The flexible-packaging market in North America continues to change and grow. This evolution is driven by busy lifestyles, high market penetration of ready-to-eat meals, and the demand for longer product shelf life.
Flexible packaging is commonly used for food products, such as snacks, dairy, smoothies and others. Peel-off lids, microwave pouches and easy-open perforations are just some of the flexible packaging designs that contribute to ease of use and consumer convenience. Additionally, flexible packaging enhances product quality image, shelf appeal and brand preference.
Less permeable, high-performance film structures that increase shelf life and enhance flavor have caused a transition from rigid containers to high-quality flexible packages. Premium products, such as baked goods, sold in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) are ideal applications. Gluten-free, new breakfast goods, partly baked and specialty breads, rolls and cakes also contribute to the expansion of flexible packaging. Other non-traditional flexible-packaging applications include industrial and agricultural. Package designers are also creating packaging that is secure and hermetically sealed to safeguard the integrity of its contents without posing accessibility issues for elderly consumers who suffer from dexterity or mobility impairments.
To profit from this growth, converters need to meet demand for new and advanced flexible-packaging solutions by adding laser finishing. Lasers enhance your ability to add new features to your flexible packaging by offering web-direction or cross-web micro-/macro-perforations, windowing, easy-open and scoring the top layer for straw holes. Normally this would require multiple laser systems (cross-web and web-direction) to meet this range of needs. SEI Laser’s new PackMaker system allows you to laser-cut, score or micro-perforate in both web- and cross-web directions.
SEI Laser has the widest line-up of laser solutions for flexible packaging, including the Packmaster WD (web-direction), Packmaster CW (cross-web direction), Packmaster CW Conveyor and the new PackMaker, which is a versatile system able to perform both cross-web and web-direction jobs.
Visit the SEI Laser booth (N9865) at Packexpo, September 11to 13, 2023 in Las Vegas to learn more about this exciting new technology.
SEI Laser has been delivering high-quality laser systems for over 40 years, proven at thousands of installations worldwide. Support in North America is provided by Matik, based in Connecticut.
