The triple protection system, called ‘Safe Curve’, is possible due to tools that have been installed on production lines for wine bags in the firm’s factories in Ibi, Spain and Epernay on France.
Patrick Shea, is director of marketing for Vitop, which is part of the Smurfit Kappa Group, and produces Bag-in-Box taps and connectors for the wine sector, fruit juice and other applications.
HydrOtap
It also produces Bag-in-Box handles, and the HydrOtap for rigid containers, which are made at its plant in Alessandria, Italy.
He told FoodProductionDaily.com the bags are more resistant because the flow of the liquid is not on a sharp angle and the strength is maintained by the round shape.
“The advantage of rounded or cut-off corners is when a filled bag is inserted into a cardboard box container, damage to the film in the corners is generally less,” he said.
“As the filled wine bag collides with the bottom of the box, the rounded corners spread out the force of the impact more evenly and stop pointy folds from forming, which can reduce the risk of leakages.”
Shea added there are three types of corner welds.
The first is 90 degree angles formed by straight welds on all four sides. The second is a straight ‘cut off’ weld across each corner, also called a ‘Delta’ or ‘K’ weld.
Production line vigilance
The third is the rounded seal on each corner, the ‘radial seal’.
However, he noted, as with all Bag-in-Box packaging, the radial seal does not get rid of the need for constant vigilance and control at the packaging line.
“The use of bags with rounded corners is not an excuse,” he said.
“The process flaws that damage a bag during the filling process have to be corrected and improved continuously since excess damage can still result in leakers and will increase oxygen permeation if small cracks appear in the barrier film.”
European CEO of the Year
In other news, Gary McGann, Group CEO, Smurfit Kappa Group (SKG) has been named RISI’s 2014 European CEO of the Year.
RISI, an information provider for the forest products industry, will present the award at its European Pulp & Paper Conference in Prague, from March 10-12.
The award is nominated by a group of investment analysts and portfolio managers covering the European and global pulp and paper industry.