Automatic flow wrapper

A flow wrapper forms a film pack around the product with one longitudinal seal and two transverse seals, one at each end. Trays enter on a long infeed conveyor, the film wraps them on the move and the machine seals and cuts each unit. Its catalogue sheet states up to 180 trays per minute, compatibility with cold-seal film and a design aimed at high continuous production.

Its great advantage over a tray sealer is flexibility. It needs no format-specific mould and tolerates a fair amount of variation in product height, so it fits well when you handle many different references and do not need modified atmosphere. A tray sealer, by contrast, closes the tray with a lidding film and is the option when shelf life is the priority and the atmosphere inside the pack has to be modified.

Compatibility with cold-seal film deserves a note. This type of film seals under pressure, without applying heat to the product, which is useful with fruit and other temperature-sensitive products. Which specific film suits you, printed or plain, depends on the product, the presentation you are after and the machine configuration, and it is worth testing before buying reels in quantity.

In fruit and vegetables it is commonly used for punnets and trays of produce such as strawberries, but also for other solid foods with a regular shape. As with any fast machine, the pace of the line is set by the whole: if tray feeding or the labelling afterwards cannot keep up, the flow wrapper will not reach its nominal capacity. It is usually followed by a labeller for weight, batch and traceability.

At Fontanet Group (Fraga, Huesca) we have a team with more than 30 years in the sector. MARFONT, our machinery division, handles installation, operator training and technical service. Tell us what product you pack, in which tray and at what volume, and our sales team will confirm the right configuration and film.