Bosch launches SurePOUCH pack styles reclosable and flexible packages

02 Jun 2012

At the 2012 Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Germany, Bosch Packaging Technology presents SurePOUCH - reclosable, flexible pouches with a wide range of applications from retail to food service.

At the 2012 Anuga FoodTec in Cologne, Germany, Bosch Packaging Technology presents SurePOUCH - reclosable, flexible pouches with a wide range of applications from retail to food service. The packs are filled on the new SurePOUCH clean-fill machine series (SPC), roll-fed vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) machines with a small footprint of six square meters. The pouch formats “Retail” for retail sales and “Food Service” range in filling volume sizes from 100 milliliters to five liters.

The SPC can produce four different pouch formats. The formats EZPouch, EZGable and EZSquare, with filling volumes from 100 milliliters to five liters, offer flexible applications for retail. For food service, the EZPillow can hold up to 20 liters, allowing for easy and quick refilling. All formats are produced, filled and sealed with the same machine. This enhances flexibility for the manufacturer since it allows the user to expand the product portfolio without fundamentally converting the production line.

Clean-filled applications for the SurePOUCH include non-carbonated beverages and water, dairy products, concentrates, soups, sauces and dressings. The SurePOUCH system is capable of filling viscous liquids up to 25,000 centipoises as well as particulates up to 25 millimeters in diameter while protecting particulate integrity. The machine can also handle dry bulk goods, such as flakes, powders, rice or coffee.

The new vertical form, fill and seal machine is capable of filling a variety of products, achieving hygiene standards up to ultra clean-fill. SurePOUCH packs are also fitted with reclosable spouts, which are ultrasonically welded to the exterior of the pouch and can be positioned in various locations. They provide an enhanced hygienic feature as the product is filled directly into the pouch and not through the spout. The closure only comes in contact with the product when the consumer opens the package. The spouts are available in sizes of 10, 20 and 30 millimeters. Bosch also provides customized options for food service.

Alternatively, drinking straws or simple tear-notches can be added to the SurePOUCH pack styles. For the food service sector, adjusting extra handles to the upper seam simplifies lifting and dosing when pouring.
Guenther Burkhard, President at Bosch Pouch System AG, Bosch Packaging Technology comments, "we had a very successful launch of SurePouch and will be present again at FachPack later in the year to show our new innovations."

In addition to the SPC machine, Bosch supplies both the spouts and the lightweight film or laminate structures for the SurePOUCH packs, guaranteeing seal and package integrity while ensuring easy handling, storage and dispensing of products. Due to its stable design, the package still stands-up once vacant. Made from flexible materials, it allows high evacuation rates for increased utility as well as collapsibility for efficient disposal. Compared to cartons, metal containers and cans, SurePOUCH packs are created with thinner gauge and lighter plastic materials, resulting in significant cost and energy savings throughout manufacturing and transportation. In comparison to alternative packaging concepts, SurePOUCH results in weight reduction of up to 80 percent. The new flexible pack style also helps to lower the product-to-package weight ratio compared to rigid alternatives.

“The SurePOUCH pack styles and SPC machine are the result of Bosch’s latest application of its filling equipment expertise,” stated Blair Vance, Product Management, Bosch Packaging Technology.

He added: “Manufacturers now have the technology to create innovative package styles and quickly adapt to changing economic, market and regulatory demands with packages that stand-out on store shelves and are very functional and convenient.”

Source: Bosch Packaging Technology