The Role Of Consumables In Backroom Profitability

Columbus, OH – The quality of packaging film has a decisive impact on the reliability and performance of backroom processes, as confirmed by research conducted by METTLER TOLEDO. The company has now published its findings along with valuable tips for the effective selection and use of film in the METTLER TOLEDO white paper titled “Wrapping Machine Film: Chemical Analysis of Backroom Film,” which is now available for free download.

METTLER TOLEDO subjected films from various suppliers to long-term studies of chemical composition and performance, and has now presented the results in the new white paper. Written for grocery retailers and backroom managers, this white paper presents findings that prove that investing in high quality film is a cost saver in the long run.

Chemical analysis demonstrates differences

Qualitative differences between packaging films are essentially imperceptible to the human eye. However, scientific analysis reveals that films from different suppliers demonstrate some clear variations in chemical composition – and hence in performance in daily backroom use. Poor-quality films are more susceptible to becoming ripped or punctured, and cause more rapid wear and tear on the mechanical parts of the wrapping machine. In contrast, high-quality film ensures securely wrapped products, causes less mechanical wear and tear and improves efficiency in the backroom processes.

Four central properties

Within the framework of its research, METTLER TOLEDO identified four mission-critical film properties. Quality differences between various types of film, as well as different storage conditions, can cause some clear variations in these properties:

• Roll width: Film which is either too wide or too narrow can result in rips in the wrapped package and accelerate wear and tear on the machinery.

• Peel force: If the film adheres to the roll too tightly, a stronger peel force is required during wrapping which causes the feed mechanism of the machine to wear faster.

• Elasticity and memory: A lack of elasticity (flexibility) and memory (ability to return to its original state after being stretched) of the film will have a considerable negative impact on the wrapping performance. Films which are too rigid create resistances to the machinery and cannot be wrapped effectively.

“High-quality, certified film products have been proven to increase the operational uptime and reduce the total cost of ownership of a wrapping machine,” says Stephanie Rose, Global Backroom Product Manager at METTLER TOLEDO. “Retailers who wish to improve their backroom efficiency while also saving costs should definitely take a closer look at their use of packaging film. Our new white paper provides the necessary know-how and useful guidelines for doing so.”

The white paper titled “Wrapping Machine Film: Chemical Analysis of Backroom Film” is available for immediate download, free of charge, at: www.mt.com/retail-backroom .

About METTLER TOLEDO
METTLER TOLEDO provides the enabling technology, software and people that can help build a
seamless workflow to translate bench scale chemistry into a commercial process. For more than 20 years, our enabling tools and services have been a strategic resource providing critical information for thousands of development scientists and engineers. Companies have used that knowledge to accelerate the discovery, development and scale-up of new chemical processes spanning the chemical and biopharmaceutical industries. For more, visit Mettler Toledo website

Source: METTLER TOLEDO