What is flow wrapping?

Have you ever wondered how crisps stay fresh when you pop open the packet? It's thanks in part to flow wrapping. Think of the way a crisp packet is sealed – you've got a crimp seal at the top and bottom and a fin seal running the length of the packet – that's the easiest way to understand flow wrapping!

Flow wrapping is also known as fin seal wrapping, crimp seal wrapping, and horizontal bagging.

What can you flow wrap?

In basic terms flow wrapping is a packaging process that over wraps a product with a film. You can flow wrap all kinds of products as well as food, such as leaflets or booklets, scratch cards, phone cards and giveaways in cereal packets and computer software. There are hundreds of products we use every day that are flow wrapped – wipes, tissues, chocolate bars plus pharmaceutical products and cosmetics.

Flow Wrapping Materials

The wrapping materials used depends on the product. Foods can be wrapped in food grade clear or printed, polypropelene film. Up to 10 colours can be used to create a unique look or specific branding. In fact, a wide range of wrapping material is available in today's environment depending on the needs of the client; including cellulose film and heat sealable lacquered materials and plastics laminated to paper film or foil.

The Flowrapper - Machine Power

Flow wrapping or fin seal as it as often called, is a very versatile and cost effective solution for packaging. The Horizontal Form-Fill-Seal machines are also more commonly known as 'Flowrappers.' These effective and efficient machines are capable of flow wrapping up to 50,000 packs per daily shift. With several machines up to 200,000 packs per day can be flow wrapped!

The machines can produce assorted crimp seal sizes and airtight seals for a range of product sizes. For best results the film must be wrapped tightly enough around the product so that is doesn't move around inside the packet. The 'tails' at either end must be compact so the products can be packed efficiently.

So next time you open a packet of crisps ….!