UFlex, India’s largest multinational flexible packaging company and a global player in polymer sciences, has won the highest number of awards, a total of 12, at SIES SOP Star Awards 2020, a coveted platform that recognizes the Indian packaging sector for its efforts in the industry ranging from primary and ancillary packages to the machinery and equipment. UFlex’s holography business led the pack with five awards, chemicals business won three awards whereas its other businesses – Asepto (aseptic liquid packaging), flexible packaging, packaging films and cylinders bagged an award each. The awards were concluded with 130 different participants who nominated their hero innovations.
Chairman and managing director of UFlex, Ashok Chaturvedi, said, “We are extremely proud to win these awards and are thankful to SIES for providing a platform to recognize our innovative and creative concepts and developments not only in flexible packaging pouches but also other solutions that we offer across the gamut of packaging. Winning an award in almost all our verticals demonstrates the strength and talent each business possesses and further bolsters our position as a fully vertically integrated company. As a responsible corporate, we have pledged to develop and work with technology that helps us save the environment and build our bottom lines at the same time.”
The awards won by different business of UFlex are as below:
Table of Contents
Holography
Registered lens technology with holographic labels for Sona Sikka: Sona Sikka was launched as an anti-counterfeit solution for the copying challenges faced by the FMCG industry. The process being highly critical and precise provides an excellent solution to fight counterfeit for the brands. The holographic/fresnel lens images are re-registered on the label, as per the layout. The use of holographic and lens features also helps brand enhance their aesthetic appeal on the retail shelves. This product won the award in the category ‘Labels.’
Holographic PVC for pharma blister packaging for Alkem: Holographic PVC for pharma blister packs was launched as an anti-counterfeit solution for the pharmaceutical industry. The 250 microns blister grade PVC is integrated with holographic layer and is metalized to provide anti-counterfeit features. Unlike other products available in the market, this is a single layer product, which makes it unique, yet cost effective & easy to process. This product won the award in the category ‘Product Packaging.’
Transparent UV HRI holographic film for carton packaging: Box packaging and printing is becoming a common scenario as they complement each other. However, the problem of counterfeiting impacts many customers as it directly impacts their sales value, destroying their brand reputation and causes loss in profits due to fraudulent product warranty claims. Transparent UV HRI holographic film has been specially designed and manufactured using premium quality raw materials and sophisticated technology for extensive utilization in the box packaging industry. It is a 2-layered flexible packaging with a combination of UV holographic and micro embossing with feature-rich attributes such as high reflective index coating, transfer and film with unique multi-security features lenses. This film has helped the brand overcome the devastating effects of counterfeiting and increased its product’s aesthetics. This product won the award in the category ‘Product Packaging.’
Dhoop Chhao textile printing foil: Dhoop Chhao is a decorative textile foil with specialized coating is an environmentally friendly foil. It was launched to cater to the fashion industry that demands new vibrant colors and unique appearance at periodic intervals. The product generates a great application on a variety of clothing segments which brings brilliance and pulsating appeal to the end products. It gives a unique special effect after printing on fabric as compared to traditional metallic printings. This foil was developed for the first time for consumption in Indian as well as international markets to bring new trends in the apparel industry worldwide. This product won the award in the category ‘Packaging for non-packaging applications.’
Printing security documents for education sector: The objective of educating millions of students is always bound to have challenges especially considering the grades involved. One challenge that education institutions come across is the counterfeiting of its certificates that it provides to students upon completion of their modules. The purpose of introducing security printing on mark sheets and certificates was to prevent counterfeiting and fraud. Lack of security features in these certificates leaves a gap for counterfeiting with repercussions thereby jeopardizing the entire educational ecosystem. Moreover, earlier mark sheets and certificates were non-water repellent and had to be laminated to prevent accidental tearing and spoilage. UFlex uses advanced technologies and specialized equipment for the protection of such documents that not only help safeguard the reputation of the educational bodies but also make these documents/certificates non-tearable and water-resistant that can stand up to 100 times folding. Besides this, the most advanced covert and overt security features ultimately make the hybrid product almost impossible to be forged. This product won the award in the category ‘Packaging in Academics.’
Chemicals
Innovative solvent-free polyurethane adhesive with 3OH component for packaging: Globally packaging industries are using varieties of polyurethane adhesive for adhering to different substrates by solvent-based, water-based and solvent-free adhesives in (single and two components), the last technology being the most advantages against the rest, this high in popularity. Convertors are using various types of solvent-free adhesives grades to achieve the end properties in laminates and pouches. In market general, medium, and high-performance two-component polyurethane adhesives are available and used individually to achieve desired properties, so convertors must maintain six different grades of adhesives in their plant to meet the requirements. This traditional way of working has many disadvantages to the customers in terms of low productivity, higher costs, more manpower, higher chances of error leading to poor quality and wastage. A series of new innovative solvent-free adhesives for flexible packaging applications by UFlex addresses the pain area of laminating industries by providing robust solvent-free technology products that promise higher productivity, sustainability, user-friendly, and cost-effectiveness to the converting industries. This product won the award in the category ‘Ancillary Packaging Materials.’
Flexaqapap water-based ink for food wrap: With the demand for safe and hygienic food on the rise, ready-to-eat and grab-and-go meals are starting to define packaging trends especially in the food and beverages industries. Grab-and-go is becoming part of our normal routine life. In today’s marketplace, sustainability has become ingrained in business models and customers are demanding more eco-friendly options, which have resulted in pressure on converting industry to shift from conventional solvent-based inks to water-based inks. Towards this, UFlex has developed food safe compliant printing inks water-based inks called ‘Flexaquapap’ designed for printing on food wraps, which are commonly used at fast-food restaurants like Subway, KFC, and McDonald’s. Flexaquapap is suitable for printing on non-absorbent substrates like butter paper, grease-proof papers on which printing is difficult. This product won the award in the category ‘Ancillary Packaging Materials.’
Flexseal blister coating for blister packaging: UFlex offers the latest innovative solution for the offset industry as water-based PUD blister coating named ‘Flexseal Blister Coating’ which has been specially designed to offer a unique blister packaging application. Addressing the pain, need and demand from Industry, this robust water-based blister solution is suitable for both PET (APET/RPET) as well as PVC plastics, inline and offline application. Currently, solvent-based coatings are being used with offline applications which are being replaced with water-based PUDs that are eco-friendly, fire-safe with all enhanced sealable properties than solvent-based available products in the market. It offers excellent heat sealable properties on low film weights. This product won the award in the category ‘Ancillary Packaging Materials.’
Cylinders
Cylinders for flower design by hand embossing effect: Hand embossing has been the specialty of China where very skilled operators are involved in manual engraving of the cylinders. The hand engraved cylinders are required to incorporate designs to produce substrates to make a wide range of products such as table cover, curtain, handbag, car seat cover, sofa cover, belts, shoes etc. UFlex has developed hand embossing effect that delivers flower design by adjusting certain laser embossing parameters to reproduce a similar effect on the substrates. There has been an upsurge in the demand from both domestic and international markets for such cylinders. This product won the award in the category ‘Packaging for non-packaging applications.’
Flexible packaging
High-barrier recyclable laminate for Polly Peanotter: As a single entity, this high-barrier recyclable laminate by UFlex combines the benefits of each monolayer in terms of enhanced barrier properties, mechanical integrity, and functional properties that help retain the freshness of the packed product. Easy to recycle, it can be recycled in existing plastic recycling streams. Roll stocks convert into stand up DOY packs with bottom fold and zipper. This product won the award in the category ‘Product Packaging’.
Packaging films
C-CWU high hermetic seal ultra-low sit white CPP film for mono-material sustainable packaging solutions: The newly developed C-CWU grade by UFlex is a potential class-leading seal integrity, hermetic seal, broad and high hot tack with ultra-low seal initiation temperature (SIT) film for sealing layer. C-CWU acts as a sealing layer in combination with high heat resistance along with outstanding oxygen barrier printable BOPP film that offers mono-material packaging solutions with 100% recyclability. The film is a big push in view of sustainable, cost-efficient with improved functionality mono-materials solution for flexible packaging. This product won the award in the category ‘Flexibles.’
Aseptic liquid packaging (Asepto)
Asepto tamper-proof packaging for Wave Distillers: As the country liquor segment was falling prey to adulteration and counterfeiting of their products in the supply chain, Wave Distilleries turned to UFlex to adapt to its 100% tamper-proof six-layered aseptic packaging and curtail the growth of this menace. With this precautionary endeavor of advancing to a safer packaging, Wave Distilleries was able to receive affirmative feedback and sales responses on their packs, while safeguarding the brands’ and products integrity. This product won the award in the category ‘Product Packaging.’
