Battenfeld Gloucester system used for pouch and retort applications

Battenfeld Gloucester is designing and building a 9-extruder, 17-layer cast barrier film line for one of its customers. It will begin operation in the first half 2006 and could be expanded to 34-layers in future. Battenfeld Gloucester’s announcement follows closely the news of US film extrusion die maker EDI, which has technology to produce barrier packaging film constructions with 30 or more layers (PRW.com 28 Feb). The film produced on the Battenfeld Gloucester 17-layer line will include deep-draw thermoforming film and high-barrier film for pouch and retort applications. It makes use of 9- and 17-layer feedblocks, versatile dies and “an enhanced cast film unit”, the company said. Five- or seven-layer multilayer films have been so far considered adequate for many packaging applications. Ten-layer blown film systems have been developed and delivered by Brampton and Wipak in Germany has made 9-layer films, but these have so far been the exception rather than the rule.