Applications and Development of Stretch Film Vacuum Packaging Machines in the Food Industry

Stretch film vacuum packaging machines are widely used in the food industry. Essentially, they are fully automatic packaging equipment integrating film heating and stretching, material filling, vacuuming/gas filling, heat sealing, and cutting. Their core feature is the use of roll film to create packaging containers on-site, eliminating the need for pre-made boxes and ensuring a tight fit to the product's contours.

How the Equipment Works and What Can It Pack?

Its basic workflow is: Lower film heating and stretching → Manual or automatic material filling → Covering with upper film → Vacuuming/gas filling → Heat sealing → Cutting into individual finished products.

Thanks to its flexible forming capabilities, it can package a wide variety of products:

· Meat products and cooked foods: Sausages, chilled meat, steaks, braised products, pre-prepared frozen meat chunks.

· Seafood: Fish, shrimp, shellfish, and other seafood.

· Ready-to-eat and pre-prepared dishes: Snacks, dishes, zongzi (sticky rice dumplings), ready-to-eat meals.

• Other food products: Pastries, noodles, bean products, pickles, fruits and vegetables, and grains.

Besides food, this equipment is also used for packaging medical devices, hardware and electronic components, etc.

Industry Development and Trends

The Chinese stretch film vacuum packaging machine industry is currently in a development stage from following to innovation, and from extensive to standardized production, exhibiting a series of trends:

Industry moving towards standardization and high-quality development

• Background: The equipment developed rapidly after being introduced to China in the late 1980s, but the lack of unified standards led to inconsistent product quality.

• Current Actions: In 2023, the China Food and Packaging Machinery Industry Association led a seminar on the group standard for "Fully Automatic Stretch Film Packaging Machines," aiming to standardize production and improve quality and safety.

Market Competition Landscape and Breakthroughs in Domestic Production

• Market Position: Domestically produced equipment has achieved import substitution and has been successfully exported. For example, Shandong Kangbeite Company's products have a domestic market share of approximately 20%, ranking third, and are exported to countries such as Saudi Arabia and Vietnam.

• Technological Pursuit: Leading companies generally adopt core components such as servo systems, PLCs, and vacuum pumps from Japan or Germany, and equip them with color touchscreens to pursue high speed, high precision, and stability.

Technological Innovation Focuses on Flexibility and Intelligence

• Flexible Production: "Multi-purpose" has become a key selling point. By quickly changing molds, a single machine can produce products of various specifications, adapting to the demands of small-batch, diversified markets.

• Intelligent Functions: High-end models generally feature automatic deviation correction, tension control, and coding functions. Future innovation will focus more on automation (such as reducing human contact), data traceability, and catering to consumers' personalized demands for packaging appearance.

If you would like to gain a deeper understanding of packaging solutions for a specific product category (such as pre-cooked meals or chilled meat), or have more specific requirements for the equipment's technical parameters, I can help you with further analysis.