FLEXcon announces PCW release liner for film
FLEXcon has announced the availability of its new post-consumer waste (PCW) 50 lb. kraft roll form release liner, made from 30% post-consumer waste. The new PCW liner gives converters the option to provide a greener product to their customers, many of whom are placing a greater emphasis on using sustainable products.
To address the demands being placed on converters to become more environmentally responsible, FLEXcon collaborated with a supplier to develop a liner that addresses the growing demand from the narrow web label market. This product introduction enables the tag and label industry to decreases its carbon footprint and the demand for forestry products by 30%, while maintaining the same level of quality and performance. FLEXcon is offering the PCW liner at the same price as the liner manufactured from virgin pulp.
“FLEXcon remains committed to supporting sustainability efforts and delivering quality alternatives for the narrow web label market,” says John Bennett, vice president, product identification, FLEXcon. “We worked closely with a supplier to develop a PCW liner in order to offer converters an environmentally friendly solution at the same price and with the same performance level. FLEXcon continues to strengthen its commitment to the environment through a corporate sustainability culture, energy consumption reductions and green initiatives in manufacturing, company-wide recycling programs, alternative waste management systems and new product developments. FLEXcon’s largest manufacturing location that spans over 64 acres in Spencer, MA, is a zero landfill facility.”
FLEXcon's commitment to social responsibility in helping the industry lower its carbon footprint, including the development of non-vinyl and thinner film alternatives, thinner film release liners and emulsion adhesives, as well as sustainable manufacturing practices, has earned the company the LIFE (Label Initiative for the Environment) certification from TLMI.
The PCW liner will be offered as an alternative to FLEXcon’s SPEC 50K-8 liner and will be the release liner for the new THERMLfilm NEXgen series of gloss topcoated polyester films. Similar to the SPEC 50K-8 liner, the PCW 50K-8 liner is fully recyclable and can be processed through existing recycling programs. The PCW liner delivers equivalent functional performance as the SPEC 50K-8 product, with the same tensile strength, uniformity, smoothness, caliper consistency, density, opacity, layflat characteristics and release levels. FLEXcon addressed converters’ concerns regarding possible production changes and confirmed that there is no need to re-tool dies, order press add-ons or change diecutting methods, performance speeds or storage methods. Backside printability is the same as the SPEC 50K-8 product, requiring no ink modifications, and UL/cUL status is not affected.
The PCW Liner is exclusively available from FLEXcon until late 2013. For more information about the product, visit www.FLEXcon.com/PCWLiner.