Advanced photographic printing techniques available from Tetra Pak

30 Jul 2012

Tetra Pak has launched new volume and advanced photographic printing techniques for its Tetra Fino Aseptic packaging range. The Eco Flexo printing process brings photographic printing to these packages for the first time, providing greater opportunities for product differentiation and brand impact.

The OptiSize volume concept allows customers to produce cartons tailored precisely to 70ml and 220ml portions, with more size options to follow, thus reducing packaging materials waste.

"The packaging range is well known as a simple and cost-effective package that enables producers to deliver safe, nutritious beverages to consumers looking for value as well as quality," says Rae McGraw, communications cluster leader, Tetra Pak sub-Sahara Africa. "With these announcements, producers can drive even greater efficiency and value while providing stand out branding, which will have an impact on store shelves."

Developed by the company, following customer feedback, the low-cost OptiSize kit enables milk and beverage producers to change the tube diameter and or the jaw length of the Tetra Pak A1 filling machine, thus allowing cartons to be filled precisely instead of under filling.

"This brings manufacturers greater production efficiency than ever before," says McGraw, noting that such a filling machine producing up to 13000 220ml packages per hour produces 8.5% more packages per hour than the same machine producing under-filled 250ml cartons.

The printing technology enables printing photographic images onto uncoated paperboard packaging. The use of different paper, inks, screen ruling, anilox and dot gain interactions reduces mottling effects and maximises print quality.

"Eco Flexo is already having an impact," says Liu Jun, deputy GM of Chinese launch customer Xi'an YinQiao. "It has improved both the image of our brand and the design of the package. Consumers are more aware of our products and we have increased sales by more than 10% since the introduction of photographic printing."

Eco Flexo is currently being rolled out across Tetra Pak's converting factories in China (Beijing and Hohhot), Pakistan (Lahore) and Russia (Moscow). It is planned for early 2013 in India (Pune) with Brazil (Monte Mor) to follow.

For more information, go to www.tetrapak.com.