Cyclero is basically a logical optimization of conventional stand-up pouches without the sealed seams on the sides that determine the appearance and haptic properties of the packaging to a crucial extent. The aim with Cyclero is to maintain the advantages of flexible packaging over conventional can, jar and board packaging.

This new flexible packaging solution meets consumer’s demands for convenience, gives marketing experts design potential and performs convincingly in the production process on machines supplied by the Optima Group. This gives Cyclero a number of advantages over conventional packaging solutions.

Customized modular solutions
Cyclero is a modular packaging solution which enables several combinations of packaging size, lids, base, shape and cap. Tailor-made packaging solutions, which benefits both filling companies and end-users, can be created.

The base element of the packaging can be round or oval, flexible or rigid, and with or without barrier properties. The body itself is made from a multilayer laminate, which can have a transparent, opaque or metallic finish and can be produced with or without aluminum, depending on the barrier requirements. At the present time, the diameter range is 25 to 100 mm, the height range is 50 to 350 mm and the volume range is 80 to 2 000 ml.

Since the packaging can be gas flushed, product protection can be improved even more. The pressure that builds up due to the natural generation of gas in coffee can be released to some extent via a valve, so that the remaining pressure supports pack stability.

The high flexibility of the Cyclero concept continues with the top section. Screw closures with various diameters, reclosable lids or flexible peel lid solutions with or without overcap are only some of the options. The barrier properties of the top sections can be varied according to the product, with tamper-evident features being possible.

In Cyclero, Huhtamaki combines the company’s skills in different technologies: injection molding, thermoforming and finished by flexible packaging.

Produced on-site
Cyclero starts to show its strengths already in the manufacturing and packaging process. Since the material is supplied in reels, the product packaging company avoids high logistic and storage costs. Thanks to the optimum product content level of Cyclero - perfectly finished for round coffee pads, for example - it is possible to make better use of pallet space with the final product. Twice the weight of coffee pads can, for instance, be loaded on a pallet compared with conventional coffee pouches as a result.

Q-bag, a subsidiary of the Optima Group Consumer Division, built a completely new form, fill, seal (FFS) machine for the Cyclero coffee pad packaging: the SoftCan machine. In combination with an Optima pad production machine and an automatic traypacker, a complete packaging line for coffee pads was created with an output of 60 packs / minute.

Cyclero is produced from a laminate just before it is filled. A section of film with the appropriate dimensions is cut off the reel to produce the body and is shaped into a sleeve on a forming mandrel before being sealed. The base is then cut out of a second reel of material and is sealed to the body ultrasonically. This process was developed together with Herrmann Ultraschalltechnik. The valves are applied in the base infeed section. The coffee pads are stacked at the end of the pad machine and are already gas flushed with nitrogen on the way to the connected SoftCan machine. After this, the rigid, reclosable lid is sealed to the laminate can. A flexible lid can be applied in a similar way to the base as an alternative to this.

Strikingly different
The food industry is particularly interested in new ways to make products stand out at the point of sale. Cyclero creates new design potential – an advantage that marketing experts are glad to exploit. The printability of the laminate is excellent, the flat, consistent shapes and surfaces guarantee impressive legibility, the packaging motif is clear, the high value of the product is emphasized by its external appearance – a premium pack in every respect.

Cyclero can be used for many different applications. They range from isotonic thirst-quenchers and other non-carbonated drinks that are consumed when out and about to snacks, cereals and instant products as well as microwaveable ready meals that can be heated up directly in the Cyclero. Cyclero can be a solution for numerous products, whether they are liquid, pasty, powdery or particulate.