Harpak-Ulma targets sanitation and uptime with new VFFS machine

Harpak-Ulma has launched the Ulma VTC 840 WD Washdown Vertical Packaging System, a vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) platform said to aid food manufacturers in cutting hidden costs in hygienic packaging.

The VTC 840 WD is built for demanding protein, poultry, cheese, frozen food, and other high-sanitation applications. It offers full 360-degree washdown capability, intelligent automation, ergonomic design, and measurable sustainability gains, according to the US-based packaging company.

“Where conventional sanitary baggers often force trade-offs between cleanability, uptime, usability, and efficiency, the VTC 840 WD was designed from a clean sheet to improve performance across all four,” says Harpak-Ulma.

“At a time when processors are under pressure to improve sanitation performance, reduce labor dependency, lower utility use, and maximize uptime, the VTC 840 WD was redesigned to do all four.”

Reducing sanitation downtimes

Harpak-Ulma describes the VTC 840 WD as a unified hygienic packaging platform that can advance cleanability, sustainability, operator usability, and production efficiency. The company adds that its new machine can reduce utility bills, downtime, and operational complexity in comparison to traditional sanitary baggers.

Mike Marchand, senior product manager at Harpak-Ulma Packaging, adds: “Processors have been told for years that better sanitation means more downtime and higher utility bills. We rejected that trade-off. The VTC 840 WD was a clean-sheet redesign, so plants no longer have to choose between a machine they can clean aggressively and one that runs lean.”

In numbers, the VTC 840 WD offers nearly 20% lower electrical consumption, more than 30% lower compressed-air consumption, and simplified film path, reducing reel rollers from 30 to five, the company outlines.

Overcoming manufacturing challenges

Additionally, the VTC 840 WD aims to address workforce availability, a growing manufacturing challenge. 

The machine offers barcode-driven recipe automation, automatic machine adjustments, intelligent film tracking, and zone-specific alarm visualization to reduce the need for operators’ contribution and improve setup repeatability and production consistency, according to the company.

The VTC 840 WD is now available for order throughout North America. Harpak-Ulma will present the machine at Pack Expo International 2026 (18–21 October) in Chicago, US.

In January, Herpak-Ulma introduced its high-speed tray-sealing application for Mondini Trave Sinfonia to enable high-volume ground-meat production.

According to Yangi, Sealed Air, and Innova Market Insights, flexible high-barrier formats and stand-up pouches are reshaping meat and protein packaging.