Reducing film usage is high on the agenda for many manufacturers. Less material means lower packaging costs, reduced raw material consumption and a lower environmental impact. Yet there is often a concern that thinner film leads to reduced product protection, quality issues or extra downtime on the packaging line.
In practice, that does not have to be the case. With the right approach, film usage can be significantly reduced without compromising product protection, runnability or output.
1. Look beyond just foil thickness
Material reduction often immediately looks at a lower gauge. Although gauge reduction can be an effective strategy, the total film structure ultimately determines the performance of the packaging.
Properties such as:
- Tensile strength
- Arson
- Durchgangswiderstand
- Sealing performance
- Stiffness
are at least as important as the thickness itself.
Modern raw materials and optimised formulations make it possible to achieve the same performance with less material. As a result, thickness reduction can be achieved in many applications without loss of functionality.
2. Analyse where the packaging is actually taxed
Not every packaging is taxed in the same way.
Packaging may be exposed to:
- Sharp products
- High pile pressure
- Transport tax
- Low temperatures
- High processing speeds
Before foil is reduced, it is important to understand where the greatest risks lie. It often turns out that certain properties are more important than a higher film thickness.
A targeted analysis prevents unnecessary safety margins from being applied.
3. Always test material reduction on the packaging line
Packaging can perform brilliantly on paper, but react differently in practice.
Therefore, testing under production conditions is essential.
Important points of attention are:
- Seal strength
- Workability
- plastic wrap tension
- Cutting performance
- Product protection
- Line output
By conducting practical trials, potential bottlenecks can be identified early on before a new film is fully implemented.
Prevent lower material costs from leading to higher process costs
The cheapest film per kilo is not always the most economical solution.
When a thinner film leads to:
- More downtime
- More disapproval
- Lower line speeds
- More product damage
the total costs could actually increase.
Therefore, it is important not to look solely at the film price per kilogram, but at the total impact on the packaging process: the total cost of ownership (TCO).
Successful material reduction lowers both material consumption and operational costs.
5. Optimise machine and film as one system
Film and packaging machine do not function independently of each other. When film usage is reduced, it may be necessary to re-optimise settings, such as:
- Sealing temperatures
- Mealtimes
- plastic wrap tension
- Transport settings
- Cutting parameters
By adjusting machine settings to suit the new film, performance is maintained and the packaging line can continue to run stably.
It is precisely this combination of film optimisation and machine adjustment that often determines the success of a gauge reduction project.
6. Reduce not only thickness, but also size
Besides gauge reduction, format reduction often offers additional opportunities to reduce material consumption.
Consider, for example:
- Shorter pocket lengths
- Smaller overlap zones
- Reduce excess foil
- Better alignment with product dimensions
By tailoring packaging more precisely to the product, total film consumption, for example FFS film, be further reduced without affecting the protection of the product.
Frequently asked questions about reducing foil use
How much film can be saved on average?
That varies depending on the application. Experience has shown that, in many cases, a reduction of 5 to 30% is achievable without any adverse effects on machine performance or barrier properties.
Does thinner film always lead to poorer barrier properties?
No. Barrier properties are not determined solely by the film thickness. Material composition, formulation and any barrier layers also play an important role. In many applications, films can be optimised or reduced without compromising properties such as moisture barrier, oxygen barrier or aroma retention. However, it is important to validate this beforehand under operational conditions.
How much experience does KIVO have in reducing film usage?
KIVO has decades of experience in optimising film packaging. During that period, we have helped hundreds of customers to reduce material usage, lower packaging costs and keep machine performance stable and in many cases actually improve it.
In doing so, we work closely with machine manufacturers such as GEA, Syntegon, PATTYN and other renowned equipment builders. By assessing film, machine settings and application together, we can provide targeted advice on where savings can be achieved without unnecessary risk to product protection, barrier properties or machine downtime.
Reducing film usage does not have to come at the expense of product protection, barrier properties or machine performance. The key lies in careful harmonisation between film, application and packaging line.
With decades of experience in film optimisation, KIVO has helped hundreds of customers reduce material usage, lower packaging costs and maintain stable runability. By combining our knowledge of film structures with practical experience on packaging lines and collaboration with renowned machinery manufacturers such as GEA, Syntegon, PATTYN and other machine builders, we can precisely determine where savings are possible.
Successful material reduction is therefore not about simply using thinner film, but about the right balance between sustainability, functionality, barrier properties and process stability.
Curious to know how much material can be saved within your packaging application? Get in touch with one of our specialists for an analysis of your current packaging and packaging line.
