Amcor develops “next-generation” heat seal coating for healthcare packaging

04 Jun 2021 --- Amcor is launching an enhanced heat seal coating for medical-grade DuPont Tyvek 2 and paper applications in healthcare packaging. 

This “next-generation” coating technology will be produced in multiple locations worldwide, offering customers increased supply flexibility for the manufacturing and packaging of their devices.

DuPont Tyvek is a durable nonwoven material suitable for various industries, including medical. The material is lightweight, durable and resistant to water, abrasion and bacterial penetration.

Amcor says customers choosing ACT2100 will benefit from the solution’s broader seal range in combination with numerous materials, allowing for a wider operating window in their manufacturing operations, and enhanced seal strength for more robust package integrity through distribution.

“ACT2100 offers two key benefits for medical packaging,” Daniel Roiz, marketing and product management director for healthcare, tells PackagingInsights. “A stronger and more secure seal for challenging applications, products and distribution channels as well as improved porosity to optimize sterilization cycles and support minimal use of ethylene oxide.”

“Due to the excellent sealing and improved porosity, it is suitable for a broad range of product types, in particular as lidding for thermoform packaging formats.”

“The aim was to supply one product across regions to support our global customers with a robust business continuity plan, including testing compatibility with our forming film portfolio and ensuring this coating customer needs across the globe no matter what forming films product they utilize.”

Enhanced material porosity
Consumers can enjoy speedier ethylene oxide sterilization cycles due to the material’s improved porosity, a fiber-free peel and a bright, white adhesive that does not yellow. 

Additionally, documentation and data will be available to support healthcare packaging regulatory requirements in all regulated markets.

The ACT2100 heat seal adhesive will be added to Amcor’s existing portfolio of high-performance Tyvek adhesives, including CR27 and SBP2000 heat seal coatings, allowing customers to leverage traditional validations with legacy products or use ACT2100 for newer requirements.

“This exciting innovation builds on our reputation for high-quality, reliable performance heat-sealing adhesives for medical-grade papers and Tyvek material, including Amcor’s CR27 adhesive, which has been an industry standard and highly trusted for nearly four decades,” Amcor says.Amcor’s new mono-material, recyclable PE blister packs.

“We’re proud of our new packaging solution, especially since it has been developed leveraging the best of CR27 with improvements aligned with our customer’s continuously evolving requirements.”

Amcor healthcare solutions
In April, the global packaging giant also launched customer trials for its new mono-material, recyclable polyethylene blister packs in what it claims is a “breakthrough” for pharmaceutical packaging. 

Branded AmSky, the packs eliminate polyvinyl chloride (PVC), making recycling difficult due to its chlorine content.

Speaking to PackagingInsights, John Forsyth, a senior product manager for pharmaceuticals at Amcor, explained why shifting blister packs to a more recyclable material presents a significant hurdle for manufacturers.

“PVC has been a market standard for over 60 years, so all the machines for forming blister packs have been optimized to work with PVC, which is a stiff material. This was a significant challenge.” 

The addition of aluminum to PVC on most blister packs also compounds recycling issues.

“Developing a solution which performs on the existing machines using polyolefin materials has only been possible thanks to the material science and know-how within Amcor’s R&D team.”

In other news, Amcor unveiled “the first” recycle-by-design sachet packs for chocolate powder in Latin America last month.

By Joshua Poole