Flex Films, the global film manufacturing arm of India’s largest flexible packaging manufacturer, Uflex has developed a high barrier metallized polyester film – FLEXMETPROTECT F-HMB film. Metallized polyester films are popular for providing high barrier properties to laminated flexible packaging structures.
However, it is observed that poor adhesion of metal with the base polyester film may result in laminate failure, thereby having an adverse impact on the performance. Currently, the films with high metal adhesion for superior barrier properties for harsh environments in the market are limited and costly.
Flex Films’s new product is either untreated or corona treated on the other surface, while metallization is carried out on the specially treated composite surface imparting metal adhesion or bond strength of greater than 1200 gram-force per inch. Various film manufacturing plants of the company located at various parts of the world will supply the newly released product.
Talking about the new development, Steven J. Sargeant, general manager, Technology at Flex Films, says, “The adhesion of the metal on BOPET base film is the sum of chemical and mechanical adhesion. Our proprietary surface treatment on the base film allows increased levels of chelation or reaction with the metal being deposited, thereby resulting in a better adhesion profile. The specialized surface treatment has materials with unique and enhanced properties, thereby resulting in enhanced mechanical bonding. It took us almost 18 months to engineer this film.”
The new product will benefit converters, and elaborating upon its use, Vijay Yadav, business head, Flex Films, says, “The film offers class leading high adhesion to metal under most aggressive environmental conditions; demonstrates improved scuff, scratch and craze resistance, thereby improving yields up to four percent and offering unparalleled robustness in processing and performance for converters; has OTR of 0.6 cc/m2/day at 23 degrees centigrade and 0% RH and MVTR of 0.6 g/m2/day at 38 degrees centigrade and 90% RH offering high barrier properties thereby bringing new concepts to the market; complies with EU and FDA regulations for food grade applications and happens to be cost effective. The film has extensive use in liquid packaging, stand up pouch applications, barrier layer in challenging applications like ‘bag in box’, chemical packaging, pharma packaging, hot fill applications up to 80-degrees centigrade and others. This film is available in 8 – 50 micron thickness range.”
Sharing his views about the potential of the new product, Anantshree Chaturvedi, vice chairman and chief executive officer of Flex Films says, “Flex Films is focusing on speciality substrates that add value to the business of converters and their customers by enhancing the quality and profile of the resultant packaging. Our expansion strategy hereafter will be product driven and not commodity driven. The product is a technologically superior film with encouraging demand. In the US, the market for this specialized film is expected to be about 25% of the current metallized film market.”
Lastly, congratulating the engineers, Ashok Chaturvedi, chairman and managing director, Uflex Limited said, “FLEXMETPROTECT F-HMB is a classic example of value engineering that shall bring substantial benefits to the converters globally. This is innovation to create value added differentiation.”
