Discover your next big idea at PACK EXPO Las Vegas this September
Experience a breakthrough in packaging & processing and transform your business with solutions from 2,300 suppliers spanning all industries.
REGISTER NOW & SAVE

Flexible pack merchandises like a rigid container

Formed from ‘exoskeleton’ rollstock on a vf/f/s machine, the PrimaPak combines benefits of a rigid container with the cost and sustainability advantages of flexibles.

Now in a limited-edition trial is this two-lb package of Fisher Brand Party Peanuts.
Now in a limited-edition trial is this two-lb package of Fisher Brand Party Peanuts.

John B. Sanfilippo & Son is one of the first to commercialize a new style of flexible film package called PrimaPak™. The Elgin, IL-based firm released a limited-edition 11-oz package of holiday-themed Flavor Tree brand chocolate-covered pretzels in the innovative new container format this past December in Chicago. Now it’s trying Fisher brand Party Peanuts in a 2-lb format that is essentially the same size as the pretzel pack.

Senior Vice President of Global Marketing & Customer Solutions Howard Brandeisky says the Primapak format, developed by Clear Lam Packaging, adds a lot of value for both retailers and consumers. Retailers, he says, like the supply chain benefits that come from a package that cubes so much better. Clear Lam calculates that one roll of film holding 2,000 PrimaPak impressions has an outside diameter of 16 inches and, since web width is 19.6 inches, stands 19.6 inches tall. By comparison, one and a half pallets are required to hold 2,000 plastic jars holding the same amount of product as the PrimaPak containers, and the space occupied measures 40 x 49 x 94 inches. The PrimaPak is also much lighter than the rigid containers that PrimaPak is poised to replace—both plastic and composite paperboard. Retailers also see it as an improvement upon existing flexible packaging options because its hybrid design provides stackability, enhanced product protection, and intuitive open/reclose features. On top of all that, this package merchandises beautifully, says Brandeisky.

As for consumers, he adds, they respond to the brilliant graphics, light weight, easy open/reclose convenience, and the reduced carbon footprint that is part of the PrimaPak value proposition. The sustainability angle is featured prominently on the front panel of the 2-lb Fisher brand package: “New! 70% less plastic than plastic jar by weight.” Consumers are also instructed to “see side panel,” where more information on the package’s sustainability advantages can be found.

What makes Primapak unique is that it looks and performs like a rigid container even though it’s formed and filled from flexible film rollstock on a pretty conventional looking vertical form/fill/seal system. The best way to understand its composition is to walk through the manufacturing steps behind the package. In this case we look at the Flavor Tree package specifically, but all PrimaPak varieties are essentially the same.

10-color flexo

First is reverse printing of a 70-ga BOPP on a 10-color flexo press. The printed BOPP is then adhesive laminated to a metallized PP. Finally, in a separate pass, a sealant layer is adhesive laminated to complete the base substrate.

Now comes the addition of the Prima Exo-Shell™ , the component that gives this package the look and feel of a rigid container. It’s a clear cast sheet extrusion of polyester, made by Clear Lam, that is then die cut into blanks that have added to them a pressure-sensitive adhesive and a release liner. These blanks, whose thickness varies based on application need, are then fed into a proprietary system that applies them to the base film described above in a process that resembles the application of a pressure-sensitive label. The finished material is then wound into a roll that’s ready to be fed into a packaging machine.

Annual Outlook Report: Sustainability
The road ahead for CPGs in 2025 and beyond—<i>Packaging World</i> editors review key findings from a survey of 88 brand owners, CPG, and FMCG readers.
Download Now
Annual Outlook Report: Sustainability
Annual Outlook Report: Automation & Robotics
What's in store for CPGs in 2025 and beyond? <i>Packaging World</i> editors explore the survey responses from 118 brand owners, CPG, and FMCG <i>Packaging World</i> readers for its new Annual Outlook Report.
Download
Annual Outlook Report: Automation & Robotics