by N.S.
On the occasion of Interpack 2026, scheduled in Düsseldorf from 7 to 13 May, Universal Pack brings to the exhibition (Hall 16, Stand B42) several solutions for the automatic and flexible production of single-dose packages for the food and pharmaceutical sector, addressing a topic that directly concerns manufacturers: understanding the most effective and flexible solutions to manage different products and formats without penalizing productivity, quality and investment.
Stick pack or sachet: a matter of production engineering
Guiding us through this topic is Nicolò Giovannini, key account manager at Universal Pack, with whom we examined the characteristics of a food single-dose packaging plant. The picture that emerges shows that technology is not required only to package, but also to solve concrete problems with high production reliability. Single-dose packaging is no longer just a format; it becomes a true matter of production engineering.
“In the food sector, depending on the product and the customer’s requirements, single-dose packaging can be developed as either a stick pack or a four-side-seal sachet. The difference can be made, for example, by material consumption. With the same content, a stick pack can use less laminate than a flat sachet, saving up to 20%, depending on the product and format. The reason is linked to the capacity of the pack structure,” explains Nicolò Giovannini.
“In addition, thanks to its narrow shape, the stick pack facilitates dispensing of the contained products and makes it possible to consume them directly from the package. The four-side-seal sachet offers similar solutions, but in the stick pack this function is more immediate, as demonstrated by its increasingly widespread applications in international fast-moving consumer goods.”
A flexible platform that meets market needs
A flexible platform is designed to be versatile, and fast format changeover is a central issue. In addition to the sustainability of the solutions, manufacturers have a strategic need for production flexibility in machines and production lines.
“Catalogue references are increasing and time to market is decreasing. A product designed today must reach the market as quickly as possible,” continues Nicolò Giovannini. “The world of instant coffee is an example: blends are multiplying with different flavours and preparations, and producing stick packs available in different tastes, formats and graphic solutions is a competitive advantage in markets where instant coffee is widespread and the speed of plant adaptation has a strategic impact.”
How to manage different product references: dimensional parameters and error-proof format changeover
“Our systems allow a very wide variety of products to be packaged. When switching from one product reference to another, it may be necessary to replace some mechanical components, such as anti-drip devices for liquid products or dosing augers, which are sized according to the product,” explains Nicolò Giovannini.
“Over the years, we have made these solutions particularly versatile by developing configurations that can adapt to different production needs.”
“From a format point of view, in vertical single-dose machines the length of the package can vary, while the width normally does not change. This can be a limitation when a product reference changes and the volume of the dose to be packaged increases. To avoid a sachet that is too long, it is necessary to adjust the width. Our systems allow both parameters, length and width, to be adjusted, so that the package can be adapted to the content. To limit downtime, Universal Pack has developed modular, quick-coupling, error-proof systems for format changeover, particularly efficient on multi-lane machines that can package up to 1,000, 2,000 or more sachets per minute”.
A platform capable of managing different formats is strategic: it protects the initial investment and maintains the value of the plant over time, whether it is a stand-alone machine or a complete system from primary to secondary and end-of-line for the production of single-dose packages.
Sustainability, flexibility, efficiency: Universal Pack at interpack 2026 (Hall 16, B42)
At interpack, the message that Universal Pack will bring to the exhibition together with its technological solutions is clear: sustainability, flexibility and efficiency, three factors that must go together.
Alfa Flexi: fast format changeovers for stick packs
Among the solutions on display will be Alfa Flexi, a machine for the production of stick packs designed to manage rapid format changeovers in the food and pharmaceutical sectors. When the product to be packaged is in powder form, the machine uses an auger doser and allows rapid interventions both on the sealing unit and on the dosing system.
Alfa Flexi has been developed to simplify the adjustment of the package dimensions, both in width and in length. The sealing unit can be removed and replaced without the use of tools. The dosing system is also designed to facilitate the operator’s activities: a lifting device brings the dosing head into an easily accessible position, avoiding uncomfortable interventions on the machine and making the changeover of the hopper and dosing screws simple and fast.
Theta: high performance and new materials for four-side-seal sachets
Alongside Alfa Flexi there will be Theta, Universal Pack’s solution for packaging flat four-side-seal sachets intended for powders. Originally developed for the pharmaceutical field, it was introduced into the food sector to respond to requirements linked to recyclable, compostable and paper-based materials. With these new materials, the sealing temperature of the inner layer and the critical temperature of the outer layer make accurate control of temperature and contact time necessary.
Sensitivity to high temperatures required Universal Pack to modify the contact-time parameters between the sealing surfaces and the packaging material, in order to obtain an effective seal without raising the temperature excessively.
Complete stick pack line with precise dosing and in-line weight control
At Universal Pack’s stand, visitors to the exhibition will find a complete stick pack line that brings together, in a single integrated system, package production, in-line weight control and a robotic system that gently inserts the stick packs into cartons, with counting for the different configurations.
Among the different setting possibilities, it is possible to set the simultaneous dosing of two different products into the same stick pack, a solution that is particularly useful when the components tend to separate during the process. In these cases, two separate dosing systems allow components A and B to be managed with great precision, ensuring stability and accuracy throughout the entire process.
The in-line weighing system checks each package individually. The line is configured with 10 lanes, each equipped with its own weighing cell. If an anomaly is detected on one lane, the machine can automatically resolve the possible problem thanks to the feedback signal from the weight control system and the independent motorisations installed.
Hygienic design and Poka-Yoke logic for format changeover
Cleaning, sanitisation and rapid format changeover are essential in packaging processes. When the critical areas of the machine are easily accessible, cleaning operations are fast and simple. The same applies to format changeover: when it is designed to facilitate the operator’s work, it makes machine restart operations efficient while eliminating the risk of error.
“Everything originates from the initial design: a correctly designed machine facilitates cleaning, avoiding long sanitisation procedures and prolonged downtime for format or recipe changeover. Hygienic design is a design requirement that minimises dead corners, areas where product can accumulate during production. The hoppers are hygienic and feature spherical geometries to meet this requirement, limiting deposit points,” explains Nicolò Giovannini.
“This criterion also applies to the external surfaces of the machine. A significant example is that of electrical cabinets with inclined covers, a solution established in the pharmaceutical sector and now also in the food sector, because it helps reduce dust deposits. The design of Universal Pack machines limits dust dispersion. This is the so-called Poka-Yoke logic: preventing errors through design, with solutions that guide the operator through activities while eliminating mistakes.”
Experience in dosing: powders and materials for single-dose packaging
“Stabilising package filling makes production regular and controllable: adjustments are reduced, rejects decrease and the quality of the finished product improves. For this reason, the dosing system must be selected according to the characteristics of the product. Flowability, tendency to absorb moisture, viscosity and the presence of entrapped air influence the behaviour of the powders to be packaged and require specific dosing solutions. In this area, Universal Pack’s analysis laboratory plays an important role, allowing the behaviour of powders, liquids and packaging materials to be studied in advance, in order to correct initial assessment errors,” continues Giovannini. “The laboratory is able to investigate the behaviour of powders and liquids according to the packaging materials used”.
Experience gained over more than sixty years of activity, combined with extensive knowledge of products and laminates, has allowed an incredible database to be built. In this database, the parameters of materials and products to be packaged are cross-referenced to define the most suitable system. In the case of powders, the evaluation also concerns elements such as the type of auger, the pitch and the size of the flights: details that have a concrete impact already from internal tests, because they immediately bring the system closer to the correct configuration.”
The angle of repose: understanding it to improve performance
For several decades, Universal Pack’s Research and Development has developed extensive knowledge in product analysis, defining a series of parameters that predict the behaviour of a packaging system for single-dose packs. “In the packaging of powder products, one of the parameters to be considered is the angle of repose,” explains Giovannini.
“It describes the behaviour of a powder in motion and measures the maximum inclination reached by the material before it loses stability and slides downwards. This data evaluates the flowability of the powder and anticipates potential feeding difficulties and flow instability during dosing inside the machine. In fact, powders do not all behave in the same way, but have different angles of repose. Some are less free-flowing, such as chocolate powder; others are more free-flowing, such as sugar, which is certainly more stable in behaviour. On these differences, we have built our expertise, which allows us to define in advance the parameters needed to estimate machine performance according to the products involved.”
From material structure to sealing: the value of the Universal Pack laboratory
“I would like to underline the role of Universal Pack’s laboratory, which contributes to building the product-packaging-machine system. In fact, when designing a packaging system, it is not sufficient to consider the product, the material and the machine individually; they must interact as parts of a single interactive system. This is strategic,” explains Nicolò Giovannini.
“Through the laboratory, we carry out structural checks on materials, analysing the thickness of the individual layers under the microscope. This allows us to guide the customer towards possible corrections, highlighting, for example, whether a certain thickness in a specific layer does not allow an effective seal to be obtained quickly, with the risk of slowing down the machine. Or we can detect that the material barrier is not adequate and must be reassessed together with the material supplier. Thanks to this cross-functional experience, Universal Pack can provide indications on the overall functionality of the system and contribute to the most effective choices from the initial stages of the project.”
