Common Questions about Thermoforming
Being the next step of advancing from manual packing to automated, there are many questions for food production facilities around the process and its applications.
What is a thermoformer machine?
Thermoformers are horizontal automatic packing machines characterised by package formation within the machine using two film coils normally made of different material.
The two films are referred to as the top and bottom web film.
Depending on the material used, packages can be flexible or rigid.
This type of machine is aimed both at food and non food markets.
What is thermoforming?
Thermoforming is quite a general term that refers to the process of transforming plastic into a 3-dimensional shape by using heat, vacuum and pressure.
What is thermoforming used for?
Thermoforming allows food manufacturers and production facilities the ability to increase throughput of production by advancing from manual vacuum packing to an automated process.
With the pack forming around the product to create its shape, thermoforming is used extensively in the food industry for products like cheese, meat, smallgoods, bread and more.
The flexibility to form the packaging around the product allows for less plastic to be visible to the customer, allowing more of your product to be on show.
Visible plastic is a concern for most shoppers, with sustainability and use of unnecessary plastic being a contributing factor to purchasing behaviours worldwide.
What products can be thermoformed?
- Pet food
- Cheese
- Mince – plant based, red meat etc.
- Poultry
- Bread loaves
- Smallgoods
- Burgers
And more!
Is your product not on the list? We may have missed it, but never fear, we welcome trials at our office in Victoria.
If you’re interstate, we can arrange freight of your product and do a trial with you to see if thermoforming is the progression your product packaging process needs.
Is there sustainable thermoforming plastic available?
Yes, soft-plastic recycling systems in Australia allows for the recycling of thermoforming plastic.
Viking is very excited to announce that these are part of our range here, stocking a large range of top & bottom webs that are compatible with Australian Soft Plastic Recycling Systems such as Redcycle.
We have options across our catalogue offering sustainable solutions for today’s sustainable customer, no matter your packaging needs.
Main benefits of using thermoforming film:
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- Customisable to suit your application
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- Shelf Presence
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- Peelable
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- Shelf Life extension
Can Thermofilm be printed?
Yes, printed thermofilm offer an incredible opportunity for you to present your product on the supermarket shelf with optimal branding.
Highly effective scatter print and full-colour printed films are the most popular in printed thermoforming film, and are all available at Viking.
What are the main benefits of using thermoforming film on the packaging workflow?
Labour-saving and highly-automated packaging allows for a high reduction in inconsistencies between packaging and their presentation to allow for a more uniform packaging presentation of your product.
Are thermoformers expensive?
Being a highly-automated process of vacuum packaging, incorporating thermoformers into your workflow will allow you to optimise your workflow to high efficiencies, saving you on labour and minimising packaging inconsistencies, in-turn helping you sell more of your product.
Hiring your thermoformer will give you the upfront benefits of advancing your manual vacuum packaging process to a highly automated process without the initial outlay.
By taking on a thermoformed approach to your packaging early on in your product journey, it allows you to establish a credible and sophisticated market presence from the get-go.
Hire is available across the ULMA Thermoformer range at Viking.
What thermoformers are available on the market in Australia?
ULMA Thermoformers are the world’s most trusted thermoformer manufacturer.
Their years of excellence in both manufacturing and design allows them to be as user-friendly and ergonomic as possible for Australian workflows.
Equipping the food industry to grow with food processing and packaging solutions
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9 Mcilwraith St, Wetherill Park NSW 2164, Australia
21 Hoyle Rd, Hope Valley WA 6165
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