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Nordmeccanica and Hydro Demonstrate Benefits of Thin Foil

PIACENZA, ITALY | Nordmeccanica recently joined Hydro Aluminium Rolled Products, Grevenbroich, Germany, for a workshop entitled “Thin foil lamination at high production speed.” The event was held February 23–24 at Nordmeccanica’s corporate headquarters. The invitational event drew representatives from major converters in Europe, who heard technical papers and saw demonstration runs of 5-µm (0.00019 in.) (introduced by Hydro to the market in early 2015) and 6.3-µm (0.00024 in.) foil laminated to printed PET. 

Hydro’s 5-micron foil is seen on the primary unwind of Nordmeccanica’s Combi 3000

Lamination was performed live, coating the unsupported foil and featured solvent base (both with “semi-flexo” and “rotogravure” coating heads) and 100% solid (solvent-free) adhesives laminations. Company says moving from 6 µm to 5µm will allow savings to 6% in packaging material, and based on the right alloys and processing, the absolute barrier function that aluminum can offer is preserved effectively with benefits to all parties involved, not the least being the environment.

Demonstration runs were performed on the Nordmeccanica Combi 3000 installed at the Piacenza R&D center. Attendees witnessed machine setup, job changeover, and three alternative adhesive lamination technologies, reportedly handling the thin foil with ease.

Nordmeccanica says the outcome of the workshop was the confirmation that thin foil, manufactured in the proper alloy and respecting proper quality standards, is safe to be used on standard equipment, assuming that equipment is “state of the art” in design and engineering. Company adds that the event also proved that cooperation between industry leaders is the best way to provide converters with “cutting edge” technology.

“This was the third event in the Nordmeccanica/Hydro cooperation, and I am sure more will come,” says Giancarlo Caimmi, commercial director at Nordmeccanica Group.

Adds Markus Offermann, sales director for Hydro’s product area foil, “Tackling technical limits in order to do step changes in the packaging industry by further developing materials, machines, and processes is a key success factor for the future.”

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