http://www.nonwovens-industry.com/articles/2011/12/hygiene-components
There continue to be advancements made when it comes to all areas related to printing, and this is the case with baby diapers, adult incontinence and feminine hygiene absorbent products.
“Bright and decorative colors are pleasing and stimulate positive consumer responses,” explains Keith Brechtelsbauer,vice president and general manager, Specialty Films Division, Berry Plastics Corp. He cites the recent success U by Kotex is having with teens and the introduction of new printed baby diapers with dots, bears and patterns that are pleasing to families. “Hygiene is becoming fashionable and products are being designed that reflect this,” he says.
Brechtelsbauer also emphasizes a continued trend towards work in sonic bonding of hygiene components to improve the form, fit and function of various materials. “Sonic bonding requires new film developments to ensure that nonwoven structures are bonded adequately to the film portion of the component. For example, Berry Plastics has partnered with Hermann Ultrasonics to marry both companies’ technologies together for optimum performance,” he adds.
Increasing diaper backsheet film softness at lower basis weights, while simultaneously maintaining converting speeds is an ongoing trend, Brechtelsbauer explains. “New resin developments hold some excellent promise for meeting value and cost targets going forward.”
As consumers look to extend usage cycles and minimize costs, and as the economy in the US has impacted hygienic article sales, this has had an impact on Berry’s research and development. “We at Berry continue to develop ‘high value polypropylene’ co-extrusions as a way to reduce basis weight while maintaining key properties around hole detection and winding integrity. This is a highly capital intensive development,” Brechtelsbauer says. Berry management recently approved $2 million in co-extrusion equipment upgrades to address this need.
Berry Plastics family of films called Touch of Silk (TOS) has been a top development priority. “This technology deploys new resin, embossing and extrusion technologies that impart tactile improvements while also allowing for the printing of graphics and the incorporation of nonwoven laminations. This Berry Plastics TOS technology is being applied in both article and packaging applications for personal care and medical fabrics,” says Brechtelsbauer.
Berry Plastics’ commitment to the printing and packaging of personal care products is unwavering. “We recently installed a new state-of-the-art, 10-color ‘quick change’ press in our McAlester, OK, site coupled with a new investment in two-sided printing. We are also adding additional bag converting capabilities to round out our dedicated investments in hygiene.”