Combining the performance of traditional plastics material with the natural high end look and feel of paper
Stockport-based Macpac one of the UK’s leading independently owned manufacturers of thermoformed plastics packaging products – is excited to offer Sulapac® Flow 1.7, a safe, sustainable and high performance thermoformable wood-polymer composite material.
Developed by Helsinki-based Sulapac Ltd, the award-winning, food-safe (EU & FDA US) material is produced from biodegradeable biopolymers and wood dust, and can be shaped as easily as traditional plastics – making it ideal for bespoke luxury packaging solutions.
Sulapac’s innovative wood-polymer blend offers a range of significant practical advantages to paper and card alternatives. It maintains its shape, can be clicked in-out, does not collapse in water and can be thermoformed exactly to suit individual product requirements.
Offering the eco benefits and low carbon footprint¹ of fibre products, the wood dust used to produce Sulapac Flow is a by-product sourced from the North European sawmill industry eliminating the need to cut down trees.
Crucially, it is biobased, industrially compostable, recyclable by design, and with no permanent microplastics², PFAS or other toxic chemicals³.
Sulapac Flow is used in different types of packaging inserts, typically replacing PS, PP or PET. Like conventional plastics, Sulapac Flow has a ‘memory’: the product can be clicked in and out repeatedly, without the packaging losing its shape.
It allows for detailed surface structures with high precision and is available in custom colours, while the aesthetically pleasing natural look and feel removes the need for post processing.
Sulapac Flow is an excellent material choice for point-of-sale displays, logistics trays and single use food packaging.
Unlike many other biobased materials that demand precise temperature control during manufacturing, Sulapac Flow’s natural insulating properties provide broader temperature ranges within which it remains workable.
Compared to conventional plastic, Sulapac Flow requires lower temperatures for thermoforming leading up to 20% energy savings through shorter heating time. Faster heating also translates into reduced production time and increased process efficiency, which is also supported by the consistent quality of the material.
Graham Kershaw, Macpac’s Managing Director comments: “Adding Sulapac Flow to our range of packaging materials reflects Macpac’s on-going commitment to helping clients meet their environmental targets and provide the required functionality and protection for their products.
“As a forward-thinking thermoformed packaging manufacturer, it is important that we review and expand our material offering in response to the changing needs of our global client base and to meet our own ambitious long-term growth strategy and sustainability goals.”
- Critically reviewed cradle-to-gate CFP 1.2 kg CO2eq/kg biogenic carbon included
- Relative biodegradation of 75.5% in 420 days in simulated marine environment test
- Tested according to CEN/TS 15968 by an independent ISO/IEC 17025 certified laboratory. Ecotoxicity and threshold values for heavy metals tested according to EN13432
Innovations in Food (& Beverage) Processing & Packaging is a bi-monthly magazine distributed globally in Digital format. www.innovationsfood.com. X: @Innovfoodtech. Instagram: @innovationsinfoodtechnology. Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/terry-prior52
