The dust-tight packaging uses a sustainable mono-material paper instead of a polymer film and is produced on a vertical form, fill and seal machine (VFFS) equipped with a ZAP-Module.
“Together, we have developed a technology that will change the packaging market," said Joachim Dittrich, head of the liquid food product division at Bosch. “This revolutionary concept would not have been implemented without the collaborative effort of both companies."
PME modular machine concept
The technology is based on Bosch's PME machine, a modular concept that the company says enables quick adaption to new production requirements. The ZAP-Module allows coating with a sealing agent on a minimal surface area to preserve the paper`s mono-material character.
The new packaging uses BillerudKorsnäs's AxelloZAP paper, which Dittrich said is more durable than conventional paper, and can withstand stronger mechanical requirements in processing, while retaining its natural paper characteristics and advantages from source to recycling.
Until now, the production of mono-material paper packaging was only possible with glued pre-made bags or formed paper bags on mandrel wheel technology, said the suppliers.
VFFS technology
The VFFS concept allowed bag production using only polymer film or fully coated paper, but with the ZAP-Module it can process mono-material paper.
Ole Paulussen, sales director at BillerudKorsnäs, said the secret lies in the characteristics of the Axello ZAP paper, which was developed for this application, as well as in the ZAP-Module, which applies a minimal amount of the sealing agent to enable heatsealing of the paper on the VFFS machine.
He added the market potential for this type of product is large because it is suitable for pasta, oats, flour, rice, muesli and sugar.
The machine can also pack a variety of styles, including pillow, gusseted and block-bottom bags with gable or flat-top closure.
'Challenging conventional packaging'
“We are committed to challenging conventional packaging and this is a natural step," said Johan Nellbeck, SVP for packaging paper at BillerudKorsnäs.
“Apart from being all paper and therefore renewable, recyclable, and biodegradable, the Sealed Paper Packaging is dust-tight and insect-proof. This keeps food particles in and contamination out during transport and while on the shelf, resulting in a cleaner environment and less food waste."
A study by LCA (Life Cycle Assessment, Report U5052, IVL, 2015) showed the Axello ZAP bag results in a 65% lower carbon footprint than a corresponding plastic bag.