Pharma packaging: Uflex aims to launch special polyester

Keeping the challenges of bi-axially oriented polyamide (BOPA) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) substrates in mind, the team of Uflex Films Business is coming up with a special polyester film to deal with the problems posed by BON and PVC. 

The product claims to replace the top and bottom substrates of the conventional cold formed Alu-Alu to a whole new structure, comprising 36 micron special polyester and 50 micron soft aluminium foil. Film forming and orientation of polyester augurs well for the creation of thin profile webs to be used in flexible packaging. 

Commenting on this, Dr. Sudhir Naik, Senior General Manager, Corporate Technical Services at Films Business of Uflex said, "Getting better functionalities as compared to the Alu-Alu laminate structure comprising BOPA, aluminium foil and PVC, Uflex has come up with a special polyester film that will have significant and substantial benefits for the converters catering to pharmaceutical brands. If we talk about India, BOPA (BON) is imported from countries like China, Korea and Taiwan. Moreover, the converters are left with no option other than managing varied inventories of BON and PVC films separately. With the introduction of specialised Polyester film that will now be laminated on both the sides of Aluminium foil, the logistical hassles for converters and the dependency on import of BOPA will surely go down. This film therefore, makes a strong case for import substitution in India." 

Talking further about the new polyester film, Pramod Sirsamkar, the President at Technical & New Product Development (Films), Uflex Limited said, “The moisture absorption of this specialised polyester film is as low as 0.8 per cent working out to almost 92 per cent less than that of Nylon which is a big advantage."

The product is ready and will be exhibited along with several value added packaging products of the pharmaceutical industry at Asia pharma expo 2017 to be held at Bashundhara Convention City in Dhaka (Bangladesh) from February 23 to 25, 2017.