Childhood memories are often linked to the taste of home-made preserves; rhubarb compote, raspberry marmalade and shortcrust pastry with garden fruits. Although we prefer to think the ingredient that made it so special was love, the truth is – it was sugar.

And not just any kind of sugar – it was more than likely a specialty sugar from the Diamant brand, produced by Pfeifer & Langen GmbH & Co.KG. Established in Cologne in 1870, it is the third largest sugar producer in Germany, with locations all around Western, Central and Eastern Europe. Employing 2,500 people and generating an annual turnover of over 1.1 million euros (2015), the company has remained family-owned and dedicated to providing the highest quality products to its customers.

With this in mind, when Bosch Packaging Technology, a partner of the sugar producer since the 1970s, sparked the idea of building a vertical form, fill and seal (VFFS) machine able to produce dust-tight mono-material paper bags, Pfeifer & Langen were the first to be inspired by this solution.

The revolutionary concept was based on the idea of replacing film-based packaging material with sealable paper on a VFFS machine, which would both enhance product protection in comparison with standard paper packaging and improve brand position at point-of-sale. “It was at interpack 2014 when we sat down with the customer and our partner, BillerudKorsnäs, and the idea transformed from a vision into a project. After receiving the letter of intent, we started developing the prototype and delivered the machine within 12 months to the customer’s site in Elsdorf, Germany,” explained Marcus Velezmoro, sales responsible for the VFFS ZAP portfolio at Bosch Packaging Technology.

Revolution unfolded
Until now the production of mono-material paper packaging was only possible with glued pre-made bags or formed paper bags on mandrel-wheel technology. The VFFS concept, more flexible and thus popular on the market, only allowed production using polymer film or fully polymer coated paper. It took several years of development and close cooperation between two companies: a packaging machine supplier – Bosch, and a paper material manufacturer – BillerudKorsnäs, to make the impossible, possible. The combined efforts resulted in developing the first dust-tight solution for dry food products combining the benefits of VFFS technology with sustainable packaging material – the PME with ZAP-Module and Axello® ZAP paper.

 The secret lies both in the partial inline application of the sealing agent, which allows for tightly sealed paper bags and the specially developed paper. As a result, throughout the supply chain no dust can enter the surroundings and the product cannot be contaminated once the packaging process has been completed. In combination with the unique forming shoulder, for gentle processing of the paper, and the enhanced mechanical properties of Axello®ZAP paper, the solution provides optimal performance and cost savings. Moreover, the packaging material ensures stronger durability than traditional paper while retaining its natural characteristics – from source to recycling – enhancing the customer experience.

In the end, consumers and retailers gain enhanced product protection and clean shelves due to dust-tightness, as well as improved shelf appeal due to the sustainable nature of the material. “This solution offered us two main benefits – improved customer experience from using a natural packaging material and enhanced efficiency of our production line”, summarized Ulrich Jansen, marketing director at Pfeifer & Langen.

One solution for both materials
There is more to this solution than meets the eye. Production speeds almost doubled in comparison to the previously used VFFS machine. “The new installation automated our production line and allowed us to cut operational costs. Due to the enhanced flexibility of the customized machine, we are now able to switch between paper and film whenever we want, although the quality of the Sealed Paper Packaging exceeded our expectations,” added Mark Oliver Burkhardt, division manager production at Pfeifer & Langen.

These quality levels are possible due to precise creasing of the corners of the paper bag, which replaced the troublesome and unstable corner sealing capabilities of older non-Bosch machines.

Additional benefits relating to the change from PET/PE films to mono-material paper are lower material costs for Pfeifer & Langen and the ability to bring products to market more quickly. “When using films we encountered severe delays, because we always had to order the material way in advance as the film had relatively long delivery times compared to printed paper. This was due to the lamination and printing procedure. With paper we have the possibility to keep unprinted material in stock and have it printed quickly whenever we want. This is a great convenience,” added Mark Oliver Burkhardt. “And it also gives us great flexibility when it comes to co-packing and private labeling.”

Invented for the future
In the end, Pfeifer & Langen received what it was promised – a ground-breaking solution which will significantly improve the consumer and retailer experience, as well as its own production site. Moreover, the dry food market gained a long-awaited alternative for cost-effective production of sealed paper bags comparable with quality and durability to plastic films. “The results are truly astonishing, taking into consideration that this was a prototype of a machine that we dreamed of for years. But when I am holding the bag in my hands, I am convinced we took the right decision,” Ulrich Jansen concluded.

About Bosch Packaging Technology
With its headquarters in Waiblingen, Bosch Packaging Technology is one of the leading providers of process and packaging technology. It develops and produces complete solutions for the pharmaceutical, food and confectionery industries in over 15 countries. Its range is complemented by a comprehensive service portfolio. The worldwide service and sales network offers local contact partners.

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