Today, many lubricant and motor oil companies have shifted from rigid HDPE bottles to flexible pouches that provide superior burst and seal strengths. The pouches also offer novel design opportunities in terms of closures, spouts, handles and graphics.

Moreover, pouches are lightweight, enabling ‘last mile reach’ with dramatic cost reductions in freight. Less trucks used translate into significant reduction in fuel consumption, road emissions, fleet maintenance and operation costs. Flexible packaging also provides a more compact shelf footprint versus plastic bottles.

These advantages hold true for edible oil packaging as well, especially for retail packs of 500 ml, 1000 ml or 2000 ml. In recent years, with rising income levels & health consciousness, the edible oil industry has witnessed a greater preference for packaged and branded oil. Import of premium oils such as olive oil and canola oil has increased with growing consumption, while oil companies introduce fortified oils to cater to the health aspect that’s top of mind for many consumers.

ADVANTAGES OF OIL POUCH PACKAGING

For the product:

• safety and hygiene
• freshness maintained
• beats seasonality

For the package:

• shelf appeal
• smaller shelf footprint
• lightweight
• convenient size

For the distribution:

• low wastage
• wider reach
• lower transportation costs

For the marketing:

• better branding
• greater visibility
• convenience
• assurance of quality

NICHROME OIL PACKAGING SOLUTIONS

Nichrome offers the fastest oil packaging solutions ensuring timely delivery of oil by providing higher speed, accuracy and control. The range includes:

Filpack Servo SMD

For packaging oil and other viscous products such as ghee, ketchup, fruit pulp, mayonnaise, curry pastes, and even grease, paint, adhesives, etc., Filpack Servo SMD spells peace of mind.

Filpack Servo SMD is a durable, heavy-duty performer, with touch screen HMI panel and PLC that controls operations. It occupies less floor space and has an enclosed SS cabinet for hygienic operation.

Filpack Servo SMD comes with twin head construction with independent head operation so you can pack two different products and quantities simultaneously.

This oil filling machine packs in CSPP pouches of 5-layer film at speeds of 70-85 packs per minute, depending on the pack size.

Multilane Stickpack with Multi-Piston Filler

Nichrome’s Multilane Stickpack with Multi-Piston Filler is a stick pack pouch packaging machine especially innovated for packing liquids and viscous products in single-serve stick packs. Targetted for the travel and hospitality industries, the small, on-the-go pouch format provides convenience and reduces wastage.

For packaging edible oil, salad dressing, and other viscous products such as honey, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard paste, jam, shampoo, etc., Nichrome’s Stickpack oil packaging machine offers a stainless steel structure, pneumatically operated piston filler and longitudinal & cross-sealing jaw assemblies suitable for laminates. A CE certified PLC controller makes it easy to operate.

CONCLUSION

Because of the increasing awareness of food safety and healthy lifestyle practices, Indian consumers are shifting from traditional “loose oil” sold at local grocery stores, to packaged oils. This trend has led to the packaged segment of edible oils to grow at 2.5 times the rate of overall edible oil consumption in India.

The use of coextruded flexible pouches in edible oil packaging has made it possible for organized brand owners to penetrate rural markets with smaller, more affordable SKUs. This has allowed manufacturers to pass on price reductions to consumers when compared to the traditional oil packaging of tin cans or HDPE bottles.

If you are looking for a high-speed oil packaging machine, whether for edible oils or automotive oils, Nichrome has the product range and expertise to deliver the most relevant, cost-effective automated packaging solution. Nichrome is India’s leading packaging machine manufacturer with over four decades of industry knowledge and proven expertise to its name.

Besides the two cooking oil packing machines described above, Nichrome has other multilane and HFFS machines for all oil and related applications including ghee packing, vanaspati packing, engine oil packing, etc.

The post Carrying Quality from Factory to User: Nichrome Oil Pouch Packaging appeared first on Nichrome India Ltd.

Although grains/cereals are annual crops, their consumption is throughout the year. This means that storage methods and packaging play an important role in storage stability. Qualitative and quantitative losses due to insects & rodents, pilferage, microbial spoilage, high humidity, heat – all these factors adversely affect food grains.

While appropriate bulk packaging is critical for storage, retail packaging is key to successful marketing. It goes beyond visual appeal, convenience and accuracy in unit quantity, and ease of opening. The contents of the bag have to be protected against contamination, infestation, moisture and oxygen. Moreover, as bulk density of these products is high, packaging material needs to have good impact strength, tensile strength and puncture resistance for working on FFS machines.

For up to 10Kg unit packs, LDPE and LLDPE are the most commonly used materials. To protect special varieties like basmati rice and flours from flavour loss and rancidity, flavour barrier materials such as reverse printed polyester laminated to LDPE, and oxygen barrier film are used. Technologies such as CO₂ flush packaging and vacuum packaging also help to extend shelf life.

Nichrome Grain Packaging Solutions
Nichrome offers a wide range of automated packaging machines, filling systems and integrated packaging solutions for your grain and seed packaging needs. Food Packaging Machines like those in Nichrome’s Excel Plus series, equipped with modern technology offer innovative packaging solutions that follow stringent packaging quality standards for a wide range of products.

Excel 400 Plus Intelligent Electronic Weigh Filler/Cup Filler: A VFFS packaging machine for grains, pulses, sugar, seeds, whole spices and tea, Excel 400 packs pouches of up to 10 kgs at 80 packs per minute. Pouch formats include the Pentaseal & Pentaseal with D cut, Gusset Pouch, CSPP and 4 Line Seal Pouch.

Key features include print mark scanners, servo motor driven bag length control system, and adjustable stroke of cross sealing jaws for optimum performance. It is designed as per stringent quality standards, and can be easily integrated to upstream or downstream machines/systems.

A range of fillers makes the EXCEL PLUS series a truly versatile packaging solution for powders, granules, grains, snacks, etc.

Sprint 250 Plus Intelligent Electronic Weigh Filler: For pouch quantities up to 2 Kgs, Nichrome’s Sprint 250 Plus series offers speed, accuracy and efficiency for flexible packaging of a wide variety of grains, powders, snacks, etc.

Sprint 250 Plus is an automated machine with CE marked PLC and touch screen HMI. Its servo motor driven sealing system can effectively seal with pressure levels maintained. It is programmed to pull the exact length of film required for packaging, and offers a perforation system to deliver a chain of small pouches.

Sprint 250 Plus packs up to 2 Kg pouches at speed of 120 packs per minute. Pouch formats include the CSPP and Gusset Pouch.

Wing 200 E-Line Snack Pack: This automated packaging machine is a Nichrome innovation for startups and small-medium enterprises. It offers all the technology and expertise in a compact, affordable format. It packs at a maximum speed of 80 CSPP pouches per minute. Besides grains, pulses and sugar, Wing 200 E-Line is ideal for SMEs in snacks, biscuits, pasta, dry fruits, etc.

Nichrome also offers integration of primary packaging machines into existing lines and secondary packaging solutions such as stacking & wrapping, bulk packing, HDPE bag filling, etc. For end-to-end integrated systems, Nichrome partners with customers to design, install and commission solutions tailored for specific needs.

Conclusion
Packaging for grains, cereals and sugar is vital for storage, handling, display and preservation of the product. As these are essential commodities and staples of our daily diet, packaging must fulfill all its functions at the lowest possible cost to minimize losses and curtail retail price.

Nichrome is your go-to partner for a wide range of automated packaging solutions for grain packaging that promises safety, speed, accuracy and efficiency for best business outcomes.

The post GRAIN PACKAGING WITH NICHROME appeared first on Nichrome India Ltd.

After all, it’s the customer’s first interaction with the product. It is the first thing she sees and touches. Most of the time, for an undecided customer, it is this first impression that persuades or dissuades her from buying. No wonder, packaging is considered an important tool for marketing and brand building.

Purpose of Packaging

Marketing is much more than just your product’s face. Packaging serves many practical purposes:

Protection: This is the first and foremost purpose of packaging. It physically protects the goods from damage caused by exposure to sun, dust, temperature changes & contaminants; it protects against loss of nutritional value such as denaturing of proteins, oxidation of fats, etc. Packaging preserves the hygroscopic nature of the product.

Information: One of the important functions is to communicate product information, which can assist consumers in making their decisions effectively. An example of such significant information is food labeling. The trend towards healthier eating has highlighted the importance of labeling, which gives the consumers an opportunity to cautiously consider alternatives and make informed decisions. Moreover, evolving mandatory requirements demand certain information to be provided by the manufacturer. Information typically covers directions for use, storage instructions, ingredients, warnings, helpline information and any government required warnings.

Aesthetics: In the contemporary world of supermarkets and countless me-too products, packaging plays an integral role in helping it stand out and grab the buyer’s attention. Aesthetic value increases chances of it being accepted and tried by the consumer. Packaging is a platform to build brand, enhance aesthetics and protect the form and shape. We all know that a deformed or dented pack is unacceptable to consumers, and so many SKUs are sent back – causing losses to the manufacturer.

Transportation: Goods have to be transported, distributed, stored and warehoused during their journey from production to consumption. Packaging ensures durability and strength, so the goods can withstand transportation stress and make the process of handling goods more convenient for all parties involved.

Security: To ensure that there is no tampering with the goods packaging is crucial. The package of a product will secure the goods from any foreign elements or alterations. High-quality packages will reduce the risk of any pilferage.

Convenience: It’s the age of innovation in packaging – and breakthroughs that enhance convenience, usability and sustainability are always appreciated. Some examples are Kissan jam tubes that eliminate the need for spoons; Act-II popcorn microwave pack; Bru coffee containers with aroma lock.

However basic considerations still remain important – ease of opening, pouring and re-sealing, re-usability of containers, and easy disposability of discarded packs.

The challenge

FMCG, as the name spells out, are fast moving consumer goods and include non-durable household goods such as packaged foods, beverages, toiletries, over-the-counter drugs, and other consumables. In a world of over-crowded shelves, growing consumerism, increasing awareness of environmental concerns, rising need for convenience, deeper penetration into rural & remote markets, etc., FMCG manufacturers need to pay minute attention to their packaging. Weight, cost and availability of packaging material play a key role. Packaging needs to contain, preserve and transport the product with safety and durability. The challenge lies in providing packaging that fulfills all these considerations and impressing consumers while managing the cost so that it does not mark up the price for the end user – or neglect environmental concerns.

Conclusion

Nichrome, India’s leading provider of integrated packaging solutions offers a wide variety of automated packaging machines and end-to-end packaging systems for diverse FMCG products.

Nichrome has over 4 decades of experience and expertise in flexible packaging, and is continuously innovating to improve efficiency and sustainability of packaging machinery and packaging material. Recently, Nichrome is entering into joint ventures with packaging majors from Europe and South-east Asia to bring state-of-the-art packaging technology and a wide variety of packaging formats for food, pharma and other applications.

Nichrome partners with FMCG manufacturers and marketers to customize packaging solutions to suit individual product needs, optimizing cost and functionality.

The post Importance of Right Packaging for FMCG Products appeared first on Nichrome India Ltd.

As India’s leading provider of integrated packaging solutions based in Pune, Nichrome is a regular participant at the annual Katraj Dairy Expo. Nichrome’s expertise in dairy packaging is historic – they designed and manufactured India’s first indigenous milk pouch packaging machine four decades ago.

Since then, Nichrome has continued to build its domain knowledge and develop a range of automated packaging machines and integrated packaging solutions for the dairy industry – and other applications as well.

The Basic model packs liquid beverages such as juice, tea, coffee, soda, smoothies, meat broth, etc. in a variety of stand up pouches. The Cylinder type is ideally suited for accurate injection of viscous products such as pastes, ketchup, shampoo and cosmetic products.

A visit to the Nichrome stall at Katraj Dairy Expo is definitely called for. Nichrome offers a wide range of packaging machines, packaging systems and components for Food, Pharma and Other applications.

Through its strategic tie-ups with some international players from Europe and the South-east Asia, Nichrome brings even more world-class, innovative packaging solutions to benefit Indian industry.

The post Meet Us At Katraj Dairy Expo 2019 appeared first on Nichrome India Ltd.

Types of packaging material

The options include:

Flexible materials

Flexible plastic comes in many forms, shapes and variations, allowing for multiple types of customisation. It is sustainable, tough and lightweight compared to other packaging. Flexible plastic packaging are classified by the type of treatment, process or product requirement and come in different versions such as high barrier with aluminum, special material for heat treatment, modified atmosphere packaging and for hot-fill, etc.

Semi-rigid materials for vacuum-packing

This type provides a high degree of transparency and excellent preservation properties. It consists of coextrusions with a PA, PE or PP base, which can also incorporate a high barrier and peelability.

 Rigid materials

On the basis of raw material, rigid materials can be segmented into metal, glass, paper and plastic. They offer a tough and resistant option that is highly transparent and recyclable.

Given the plethora of packaging materials available in the market, how do you know which one is right for your product and business. There are some basic criteria to evaluate and decide:

Budget

Materials like glass look great but are expensive to manufacture and transport. It is also breakable. However, sometimes, for certain products, consumers are willing to pay for greater perceived value. Keeping such considerations in mind, you need to define your budget and then search the market for available options in your set price range.

Transportation

Every product requires a high level of protection to get from point A to point B. The journey from factory to consumer can be harmful, so you need a clear understanding of how your product travels. The distance and time taken, modes of transportation used, storage conditions at each step – knowing all this will help you choose a strong and durable packaging that ensures your product remains undamaged and un-contaminated in transit.

Branding

Often times, manufacturers choose packaging that is an extension of their branding. For instance, if your USP is the organic or vegan aspect, you may consider packaging made from recycled, eco-friendly material. Also, packaging should look attractive and appeal to consumers. Flexible packaging offers some advantages in this regard as it offers excellent printing possibilities and larger space for branding which helps your product stand out on crowded retail shelves.

Package size & shape

Single sale, single-serve, multipack, bulk – your product probably comes in different sizes. You need a packaging material that can adapt to each size with consistency and versatility. Size and shape are important when it comes to shipping and distribution. You should try and find the most ergonomic, convenient and cost-effective shape and size – and select material that helps you achieve these goals.

Sustainability

It’s important that you choose materials that comply with industry regulations, minimize environmental pollution and offer long term sustainability. Flexible packaging and shrink films are lightweight so they are cheaper to ship than bulkier, heavier packaging. If you’re into e-commerce, you need to consider packaging options that protect your product in transit while being easy and safe to dispose of.

Further, automated packaging systems offer speed, minimize wastage and cost-efficiency that makes food packaging or pharma packaging more sustainable. It makes smart business sense to evaluate all the various materials available, and pick the most sustainable one.

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