Plastrela creates mono-material packaging for Adimax

Plastrela, a converter based in Brazil, has created a snack size pet food standup pouch (SUP) for its customer, brand owner Adimax, that can be easier to recycle than traditional PET/PE SUP structures. 

The challenge was to replace a conventional multi-layer structure consisting of a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate and a polyethylene (PE) sealant with a new mono-material PE//PE packaging that could be easier to recycle.  

Chih Ming, technical manager, Plastrela, said: ‘The biggest challenge in changing the SUP packaging from a transparent PET structure laminated with PE film into a PE//PE structure was the formatting and machinability of the film in the cutting-welding equipment. Based on our experience, the production of SUP packaging requires a high sealing temperature in the sealing bar and as a result polyester film is usually used in the packaging structure.’ 

The quality and freshness of the pet food snacks needed to be maintained as well. In addition, excellent printability of the SUP for high visibility on the shelves of retail outlets for brand exposure was also important. 

Plastrela collaborated with ExxonMobil’s PE business for provide a sustainable material. The packaging substrate and sealant films are processed using 5-layer Windmöller & Höschler blown extrusion equipment, before the substrate web is printed. The substrate web is laminated to the sealant web and then formatted into a SUP. 

Replacing the conventional PET substrate and PE sealant structure with an PE//PE packaging can improve the potential recyclability of the SUP, while performance criteria such as package integrity and printability for brand promotion opportunities are maintained. 

‘When we produced the SUP with existing cutting-welding equipment, we were amazed and very satisfied with the result of using a PE//PE film,’ said Ming. ‘While there are many advantages obtained with this project, the main advantage is making the SUP so that it can be easier to recycle versus multi-layer constructions due to it’s a mono-material structure.’ 

The films are all produced to the right dimensions at Plastrela, so there was no reliance on third-party films that may not be right size. As a result, production time and costs can also potentially be reduced. 

Leonardo Dalmagro, R&D manager, Adimax, added: ‘This innovative PE//PE solution achieves our performance objectives for the SUP, while helping to create new possibilities for material reuse and recycling with greater efficiency which aligns with our sustainability and environmental responsibility commitments, collaborating with Plastrela and ExxonMobil, numerous tests were conducted to help adapt our internal process to extract manufacturing efficiencies from this product and enable it to be mechanically recycled.’ 

With this new project Plastrela aims to target new business opportunities, such as expanding the new PE//PE packaging solution into the home care segment. The converter also will promote it to customers who are driven to exchange their existing multi-material packaging for recyclable mono-material structures.