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The Bag Cycle

Published: August 01, 2009, By By Claudia Hine, Managing Editor

On a recent visit to the neighborhood Target, I spotted something I hadn't seen before. Archer Farms, Target's private label, packages its potato chips in a resealable zipper pouch. Chips that stay fresh after opening. Sweet!

The package utilizes Inno-Lok pre-zippered film from The Hudson-Sharp Machine Co., Green Bay, WI. It's a patented product and method for attaching reclosable fasteners transversely to packaging film, thereby producing a roll of pre-zippered film. It can be used for barrier and nonbarrier packaging applications.

While consumers may take the hard-working bags and pouches converters produce for granted, industry suppliers have been working hard to make the job a little easier.

Hudson-Sharp recently introduced the 750 Servo Pouch machine, which uses a single web of film to produce two-up, stand-up resealable pouches. Single web production is said to use less scrap than multiple web machines and to offer greater production efficiency with faster changeover and excellent print registration.

Options include fold-over and glued bottom, trim winders, driven unwinds, and the ability to use either a string or flanged zipper for resealable applications. Three-side seal pouch styles are possible.

At CMM Intl., which took place in June, Totani America, also in Green Bay, debuted the CT-60D pouchmaking machine. “While the overall attendance at CMM was somewhat disappointing, you'd never know it based on the activity at our booth,” says Mike Greely, senior VP of sales manager. “The CT-60D pouchmaking machine attracted a great deal of attention at the show itself, and we've continued to see the same level of interest in the marketplace.”

The high speed CT-60D is used to produce small to large format stand-up pouches from one web. Press-to-close zipper capability is included, and a slider zipper is available as an option. Another available option is running two-up, three-side, press-to-close zipper pouches as well as Quad Seal Side gusseted bagmaking. The four-servo motor control system enables high-speed stand-up or flat pouchmaking at speeds to 200 cycles/min. (Also see “First Glance,” p4.)

A New Player

Jennerjahn Machine, Matthews, IN, perhaps best known for slitter/rewinders, also engineers a variety of equipment that includes the integration of ultrasonic and heat seal technology to produce fully automatic pouch and bagmaking machinery. For a bubble pack bag machine, the web from large rolls of insulated bubble pack material is formed into traditional pouch and complex flat bottom bag configurations. An adhesive strip is applied automatically to aid end-users with closure. Heat seal technology welds the ends of the bag to form a leak-proof seal.

For its pouch machine, two webs of polyester film are joined together with a spun bond strip ultrasonically welded between them. The stack then is ultrasonically welded and slit. After holes are punched in the web, it is ultrasonically cross-cut, and the finished product is stacked automatically.

Demonstrating Efficiency

Six months ago, Mamata USA, Montgomery, IL, reports it demonstrated the fastest zipper wicketer, which has the capability to produce string zipper polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene bags at speeds to 250 cycles/min. The machine processed 1.4-mil (36-micron) PE film with string zippers on side seals and with pouch-type flat (hermetic) seals. On side seals, the machine processed zipper bags up to 230 cycles, and with hermetic seals, it ran at 180 cycles on the same low-gauge film. Conventional wicketed bags can be produced at up to 325 cycles/min.

New bagmaking technology was on display in June at NPE, the International Plastics Showcase. CMD, Appleton, WI, demonstrated the Model 1270GDS Global Drawtape system and introduced the Model 0330HSW Global High-Speed Winder. The Drawtape system offers production speeds to 600 fpm with flexible take-off options for rolled or folded bag dispensing and features optional print-to-seal registration for production of printed bags or film.

The servo-driven poly bag winder's patented design is said to offer improved process efficiency. Wound bags may be connected to each other by perforations or each bag separated and overlapped onto the previous bag. The winder produces coreless rolls at 30 cycles/min and is designed especially for the high-cycle production of small-count rolls without limiting line speed.

CMD also launched proprietary bag-sealing/perforating technology at NPE that reportedly can save converters up to 94 tons of resin annually on an average drawstring bagmaking line. The sure-seal technology is said to create a single seal with the perforation precisely centered, reducing the problem of incorrect perforation placement, missing side seals, and excessive film between bags. Says Steve Sakai, CMD president, “Converters can use this new technology to save approximately $100,000 in resin costs per year per line.”

Now that's the kind of savings you can take to the bank — in a money bag, of course.

Supplier Info

Stand-Up Pouches Reel in Consumers

Alcan Packaging Food Americas, Chicago, IL, offers seafood processors innovative alternatives to carton packaging. Stand-up pouches enhance consumers' brand experience on many fronts. For convenience, they save space in home freezers, while resealability inhibits freezer burn and ensures fresher, longer-lasting product. Unlike paperboard cartons, which consumers routinely discard and replace with other storage containers, stand-up pouches deliver a continuous branding experience. In the frozen foods aisle, stand-up packaging features a generous facing for high-impact, “billboarded” brand messaging.

Additionally, Alcan Packaging provides hermetically sealed SteamRight pouches for steam-in-bag applications. Consumers' need for reduced meal preparation and easy cleanup has created strong demand in the steamable microwave cooking category. SteamRight pouches deliver precision steam venting and safe, easy opening, as well as exceptional durability at every stage of frozen food distribution.


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