Confectionery: Changing Machinery For Changing Times

In recent years we have been working closely with a number of confectioners and chocolatiers. These include Swizzels Matlow Ltd, who manufacture a wide range of popular sweets and treats such as Drumsticks, Love Hearts and Refreshers. With our involvement also extending to several Cadbury sites, we are well acquainted with what confectioners are demanding from their wrapping suppliers.

Considering the ever-present importance of ‘impulse’ purchases to confectioners’ bottom lines, clients are ploughing their efforts into securing an eye-grabbing, aesthetically-pleasing shrink wrap. At YPS, we are the exclusive UK supplier of Bollore BY, a high performance shrink film that is uniquely placed to meet these demands. Bollore BY’s clarity and high-gloss properties have made it extremely popular amongst confectioners who are, quite understandably, predominantly focused on shelf presentation.

With the pressure and competitiveness of the confectionery industry, any attempt to distinguish one’s product are increasingly valuable – the sustainability of wrapping being one USP. From a ‘good publicity’ perspective, we have noted that a growing number of confectioner clients are demanding that their wrapping is environmentally friendly. Fortunately, Bollore BY fits the bill here, being 100 per cent recyclable. There has also been a growing demand for lower micron films – in particular, the Bollore BTT shrink film – mainly for their unique properties relating to waste efficiency and reduced speed all whilst using lower volume of plastic for the same yield.

The competitiveness under which confectioners are operating does not seem to be affecting the demands they place on wrapping suppliers which, if anything, seems to have grown. Many have been demanding full BRC accreditation as well as food safety and contract approval from its machinery suppliers. Fortunately for us, we have long held AA graded BRC certification and can supply food-contact approved documentation for any shrink film in our range upon request.

Bollore BY seems to have provided the solution to many firms’ wrapping challenges. This film has a 70 per cent shrink ratio, guaranteeing a tightly-wrapped, unspoiled finish for any product – obviously of paramount importance to any confectioner or chocolatier. The unique low-temperature properties of the film mean a faster shrink wrap during the heating process, while the integrity of the product is fully maintained.

Overwrapping vs. shrink wrapping is another choice many confectioners have been required to make in their packaging operations. Although both packaging methods produce a high-quality presentation display pack, overwrapping is sometimes favoured for its ability to create an overlapping seal. This is often preferred by chocolatiers who desire an ‘envelope’ seal at the edges of packs. However, one clear disadvantage to overwrapping is that it demands a change of parts between different products, incurring a change-over time penalty. This downtime in production can be costly; different parts of the machine must be modified. At YPS, we truly believe in the flexibility and versatility of shrink-wrapping: it does not require any change of parts between different products. Accordingly, we have been championing and channelling the renowned efficiency and engineering of the Germans with our Hugo Beck machine range recently, which has been matching the speed of overwrappers.

As the drive for premium quality, flexibility, cost efficiency and sustainability continue to grow on wrapping suppliers, we are enjoying stepping up to the mark and delivering on these demands for confectioners with an evolving portfolio of wrapping solutions.