What flashes past your mind when you hear the word ‘Pitcher’? Perhaps a glass jar full of your favourite cola drink.
Imagine an aesthetically enhanced flexible pitcher that can pour out and can thereafter be locked tightly with equal ease, to keep the product safe for deferred use.
Uflex Limited has engineered an Easy-Scoop-Lock-Tight Pitcher Bag that effortlessly dispenses controlled portions of the product packed inside. The four panel bag comes with a reinforced handle on the side gusset spelling tremendous ease of carrying.
Additionally the block bottom allows the bag to stand up without taking any support thereby enhancing the brand visibility. The pitcher bag has become a rage in the industry with more and more multinational food brands opting for it both in India as well as overseas. This bag is much in demand for packaging granular products such as rice, sugar, pulses, and pet foods.
Speaking about the Easy-Scoop-Lock-Tight Pitcher Bag, Uflex Limited packaging and new product development joint president Jeevaraj Pillai said: "These are medium to large sized bags capable of accommodating 3kg, 5kg and 10kg of the product. We have provided a laser perforated easy to tear opening on the side at the top of the bag which peels open to form a perfectly versatile pitcher mouth-opening that is re-closable by a special press to close (PTC) zipper.
"The end-user can easily pour / scoop out desired quantity of the product by holding the bag with the reinforced side gusset handle without actually inserting hands inside the pack.
"This makes the handling more convenient and hygienic. Further owing to the dispensing mouth that forms in the pouch there is no apprehension of any spillage while poring out unlike other pillow and conventional pouches. The side opening can be tightly closed by pressing the PTC zipper keeping the product safe for deferred use throughout the prescribed shelf life of the product.
"It is particularly important to note that the reinforced handle on the side gusset is an integral and contiguous part of the pouch itself unlike other bags where the side handle is assembled / pasted offline on a separate machine. This increases the manufacturing process efficiency.
"The sophisticated imported customised pouch making machine allows us to patch the reinforced handle online giving it the required sturdiness to sustain the load. Unlike a D-punched top handle or the one made of tasselled thread when someone picks up this Easy-Scoop-Lock-Tight Pitcher Bag with the side handle, the centre of gravity of the load shifts further down reducing the actual effort required to carry the heavy bag during shopping.
"The Easy-Scoop-Lock-Tight Pitcher Bag is made of multi-layered laminate depending upon the barrier properties required by the product to be packed inside. The one that is shown in the picture here is a two ply polyester / polyethylene structure, but like I said the structure of any pack is engineered based on various parameters like mechanical strength, barrier properties and aesthetics among others.
"The four panel bag with aesthetically enhanced features and strong shelf appeal offers significantly high branding prospects at the point-of-sale and on the kitchen shelf at home. Since it allows scoop / pouring and locking with the help of a re-closable PTC zipper there is actually no need to decant the product in another container as the bag protects the product throughout the prescribed shelf life. Just scoop / pour out the required quantity much like you would pour your cola drink into the glass and press to tightly close the bag.
"We fabricate these bags on a sophisticated, imported, capital-intensive, customized pouch making machine that works on a patented technology which automatically poses an entry barrier for other converting players to venture in. The special PTC zipper that we use for this packaging is again specialised and patented.
"The manufacturing process for such bags requires less numbers of sealers/ sealing tools equating to lesser energy consumption. All components used for manufacturing the Easy-Scoop-Lock-Tight Pitcher Bag are food-grade and are FDA approved. Furthermore, we use Toluene and MEK free Inks upholding our commitment towards environment, safety and wellbeing of all stakeholders across the value chain.
"This bag can be customised for other product types as well, and we are already getting encouraging response from various FMCG brands both in India as well as overseas."
Talking about the new product, Uflex Limited chairman and managing director Ashok Chaturvedi said: "The Easy-Scoop-Lock-Tight Pitcher Bag is a classic example of process improvement and incrementally progressive efficient converting. We have invested in sophisticated pouch making machinery getting a clear edge above others in manufacturing the Easy-Scoop-Lock-Tight Pitcher Bag that adds to the delight of the end users thereby adding immense value to the businesses of our esteemed clients.
"Further value engineering is also underway to add more ergonomically enhanced functionalities and brand protection solutions in the bags to make them yet more versatile."