UFlex unveils high-speed, space-efficient packaging innovation

At the recent Anuga FoodTec India show, UFlex showcased its latest advancements in packaging machinery, addressing the industry's demand for greater speed and efficiency within a smaller footprint.

Arora noted that the growing popularity of single-serve packs has shifted the market’s focus from production volume to the number of individual bags produced. This has driven demand for machines that deliver greater output from the same floor space, a principle he termed ‘more per square metre’.

Innovations in speed and versatility

UFlex's display at the event featured two primary machines designed to meet these new market dynamics:

Collar-type twin machine: This vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) machine is capable of a combined output of 320 packs per minute (160 per tube). Its high-speed operation is attributed to UFlex's ‘seal on the move’ technology, which performs the web pulling and sealing simultaneously, saving valuable microseconds in the production cycle. The machine's compact design and stability, demonstrated live without being permanently installed, make it an attractive solution for manufacturers with space constraints.

Pick-fill-seal machine: This machine caters to the growing market for flexible packaging of both solid and liquid products. For liquid products, UFlex employs either conventional piston fillers or the latest flow meter technology for precise and rapid filling, handling a wide range of pack sizes. As for solid products, a wide range of filling systems (multi-head weighers, augers, counters, etc) is used. While the food industry is seeing a trend toward smaller single-serve pouches, the FMCG market is moving towards larger, user-friendly, and cost-effective packaging, and this machine is designed to serve both ends of the spectrum.

An integrated approach to packaging

Arora emphasised that UFlex's role extends beyond simply providing machinery. As a major producer of packaging films, the company collaborates with clients from the design stage to optimise pack sizes, balancing shelf life with logistics costs. This integrated approach, which combines expertise in both materials and technology, helps clients reduce their overall cost of ownership by saving on floor space, consumables, and labour.

The company also highlighted its commitment to sustainability, noting that it offers PET PCR films. UFlex is developing machinery compatible with monomaterials, which are easier to recycle, aligning with the broader industry shift toward a circular economy. Arora added that while the government has already announced certain regulations and others are yet to come, the company is proactively advancing sustainable solutions.