This is a common question from customers who only have a small amount of product to pack. Packaging types often revolve around packing large volumes of product, however, many of our customers have the requirement to pack small portion, single use product at varying speeds. These products can range from liquids and granules, to powders and small items (such as compliment parts), and the ideal packaging solutions would be stickpacks (Stick pack) and sachets.

So, which solutions fits which product? There are many factors that would affect our customers’ final decision, but for packing a liquid we would often recommend the stickpack option.

This is a brilliantly adaptable packaging format that can come in all kinds of different shapes or sizes – think square, rectangular, pyramid. It is a great way to showcase your brand, whilst also being functional, even the smallest stickpack can stand out on the shelves because it can look different. They are perfect for packing up to 50mls of product, or less, and come in a variety of different pack types with different sealing and opening options.

You only have to visit your local pharmacy or supermarket to see just how flexible this packaging is. Some product examples include:

• Sauces – ketchup, mustard, yoghurt, honey
• Liquids – milk, vinegar, soy sauce
• single use cosmetics – shampoo, shower gel, body lotion
• gels – energy drinks and boosters
• small items – nuts, tablets
• granules – tea and coffee etc.

The alternative solution for single use, small dose products are sachets. These can be utilised in a surprising number of ways, traditionally they have been used for granule type products such as seasonings for products, like noodles or other dishes or single dose seasonings like salt or pepper.

However, the adaptability of the sachets, along with the versatility of the materials that can be used and the different types of sealing, has opened this option up to many other types of products. We are seeing them being used more and more in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries – where they can be used for medicines or wipes. Some examples of the types of products that can be packed into sachets includes:

• Seasoning – herbs for meats and fish, food flavourings
• Powders – medicines, sweeteners, sugars, salt
• Flavouring for snack pots or lunch boxes
• Tablets – medicines
• Wipes – sanitizers, cosmetics, antiseptic
• Samples – perfume, face and body creams etc.

The great thing about choosing a stickpack or a sachet machine is that they only require a small footprint. Meaning that they can usually fit into your current manufacturing site, without having to consider moving. Then, as the business grows and more speed is required, there is the option to upgrade to a machine that has the capability to run more lanes and therefore run at higher speeds. Ultimately these machines are incredibly popular because they are fantastically compact and can produce a considerable amount of output.

We have tried to answer some basic questions in this blog, but every company is different, so please contact us at sales@intamacmachinery.com or phone us so we can discuss you requirements in more detail.