Constantia Flexibles has taken a major step forward in sustainable packaging innovation with the enhancement of its PPCover technology — a mono-material polypropylene (PP) lidding solution designed to meet recyclability standards without compromising sealing performance.
While PPCover offers clear environmental advantages, integrating it into existing sealing machines posed a technical challenge: maintaining consistent, high-quality seals across various lid materials without introducing inefficiencies or material deformation.
Traditionally, sealing systems heat the entire sealing head, which can lead to issues such as curling due to excessive heat exposure. Although this problem is not widespread, it highlights the need for a more precise and adaptable heating approach to ensure reliability and long-term compatibility.
To address this, Constantia Flexibles partnered with watttron, a technology company specializing in advanced heating solutions. Together, they developed a ring-heating system that applies heat exclusively to the outer sealing ring — precisely where it’s needed. This targeted heating method minimizes thermal stress on the lid material, enhances sealing uniformity, and significantly improves energy efficiency.
The system’s dynamic control enables rapid heating and cooling — typically at 10–20°C per second — and maintains temperature with exceptional accuracy (±1°C). This precision not only ensures consistent sealing quality but also allows the system to be safely powered down during production pauses, achieving energy savings of up to 50% compared to conventional sealing methods.
Lab-scale tests with PPCover have validated the technology’s performance, demonstrating excellent peel behavior, high internal pressure resistance, and reliable sealing results for both PP and aluminum lids — all achieved using the same equipment.
Marcus Stein, CEO of watttron, explained:
“We developed our ring-heating technology to deliver precise energy exactly where it’s needed — no more, no less. That precision improves quality, flexibility, and contributes significantly to energy efficiency in packaging lines.”
This universal sealing technology enables manufacturers to use a single machine setup for different lid materials, reducing equipment complexity and simplifying production processes. Furthermore, the system integrates with 100% inspection capabilities, allowing real-time detection and removal of defective cups to maintain consistent product quality.
Claus Dworschak, Market Product Manager for Die-Cut Lids at Constantia Flexibles, added:
“This is a strong one-fits-all solution for dairy lidding. It simplifies operations and enhances quality — exactly what our customers need.”
With this innovation, Constantia Flexibles and watttron are redefining the standards for sustainable, efficient, and adaptable packaging production, demonstrating how precision technology can drive both environmental and operational performance.
