer concern as freshness coupled with sustainable packaging has become an important buying factor. Consumer demands for convenience have created new innovations in the food product development and packaging industries. The widespread desire for products to use in the microwave oven has added further to the effort. Consumers are demanding more sustainable packag-

ing solutions that also perform shelf life-extensions, whilst brand owners understand the commercial advantages that active packaging technology can deliver to their products. In the supply chain, more research and development work is being done on oxygen scavengers, moisture absorbers and barrier films that will enhance the shelf life of products. Consumers want packaging that keeps products clean, ready for eating, with a longer shelf life, product security and value for money. This remains a big ask, but if success is to be achieved, packaging technologists need to rise to these demands.

Active Packaging There is a range of active packaging techniques which are available; the broad categories are: • Absorbers/removers: added to enclosed packaging to assist in removing or decreasing the level of oxygen in the package, also called oxygen scavengers. • Release systems: antimicrobial agents incorporated in the packaging used to prevent micro-organism growth on the food. • Self-heating/cooling: exothermic chemical reaction to generate heat and an endothermic reaction to create cooling. • Selective permeation: modifying polymer properties to alter the relative permeability of gases. • Antimicrobial agents: control or inhibit the growth of non-desirable micro-organisms on the food surface.

Smart Packaging In conjunction with the developments in packaging materials, which help to extend and protect shelf life, there is also a complementary group of devices which monitor the products in the packs. These include time temperature indicators and leak and gas indicators, which provide an indication to the consumer of the state or freshness of the product. • Time temperature indicators: operate by physical, enzymatic or chemical reactions. • Leak or Gas Indicators: show the absence or presence of gases. • Tracking services: packed goods can be tracked over the delivery and storage processes. • Freshness Indicators: attached inside the packaging and are dependent on any inference from temperature history, they signal product quality of the packed food.)

market has expanded to a worldwide marketplace, it is requiring a longer shelf life. New materials incorporating nano-particles have been able to reduce and in some cases eliminate the transmission of oxygen, and in addition have blocked the transmission of moisture from the product. Packaging today not only has to be multi-functional by meeting design requirements, but with the added pressure towards sustainable packaging, it has to be environmentally friendly in the effort to reduce our carbon footprint. With the daily challenges of preserving product and minimising losses, growers, packers, shippers and retailers of produce now have new packaging options that allow them to dramatically increase shelf life. Various packaging technologies can help food handlers remain competitive by reducing spoilage and delivering consistent quality products on every shipment. Innovations in packaging for extending shelf life will be a key driver over the next few years for manufacturers. Enhanced technical knowledge and input by packaging technologists and packaging engineers through improved performance qualities of materials will be required to fuel market growth.

Nanotechnology

Pierre Pienaar is education director at the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP).

One of the fastest growing areas is the application of nanotechnology in packaging materials. As the food

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16 Foodmagazine | Apr/May 2015 | www.foodmag.com.au

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INSIGHT

Packaging Safety: Have you missed the boat? Getting accredited involves investment and change, but for Hannapak, it was a no-brainer. Jasmine O’Donoghue reports.

ndependent carton board packaging manufacturer, Hannapak was recently certified with FSSC 22000 accreditation after a rapid installation of less than four months. “We were proactive, we had dedicated staff and a dedicated team putting it in,” says Ben Knight, marketing manager, Hannapak. “There’s been a lot of talk about certification for years with different customers, global customers wanting certification. In years to come we’d need that certification. We could have waited until then, but we decided to get in early and set the benchmark. “The writing was on the wall that at some point during the future it would be mandatory, so why not do it on our terms and our timing and use it as our advantage and not wait for it to put pressure on the business?” Knight says certification gives Hannapak an advantage with future customers from the FMCG category. “We’ve got customers in the FMCG business that aren’t even FSSC accredited, and they were quite impressed that we were.” Hannapak decided to go down the path of FSSC 22000 accreditation as it was one of the most globally recognised. “There was definitely a level of investment to go down that path and there was a level of change to the factory, the manufacturing facility and the culture of the business,” Knight says.

Investing in change As part of certification, Hannapak implemented a number of processes. “When you come through the facility there is no jewellery allowed and you need covered in shoes. That safety aspect is not just for your safety, but for the safety of the products as well. “The equipment manufacturing practices is a big component of it as well, so the cleanliness, the wash-in, wash-out of the factory, keeping the factory neat and tidy and other processes.” Different areas of the facility also had to be rearranged or modified. “A lot of the entry points into the factory we had to either close down or make them entrance points for a washing facility. We had to take a lot of stuff out of the factory, people eating, different types of drinks, café bars, that type of thing, had to come out of the factory. You can drink water in the factory and that’s pretty much it. “Culturally, people have been working here for a long time and being a community-based employer, we have a high staff retention rate as well. A lot of those people had been here and been set in their ways for a lot of years, so we had to supply them lockers, uniforms, and those facilities, the lunch room, so they had places to go.

“That level of investment has been logistical and then there’s training as well, along with the cost of putting that accreditation in and staying accredited,” Knight says.

How does certification work? “It works like this: a consultant will come in and do a gap analysis and you’ll get a list that you need to comply with and they help you through it,” Knight says. “They’ll come back and say ‘where are you up to with this?’ And work through the process until you get to the final stage where you want to become accredited. “Then they come through, they do that accreditation process, and there still might be a couple of things to close out. Once those are closed out, you become certified. “After 12 months you have to be recertified and have an audit conducted of your facility to see if you are still holding those standards that were set on that previous certification. If something lapses, for example, you’ll get a notice what needs to be fixed up, if that’s not fixed up or closed out within a certain period of time, then you lose that certification.”

Further investment Investment at Hannapak has stretched beyond certification, with the company also updating their technology and equipment over the past few years. The highest level of investment has been in the printing and die-cutting process, Knight says. Hannapak has implemented “the latest high speed printing presses with the latest quality enhancements on there, being the in-process inspection. With the die-cutting, we’ve put high speed die-cutting in with the power registered technology. It allows us to control the process and reduce board, which is not only cost saving but a sustainability piece as well. Further innovations in the printing process include the in-line foil technology on the printing press. Hannapak has been able to “convert current customers from traditional methods, to using a modern foil and also customers that were using polyestermetalites substrates. We’ve been converting them over as the in-line foil process, which is able to go through the postconsumer recycle chain.” “Quality systems is probably where the big focus has been in the last few years so it’s investing in the equipment and investing in the quality systems that go on the equipment, whether it is printing, or die-cutting or gluing, so in-lines, inspections, code readings, in-line sorting, that sort of investment,” Knight says. “We don’t focus on our competitors, we don’t focus on anything else but what we have at hand, what’s in front of us, but we have an end-game.”

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Hannapak is staying tight-lipped about future plans, but Knight says the company is “always planning for the future. “The next 12-24 months will be ‘watch this space.’ “We’ve invested in equipment over the last couple of years and a lot of that equipment is coming to fruition in processes and how that equipment runs. This year we have taken on some additional work, so this year we will be focussed on our customers, getting that work done and growing their businesses.” The Hannapak site visit was organised by the Australian Institute of Packaging. Hannapak 02 4571 1000 www.hannapak.com.au

16 FOCUS FORM FILL SEAL

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May-June 2015

Sealing the deal

As form fill seal technology becomes more prevalent in the manufacturing environment, Brent du Preez, group innovation and development manager at Stratex, provides some technical guidance on how to maximise your seal performance.

HEN sealing

flexible substrates with form fill seal (FFS) filling lines, it's generally understood that sufficient heat and pressure is required to form these seals. Usually, it's easy to work out by getting an indication of where the seal setting should be and ensuring there is enough pressure to force the layers together. In many cases this will suffice, but if you really want to understand the true benefits of the machine and substrates, and achieve the best seal outcome, there are a few technical basics to consider.

WHAT CAUSES A SEAL? Most sealants are made from a polymer and many are polyethylene or

polypropylene based. Polymers are essentially long molecules that look a bit like spaghetti under a microscope. With some heat and a little pressure, the polymer molecules will chemically bond together through diffusion. Diffusion causes molecular entanglement and the more entanglement one gets, the stronger the seal.

SEALING VARIABLES The quality of the seal is determined by three primary variables that require tuning for each machine.

1. Seal temperature The sealing bars on FFS machines are heated to a temperature that suits the polymer type and substrates being used. These sealing bars (jaws) need to deliver sufficient

heat to the sealant layer to allow molecular diffusion. Usually, there are several layers between the seal layer and the seal jaws that have different levels of thermal conductivity and mass, which the heat needs to pass through to reach the seal layer. Polymers are poor heat conductors, whereas aluminium foil is an excellent heat conductor. Generally speaking, laminates with foil in them seal better than those without. For example, in one case where a metallised film replaced foil in a laminate, this substitution required sealing temperatures to increase from 170°C to 200ºC to get a ‘like for like’ seal outcome. Increasing the temperatures often has limitations where the laminate can't withstand the higher temperatures. For example, BOPP films can't withstand seal temperatures above 160ºC, while many inks don’t have a heat resistance above 200°C. More importantly, higher temperatures change the viscosity of the sealant polymer

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May-June 2015

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FOCUS

FORM FILL SEAL

IMPULSE SEALING

Higher temperatures change the viscosity of the sealant polymer and under pressure cause the thinning out of the sealant layer.”

which is not necessarily true. The sealants only need enough pressure for the seal surfaces to make sufficient contact to allow polymer diffusion, which in most cases is not very much pressure. Optimum seal pressures for FFS machines are between 30 to 40PSI. If the pressure is too low, there may not be sufficient surface contact. Inversely, pressure that is too high will squeeze the polymer out of the seal interface. and under pressure cause the thinning out of the sealant layer. Sealants like EVA start sealing at about 65-80ºC and are also temperature sensitive. Therefore, sealing a laminate at the same temperature setting as LLDPE, degrades the polymer and reduces the seal performance. When using a sealant for the first time, always ask the supplier for information on the Seal Initiation Temperature (SIT) and the Heat Seal Threshold (HST). The SIT is the temperature at which point the polymers starts to diffuse and form a bond, whereas the HST is the temperature at which point a seal is formed. Both are valuable indications of the seal temperature requirement, but bear in mind they are usually tested without any contamination in the seal area.

2. Pressure The FFS machine's sealing bars apply pressure against the two surfaces being sealed. Many believe that a higher pressure means a better seal,

3. Dwell time The dwell time is the time (in seconds) that the seal jaws allow the two sealing interfaces to come together and diffuse. A common error is using the polymer melting temperature as the sealing temperature, but these are very different. In many cases a seal can be formed well below the melting point with a long dwell time. However, time is money and we want the shortest dwell time, which means a much higher seal temperature is required. Most FFS machines set the dwell times between 0.5 and two seconds. The dwell time needs to be long enough to allow the heat from the sealing jaw to travel through the laminated layers and heat up the sealant sufficiently for diffusion. Therefore, laminates that are largely made up of thick plastic films require longer dwell times than laminates that are thin and contain aluminium foil. Remember that the seal polymer type has a significant influence on the dwell. For example, a high ➤

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PERFORMANCE, simplicity and flexibility are at the heart of the design of the tna robag FXIS, a PE packaging system. The rotary jaw design uses advanced impulse sealing technology to deliver high quality, consistent packaging, with high levels of accuracy. Product waste is reduced due to the optimised product transfer from the multihead scale through to the jaws. Plus, tna’s rotary double flat jaw (RDFJ) configuration doubles the throughput in comparison to the standard single jaw packaging systems that are currently on the market. The tna robag FXIS 3ci builds on the well-known features of the tna robag 3ci series, such as the simplified film system for effortless film threading, and stainless steel construction for ease of cleaning, while also delivering efficient, reliable PE sealing and bagging. Its polyethylene bags are suitable for numerous packaging applications, including fresh or frozen vegetables, salads, ready to eat fruit, and pre-wrapped candies. The system also offers enhanced ease-of-use as no mechanical adjustments are necessary when changing product or film for a wide range of applications and bag sizes. With a small footprint due to its compact design, the tna robag FXIS 3ci requires minimal floor space to maximise productivity. For increased flexibility, the tna robag FXIS 3ci can be seamlessly integrated with any upstream or downstream equipment, and works in synergy with tna weighers, metal detectors, date coders and conveyors.

18 FOCUS FORM FILL SEAL

performance polymer like an ionomer copolymer will seal a 100 micron laminate sufficiently with a 0.5 second dwell time, whereas a 100 micron cast PP laminate will require a higher dwell time of about 1 to 1.5 seconds. On the flip-side, a long dwell time can also have a negative impact on the seal performance, like causing polymer degradation.

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3. Lamination bond strength

OTHER SEAL PERFORMANCE CONSIDERATIONS

The strength of the lamination is often not considered, especially the layer that the sealant laminates against. If the adhesion of the seal layer is lower, under force the seal layer will break or tear and continue to delaminate along this weak interface until the pack opens. The rule of thumb is that the seal strength required must exceed the lamination strength. Similarly, very high seal strength applications require strong lamination bonds.

1. Hot tack performance

4. Sealant surfaces

The hot tack performance of a sealant is mostly relevant for vertical FFS (VFFS) filling lines, where the seals can open while the bags or sachets are being filled, because the packed content fills the bags while the sealed interfaces are still in the process of cooling and solidifying. Therefore, the tackiness of seal interface while still hot defines the hot tack performance. The weight of the filled bag pushes down on to the sealed area while it is still hot and this can reopen the seal. However, a laminate with a good hottack resin will remain sealed while the seal cools down. So, the selection of polymer is important in VFFS applications.

If the seal layers contain very aggressive slip additives or a surface tension treatment (like corona treatment), this can interfere with diffusion entanglement and reduce the seal performance. The coefficient of friction of the substrate also impacts on the seal performance, too much drag creates tension on the web and ultimately on the seal. On the flip-side, if the surface is too slippery, the web can wander and move off the optimum seal interface.

2. Seal through contamination VFFS machines often have powders, gels or liquids that fall past the seal interface. For aggressive contaminants like fine powders and alcohols, one may need a thicker or higher performance sealant.

TOWARDS OPTIMAL SEALING It is relatively easy to work out what seal conditions are required to seal a substrate. However, when you are having difficulty in sealing the pack and achieving good seal integrity avoid the common mistake of increasing the temperature and pressure. In reality, there's no need for high levels of pressure to achieve a seal and there is usually a small seal window from when the seal condi-

ABOVE: Poor (left) and good hot tack. BELOW: Hot tack filling.

a) Jaws seal the pack while filling

May-June 2015

tion goes from ‘poor seal’ to ‘good seal’ and back to ‘poor seal’. To achieve the best results, ask the supplier to provide the recommended seal window (temperature range at which this product is expected to seal) for this material. Always try to establish at what point you are in the seal window by increasing the temperature until you get a deterioration, then go back down as low as you can. The moment you understand where the optimum point is in the seal window, you will then be able to work on more intelligent ways to improve the seals. Knowing more about the sealant polymer type will give you more insight into seal capability and limitations. Different polymers peak at different seal temperatures. For more complex filling products (like fine powders, liquids, oils), a higher seal performance polymer may be required. Lastly, don’t overlook the fact that the complete structure and thickness of the substrate have a significant influence on the seal temperatures setting. ■

b) Good hot tack

c) Poor hot tack

LEAKED EVIDENCE STRATEX had a customer complaining about a new batch of laminate that was resulting in a much higher leaker rate. On investigation it was discovered the customer had increased the temperatures to try improve the seal performance. However, there was a ‘tell-tale’ brown polymer deposit sitting on the longitudinal sealing jaws that was not present on the vertical jaws (set at 30ºC lower). The higher temperatures of the longitudinal jaws meant the higher performance polyethylene had a lowering viscosity and was been ‘squeegeed’ out of the seal area. This, in turn, reduced the sealant thickness and resulted in higher leakers. The problem was solved by reducing the seal temperatures by 30ºC. If the temperatures are too high, this can result in ‘flow out’ of the seal area (polymer thinning) and degradation of the polymer.

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MAKE HISTORY BY BEING ONE OF THE FIRST CERTIFIED PACKAGING PROFESSIONALS (CPP)® IN AUSTRALASIA… TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CPP® PROGRAM, COSTS AND ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA PLEASE CONTACT THE AIP ON INFO@AIPACK.COM.AU OR PH: +61 7 3278 4490