A busy program covering international speakers will open with a business forum which aims to give the context of the current business environment in which end customers operate. AMI Consulting will provide a detailed overview of the recent study analysing the structural changes in the European heavy duty sack market. It has acquired deep insights into the key business and technical issues facing the industry today. The presentation will be followed by the event’s key note speaker, Tarmac Cement and Lime, who will offer first-hand experience from the brand owner’s perspective of switching from paper to plastic sacks for its cement products.
The conference will also discuss sustainable developments in resin technology, and metallocene grades in particular, which will be covered by ExxonMobil, Dow Chemical and Total Refining and Chemicals. The resulting innovation in film formulation contributes to the creation of industrial sacks with ever improving performance, while assuring a balanced and optimized cost structure during the product life cycle. Further cutting edge speakers including Windmöller & Hölscher, Reifenhäuser Reicofil and Fischbein Germany will investigate the next generation of polyethylene and non-woven polypropylene industrial sacks, their innovative designs and closing systems.
In addition to a busy two-day program of presentations from leading players in the market, Heavy Duty Sacks 2017 will feature an exhibition area and high-level networking opportunities for professionals involved in the industrial bags industry. The conference will be wrapped up by a discussion panel which will provide an opportunity for delegates to bring up any burning issues they face as well as to raise any outstanding questions. The panel will be represented by major players from across the supply chain including a brand owner, sack producer and raw material and machinery suppliers.
Machinery producers have made great strides in the sack bagging, extrusion and recycling technology. The different types of bags available in the market, their advantages and the latest developments in the packing machinery will be discussed by Haver & Boecker, Concetti and TMI. Switching to the multi-layer co-extrusion technology helps enhance film performance, puncture and tear resistance, while reducing sack thickness. Plamex Maschinenbau and Reifenhäuser will present on the benefits of the 5-layer co-extrusion technology for form-fill-seal type sacks. Acteco Productos y Servicios will, on the other hand, address the issue of recycling sacks contaminated by hazardous chemicals and present available solutions.
Heavy duty sacks, made both of plastic and paper, have recorded rapid growth in the past two decades. Plastic sacks have been successfully taking market share from paper alternatives in recent years thanks to the development of sophisticated co-extruded constructions for heavy duty sacks, especially in the form-fill-seal (FFS) sector. This has allowed significant down-gauging and material saving opportunities as well improved performance for plastic sacks over paper. Also, further innovative developments in de-aeration systems have enabled FFS films to make greater inroads into the fine powder sack markets, such as cement packaging, which have traditionally been dominated by the paper alternatives.
