High barrier and metal-free packaging has been unveiled by Australia’s Amcor (Hawthorn; www.amcor.com) at the "PackExpo" exhibition in Las Vegas / USA this week. "AmLite", a lightweight and transparent material, provides an alternative to metal-based packaging.

Marco Hilty, vice president strategy and R&D for Amcor Flexibles Europe and Americas (Workington / UK; www.amcor.com), said: “Packaging that shows the product inside increases consumer trust and the likelihood of purchase. For sensitive products however, this was typically not a practical option, and they were hidden behind aluminium-based or metallised packaging. AmLite gives packaging designers and marketing teams a cost-competitive alternative.”

Developed using Amcor’s barrier coating, a micro-thin transparent barrier layer is deposited on a base web, resulting in a lightweight material with barrier levels approaching that of aluminium. High performance grades of PE or OPP sealant are used which give excellent performance on packing machines and a reliable seal.

According to Amcor, a lifecyle analysis has shown that AmLite provides a 40% reduction in carbon footprint and a 21% reduction in weight compared with standard aluminium-based materials.

AmLite can be used for a range of ambient wet and dry food products, as well as medical and personal care products such as powders and lotions. The material is said to offer excellent sealing properties as well as a strong seal to create various packaging formats, including regular, stand up and spouted pouches, flow packs, sachets and more. In addition to transparent, AmLite is also available with a white sealant layer, eliminating the grey background of metal-based materials and resulting in brighter printed colours.

At PackExpo, AmLite’s performance was demonstrated on a new machine from Inever (Barcelona / Spain; www.inever.es). The "MVC1200" offers a new way to fill and seal by combining a continuous technology and intermittent seal process, Amcor said.