Uflex, Hoffer Plastics & Mespack partner to launch 100% Recyclable Mono-polymer Hot-Fill Pouches

UFlex, India's largest multinational in flexible packaging and a global polymer sciences corporation, has partnered with Mespack, an international manufacturer of flexible packaging, end-of-line, and soluble pods equipment for consumer-packaged goods companies serving the world's leading brands and Hoffer Plastics, an industry leader and innovator in the custom injection molding industry, to develop a sustainable solution that will ease out the complexities of recycling attached with hot-fill pouches. To address the full recyclability of pouches, the three titans have jointly developed a turnkey solution that enables 100% recyclability of hot-fill pouches with its new mono-polymer structure but also the spout caps, thus bringing many ecologically responsible brands closer to reaching their sustainability goals.

Commonly, hot-fill pouches are used to pack ready-to-eat food segments, allowing sterile packaging of a range of fresh, cooked, or semi-cooked food, juices and drinks, and is used as an alternative to traditional industrial food canning methods. The utility of a hot-fill pouch has outshined consumers' expectations due to the functionality of easy storage and direct consumption of food content after heating it within the pack itself.

The newly designed 'Recycle Ready Single Material PP-based Hot-fill Pouch' combines the strength of OPP & CPP layered laminate structure designed by UFlex, offering enhanced barrier properties, easy heat seal-ability and longer shelf life for unrefrigerated food storage; Sealed with patented closures from Hoffer Plastics' in the form of tamper-evident strong seal spout caps; and Produced with mechanical integrity of Mespack HF-series fill and seal machine that allows efficient fill through the spout of pre-made pouches. The new design offers 100% easy recyclability of the laminate and spout cap within existing PP recycling streams and infrastructures. These pouches manufactured at the UFlex India plant will be exported to American markets and majorly used for packing edible products such as baby food, food puree, pet food, and others.

According to UFlex, due to Mespack technology, the HF Series is completely developed and designed to work with recyclable materials. Due to the continuous through the spout filling, up to 15% of the headspace is reduced by eliminating the wave effect.

"With our future-ready approach that focuses on circular driven packaging, we are trying to offer products that widen our sustainable footprint in the ecosystem," commented Luc Verhaak, vice president-Sales at UFlex Packaging. "Designing with mono-materials, like with this recycle-ready PP hot-fill spouted pouch, creates value for the recycling industry and helps in the development of better recycling infrastructure. This co-creation with Mespack and Hoffer Plastics is an accomplishment backed by a collective vision for a sustainable future, excellence in packaging and it also marks the beginning of new opportunities in the future that can be tapped with our respective fortes."

"One of our Mespack promises is to focus on developing innovative equipment for sustainable packaging solutions to preserve the environment and reduce the carbon footprint," states Guillem Clofent, managing director of Mespack. "To do so, we follow three main strategies- Reduce usage of raw materials, replace them with more recyclable solutions, and adapt our technology to these new recyclable, biodegradable or compostable materials. In this case, thanks to the collaboration between key strategic partners, our customers already have a recyclable solution for pre-made pouches contributing to the circular economy, helping to achieve their goals at the same time."

"Sustainability has always been a critical focus and driving force at Hoffer Plastics", said Alex Hoffer, chief revenue officer at Hoffer Plastics Corporation. "Now more than ever, creating products that are fully recyclable and circularly designed from the onset are not just in demand, but will shape the future of our industry and the environment. We're proud to work with innovative, responsible partners like the UFlex and Mespack teams in leading the way forward".

The Recycle Ready Hot-fill Pouch will be on display at Flex Films booth N-9115 and live demos will be held at Mespack 4029, in the Duravant Booth, at Pack Expo 2021 to be held from 27 to 29 September at the Convention Centre, Las Vegas. Subsequent to it being showcased at Pack Expo, the 100% recyclable hot-fill pouches will be available for sale. Many brands have been showing interest in the new green recyclable mono-polymer hot-fill pouches and it has already found a taker in a leading environmentally conscious USA-based baby food brand.