In a recent interview, Venkatesh Rajagopalan, senior vice president – Tubes, Flexible Packaging Business, UFlex, highlighted the company’s strong commitment to sustainability and innovation in the packaging industry. “UFlex has always been at the forefront of sustainable practices,” Rajagopalan said. “Back in 1995, we were the first company in India to champion multilayer recycling solutions, setting a precedent that we continue to uphold with certifications to this day.”
UFlex focuses on delivering customized solutions, offering laminate structures tailored to meet individual customer needs, rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach. “We don’t have one laminate structure that fits everybody,” Rajagopalan said. He explained that UFlex customizes laminates based on each brand’s specific requirements, such as aesthetic appeal and barrier properties. This flexibility has allowed UFlex to open new avenues, including a recent breakthrough in the food segment.
Trends in the tube packaging industry
When discussing trends in the tube packaging industry, Rajagopalan pointed to a shift in consumer behavior. Traditionally, Indian consumers have favored smaller pack sizes due to affordability concerns. For instance, the per capita consumption of toothpaste in India is only 150 to 160 grams per year, which pales in comparison to countries like Brazil or the Philippines, where consumption is three times higher. “Many consumers only budget a small amount for toothpaste, so they buy INR 50 worth at a time,” he explained.
However, Rajagopalan noted that as India gradually shifts from a savings-driven economy to a more consumer-oriented one, larger pack sizes are becoming more popular. “Consumers are moving away from smaller diameter tubes toward bigger diameter tubes,” he said. This trend, he believes, will reshape the packaging ecosystem in India. India is the largest producer of side-seamed tubes in the world, but 55-60% of all such tubes produced in India are less than 22 mm in diameter. With the evolving pattern cited above, tube manufacturers, many of whom predominantly produce smaller-diameter tubes, will need to invest in machines capable of producing larger ones to meet evolving consumer expectations.
UFlex, however, is ahead of this trend. “The company is versatile enough to produce tubes ranging from 19 to 50 mm in diameter with its existing infrastructure, enabling it to serve a broad spectrum of customer needs. We are already positioned to meet these demands,” Rajagopalan said.
Foil-free, sustainable tube solutions
A significant challenge in today’s global tube industry, particularly in India, revolves around multilayer tube formats. About 60-70% of tubes worldwide, including those in India, cater to oral care and pharmaceutical needs. Aluminum foil is a crucial barrier layer in these applications, offering unmatched oxygen and water vapor transmission rates (OTR and WVTR). However, its use complicates recycling efforts, aligning with strict plastic waste management regulations.
UFlex addresses this challenge with alternative barrier solutions that eliminate the need for foil. “Our innovations achieve acceptable OTR and WVTR values to aluminum foil through specialized coatings, ensuring product integrity and shelf-life preservation while maintaining recyclability. For example, our custom barrier solutions in the Films division achieve impressive OTR and WVTR values as low as 0.1, closely matching foil performance,” said Rajagopalan.
In critical applications like oral care, where high WVTR values are essential for products such as fluoride-based toothpaste, traditional solutions like EVOH alone fall short and affect the shelf life of the product. UFlex’s advanced barrier technologies provide robust solutions for such demanding applications, ensuring both regulatory compliance and product performance.
Furthermore, UFlex’s monolayer tube designs keep the barrier layer content below 10%, meeting stringent recycling norms. This commitment extends across its entire product line, including PCR materials used in caps, shoulders, and the flexible laminate body of its tubes.
Transition to water-based inks
One of the major concerns in the packaging industry, particularly in the rotogravure and flexible printing sectors, is the use of solvent-based inks, which emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs). UFlex has taken proactive steps to address this issue by transitioning from solvent-based inks to water-based inks.
“The shift to water-based inks not only improves air quality for workers but also aligns with broader sustainability goals. Rajagopalan assured that these inks offer the same properties as solvent-based inks without harmful emissions. “Water-based inks are much more sustainable compared to solvent-based inks because the emissions are not there,” he said, highlighting the dual benefits of enhanced employee safety and reduced environmental impact.