Clip packaging has established itself as a versatile and efficient packaging solution that goes far beyond traditional sausage production. Poly-clip System demonstrates how this technology is continuously gaining importance and opening up new fields of application. Among other things, the company has developed a sustainable overall system for packaging fruit and vegetables in industrially compostable nets.
In a time when efficiency and economic viability are becoming increasingly important in food production, clip packaging offers an innovative solution. It enables reduced material usage while ensuring high product safety. By filling and sealing casings and pouch bags directly in one step, process times are shortened and production sequences are simplified. This leads to reduced packaging volume and material consumption.
In classic meat processing, clipping remains an indispensable component. Poly-clip System has continuously developed its clipping machines to cover all performance levels. The automatic double clipper FCA 160 XL is an example of the machines' adaptability to large production volumes and heavier products. With the four-clip solution, even heavy, hanging sausages weighing up to 16 kilograms can be safely packaged.
Growth in convenience and snacks
Clip packaging is also gaining importance in other sectors. The Clip-Pak packaging system comprises applications where products are filled into tubular packaging and sealed at both ends. This method is suitable for a variety of fill materials, from meat products and cheese to convenience products and pet food. The TSCA 120 sealing/clipping machine combines sealing and clipping in a fully automated process and is ideal for the production of snack products.
„The diversity of our solutions clearly demonstrates how flexibly clip technology can be adapted to different requirements. Clipping has evolved far beyond its original area of application and opens up entirely new possibilities for our customers,“ says Dr Alexander Giehl, CEO of Poly-clip System.
Sustainable solutions for fruit and vegetables
In the fresh produce sector, the Net-Pak net packaging solution is opening up new possibilities for packaging fruit and vegetables. In collaboration with the Spanish machine manufacturer Damarc Agrobotic, Poly-clip has developed the Somi net clipper. The machine processes up to 25 clipped net bags per minute. The system relies on industrially compostable organic nets and organic labels, as well as biodegradable clips, which significantly reduces material usage and energy requirements compared to film-based alternatives. As the net clipper is of the standard common size, it can be integrated into existing production lines without major modifications.
„Currently, nets used for packaging fruit, vegetables, or onions are sealed with small metal clips. In the case of sausage in a tube packaging, the metal clip has a function because the product is heated, cooked, or smoked. However, metal is not necessary for nets. We are therefore using biodegradable clips, as well as industrially compostable nets and labels.“
Alexander Giehl, CEO Poly-clip System
The company has significantly expanded its R&D department over the last two years. „We are currently investing heavily in the development of new machines and products. And we are doing this in Germany – the entire development team is based in Frankfurt, where the company was founded 100 years ago.“
Sustainability as an economic factor
Rising energy prices and increasing cost pressure are making sustainability a key economic factor in the packaging industry. Poly-clip is therefore also demonstrating how ecological and economic goals can be successfully combined through modern packaging solutions and machines. A central approach lies in the „clipping“ packaging principle itself. Products in clipped packaging are sealed directly after filling, without additional processing steps. This saves material, reduces energy consumption, and shortens process chains. Compared to traditional film or tray solutions, the proportion of packaging is significantly reduced, while at the same time, transport and storage processes become more efficient. An environmental study by the Circular Analytics institute proves that clipped packaging reduces CO2 emissions by up to 90 percent compared to conventional packaging such as cans, cartridges, or thermoformed trays. They also require only one to two percent of packaging material, while alternatives can reach up to 35 percent.
Innovations in Machine Technology
On the machine side, Poly-clip is driving the development of energy-efficient systems. The Green Series, for example, stands for energy-efficient systems with high performance: The automatic double clipper ICA 4.3, for instance, combines increased performance with reduced energy consumption, which is achieved through optimised torque and a harmonised drive architecture. Developments like these are part of the company's philosophy, which sees sustainability as an integral part of technology and process design.
International Expansion and New Markets
Poly-clip System is also expanding internationally and opening up new markets, such as the ice cream sector in India. Ice cream is often consumed sliced there, which opens up new packaging possibilities for clip packaging. Alexander Giehl: „We are currently demonstrating how, as a German company, we are securing jobs in Germany through innovative packaging technologies with ice cream in India, while simultaneously serving new markets.“
