Groundbreaking New Bemis bMET™ Sealant Films Give 2-Ply Structures the Attributes of 3-Ply Films, Reducing Cost and Environmental Impact

Source: Kimberly Kohlbeck: Bemis Company, Inc.

Date: 4/3/2009

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bMET films

New Bemis bMET™ sealant films give 2-ply structures the attributes of a 3-ply film, reducing material usage 20% and cutting cost 10%.

Oshkosh, Wisconsin - March 3, 2009 - At a time when companies are scrutinizing every penny and sustainability is considered in every packaging decision, Bemis introduces a patent-pending new packaging film that addresses both cost and eco-efficiency. New bMET™ blown, metallized sealant films replace both the barrier and sealant layers in typical 3-ply structures, creating 2-ply laminations with the performance of 3 plies. Structures utilizing bMET films uses up to 20% less material and costs up to 10% less than the 3-ply laminations they replace. bMET delivers the high-end performance required to protect products like candy, crackers, cookies, granular products and pet treats.

bMET films deliver hermetic polyethylene seals and the barrier equivalent of metallized OPET or metallized OPP in a single film. The films are fully customizable to achieve targeted oxygen barrier, moisture barrier, stiffness and/or seal characteristics. bMET films can be used in structures for nearly any flexible package format, including pre-made or form/fill/seal standup pouches as well as stickpacks and pillow pouches.

"Many marketers choose metallized films for the aesthetics and don't even need the barrier," says Dan Kearny, Vice President of Marketing for Bemis's Milprint Division. "bMET films allow them to achieve that high-end metallized look with less cost."

bMET film thickness can range from 0.75 mil to 1.5 mil. The films are available in metallized white and metallized clear versions and can include customized convenience features like tear initiation and EZ Peel® opening. bMET films can be adapted to enhance package sealability in order to improve line speeds or seal through contamination. The modifications are possible through multi-layer coextrusion and blending of resins such as HDPE, PP, mLLDPE, EVOH, etc. Other enhancements include peel seals, oxygen barrier, aroma barrier, moisture barrier and nearly any other variable required for today's advanced packaging applications.

Bemis Company is the largest supplier of flexible packaging in the Americas and the only global packaging company with an "A/Stable" financial rating by Standard & Poors. Serving food, consumer products, manufacturing and other companies worldwide, the company has a strong technical base in polymer chemistry, film extrusion, coating and laminating, printing and converting. Founded in 1858, Bemis reported 2008 net sales of $3.8 billion. The company is headquartered in Neenah, Wisconsin, and employs about 15,400 individuals in 56 manufacturing facilities in 10 countries around the world.

For more information, contact your Bemis sales representative at (920) 527-2300 or milprint@bemis.com, or visit www.bemis.com.