Extrusion International 1-2019

57 Extrusion International 1/2019 “Mondi’s FIBC liners ensure clean food processing and are ideal for milk powder, other foods, pharmaceu- ticals and additional applications,” notes Stefan Pfundner, Business Solution Manager, Mondi Techni- cal Films. “Not only do Mondi’s FIBC liners advance customers’ processes and logistics,” he explains, “but their superior quality reduces the amount of raw materials used and offers an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional liners.” The Mondi Styria film extruding plant already is well known for its outstanding hygiene standards and innovative sustainable product de- velopment. The site has extensive experience in developing more en- vironmentally friendly products, in- cluding thinner, downgauged films and ply constructions ready for recy- cling. Now, with its latest innovation, Styria is enabling the elimination of aluminium inner layers in FIBC liner films. Mondi is installing new equipment at Styria to make high-barrier, side- gusseted tubes for FIBCs. This latest equipment upgrade will make Mondi Styria the only plant of its kind able to produce these types of tubes in such food-clean condi- tions. That facility has earned three straight “AA” certifications per the British Retail Consortium (BRC) global standard for packaging and packag- ing materials. That certification gives qualifying brands an internationally recognised mark of quality, safety and responsibility. The new side-gusseting device will enable Mondi to provide converters with tubes up 4,400 mm in total cir- cumference. It will come equipped with a special HEPA air filter to clean the air within the blown-film bubble to remove bacteria and particulates, yielding nearly sterile conditions, Pfundner said. Mondi makes the high-barrier tubes and supplies them to customers who then produce the actual FIBC bags. By adding permanent antistatic addi- tives to both the inside and outside of the film, Mondi can greatly reduce the dust-explosion hazards in combi- nation with a Typ B Big Bag associat- ed with filling or discharging of bulk powders. “Ensuring appropriate levels of hy- giene during production and pack- aging is vital for suppliers of foods and other products,” Pfundner said. “Due to our well-established rela- tionships with some of the leading multinational brands, as well as with the leading producers of such de- manding products, we decided to extend our bulk-packaging portfo- lio by adding production in Styria of high-barrier, side-gusseted tubes.” Liners produced from high-barrier, side-gusseted tubes minimise the risk of contamination on the inside, compared with liners produced from flat film or foil, such as aluminium liners, he said. Mondi also can adapt the barrier properties according to the needs of the product, to protect against odours, moisture and the like. With such tubes offering a vi- able alternative to aluminium liners and other kinds of laminate struc- tures, FIBC packagers potentially can not only save money, but also reduce their carbon footprint. Mondi additionally can tailor-make multilayer films using a variety of structures, from PE to PE/PA and PE/ EVOH to seven layer PE/PA/EVOH structures, additives and colours to provide solutions for all kinds of in- dustries, from food to chemicals, minerals or pharma. The outstanding properties of Mon- di’s FIBC liner films make them ideal for food, pharmaceutical and other critical applications, while also help- ing to advance bag manufacturers’ processes and logistics. These films boast stringent certifications that document their excellent perfor- mance related to oxygen and mois- ture barriers, anti-static properties and overall mechanical strength. “We see this as an excellent time to boost our presence in the growing milk powder market and related bulk-packaging sectors by leveraging our expertise in customisable bar- rier-film technology in conjunction with Mondi Styria’s superb hygiene- related packaging,” said Pfundner. “When it comes to our vast portfolio of technical films, Mondi continues to be all about advancement, with the aim of reducing cost and com- plexity, and enhancing properties and functionality for our customers worldwide.” Mondi Group Marxergasse 4A, 1030 Vienna, Austria www.mondigroup.com