India's SRF Ltd. to add BOBST Expert K5 with AluBond for high-barrier BOPP film
SRF Ltd., based in India, has invested in a 3,650-mm BOBST EXPERT K5 vacuum metallizer to further increase its production of high-barrier BOPP films
to meet the demand in the market both in
India and internationally. The machine, equipped with the unique AluBond®
process, will be installed at SRF’s Indore
plant in early 2022.
The SRF Packaging Films Business offers a
range of innovative solutions in BOPP and
BOPET films for both food and non-food
packaging applications. The division follows
a ‘Triple E’ approach to sustainability,
comprising of three pillars of Environment,
Engagement and Enterprise. Each of these
pillars cover material issues important to
SRF’s sustainability targets and goals.
BOBST AluBond® initially developed to
increase metal adhesion and dyne level on
the most commonly used film substrates is
now becoming the standard metallizing
process for polyolefin-based PP substrates
due to its ability to increase barrier levels
on these film types.
AluBond® can achieve metal adhesion
values of up to 5N/15mm and has been
shown to significantly increase dyne-level
retention, which translates to improved ink
wettability during printing and may
eliminate the need for additional surface
treatment, i.e. corona refresh prior to
converting.
When AluBond® is applied to BOPP and
CPP films it also provides enhancement of
oxygen (OTR) and water-vapor (WVTR)
barrier performance. AluBond® is also
starting to be used in the production of
high-barrier metallized CPP and BOPP
mono-material laminates in response to the
market’s demands for sustainable
packaging films.
“Due to growth in the BOPP market, we needed to expand our capacity. We have
invested in a second BOPP line in India and needed a metallizer to help meet our
customers’ requirements. The AluBond® process will allow us to produce high
quality BOPP film with high adhesion and high barrier levels to meet the demands
in the market both in India and Overseas. We look forward to our new EXPERT K5
being installed early next year," says Prashant Mehra, president/CEO, and Hari K Singh, exec vp-Global Operations & Projects Vice President, at SRF Ltd.