Rollstock Film: Buyer’s Guide
“Being aware of the available rollstock film options will make the road to finding suitable supplies easier”
Purchasing the correct rollstock film for your business should feel easy. With numerous variations in film types, materials, thicknesses, and film size specifications, film can be a lot to navigate. This guide will make understanding different film types simple.
The Importance of Knowing Your Film Options
Ordered in full rolls, rollstock film is generally more expensive than, for example, chamber vacuum pouches. This fully automatic machinery, designed to produce large quantities, requires lengthy rolls to function.
Because of thermoformed packaging film’s more expensive nature, it’s important to be aware of the most suitable, available options. Understanding how to use youre commercial food packaging machine to the fullest should feel easy. Additionally, awareness of the product materials allows you to learn and judge the best quality product for your business.
Roll Stock Film Types
Forming Films (VacForm)
Forming film is at the infeed end of the thermoforming packaging machine. Forming film enters re-shaping pockets, formed by heat and air compression. These pockets then allow for product placement.
Sometimes referred to as flexible packaging films, forming films are actually a separate product.
Non-Forming Films (VacSeal)
Non-forming film does not undergo a re-shaping process. Instead, it lays on top and is vacuum sealed onto packaging. This occurs at the sealing station of the rollstock thermoforming machine.
Easy-To-Peel Film (VacPeel)
An alternative to non-forming films are easy-to-peel films. Designed for easy removal, they peel off the bottom forming-film layer. A requirement for easy-to-peel film is a peeling layer divider set. This special divider set allows the seal plate to seal across corners as it lowers.
Custom Printed Rollstock Films
Cutsom printed film packaging can upgrade the appearance of any product. High quality designs signify a high quality business.
At JVR, we have an in-house designer who can help create custom film to suit your business. This includes full-color CMYK, PMS spot coloring, and custom prints with registered or random repeats. Learn about the differences between registered and random repeat film here.
These are our base options, but we are not limited to these.
Looking to upgrade your roll stock film packaging appearance? JVR Industries has just the solution as we provide custom printing services with superior print quality. Get a partial or full image printed perfectly every time over the high-gloss VacSeal or VacPeel films.
Options include full-color CMYK, spot coloring PMS, and registered or random repeat custom prints (learn the difference here). Additionally, we have an in-house prepress technician with the skillset to create personalized designs and labels.
The Manufacturing of JVR’s Roll Stock Film Line
JVR Industries has been working in the commercial vacuum packaging industry for 50+ years. We dedicate our time and resources to learning the best packaging solutions and repair services. We’ve refined our packaging products, producing form fill and seal supplies customized to the needs of the customer.
Characteristics for Optimal Shelf Life
Our rollstock films are manufactured with the perfect 9-layer, co-extruded composition to meet all your food packaging priorities.
Co-extrusion involves pressing multiple layers together to form a laminar structure. This produces all the features necessary for superior puncture resistance and barrier properties to maximize shelf life.
Key characteristics to optimize your packaging experience are as follows:
Superior oxygen and moisture barriers
Excellent sealing properties
Fewer blowouts with our proprietary formula
Film remains flexible even during deep-freeze temperatures because of the “Soft Feel” property.
This is a key benefit for commercial frozen food packaging.
An Overview of the Material Used to Manufacture Film
EVOH (ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer) is a main component in all our high barrier films. This design works with almost any packaging application, and provides great extended shelf life. Medium barrier films are a considerably less expensive packaging material option.
Medium barrier films are adequate for those not concerned about shelf life, like frozen food manufacturers. This is because they do not contain the extra protective EVOH layer.
Forming Films: Typically constructed of Polypropylene, EVOH (high barrier), and polyethylene.
Non-Forming Films: Typically constructed of Nylon, EVOH (high barrier), and polyethylene.
Custom Printed Film: Typically constructed of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and polyethylene.
Is Rollstock Film Sous Vide Safe?
All thermoforming films provided by JVR Industries comply with FDA guidelines, and they contain no BPA or PFAS chemicals. Our thermoforming plastic film uses sous vide safe materials, same as our vacuum pouches (VacPouch). This ensures foods are safe from harmful plastics.
Rollstock Film Sizes
At the time of purchase, the manufacturer should provide you with film specs describing film sizes and tolerances.
The roll web and diameter are the essential dimensions for selecting the film size. The film spec displays the web specified to match the web width of your machine with a range of +/- 1 or 2 mm.
Chances are, you have already determined the correct film size for your rollstock packaging machine. JVR Industries provides standard and custom web widths to fit these requirements. We highly recommend requesting a test roll to ensure compatibility upon transitioning to a new film supplier.
How To Choose Roll Stock Film Thickness
Forming Films
We carry 4-9 mil forming film as JVR Industries focuses more on flexible packaging applications. However, JVR can also supply customers with semi-rigid and rigid film structures. When choosing the thickness that fits your needs consider the following factors:
1) Forming film thins as it forms into pockets. The deeper the forming inserts, the higher the thickness of the film to ensure package integrity.
2) If you package bone-in meat or frozen food, then a thicker film will provide higher puncture resistance. Alternatively, consider our VacGuard (boneguard materials) in conjunction with thinner gauge films to reach maximum puncture resistance cost-effectively.
3) If high product quality is a priority, thicker film provides that premium look and feel.
If the quality of food packaging appearance is a priority, thicker film provides a premium look and feel.
Non-Forming And Easy-To-Peel Films
Non-forming film is available at JVR Industries and we stock a variety of widths in 3 mil gauge. Since this film type does not go through a forming process, a thickness of 3 mil will suffice for most applications. 4 or 5 mil may be appropriate for higher puncture resistance or to provide a high-quality appearance.
Questions?
Feel free to email us anytime or call us during our business hours with any questions that may arise! We look forward to helping you in any way we can that will make the vacuum packaging journey easier!