Payne X-Feed Applicator ‘HIGHLY COMMENDED’ At 2006 UK Packaging Awards

ISSUE DATE: 3 November 2006

Leading tear tape manufacturer Payne has been highly commended by the judges at the prestigious UK Packaging Awards this September, where its ground-breaking new applicator had been shortlisted for the Innovative Development award.

Normally, tear tape is applied in the direction of the web movement, but there are applications where the packaging machinery in use at a factory requires that the tape is applied across the width of the web. Previously it has not been technically possible to incorporate tear tape within these packaging styles.

To resolve the technical problem’s presented by the needs of cross fed applications, Payne’s Technical Sales and Design Engineering teams firstly developed a prototype cross feed applicator.  This ensured a number of technical challenges were met to enable effective application across the direction of the packaging line, including tension control to guarantee consistent pick-up and release of the tear tape

The new X-Feed machine received recognition at the UK Packaging Awards because this ability to apply pressure sensitive tape into cross fed applications can now bring all the advantages of easy opening, along with branding and communications opportunities, to new packaging styles. This major technical breakthrough was achieved as part of a new project with one of the world’s largest food groups, but Payne says that the new technology will benefit a variety of products for which conventional applicators are unsuitable.

The potential to incorporate tear tape into products that require a cross feed applicator is substantial and Payne believes that tear tape will now be taken up by a wide number of existing and potential customers who previously felt that the option was not available to them.

“Being highly commended by the UK Packaging Awards underlines the potential of this exciting new development, and we are delighted to be recognised as a creative force in the packaging industry,” comments Simon Wildash, Head of Marketing at Payne.