Dow Performance Packaging, a business unit of The Dow Chemical Company,
recently announced new technical capabilities for its state-of-the-art Film
Application Development Center (FADC), which advances the innovation and
development of new packaging applications worldwide. Dow continues to bolster
the vast capabilities of the FADC with the recent addition of state-of-the-art
equipment, including Hayssen vertical form fill and seal (VFFS) unit, a
Multivac Thermoforming Line, a 5-Layer LabTech Coextrusion Blown Film Line and
patent-pending testing capabilities such as At-Line Coefficient of Friction
(COF) testing machine.
Since opening in 2009, more than 1,500 projects have been completed and more
than 100 customers have conducted trials at the
facility.
Recognized across the packaging value chain for providing the know-how,
technology and resources needed to drive innovation, the expanded FADC is the
most recent example of Dow’s commitment to helping develop the packaging of
tomorrow. The FADC offers Dow customers the innovative tools and technology to
help create new packaging applications, as well as the unique ability to work
directly with Dow’s knowledgeable and experienced team of experts to test films
and applications in real-time.
“Our goal
is to be the go-to innovator for our customers and partners in the packaging
industry – a collaborator and trendsetter that can offer the tools and answers
to make better packaging,” says Glenn Wright, vusiness VP, Dow
Performance Packaging. “The FADC facility exemplifies this philosophy – with
the latest in testing and technology to help our customers develop new
packaging solutions, without shouldering the burden of taking in-use production
facilities offline for development purposes.”
The FADC has fabrication capabilities in blown and cast film, extrusion
coating, nonwovens and tape. In addition, rigid applications such as sheet
extrusion, injection molding and blow molding are located at the facility as
well as state of the art application testing, analytical and polymer
characterization capabilities.
The
range of options and technical offerings at FADC serves a wide variety of
customer needs, including:
--State-of-the-art
Hosokawa Alpine 7-layer co-extrusion blown film line that allows on-site
development and testing of a wide variety of films;
--Same-day,
sample quantities of commercial grade films suitable for printing, laminating
and prototype packaging development;
--A
new 5-layer Labtech lab scale blown film line ideal for screening a large
number of samples for testing;
--A
Sensory Science Lab that provides accurate feedback on taste, odor, touch and
smell properties to validate any new package;
--Hayssen-Ultima
Vertical Form Fill Seal machine and Weighpack CombiScale feeding system that
provides fabrication testing of films made at the FADC in actual application
use;
--Multivac
R530 Thermoformer machine for testing both rigid and flexible thermoformed
packaging constructions; and
--Patent-pending
coefficient of friction (COF) tester technology that offers customers the tools
and understanding to design films that will best serve them in real-world
environments.
“The latest equipment in Dow’s FADC offers customers the ability to test their
ideas on commercial-scale equipment in a setting conducive to creativity and
innovation,” says Greg Bunker, North marketing manager, Flexible
Food and Specialty Packaging at Dow. “The FADC offers a variety of excellent
tools, materials, and an experienced team on hand ready to assist customers
with their most innovative concepts, without having to ask their production
staff for time on their equipment.”
The
FADC is also fully linked to Dow’s 10 Packaging Centers of Excellence around
the world.
The
Dow Chemical Company
(281) 966-4239
www.dowplastics.com
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