India's SRF Ltd. to add BOBST Expert K5 with AluBond for high-barrier BOPP film

SRF Ltd., based in India, has invested in a 3,650-mm BOBST EXPERT K5 vacuum metallizer to further increase its production of high-barrier BOPP films to meet the demand in the market both in India and internationally. The machine, equipped with the unique AluBond® process, will be installed at SRF’s Indore plant in early 2022.

The SRF Packaging Films Business offers a range of innovative solutions in BOPP and BOPET films for both food and non-food packaging applications. The division follows a ‘Triple E’ approach to sustainability, comprising of three pillars of Environment, Engagement and Enterprise. Each of these pillars cover material issues important to SRF’s sustainability targets and goals.

BOBST AluBond® initially developed to increase metal adhesion and dyne level on the most commonly used film substrates is now becoming the standard metallizing process for polyolefin-based PP substrates due to its ability to increase barrier levels on these film types.

AluBond® can achieve metal adhesion values of up to 5N/15mm and has been shown to significantly increase dyne-level retention, which translates to improved ink wettability during printing and may eliminate the need for additional surface treatment,  i.e. corona refresh prior to converting.

When AluBond® is applied to BOPP and CPP films it also provides enhancement of oxygen (OTR) and water-vapor (WVTR) barrier performance. AluBond® is also starting to be used in the production of high-barrier metallized CPP and BOPP mono-material laminates in response to the market’s demands for sustainable packaging films.

“Due to growth in the BOPP market, we needed to expand our capacity. We have invested in a second BOPP line in India and needed a metallizer to help meet our customers’ requirements. The AluBond® process will allow us to produce high quality BOPP film with high adhesion and high barrier levels to meet the demands in the market both in India and Overseas. We look forward to our new EXPERT K5 being installed early next year," says Prashant Mehra, president/CEO, and Hari K Singh, exec vp-Global Operations & Projects Vice President, at SRF Ltd.