LeSueur, MN-based flex-pack maker TechniPac Inc. is an aggressive, young company with a track record for thinking big. Positioned as the "converter's converter," TechniPac focuses on providing the final phase of converting for printers of flexible webs and their packaged-goods clients.

Rather than extruding, printing or laminating, TechniPac instead offers strictly "value-added" finishing services and specialty operations, such as slitting, pouchmaking and applying reclosable zippers to packaging film. This outsourced strategy allows flex-pack printers to augment existing capabilities and offer expanded services without costly capital investment.

"We do a lot of things that are out of the ordinary to make a more valuable product," says Tim LaBonte, TechniPac vp of sales and marketing. "We don't just say, 'Well that's what the machine does, so we can't do anything else.' If something needs to be built to solve the problem, we build it."

One example of such "big picture" thinking is a cost-effective, highly productive way of delivering reclosable packaging, thanks to technology from the packaging supply team of vendors Hudson Sharp Machine Co. and Presto Products' FRESH-LOCK® zipper. One of TechniPac's most popular services is to pre-apply reclosable zippers to barrier or non-barrier packaging films. To create the pre-zippered film, TechniPac relies on Hudson Sharp's Inno-Lok® technology.

The patented Inno-Lok system attaches reclosable zippers to film in a transverse direction for use on vertical or horizontal form-fill-seal packaging equipment. The pre-zippered roll stock runs on conventional equipment with little or no modification and allows packagers to add the popular reclosable zipper feature without special equipment or added investment. The pre-zippered film runs without affecting machine speed and requires little additional setup time, making it an attractive option for brand packagers.

To keep pace with rising demand for ready-made reclosables, TechniPac runs two Inno-Lok machines staffed for three shifts/day. The zipper application process is fully automated. First, the zipper is pre-crushed and fed into a four-station turret within the Inno-Lok machine. The zipper is vacuum-secured to the first turret head, where it is cut to the desired length and held in place as the turret turns. The turret rotates 90 deg, and a second piece of zipper is cut. When the turret advances another 90 deg, a third piece of zipper is cut, and a sealing head lowers on the opposite side of the turret to heat-seal the first cut piece of zipper to the web. The turret is in constant motion, cutting, holding and applying the zipper.

Proper zipper placement is carefully monitored. A sensor detects any zippers that are missing or not properly attached, and automatically halts the line. The turret rotates in sequence until a zipper is properly fed and applied. Film perforations (to eventually aid the consumer in opening the package) are also done on the Hudson Sharp machine.

The pre-zippered film advances to a rewind station and is wound to customer specifications. Core plugs are inserted, the pre-zippered roll stock is poly-bagged, palletized and shipped.

Despite the Inno-Lok process' speed and efficiency, TechniPac identified a looming speed bump on the fast track to success: a significant gap between the master roll sizes of zipper and preprinted film. Standard zipper spools average 6,000 ft/spool. Master rolls of film for the Inno-Lok range from 10,000 to 15,000 ft, depending on core, O.D. and gauge.

The result? The smaller zipper spools mandated more than two changeovers per roll of master film; each taking 15 min or more of productive machine time. With time at a premium, TechniPac pinpointed a huge opportunity in matching the zipper-spool capacity more closely with the web.

TechniPac turned to zipper supplier, Presto Products' FRESH-LOCK. A unit of Alcoa Consumer Products, Presto already supplied TechniPac with the Style 156 zipper, a special transverse zipper profile specially designed for use on the Inno-Lok.

"Presto's strength is that they make it easy to deal with them," says LaBonte. "We've found that, over the years, when we have an issue that affects us or we're seeking innovative reclosable options, they've come up with some good solutions."

The converter outlined its need. "We told Presto we wanted the biggest spool we could fit on the shaft of the Inno-Lok machine," LaBonte ex-plains, noting that TechniPac originally looked for a zipper-spool capacity of 10,000 ft.

"Presto went a step further," LaBonte says. "They said, 'to feed zipper in, we just have to go along your machines. If we use an unwind stand, we could put a bigger spool on it.'"

Make that a way bigger spool. What the FRESH-LOCK team proposed was a simple, yet monster of a solution.

To boost productivity, Presto recommended stationing the zipper spool on a separate unwind stand, enabling the supplier to double TechniPac's desired spool length to a jumbo roll of 22,000 linear ft. To feed the larger, heavier roll into the web, Presto recommended using an unwind stand from Talon Manufacturing, calibrated to match the Inno-Lok machine's line speed.

Talon's tech support team helped the converter synchronize the unwind controls to accommodate different draw lengths, film gauges and machine speeds.

The implications of the jumbo spool were larger than even TechniPac had foreseen. Using the new jumbo roll, TechniPac discovered that only three zipper change-overs were required in 24 hr, compared to 12/day using the smaller rolls. Changing out the spools took 10-15 min each time. As a result, the converter cut up to 3 hrs of downtime a day per machine.

The monster spool reduces changeover by more than 70 percent. The efficiency gain goes right to TechniPac's bottom line.

Currently running two Inno-Lok machines, TechniPac's savings continue to mount. "The marketplace is going to get more crowded," LaBonte admits, "but we now have an added ability to remain competitive." He explains that Inno-Lok film continues to grow in popularity with TechniPac clients.

"If they apply their own zipper, they need experts in-house. In addition to worrying about line speeds and the quality of the packaging, they're also asking their people to attach the zipper, to change spools, deal with off-line scrap, deal with set up and tear down," he says.

TechniPac works closely with its customers during the transition. "The only thing required is up-front training in handling the rolls, which isn't a big deal. We provide full support," said LaBonte.

As a result, pre-zippered film stock has become "the way to do reclosable" for many of TechniPac's major branded and private-label packaging customers. The pre-zippered film fits a wide range of product applications, including shredded cheese, candy, snack foods, nuts, marshmallows and frozen poultry.

TechniPac is currently working on several new applications, including press-to-close capabilities, slider zippers and a new feature for large-format standup pouches: a reclosable pour spout to ease dispensing of pet foods, laundry products and more.

LaBonte wants the marketplace to think of TechniPac as the company packagers can turn to for solutions "outside the pouch." "We want them to say, 'Hey, if they can think of this, what else can they come up with?'" he says.

One thing is certain. Whatever TechniPac comes up with, it's bound to offer big possibilities for the reclosable-packaging market.

More information from:

FRESH-LOCK Zipper, Presto Products Co., 920/738-1344, 800/265-0750, www.fresh-lock.com Enter 210 · Talon Manufacturing, Inc., 952/471-9379, e-mail: info@talonmfg.com Enter 211 · Hudson Sharp Machine Co., 920/494-4571, www.hudsonsharp.com Enter 212 · Totani Corp., 81/75-933-7610, fax: 81/75-933-7602 Enter 213 · Pactiv Corp., 888/828-2850, www.pactiv.com Enter 214.