Are You Getting Most Out Of Your Shrink Packaging?
May 8, 2013
Your shrink bag should have an optimum shelf life, retail appeal and increase yields on your food processing production line. If it doesn’t, it’s time to take a look at your process and the packaging you’re using. Here are four things to look at when reviewing your shrink packaging.
1. Your production line is in slow motion.
Increased downtime equals decreased yields. If you’re using a laminated patch bag to package bone-in proteins, chances are you’re wasting time and labor on the production line. From diligently positioning the shrink bag so the laminated patch is covering the bone, to ensuring it’s sealed on vacuum chamber equipment correctly, the old patch technology is decreasing your yields.
Solution:
Try patchless shrink bags. Bone guard shrink bags with new, multilayer coextruded technologies load faster than traditional laminated patch shrink bags, since you don’t have to supervise the positioning and sealing of the patch on the bag. Less manual labor is needed to make sure your product makes it down the production line correctly.
2. Your product is stuck on the shelves.
The wrong packaging can make even the best-tasting products lose their appeal in the retail shelf. If your shrink bag has developed unsightly discoloration, has poor clarity or doesn’t hold its shrink, your product has lost its attractive edge and you could be losing profits.
Solution:
Maximize shelf appeal by making sure your shrink bag is made of a quality film that has a high shrink rate. Your shrink bag should be like a secondary skin. A high shrink rate means a tighter, more formfitting package, better clarity and sheen, and less dog ears. In addition, it should have superior oxygen and moisture barrier properties, which extends shelf life. If your product is being displayed in a case with harsh bulbs, prevent discoloration by ensuring your shrink bag has UV-resistant capabilities.
3. Your leaker rate is higher than normal.
If you’re dealing with high leaker rates, your packaging might not be strong enough to provide the proper level of puncture resistance, especially if it does not have protection from edge to edge.
Solution:
Choose a tougher, multi-layer shrink bag with better puncture resistance, and make sure your equipment is running in good mechanical condition. Machinery may require periodic adjustments to ensure the closures are complete and in the optimal position.
4. You’re wasting packaging.
If your packaging isn’t sized properly, or uses a heavier film than necessary for your product, you could be wasting packaging materials and may be paying more for a bag than what you actually need.
Solution:
Make sure you’re using the right size shrink film and the product is shrinking at a high enough temperature. Better, tighter shrink properties means less packaging waste and a better looking product.
Flavorseal offers free packaging audits for our food processing customers. We can field your questions, address your concerns, and cast a professional eye on your food processing products, processing, current stock packaging, and machinery. We won’t recommend a food processing product unless it provides increased productivity or outright cost savings. Contact us to learn more.