Avery Dennison has expanded its Rapid-Roll portfolio with two new offerings: a print-ready stand-up pouch construction and the Pentalabel Eklipse light-blocking shrink film. These additions are part of a broader strategy to help converters grow their business with new eye-catching packaging formats for premium foods and snacks, household products and beverages, and other segments.   

The new stand-up pouch constructions feature print-ready facestocks with 3 mil sealant films. They can be printed and formed into pre-made pouches or pouched directly through form-fill-seal lines. They easily accommodate zippers, spouts and other closure systems. A sealant film blocks oxygen and moisture. The construction features excellent puncture resistance, hot tack, and low seal initiation temperature for higher filler throughput and good machinability.

White and clear versions feature a corona-treated polyester film for flexographic printing. The film combines durability and resistance to both heat and moisture. A metalized PET version is corona-treated for surface-printing. This material offers toughness, heat resistance, and provides a barrier to moisture, oxygen and light.

Taken together, these features make the stand-up pouch ideal for opportunities in segments such as food, personal care, and pet products. According to research published by Avery Dennison in 2018, convenience, ease, and freshness assurance have all become important packaging trends driven by on-the-go consumer lifestyles.

“Compared to many other formats, stand-up pouches use less material, weigh less, and lend themselves well to grab-and-go positioning,” says Cindy Collins, flexible packaging product panager. “These are attractive features for many consumers. For brand owners, the ‘360-degree’ billboard for artwork and high performance look and feel translate to greater shelf appeal, helping to increase sales.”

Meanwhile, Eklipse is an opaque shrink film that blocks nearly 100% of UV light. It’s the brightest white opaque film technology available, the company says, with high shrink properties and compatibility with both glossy and matte varnishes. The Eklipse film is produced by Klöckner Pentaplast, based in Germany. Avery Dennison Rapid-Roll is a US distributor for Klöckner Pentaplast shrink films.

The film is ideal for many opportunities in the ready-to-drink category, which has experienced 3.9% annual growth according to a 2017 report by World Tea News. It also has potential applications in areas such as functional beverages, organic products, health and beauty, and products in hot air tunnels.

Consumers of these products often want to know that the packaging is doing all it can to keep the product fresh.  Eklipse film helps converters respond to that challenge. Third-party testing has shown that the product is as effective at blocking UV as heavy, HDPE plastic bottles. The film works with highly-recyclable PET bottles, and is easy to convert. There’s no need for additional flood coat printing to create the light barrier, reducing processing time and maintenance costs.

The new products add to the Avery Dennison Rapid Roll Portfolio of more than 350 solutions for food and beverage, health and beauty, personal care, and other market segments. The portfolio is backed by a breadth of service capabilities.

“Our Rapid Roll portfolio is an ever-growing selection of products to help converters respond to trends, and much more,” says Leslie Kozar, commercial leader, Rapid Roll. “It is access to a level of service and support that distributors just can’t match. It is the ability to partner with us to capitalize on growth opportunities in fast-changing markets. And, it is a chance to work with a company that has its finger on the pulse of both consumer behavior and converter needs.”