Formats

Flow pack: horizontal wrapping for snacks and bars

Matrix Pack8 September 20266 min read

Flow pack: horizontal wrapping of bars by Matrix Pack

You see flow pack every day, even if you do not know the name: it is how chocolate bars, biscuits and wafers are wrapped. It is a tight film wrap with a characteristic seam on the back. Let us look at how it works, which products it suits and what film is used for it.

In short

Flow pack is horizontal packaging where the product is wrapped in film, a longitudinal seam is made on the back and two end seals, and the film is cut. It is a fast and economical method for uniform solid items: bars, biscuits, chocolate. The film is usually BOPP because it is stiff, clear and holds moisture. You need a flow pack machine and roll film, and it is the printed film that we supply.

What flow pack is

The name comes from flow-pack, meaning continuous-flow packaging. The product is placed on the film, which wraps around it as a tube, then a longitudinal seam is sealed on the back and two end seals on the sides, and the film is cut between them. The result is a neat wrapped pack, also called a pillow pack. It is the most common way to package individual solid items.

How it works

Flow pack is handled by a horizontal form-fill-seal machine. The process is continuous: the film roll unwinds, a former wraps it around the product, the line seals the seams and immediately cuts off the finished unit. It all happens at high speed, and modern lines make more than a hundred packs per minute. That is why flow pack is so popular in mass production: little manual labour and high output.

Which products it suits

Flow pack likes uniform solid items with a predictable shape:

Bars, chocolate, biscuits, wafers, crackers.
Bakery goods and single portions of baked items.
Soap, cosmetic bars, small industrial goods.
Multipacks, when several items are wrapped together.

Loose products, powders and liquids, on the other hand, are not flow packed: for those, stand-up pouches or vertical filling are more convenient.

What film is needed

The workhorse of flow pack is BOPP, oriented polypropylene. It fits well for several reasons at once: it is stiff, so it runs cleanly through the former at high speed; it is clear and glossy, so the product looks good; it holds moisture, which keeps biscuits and snacks crisp; and it seals at a relatively low temperature. When a product needs a higher barrier, a metallized or laminated film is used. Bright print is applied to the film, and it is that print that makes a bar recognisable on the shelf.

Flow pack or a pouch

Briefly on choosing the format. Flow pack is about individual solid items, high speed and a tight wrap. A pouch, for example a doypack, is about loose products, resealing and a strong standing shelf presence. If your product is a bar or a biscuit, it is almost certainly flow pack. If it is nuts, coffee or grain, more likely a pouch. We print and laminate film for flow pack to fit your line, so tell us about the product and the equipment and we will select the material.

Need film for flow pack?

We will select and print film for your product and line. Artwork design is free.

Call us Printed film

Frequently asked questions

What is flow pack?

It is horizontal packaging where the product is wrapped in film, a longitudinal seam is made on the back and two end seals are made, and then the film is cut. The result is a tight wrapped pillow pack, like the one on chocolate bars and biscuits.

What film is used for flow pack?

Most often BOPP, oriented polypropylene. It is stiff, so it runs fast on the line, clear and glossy, holds moisture and seals well. Where needed, a metallized or laminated film is used for a higher barrier.

Which products suit flow pack?

Uniform solid items: bars, biscuits, wafers, chocolate, as well as soap, small goods and multipacks. For loose and liquid products, pouches or vertical filling are more convenient.

Flow pack or a doypack?

Flow pack is a tight wrap for individual solid items at high speed. A doypack is a stand-up pouch for loose products, often with a zip-lock. The choice depends on the product shape and whether resealing is needed.