Application
Adhesives for Flexible Packaging Lamination
Bonding film, foil and metallised webs into pouches, sachets and roll stock for food and non-food products.
Flexible packaging is a laminated structure: two or more webs combined so each contributes something the single film cannot — barrier, strength, printability, sealability. The adhesive is the layer that holds them together for the life of the pack.
Structures in common use
| Structure | Typical pack | Adhesive consideration |
|---|---|---|
| PET//PE | Dry foods, snacks | General purpose; adhesion to treated PE is the usual test |
| PET//MPET//PE | Coffee, confectionery | Metallised surface needs wet-out and bond build |
| BOPP//CPP | Snacks, bakery | Flexibility and seal strength |
| PET//AL//PE | High-barrier, pharma | Foil bond and migration limits |
| PET//PE (retort) | Ready meals, pet food | Retort grade required; standard grades fail |
Where lamination goes wrong
Most failures trace back to one of four things: the wrong grade for the fill, an off-ratio mix, insufficient wet-out on a treated surface, or a cure that was cut short to hit a delivery date. All four are process issues, and all four are visible in a trial if the trial is run on the actual line rather than a lab laminator.
How to specify
State the structure, the fill (retort, pasteurised, ambient), the target coat weight, the line speed and the food-contact regulation. That is enough to select a grade and issue the data sheet.
Send the structure and the process
A grade is proposed in writing, with the data sheet attached.