Sealpac equips Natural Greatness with trays and thermoformer packs for pet food

13 Sep 2023 --- Sealpac has teamed up with Spain-based dog food supplier Natural Greatness to apply the packaging machinery company’s RE20 thermoformer, suitable for various rigid and flexible film applications. 

Similar to other models within the RE-series, the all-in-one thermoformer can handle multiple packaging solutions from flexible film vacuum, skin, shrink and MAP applications up to modern solutions based on recyclable monomaterials or films with a high fiber content.

In cooperation with Sealpac’s representative Emo, new packaging for dog snacks was created at Natural Greatness in three different formats. The Sealpac RE20 thermoformer is equipped with the “unique” Rapid Air Forming system, which achieves an improved forming consistency, especially in the corners of the pack while using shorter vacuum and ventilation times. 

The packaging machinery company explains the system results in higher outputs and the possibility to use thinner materials, while creating stable and well-shaped packs. The required level of flexibility in the production of Natural Greatness is supported by the quick tooling exchange system on the RE20, which enables frequent product changes with minimum downtime. 

Sealpac developed the heart-shaped EasyLid trays for cat snacks.Heart-shaped trays
Meanwhile, German-based pet food company Futternapf partnered with Sealpac for reclosable, heart-shaped trays for its so-called “Knabberkissen” – or “nibble pillows.”

“With hundreds of millions of trays produced so far, it is an established concept that proved itself even before the industry made resource-saving production methods a priority. As a result of the latest market trends, also within the pet food segment, it is now in even greater demand,” Marcel Veenstra, marketing and communications manager at Sealpac, tells Packaging Insights.

“Our innovative EasyLid packaging system is used here, which we developed with our Dutch partner Naber Plastics. It was already in use at various of our customers, but not yet in this unusual shape,” Veenstra explains.

The EasyLid solution combines a patented, injection-molded tray produced by Naber Plastics with a “unique” tray-sealing technology by Sealpac. The tray has a common sealing edge, and an additional ring. 

A peelable seal is applied to the regular sealing edge, whereas the additional ring is hermetically sealed in the same process. As such, the lid functionality is automatically activated, upon opening the tray. This allows for the additional snap-on lid, common for this type of snack packaging, to no longer be required. Additionally, there is no need to invest in a lidding system that requires extra space and more personnel in the factory.

Full line control
Trays must be able to run smoothly on the conveyor belt to achieve a reliable packaging process. “In this case, we are dealing with an unusual shape that is difficult to guide, but it is not a problem on the Sealpac traysealer. We have developed our Walking Beam in-feed system for such cases,” says Veenstra. 

Futternapf is using a Sealpac A5 traysealer and “instead of a continuous conveyor belt, the well-enclosed trays are transported in fully controlled waves at a consistently high speed. It also guarantees the most accurate positioning of the trays underneath the automatic filling system,” he adds.

The model is said to be “ideal” for getting started with fully automatic packaging, as it combines many properties of the larger Sealpac traysealers in a space-saving design.

“These two examples show how eye-catching packaging solutions can be created for the pet food market, which combine efficient production with highest product quality and more resource conservation,” Veenstra concludes.

Edited by Natalie Schwertheim

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