Consumers scouring supermarket shelves for product convenience know little of the research, investigation, slog and trial that go into producing that perfect portion pack, meticulously designed meat tray or pleasing-to-the-eye punnet. Today’s suppliers are not just delivering the novel and attention-grabbing … more than ever, they are serving up the ingredient on which the modern world will not compromise – sustainability. Susan Unsworth found out that times and demands on packaging have changed significantly since Thomas Jake Lunsford patented his ‘separable packaging and display system’ in 1976, and noted just how tightly the threads of innovation and sustainability are now entwined.

With customers constantly seeking the best of both packaging worlds – multiple packaging solutions on a compact thermoformer – ULMA Packaging Systems has introduced to South Africa the TFS 200 MSV, which by all accounts is not only a jack of all packs but a master too. ‘It’s a technology powerhouse, able to pack flexible material, rigid trays with MAP and Skin packs,’ notes ULMA South Africa managing director, Eddie Rademan.

‘Entry-level traysealers don’t have to be slow and boring, he adds. ‘The TSB300 traysealer, for example, features trickle-down technology from the top-of-the-range TSA models.

‘Producing up to 16 trays/min, this machine is no slouch. But the showstopper is its flexibility to pack PET MAP trays and LeafSkin flat cartonboard trays with a skin application in one machine with a small footprint.

The machine takes advantage of the trend to recyclable plastic monomaterials and makes available to local customers LeafSkin tray sealing technology,’ Eddie reports. ‘The concept uses 100% cartonboard trays instead of structural plastic and a plastic lid that are easily separated after use for recycling.’

Its sister product, LeafMap is, as its name suggests, based on MAP technology.

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