
The other 2020 Flexible Packaging Achievement Award Winners are: Innventure's AeroFlexx (Highest achievement) | UFlex Ltd.ās 4D Bag with Handle | Plastic Packaging Technologiesās Hillās Recyclable Pet Treat Bag | Amcor Healthcareās Insura Seal Verification | Printpackās Paqui Tortilla Chip Pouch | Amcor Flexiblesā Predilecta Sacciali Jar Shaped Pouch | Glenroyās Premade Standcap Inverted Pouches | ePacās Skratch Labs Mosaic Packaging | Printpackās Stacyās Womenās History Month Package | Paxxusā StreamOne | Silver Winners
This multilayer tube is positioned as a new and improved alternative to conventional laminate tubes. Precise details on how the layers come together and then how the tube is formed are scarce. But the schematic drawing below provides a fundamental understanding.
One key point of differentiation that Uflex claims for Flexitube is in the area of decoration. The outside layerāwhich can be either BOPP or polyesterāis reverse printed using a gravure press, āproviding true-to-life pictures and allowing reproduction of high-graphic images,ā says Uflex in its FPA entry form. āIt also enables 360-degree printing on the tubesāfirst time ever, enhancing the overall look of the tube.ā
FlexiTube Schematic
The value proposition of this packaging format, says Uflex, is three-fold:
⢠Aestheticsāreverse-printing using gravure opens up options for graphic designers that didnāt exist before, and the use of matte films and holography brings additional opportunities to maximize shelf impact.
⢠Barrierāthe barrier can be customized to specific product requirements, and barrier materials can be selected as stand-alone layers or in various combinations.
⢠Anticounterfeitingāfeatures like holographic patterns, security strips, or fresnel lens effects can be built into the structure of the tube, making it virtually impossible to duplicate.
Uflex also says the Flexitube brings sustainability advantages because with less wall thickness it provides the same or better properties in terms of bursting strength and ābounce backā compared to conventional tube structures. As for commercial users, Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Bio Creative Labs has launched three 8-oz varieties of hair care products in the tubes.