Costs, efficiency and security of supply are key issues in the packaging industry. Oldenburg-based machine builder Sealpac addresses these challenges with its own approach: it is not the pure purchase price of a packaging machine that determines economic success, but the actual cost per pack over the entire service life of the system.
Rising energy prices, scarce resources, growing competitive pressure and new regulatory requirements such as the EU PPWR directive are changing the framework conditions for manufacturers. Sealpac is therefore focusing on the factors that determine efficiency and competitiveness in daily production.
The food industry is undergoing dynamic change. While traditional segments such as red meat are stabilising at a lower level, areas such as white meat, convenience products and snacks are developing positively. At the same time, demands on manufacturers are increasing. Shorter product cycles, smaller batch sizes, more frequent format changes and new sustainable packaging concepts are shaping the market.
An additional influence is the upcoming EU Packaging Regulation PPWR. It increases the pressure to integrate material consumption, recyclability and process efficiency more closely. Packaging machinery today therefore has to achieve significantly more than pure automation. What is needed are flexible systems that can reliably and economically handle different products, materials and production requirements.
Maximum efficiency during ongoing operations
Commercial viability means above all maximum availability. Every unplanned downtime, every unnecessary consumption of material and every inefficient process phase has a direct impact on the cost per pack. That is why Sealpac does not view packaging systems in isolation, but rather as an overall solution comprising technology, process reliability, energy efficiency and ease of operation. In doing so, the machine builder concentrates on its core competencies in the areas of traysealers and thermoformers.
With the new F-series, Sealpac is setting a new benchmark for uptime and process reliability in the thermoforming sector. The development arose from a fundamental analysis of modern production requirements. Rather than merely evolving existing systems, central processes were re-evaluated. The result is a machine platform consistently designed for stable processes and minimal downtime. Intelligent automated functions, known as packing assistants, support uptime and process reliability at many levels. Relevant machine parameters are continuously monitored, enabling predictive maintenance.
Another building block is the „Plug & Pack“ approach instead of „Set & Adjust“. Behind this is an innovative tool-change system that allows the F-series tools to be changed quickly, ergonomically, and without complex adjustment processes. At the same time, an intelligent control system ensures that the machine always operates at the optimum ratio between performance and energy consumption.
Traysealer solutions with a focus on efficiency
In the traysealer sector too, Sealpac relies on the Amax series to provide solutions specifically designed to reduce the „total cost per pack“. Short changeover times, high availability and efficient material usage were the main focuses during the development of the Amax machine series. Full compatibility with existing tools from the A series is of particular relevance. In production environments featuring machines from both generations, tools can be swapped flexibly between the systems. This increases reliability, ensures future-proofing and simplifies production planning.
Another key focus is energy efficiency. The system's compressed air consumption has been reduced by more than 90 percent compared to the predecessor series. Energy-efficient motors and intelligent control concepts continuously adjust the energy demand to the actual production volumes. As a result, the machine always operates within its most efficient operating range. When processing new packaging solutions and materials that incorporate the regulatory requirements of the PPWR, the systems ensure high process reliability even in demanding applications, such as with mono-materials. Particularly in the European market, where different materials are used in parallel, this flexibility is becoming increasingly important.
With PackingPanda, the mechanical engineering company combines industrial packaging technology with reusable concepts. The solution is aimed in particular at the out-of-home catering sector, where companies are increasingly facing challenges such as a shortage of skilled workers, rising quality requirements and the need for standardised processes. Materials such as stainless steel, porcelain, glass or melamine can be sealed under a modified atmosphere or using the skin-packaging process. This creates new opportunities for central production concepts. The approach was developed in conjunction with kitchen and packaging experts and offers a practical solution that can be scaled from semi-automatic applications using the M-Flex traysealer to fully automatic lines with systems from the Amax series.
Long-term partnership as a success factor
Alongside technical solutions, long-term development also plays an important role for the owner-managed company. Integrating the next generation into the corporate structure at an early stage creates perspective and strengthens reliability towards customers. Particularly when investing in packaging technology that is used over many years, long-term partnerships are becoming increasingly important. Customers need not only high-performing machines, but a partner who develops technologies further, ensures service and masters future challenges together with them. The central message is therefore: what matters is not the machine alone, but the result in ongoing operation. After all, in the end it is not the pure machine price that determines the economic viability of an investment, but the cost per package.
packaging journal 4/2026
This article was published in packaging journal 4/2026 (September).
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