Sleeves to suit

14 May 2009



Shrink film manufacturers and sleeving machinery specialists meeting market needs


Container shape continues to be less and less of a barrier for sleeving technology, with capabilities further developing to increase the speed of production for this popular packaging format. There is also further good news being offered with regard to sleeving smaller, more intricate product and environmental factors regarding sleeves.

On the recycling front, a significant film development has been announced by Fuji Seal. Its new Alpha film has a specific gravity of less than one, which means that when placed in a water tank it floats. Typical packaging materials such as PVC, PET, and OPS, will sink. The ramification of this is that Alpha sleeve material on PET bottles can be easily separated in a cost effective way, making recycling a whole lot more efficient. The added bonus for packaging suppliers and brand owners is the reduction in weight provided by this material.

With regard to production speed issues for irregularly shaped objects, US-based Axon, manufacturer of fully automated, heat-shrink labelling, tamper evident banding, and stretch sleeving equipment, has developed patented technology that triples the average throughput of shrink-sleeve labelling of cans, boxes, and odd-shaped packaging from an industry average of 100 units per minute to 300 per minute, depending on the system.

“For a number of years, applicator manufacturers have been able to supply machines that shrink sleeve odd-shaped packaging at relatively low speeds,” says Adam Duncan, engineering supervisor, Axon. “This new patented technology means that many more packaged goods will be able to incorporate the advantages of shrink sleeve labelling because of the breakthrough in increased speed and throughput.”

Whilst he is still cagey about revealing too many details of the technology itself, an increased throughput of 200 per cent has to be regarded as a significant breakthrough. This latest technology is available on Axon EZ-200SL and EZ-400SL full-body sleeving applicators.

Small sized containers have been a focus of attention at Sleever Machines. The company has recently announced the Combisleeve, which it believes to be a ‘market first’. Combisleeve is said to deliver a high-speed two-in-one concept that combines sleeve positioning and shrinkage in a single compact monoblock structure, and has been specifically designed for small containers.

The machine is equipped with a positioning device designed for the new Powersleeve Evolution 4 range, in addition to a hot-air shrink system based on patented technology implementing an infrared/hot-air duo with the Skinner effect, for a ‘faultlessly applied’ sleeve.

One key Combisleeve feature is its claimed ability to match the high speeds required for the most demanding markets: up to 18,000 units/hour. The reduced footprint thanks, measuring just 2,300 x 850 mm, which is powered through a single electrical box, will also appeal to businesses where floorspace is at a premium.

The system is designed to handle containers from 16 to 75 mm in diameter and minimum heights of 25 mm up to a maximum of 150 mm. It is able to work with all available films, such as PET, OPS, TPE, and others, in thicknesses from 30 to 75 micron.

Brand owners’ desire for sleeves continues to grow, with Bayer Garden being typical of those companies being converted to the format. The company cites user-friendly packaging for consumers as well as greater on-shelf appeal as being important factors in its decision. The packs for the latest range of garden products from Bayer Garden, including five variants in trigger sprays, feature “eye-catching” sleeves supplied by CCL Decorative Sleeves.

The move from traditional labels was prompted by the need to offer greater flexibility for on-pack information, providing greater ease of use for the consumer. This was the first time that sleeves have been selected for trigger packs in this particular market, and CCL Decorative Sleeves worked closely with Bayer Garden to ensure a smooth transition to the new form of decoration.

Commenting on the latest designs, Alison Mulvaney, at Bayer Garden, says: “The nature of our products means that packs need to feature a large amount of regulatory text, safety instructions and ‘how to use’ guidelines which can be restrictive in terms of pack design. Including all this detail as well as producing a pack that is user-friendly and bright and appealing on shelf is an on-going challenge and we wanted to find a solution with greater flexibility.


Spray packs to catch the consumer's eye Spray packs Sleever machine suits small containers Small containers

Spray packs Spray packs
Small containers Small containers


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