At the 13th Specialty Films & Flexible Packaging Global Summit in Mumbai, Pankaj Poddar, Group CEO, Cosmo First, outlined how specialty films are increasingly contributing to three key priorities for the flexible packaging industry: performance, purpose and profitability. His presentation highlighted developments across food packaging, labelling, anti-counterfeiting, sustainability and structure optimization, with a focus on how film technology can address specific requirements of converters and brand owners.
Poddar began by examining the increasingly complex expectations placed on packaging. Brand owners are looking for solutions that combine functionality, aesthetics, sustainability and cost efficiency, often within the same structure.
“Brand owners need low cost. Everything else comes mostly second,” Poddar said, noting that packaging requirements can involve several competing demands. According to him, performance should therefore not be viewed as a single attribute but as a combination of product protection, processing performance, shelf life and branding.
Shelf-life enhancement remains an important area for film innovation. Poddar cited coffee packaging applications where foil has been removed while maintaining the required barrier properties. He also highlighted nitrogen-flush applications using BOPP and metallized barrier structures.
Retort packaging is another area where specialised films are addressing demanding processing conditions. Poddar discussed retort CPP solutions for ready-to-eat and sterilization applications, where films need to withstand high temperatures and pressure while maintaining package integrity.
Consumer convenience is also influencing film development. Easy-tear and easy-open films can address a common weakness in flexible packaging: packs that provide strong protection but are difficult to open. Poddar highlighted developments in BOPP and CPP films aimed at improving opening performance.
Similarly, peelable films are being developed to provide controlled opening across different container materials, including polyester and PP. Anti-fog films are another example, supporting clear product visibility in refrigerated and frozen applications.
Beyond functionality, specialty films are increasingly being used to improve shelf appeal. Poddar pointed to high-gloss, matte, velvet-touch, metallic and pearlised finishes that allow brands to differentiate products at the point of sale.
“This is an ongoing need from the brands to keep doing new innovation so that you give a new look and feel,” he said.
The presentation also highlighted solutions for technically demanding labeling applications. Low-force, high-shrink PETG films, for example, can address narrow-neck bottle applications where conventional shrink films may struggle to achieve the required shrinkage without distorting graphics.
Poddar then turned to the broader purpose of packaging, identifying sustainability, anti-counterfeiting and protection as three important areas. Sustainability, he said, can no longer be treated as an optional consideration for flexible packaging. “Whether we love it or hate it, flexible packaging needs to be sustainable,” Poddar said.
He highlighted opportunities to simplify packaging structures, citing examples of reduced-layer laminates and mono-material solutions. PIR and PCR films are also becoming increasingly feasible as the industry invests in recycled-content technologies.
PVC-free graphic films were another example discussed during the presentation. Such films can be used for indoor and outdoor signage applications while reducing dependence on PVC and addressing some of the recycling concerns associated with PVC films.
Anti-counterfeiting is emerging as another potential application for specialty films. Poddar noted that conventional security features based largely on printing are becoming easier to replicate. Embedding security features within the film can provide an additional layer of protection.
“Counterfeiting is not just loss of revenue but also loss of brand reputation,” he said, adding that customized film-based security solutions could be developed for particularly sensitive applications.
The third driver identified by Poddar was profitability. For film suppliers, improving the economics of converters and brand owners ultimately supports the profitability of the wider value chain. “If they are profitable, we know we will be profitable,” he said.
Machine productivity and structure optimization were highlighted as two major opportunities. Poddar cited label-film applications capable of running at speeds exceeding 100,000 bottles per hour, demonstrating how film performance can directly influence manufacturing productivity.
Structure optimization can similarly reduce material consumption and cost without compromising required performance. Poddar referred to examples where packaging structures have been simplified while retaining oxygen-barrier properties, as well as applications where coatings or individual layers can be reduced or replaced.
