Harpak-ULMA has announced its new Artic Side Seal packaging system featuring new multi-side-seal capabilities for medical, bakery, meat, and dairy applications. The company also introduced the availability of Rockwell Automation controls for its Vertical VTC 800 series hygienic design vertical packaging machines. Both announcements represent an expansion of Harpak-ULMA's North American flow wrap and vertical solutions portfolio as driven by customer requests.
The Artic Side Seal (SS) packaging system can produce multiple side-seal formats, including both zippered and strip resealable, as well as 3-sided non-resealable formats, shrink films, and modified atmosphere capabilities. The Artic SS produces non-hermetic or hermetically sealed packs. It relies on a simplified longitudinal side-sealing system for the side seal and features a long dwell sealing head for the cross seal. The solution's market-leading Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) is attributable to competitive up-front installation costs combined with lower lifetime maintenance requirements associated with its design simplicity. In addition, the Artic SS offers an attractive alternative to traditional fin-sealed flow wrap packaging. Fin-sealed packages result in divided panels on one side and therefore a somewhat smaller printable area, whereas side-seal allows both sides of the packaging to be fully utilized.