Consumables

Dow and Petroplastvinora Introduce VISIQUE Stretch Sleeve Label

Tuesday 23. April 2013 - Innovative new stretch sleeve label fits contoured containers like a second skin, looks great on the store shelf

Dow Europe GmbH (“Dow”) and PetroplastVinora AG announce the introduction of the VISIQUE stretch sleeve label, an exciting and innovative solution that addresses many needs of brand owners who label highly contoured bottles and containers. Combining exceptional mechanical and optical properties, VISIQUE stretch sleeve labels fit like a second skin and sport a high gloss finish for great shelf appeal.
“We are excited to present the VISIQUE stretch sleeve label, together with PetroplastVinora”, said Karin Katzer, Marketing Manager, Labels, Films & Adhesives, Dow Performance Packaging. “This novel high performance stretch sleeve solution is the fruit of our knowhow in designing innovative and distinct polyethylene resins and PetroplastVinora’s exceptional process experience and capabilities for blown film extrusion, printing and sleeve manufacturing”. VISIQUE integrates a blown extrusion film, achieved without loss of machinability. Trials have demonstrated exceptional processability, help enabling the films to retain their stiffness while staying soft and offering a snug fit around the containers.
The VISIQUE stretch sleeve label integrates ELITE Advanced Technology (AT) Resins from Dow, a product that offers excellent processing stability and consistency. The solution helps support a range of high performance properties:
Excellent elastic recovery – the film can expand up to 55-60% for easier handling, while elastic recovery of around 95% means the film shrinks back into the recesses of the container for a tight fit, normally without sagging.
Great machinability – the film is easy to process and there is no need for a heat tunnel, reducing manufacturing cost and decreasing energy consumption. The film offers good holding strength to facilitate wrapping.
Great mechanical properties – it can be possible to produce thinner blown films while maintaining both their toughness and stiffness. The films have a very high resistance to impact and tear.
Remarkable optical properties – The high performance of ELITE Enhanced Polyethylene Resins offer opportunities that can provide strong support to brand identity. Offering a very low level of defects, both transparent and color-printed labels are possible, and the high gloss look and tight fit deliver excellent shelf appeal. The larger sized labels help enable brand owners to provide their customers with more information.
“This state of the art technology helps to answer the call from the marketplace for thinner films that maintain their mechanical properties and optical appeal,” said Kurt Brunner, Technology Leader Sustainable Packaging, Dow Europe GmbH.
Initially developed for the beverage market, the VISIQUE stretch sleeve label can be adapted for a wide range of applications. “Stretch sleeve labels are a strongly growing market segment and we see significant potential for expanding their use in the future into a broad range of applications, including personal, household and healthcare products. Because we listen carefully to our customers, we have been able to identify key performance indicators and together with Dow have developed a new label that can be used in a wide variety of applications,” says Thomas Galatik, Project Manager TS&D, PetroplastVinora AG.
Dow and PetroplastVinora at the AWA International Sleeve Label Conference and Exhibition 2013
Dow Performance Packaging, a business unit of the Performance Plastics Division within The Dow Chemical Company, and PetroplastVinora AG are unveiling the VISIQUE technology at the AWA International Sleeve Label Conference and Exhibition which takes place on 18-19 April at the Park Plaza Hotel in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Kurt Brunner and Thomas Galatik will present their combined know-how in designing and manufacturing the new high performance stretch sleeve labels during the materials session on 18 April.