UFlex continues its focus on innovation in Q3 FY23

Packaging Films

F-TFE Thermoformable BOPET film: F-TFE mono or co-extruded transparent biaxially-oriented polyethylene terephthalate or BOPET film is specially designed for thermoforming applications for depth formation and this film is recommended to be laminated with a sealant layer. Its outstanding properties include high tensile strength, chemical stability, dimensional integrity, and transparency. It is an updated version of our existing grade of F-TFP. Additionally, this film can be corona treated on both sides or on a single side to enable wettability for ink adhesion while printing. 

F-POX excellent oxygen and moisture barrier transparent BOPET film: This is an excellent oxygen (0.5 cc/m2/day) and moisture barrier (2.0 gm/m2/day) transparent BOPET film with optical clarity. This is a superior product to PVDC-coated PET film and EVOH PET film. It is also thermally stable and achieves exceptional processability. This film enables see-through packaging while functioning as a high aroma retention barrier. It is apt for storing dry and chilled food.

Chemicals Business

Flexseal HSL 1025 (G) and Flexseal HSL 1024 (F): Adding to the long list of green solutions offered by UFlex’s chemical business, UFlex developed water-based heat sealable coatings in Q3, 2022 for Kraft paper bags for their eCommerce business. With its base being water, the product is environment-friendly. It is a highly advanced product for sealing a formidable bond between coatings of flexible packaging materials. In addition, it is compatible with gravure and flexo application processes to produce high-quality eCommerce bags.

Flexgreen Sprayable top coat gloss coating: This LED coating is made for fiberglass-reinforced optical polymer materials, adding to its visual appeal. It is based on radical chemistry wherein the coating instantly cures in UV LED lamps of 385 to 395-nm wavelengths. With diverse applications in the construction industry, this considerably flexible coating offers excellent curing capability on high-speed machines. Further, as its curing depends on UV LED light, it leads to energy savings of about 30-70% compared to mercury-based UV lamps.

Flexcure Super Matt: It’s been designed as a free radical UV coating for absorbent and non-absorbent underlayers like paper, polythene and polypropylene. This coating has applications in product labels and mono-carton packaging for materials like cosmetics, bottle labelling, pharma, and health and wellness range of products.

Flexcote MH 785: For a durable bond and excellent seal strength, UFlex has developed a solvent-based adhesive with high solids and low viscosity for medium to high performance in flexible packaging applications. It is a cost-effective solution offering excellent bond and seal strength.

Holography Business

3D optics as a superior security feature for product authentication: UFlex developed a 3D Flipogram material to authenticate genuine products from counterfeits, protecting consumers from spurious products. Using complex micro-optical technology, the material creates a unique lenticular visual effect. As a result, a simple glance at the product and its 3D visual imagery effect ensures that consumers are purchasing genuine products. The spectacular visual effect of the 3D Flipogram material makes the product stand out and requires no special lighting or reading device to ensure authenticity. In addition, this technology is unique and cannot be duplicated. 

Floating lens film with customised brand logo: Another great innovation in the quarter ended 31 December 2022 was developing a new and advanced brand protection packaging product consisting of customised emboss film designed for laminates, paperboard and UV offset printing on mono cartons. A slight rotation and tilting in light reveal the brand logo, and this has critical applications in the pharma industry to protect from counterfeit drugs. This product will go a long way in ensuring the safety of patients and healthcare professionals.

Flexible Packaging Business

Enhancing consumer engagement via variable data incorporation in packaging: To enhance consumer engagement, UFlex developed a new packaging solution for Mondelez’s Cadbury Choclairs sachet in Q3, 2022 wherein variable data was incorporated using laser coding in white MasterBatch induced PE film. Each pack had a different code which was used by the brand owner to connect with the consumers.

Eco-friendly Chotu Pack: With brand owners continuously looking at reducing environmental impact caused by non-recyclable packaging, UFlex launched a fully recyclable spout pouch using BOPP/PE films for Kissan Chotu Pack. The new packaging solution developed by UFlex provides more homogeneity and ease of recycling in the value chain for the Chotu Pack.

3.2 litre re-closable stand-up pouch for Surf Excel: In another demonstration of excellence in providing eco-friendly flexible packaging solutions for storing liquids, UFlex developed a large format re-closable stand-up pouch for Surf Excel. This re-closable pouch can store up to 3.2 litres of liquid laundry. This pack was extremely well received with the rising class of environmentally-conscious consumers. This pouch also consumes less shelf space than its rigid counterpart, making it a clear winner.

Printing Cylinders Business

Embossing effect on Fabrics: The embossing technique can help create three-dimensional images and patterns on a product’s surface through heat and pressure. But when it comes to embossing on fabrics, the challenge for the Indian textile market has been in getting the three-dimensional effect right and the availability of easy-to-use and cost-effective equipment. Addressing this challenge creatively for the first time in India, UFlex has developed embossed cylinders to produce an embossing effect on fabrics. This revolution in innovation by UFlex is projected to benefit the Indian textile market immensely.

Attal promotional bags: The Attal Promotional Bags developed by UFlex are set to benefit many brands. The product packs some unique features like two layers metallic effect in halftone without using metallised film. UFlex has also introduced special security features in this product, like micro text, dot security and line security. These security features will support brands in promoting genuine products and encourage them in their fight against counterfeiting.

Engineering Business

LPFS-4U: To cater to the fast-growing and significant pouch sealing and filling segment, UFlex launched a machine in Q3 2022 called LPFS-4U or 4 UP Linear, Pick, Fill, and Seal that guarantees speed, performance, safety, hygiene and caters to environment conscious brands. This machine is entirely servo driven with an operator-friendly human interface module and an efficient filling system that can address many applications. This machine can run up to 20 PPM per track and has four channels. 

Quick change over in rotogravure printing: Rotogravure printing involves a rotary press with cylinders typically rotating at high speeds used for printing various substrates for packaging/magazines. However, one of the significant drawbacks that professionals face with this technology is the time taken during job changeovers. To solve this, self-shaft chucking, trolley systems and sleeve-mandrel methodologies came into existence. While the industry has learned to live with the drawbacks, UFlex made some innovations to make it even more efficient by enabling auto changeover.