UFLEX LAUNCHES ESL ASEPTIC FLEXI-POUCH MACHINEFOR PACKAGING MILK

Milk is aperishable product and extremely susceptible to infestation by bacteria and other micro-organisms. Milk brands sold in pouches across India have for long been fretting about the restricted shelf life; time elapsed during the supply& distribution; optimum pasteurization; necessity of cold chain to be integrated within the overall supply chain and so on so forth. To alleviate all these problems in one go, Uflex has manufactured and launched ESL Aseptic Flexi-Pouch Machine for packaging milk.Milk sterilised and packed in this machine can be kept in normal ambient conditions at the point of sale for as long as 90 days.

This machine packs milk in a pouch that is formed of afive to seven layer extruded/blownpolyethylene film with strong barrier properties including a black layer for U.V. protection. As a fully integrated packaging solution provider, Uflex offers the especiallyextruded/blown film too.

The machine has an inbuilt automatic CIP and SIP system and can pack milk in SKUs ranging from 70ml to 1500ml volumetrically. The filling speed for these variants ranges between 5000 to 2500 packsper head per hour. On aspeciallyprogrammedB&R and Siemens PLC fitted to this machine, altering the desired volumes to be filled can be actuated at the press of a button spelling utmost convenience for the milk companies.

The machine has been manufactured with a special Isolation Valve (Sterile Interlock) that does not allow the milk to flow from the UHT to the filling machine in case sterilisation of milkin UHT is incomplete or does not conform to the set specifications. This spares unnecessary invocation of intermediate CIP and SIP of the filling machineavoiding wastage of time. Gravity Filling System with Precise Tank Level Regulation has beenprovided in this machine.ESL Flexi-Pouch Machine can be customised with Single, Two or Three Headfilling arrangement as per the requirement of the client. This versatile machine is also capable of simultaneously packaging differential volumes on various heads. The ESL Aseptic Flexi-Pouch Machine is fitted with Impulse Sealing system especially imported from USA that ensures a perfect leak proof seal.

A typical Two Head ESL Aseptic Flexi-Pouch Machine requires 415 V AC, three phase, 50Hz supply.The power consumption at peak load is 20KVA. This machine requires steam at a pressure of 4 Bar with 0.5 kg/hr consumption during production and 70 kg/hr during sterilisation.

Launching the machine Mr. Ajay Tandon, President & CEO, Engineering Business, Uflex Limited said, “It wasa challenge to design and manufacture a machine for extendingshelf life of a product as perishable as milk. After meticulous R&D of about18 months, the Engineering Businessat Uflex hasdesigned and brought out this machine which has been put under commercial run and validation at one of the largest milk packers in India.We are the only company in Indiato manufacturethis machinewhich easily competes in quality with any European machine of this kind.The end-to-end system comprising extruded/blownmulti-layered specialty film and the ESL Aseptic Flexi-Pouch Machine offers an optimised packaging solution for milkin flexible packaging pouches. This machine can also be customised for packaging other beverages too.”

Expressing delight at the launch of the newmachine, Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Chairman & Managing Director, Uflex Limited said, “I am glad to present ESL Aseptic Flexi-Pouch Machine to the Indian Milk Industry. Roughly 145-150 million tons of milk is produced by India every year, out of which several million tons get spoiled owing to inefficient packaging. In such a scenario, an overall system to extend the shelf life of milk without disturbing the retail coordinates and further to be able to ensure availability even in the remotest of the areas without having to spend towards cold chain is a real shot in the arm for milk brands and retailers.This will go a long way in reducing spoilage and wastage of milk.Uflex’sESL Aseptic Flexi-Pouch Machine is a promising product manufactured in our great country and I dedicate it to Government’s flagship scheme of ‘Make in India’ that my organisation supports and contributes to wholeheartedly.”