Flexible Metallized Package on the Russian Market

Research of the Academy of Conjuncture of Industrial Markets

All varieties of flexible metallized packing materials can be conditionally split into four large groups: monolayer metallized package, composite metallized package, multilayer foiled package, and thermoformed blister trays.

MONOLAYER METALLIZED PACKAGE

Monolayer metallized package is a polymer film unattached to other materials and with one-side printing. Printing can be protected and aesthetically improved with extra lacquering. Production of monolayer metallized film usually requires polypropylene films – oriented and non-oriented. Production of twist labels involves metallized BOPE and PVC films.

COMPOSITE METALLIZED PACKAGE

Composite metallized package is made from multilayer materials where one of layers is metallized.

Sequence of layers, i.e. composite material structure is determined by package function. Top layer – substrate – is a barrier against atmospheric conditions and a printable surface. Common materials are biaxially oriented PE, PP or polyamide films or paper.

Core layer provides leak-proof sealing properties of package while mid- and top layer – barrier properties.

MULTILAYER FOILED PACKAGE

Multilayer foiled package is made from composite material where one of layers is foil.

Aluminum foil has a number of properties perfect for packing purposes:

• it serves as a barrier against moisture, oils and fats, petrochemicals, majority of domestic chemical compounds, gases, micro-organisms, UV-light; guarantees maintained product quality and eliminates product waste;
• it is hygienically safe as foil is stain-resistant, doesn’t color the content, and rules out change of taste and flavor of the packed product;
• thermal resistance and heat conduction allow thermal treatment and sterilization of the content, as well as thermo-welding of the package;
• ability to be shaped and keep shape allows the package take the shape of the packaged product or any other desirable shape without gluing or welding; wide choice of thicknesses makes the material multi-purpose and compatible with high-speed equipment;
• light-weight material with high strength;
• physiologically safe;
• resistance to low temperatures allows storage of deep-frozen products;
• conductance;
• strength and durability.

Foil is compatible with food and drugs, has good design potential and printability, can be coated and embossed; all this increases attractiveness and marketing potential of packaged products. Foil is compatible with any types of print – flexiprint, gravure, offset.

THERMOFORMED BLISTER TRAYS

Blister tray is a tray made from thermoplastic film. This package is designed for transfer of small-piece food products – sweets, marshmallow, marmalade, etc. – from manufacturer to consumer. Blister tray protects the content from external strain, provides secure hold of products inside the package. Blister trays made from rigid polymer film are already habitual for confectionery package. Blister tray is a part of cardboard box for sweets, marshmallow, and biscuits.

Blister trays can be made from APET and PVC sheets, thickness 150-600 micrometres. Most typically blister trays are made from thin films – 170-300 micrometres. Meanwhile most popular material in this segment is PET films due to gloss and perfect metallization properties. Other types of films are hard to be metallized which leads to high spoilage during production. Besides, PET is perfectly colored. New coatings like Clariant or Ampocet make films look silvery or golden even without metallization.

As a rule, blister trays for sweets are made from transparent and white films covered with light- and dark-brown paint, or silvery and golden coating.

Blister trays for other kinds of confectionery are solutions to safely place product units/groups into individual cavities. Blister trays are used mainly for biscuits, cookies, paste, wafer pies, wafers, and some other confectionery products. Unlike sweets’ applications, blister trays for other confectionery products are almost never metallized – most common varieties are brown, white, or transparent. This type of blisters as a rule is made from PVC and PC.

Blister trays for fish/seafood and meat which require thermo welding are worth special notion. They are mainly formed from PVC and APET polyethylene laminated films. Thickness of such film is 150-400 micrometres (PVC or PET) / 30-40 micrometres (PE). Thin PE layer is needed for improved barrier between package and the content. Blister trays from this type of film are used for products with extended shelf life – preserved fish/seafood, fish/seafood delicacy and salads, and also meat/sausage carving, and cheese.

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