At Douglas Machine, we’re fascinated by packaging solutions that drive better consumer experiences — which is why we have become experts in flexible packaging. According to syndicated research by Future Market Insights, flexible packaging includes flexible and semi-flexible packaging formats such as bags, pouches, films, tubes, sacks, etc.
Growing demand for flexible packaging for Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Manufacturers, such as food and beverage products, is expected to cause significant growth in the flexible packaging market. In fact, the Global Flexible Plastic Packaging Market is expected to exceed more than US $130.05 billion by 2022.
Why Choose Flexible Packaging?
Flexible packaging is consistently the right choice for durable, safe and convenient food and beverage packaging.
The largest growth factor in the global flexible packaging market is its lightweight properties. Due to its flexibility, durability and lightweight nature, flexible packaging is increasingly replacing rigid packaging made of plastic and non-plastic materials such as glass and metal.
Consumers have a growing focus on convenience, durability, shelf-life and, most importantly, sustainability. Traditional rigid packaging formats are replaced by innovative flexible plastic packaging options to meet customer needs. Flexible packaging also enables longer product shelf lives and more convenient user experiences for consumers.
The life cycle attributes of flexible packaging demonstrate many sustainable advantages. Flexible packaging starts with less waste in the first place, greatly reducing landfill discards. Innovation and technology have enabled flexible packaging manufacturers to use fewer natural resources in the creation of their packaging. Improvements in production processes have reduced water and energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and volatile organic compounds. Lighter-weight flexible packaging also results in less transportation-related energy, fossil fuel consumption and environmental pollution.
A few advantages of flexible packaging include:
- Lightweight and easy to open, carry, store and reseal
- Extends the shelf life of many products, especially food, and has a positive sustainability profile
- Requires less energy to manufacture and to transport—and generates smaller quantities of greenhouse gases on its way to market
- Ultimately results in less consumer waste being sent to landfills
- Widely extendable into diverse product categories
- Maintains and indicates freshness
- Offers consumer convenience
- Shelf appeal and visibility of contents
Flexible Packaging for CPG Manufacturers
Two most popular flexible packaging options for CPG manufacturers include:
1. Resealable Pouches
This flexible packaging option suits the on-the-go lifestyle of today’s consumers. Resealable pouches are an excellent way to protect and display goods, particularly for food manufacturers. This versatile packaging option extends shelf life and reduces waste.
Douglas’ compact TriVex® RL & TriVex RLi offer automated robotic case and tray packing solutions to accommodate the unique demands associated with handling bags, pouches, cartons, trays, tubs, cups, cans, bottles and overwrapped products. Maximized flexibility provides efficient loading of products into almost any style of pre-erected top load case or tray.
The TriVex RLi offers the unique ability to seamlessly erect, load and seal top load cases with one compact machine. Innovative design features, advanced servo technology and simple menu-driven changeovers combine to accommodate a wide variety of product types with less product handling and maintenance. It’s the optimum solution for the high demands associated with 3-shift production, frequent format changes and high efficiencies.
The versatile and innovative solutions of the TriVex® SL & TriVex SLi are ideal for the demands of the growing retail ready market. This robotic top load case packer meets market needs for lines requiring products to be packed vertical in the case and lines requiring both vertical and flat pack product orientations. Vertical pack configurations produce retail ready display cases with 1 or 2 product facings. With a quick and simple changeover it packs pouches and flat bottom bags laying flat in the case with 2 or 3 products per layer. A dual SCARA robotic solution is used to uniquely combine the functionality of a product infeed, pack pattern collation and case loading functions into one mechanism.
2. Bags
Bags are used by many CPG manufacturers for their flexible packaging needs. There are several formats to choose from including doy-style, pirouette, block, easypack, corner creased, quad seal, gusseted, flat bottom, brick, pillow and expander bags. Bags are used for many applications from coffee grounds to Individual Quick Frozen products.
The TriVex® CLi case packer is ideal for Individual Quick Frozen (IQF) products such as non-free flowing frozen potatoes and vegetables, as well as pillow and gusseted bag product applications requiring flat and vertical bag orientations. The integrated case erector, upright and flat pack flexibility and large size range meet market demand for case packing both retail and food service bags. The convertible cassette pivots to easily reposition to horizontal or vertical mode which reduces parts and changeover time.
Harness Flexible Packaging with Douglas Machine
The Douglas TriVex solutions streamline flexible packaging operations and deliver meaningful business value. Douglas can offer all of the support and expertise you need to understand and leverage flexible packaging to support your manufacturing Operations. Contact us for more information on our machines or flexible packaging in general. We look forward to hearing from you!