Extrusion International 6-2023-USA

64 Extrusion International 6/2023 FLAT FILM EXTRUSION – CASE STUDY From Converter to Full-Range Supplier JaeKwang is one of the best-known packaging manufacturers in South Korea. The company, which previously operated exclusively as a converter, decided last year to strike out in a new direction and take film production into its own hands. This was a big step for JaeKwang, which is now the first company in South Korea to produce CPP flat films in a 5-layer process. L ast autumn, JaeKwang installed the first 5 layer CPP film line from Reifenhäuser – a milestone, and not only for JaeKwang. After all, it is the first line of its kind ever in the country. In order to make itself independent of suppliers, the company, founded in 1999, decided to produce as much as possible in-house in the future. "We are keen to take on as many steps as possible in the man- ufacturing process ourselves. In doing so, we have very high quality standards," explains Hong-Soo Kang, CEO at JaeKwang. The high quality standard and the strong production output of the line of 1300kg/hour were also what convinced the company to make this investment. Top output values thanks to individual line configuration The remarkable productivity results from a technolog- ical focus on meeting the specific South Korean market and raw material requirements. In recognition of this crucial aspect, Reifenhäuser and JaeKwang have en- sured that the CPP machine has been tailored to meet the optimum requirements of the end product. Thanks to Reifenhäusers core competencies in the hot part ex- trusion equipment, the Reifenhäuser team was able to fully align the line with the needs of its customer and the local raw materials. "We are pleased to have Reifenhäuser as a strong partner at our side," said Owner & CEOMr. Kang at Jae- Kwang. "The line, which was specially designed to meet our requirements, enables us to achieve an enormously high throughput while maintaining the same high qual- ity and functionality, thus offering us a decisive com- petitive advantage in the market," Mr. Kang continues. Technologically convincing for JaeKwang was in par- ticular the feedblock system from Reifenhäuser. Jae- Kwang opted for a Coextrusion Adapter Pro. This en- ables multilayer production in extremely low tolerances and adjustment of the layer distribution during ongoing production. "The feedblock enables us to test and imple- ment new recipes as flexibly as possible without having to accept high raw material losses," praises Mr. Kang at JaeKwang. The Korean all-rounder has therefore now commissioned Reifenhäuser to install a second line. Line with stretching unit is the first of its kind in South Korea In South Korea, packaging materials are designed creatively and elaborately in terms of haptics and ap- pearance. In addition, there are growing consumer demands for functionality. Currently, for example, the so-called Easy Tear function is particularly in demand for pouches. With the Easy Tear function, any type of pouch can be opened quickly, safely, and cleanly thanks to an integrat- ed tear strip. This user-friendly solution can be realized by a line with a stretching unit (MDO), which JaeKwang will now install in the next step. This plant technology will also be the first of its kind in South Korea. "We are very pleased to have found a partner in Jae- Kwang that we can actively support in its innovative product developments," explains Benjamin Pott, Area Sales Man- ager at Reifenhäuser. JaeKwang is also pleased about the renewed cooperation. "Reifenhäuser's know-how and tech- nologies help us to grow steadily in the market and to create clear added value for consumers with our products," adds Mr. Kwang. Reifenhäuser Group Spicher Str. 46, 53844 Troisdorf, Germany www.reifenhauser.com Reifenhäuser Value CPP 5-layer line at JaeKwang, one of the best-known packaging manufacturers in South Korea (Pictures: Reifenhäuser)