Mondi delivers design freedom to feminine care pouches with new flexo printing line

22 Mar 2022 --- Mondi is unveiling a flexo printing line for hygiene products at its plant in Gronau, Germany. The new machinery will service the hygiene industry’s growing demand for advanced printing options for films and laminates and deliver greater flexibility in feminine care pouch wrapping designs and film choices.

The packaging manufacturer’s investment in the ten-color flexo press means the company can now supply flexo printing services alongside its existing rotogravure capabilities. Due to the latest sleeve technology, flexo printing produces “high-quality” results in “brilliant” color with a “rapid” output.

In addition, Mondi’s press can apply effect inks and matt additives, resulting in premium-looking films with the potential to influence purchasing decisions through an elevated user experience.

Inline siliconization
The new line offers the added appeal of inline siliconization, which eliminates the need for release paper and inline embossing in answer to consumer preference for quieter, more discreet wrappers. 

The new line, created at Mondi's production site in Gronau, offers the added appeal of inline siliconization, eliminating the need for release paper.Furthermore, the printing press gives customers the freedom to request complex designs thanks to precise registered printing for eye mark accuracy. This flexibility allows Mondi to feature different prints on the front and back of wrapping films and provides the option of partial siliconization for a more cost-effective printing run. 

Jürgen Schneider, managing director for Personal Care Components at Mondi, comments: “The new flexo printing line enables us to better serve our customers in the hygiene industry through an altogether smarter printing process.”

Increased environmental sustainability
Schneider explains inline inspection systems for color and silicone quality guarantee product reliability, “while low ink consumption, minimal waste and shorter set-up times make this type of printing efficient and therefore also highly suitable for customers with varying lot sizes.”

“What’s more, our installation can handle different film materials, including biodegradable or recycled content stock, which supports our customers’ [environmental] sustainability goals,” he adds.

In the run-up to the installation of the new flexo printing line, Mondi’s team in Gronau consulted closely with colleagues from its plant in Jackson, US, which has offered flexographic printing services for personal care components since 2014.

Related news 
Last month, PackagingInsights investigated recent trends emerging in digital printing, including labor retention, automation, environmental sustainability and e-commerce. We explored the digital transformation in printing for labels and packaging with market leaders HP Indigo, Bobst and Fujifilm.

Last week, we also sat down with Mondi and Sealpac experts to get a deeper look into the issue of fresh produce packaging, with recent laws banning plastic packaging for some fruit and vegetable items calling into question the efficacy of wrapping fresh produce. 

By Natalie Schwertheim