Shrink bag: adapa Group to make investments at two locations

The shrink bag - a real all-rounder

Shrink bags are a packaging solution that has been tried and tested for decades and they are at the same time a real high-tech product: modern shrink materials are extremely thin and consist of several different layers that give the respective packaging its special properties. Shrink packaging is enormously efficient and offers the packaged goods best protection and quality preservation throughout their entire life cycle - from storage to transport and distribution to sales at the POS. Shrink bags are used as ripening packaging for certain products, such as cheese or meat. With their barrier properties optimally adapted to the respective packaged goods, they ensure first-class product quality, e.g. tenderly matured meat or perfectly ripened cheese. In terms of look and feel, shrink packaging is an "honest package": it presents its contents in a way that is clearly visible and tangible from all sides. In addition, the good printability offers many possibilities for an eye-catching brand presentation.

Increased automation, changed requirements

The process sequences in shrink bag packaging are largely automated today. The bags are opened in the machines, filled with the product, vacuumed, sealed and finally shrunk. Robot technology is increasingly used to fill the pouches. This high degree of automation has massively increased the cycle rate (packs/minute) and has led to a doubling of the packing speed in recent years. The high speed, combined with shorter cycle times, leaves less time for sealing, so the sealing media have been adapted to ever smaller processing windows. In addition, shrink bags for these highly automated packaging processes require appropriate mechanical strength as well as particularly reliable sealing seams, as these are exposed to high loads in the filling process. Overall, the degree of automation and thus the packaging speed depend strongly on the product being filled: while uniform and solid products, e.g. cheese pieces or loaves, can be packaged relatively well automatically, this is not always possible to the same extent for soft products with varying sizes, such as fresh meat.

Awarded development performance – designed for recycling VACUshrink(re) MEX 55

In the course of the packaging industry's commitment to develop more sustainable solutions, the classic shrink bag can make full use of its advantageous properties. As part of its company-wide rethink initiative, adapa Group is working with its customers to promote the replacement of conventional packaging with more sustainable alternatives. A prime example of this is the VACUshrink(re) MEX 55: the shrink bag with high barrier, which is suitable for packaging meat or cheese, does not require any cross-linking. It is free of PA layers or PVDC barrier and certified recyclable. The PE-based bag is certified recyclable and can be easily processed on conventional equipment.

Shrink bags in every conceivable variant - and now with even more capacities

adapa Group's shrink materials are available both as pre-made bags and as flat films. For the shrink bags, there are different seal shapes, such as bottom and side seals in different designs, as well as special shaped seal configurations. The shrink bags, which are supplied loose, stacked, taped or perforated on roll (POR), can be optimally processed on all common packaging machines, as they have excellent mechanical properties as well as excellent sealability. The proven and at the same time highly contemporary packaging solution has great future potential thanks to its good compatibility of product protection and resource conservation. This fact has motivated the adapa Group to make substantial investments at two locations. This includes investments in a significant upgrade in adapa's Centre of Excellence for shrink materials in Kempten in southern Germany, allowing for more capacity. In addition, the site in UK St Helens Limited in northern England is currently being expanded to include two state-of-the-art shrink bag lines, which are intended to offer British customers in particular even faster availability and the best local service. While the first plant is already in operation, the second is expected to be commissioned at the end of May 2023.