India’s flexible packaging materials and solution company Uflex has developed 9.5 micron specialty ALOx polyester film, Flexaloxprotcettm F-PGX.
Said to be the thinnest PET ALOx specialty film available globally, Flexaloxprotcettm F-PGX was developed by Uflex’s subsidiary company Flex Americas at its manufacturing facility in Mexico.
The down-gauged film is 24% lighter when compared with its 12.5 micron variant and almost 60% lighter than the 23.5 micron variant.
Uflex chairman and managing director Ashok Chaturvedi said: “The film is down-gauged yet it offers superior barrier properties and machinability.”
The company said that the film offers excellent barrier for oxygen and water vapor and is designed to meet the increasing demand for transparent flexible packaging.
Uflex technical and new product development (films) president Pramod Sirsamkar said: “PET ALOx is a significantly down-gauged transparent barrier film which by itself is its biggest USP.”
In addition to offering superior ink anchorage and suitability for retort applications, the film imparts strength to the ensuing laminate and has optimum coefficient of friction, the company noted.
Developed in compliance with EC and FDA regulations for food contact, the new PET ALOx film can be used as laminates for packing dried meat, fresh food, snacks, confectionery, microwavable foods, retort convenience food, cheese, baked goods, drinks, pharmaceutical and medical products.
Uflex technical service and new product development (films) AGM J.K. Sharma said: “One side of the polyester film is coated with Aluminum Oxide in a special metallizer where aluminum metal is thermally evaporated and reacted with oxygen under high vacuum conditions to achieve its oxide.
“The ALOx when deposited on clean film surface offers very high barrier against oxygen and water vapor transmission simultaneously giving excellent clarity and transparency to the film.”
The film, which can be reverse printed and then laminated with a sealing substrate, eliminates the need for metalized film as barrier.
