“Optimal peel and seal properties”: Südpack launches Smart Peel for rigid applications

08 Mar 2019 --- Strong sealing properties, easy opening and high-opacity white coloring are characteristics of plastic film innovator Südpack’s new launch, the Smart Peel. The launch is suitable for PP-based packaging in a variety of geometric shapes. This includes bowls or trays, cups and buckets and applications ranging from cream cheese, yogurt, bakery products, sauces, confectionery or technical products, as well as for large-size restaurant packaging of salads and marinades. The product features are reflected in the name, notes the company: Smart stands for Safe, Minimal, All-round, Resistant and Thin.

“We are proud to introduce Smart Peel to the market. It is a versatile product with optimal peel and seal properties. Smart Peel can also be used to seal buckets which means that we can now supply companies in the restaurant industry with a reliable top film,” says Südpack’s Managing Director, Carolin Grimbacher.

Two critical strengths of Smart Peel are the peeling and sealing properties. The film is available in two versions: one for thermal applications such as pre-cooked meals and one for cold products such as fresh fruit and vegetables.

Smart Peel’s resistance to punctures or tears ensures more reliability in the packaging process, and due to its high barrier properties, it can also be used to pack perishable foods, including dairy products and processed fruit, shares the company.

The white coloring of the Smart Peel also eliminates the need for subsequent white printing and offers a strong background for printed designs. White coloring also offers advantages in terms of product quality: its opacity protects products from the effects of light and helps prevent spoilage, the company describes.

The product is already on the market in Germany and Italy in certain mascarpone brands as a lid film sealed onto a rigid container, a company spokesperson tells PackagingInsights.

Earlier this year Südpack announced that it would begin the commercial rollout of its easy-to-recycle Ecocraft Skin packaging. Ecocraft Skin is aimed at helping meat, fresh fish and cheese products attract attention in the refrigerated and frozen food sections with its paper-like look. The pack is designed to improve sustainability levels while, notably, it does not require food manufacturers to invest in new thermoforming machines.

In September 2018, PackagingInsights caught up with Südpack’s R&D Manager, Matthias Schrägle, to discuss plastic packaging options amid tightening regulations in the German Market. Germany’s new Packaging Act – set to take effect this year – places a stricter reporting regime for packaging producers and will increase recycling rates for plastic packaging to 63 percent, with the quota being raised to 90 percent by 2022. The imminent arrival of the regulationst is driving plastic manufacturers to translate sustainability into packaging solutions, Schrägle told PackagingInsights.