HTMM's 9 µm 8079-series aluminum foil is a critical barrier element for many of today's high performance flexible packaging applications found in the Pharmaceutical, Food and Technical industries. When used in Pharmaceutical Packaging, our foil is commonly used in the blister pack lid and in cold-form foil applications. Its outstanding barrier properties and formability provide protection and long-term stability for moisture-sensitive medicines throughout their shelf-life. The low density of pinholes and uniform thickness are both essential for maintaining the sterile integrity of the medicinal products contained within pharmaceutical packaging. Our foil is also widely utilized in the Food industry as an ideal packaging material in the manufacture of stand-up pouches for coffee, tea, and dehydrated foods, where its absolute barrier properties preserve the aroma, flavor, and overall freshness of these high value food products while protecting them from oxygen contamination which leads to rancidity or spoilage. The 9µm thickness provides an optimum balance between protection and economic usage of material for these high-value packaged food products. In ready-to-eat meal retort packaging, our 8079 foil will maintain proper barrier properties even through the high temperature sterilization processes used to manufacture these meals, thus maintaining food safety and food quality. The Confectionery industry utilizes our foil for chocolate and candy packaging, where its excellent dead-fold capability along with its non-reactive surface protect the delicate flavours of confectionery goods and also prevent the occurrence of fat blooms.

The 9 Mic 8079 Aluminum Foil product has enjoyed great success in penetrating flexible packaging markets around the world and has become the preferred foil specification worldwide for converters and brand owners in the most advanced packaging industry sectors. The largest and best-established market for us is Western Europe, especially Germany, France, Italy & Switzerland where there is a large demand for superior barrier materials due to very demanding regulations governing pharmaceutical manufacturing and premium food processes. The United States and Canada are experiencing a strong and growing demand for our 8079 Foil to serve the pharmaceutical, specialty food and pet food packaging markets. Japan and Korea are our most quality-oriented markets; therefore, the quality of our foil provides conforming and consistent quality and will meet the highest demand from the best packaging converters. China has a rapidly expanding market for food products, and also demands our 9 mic foil for use as barrier materials on food products destined for export due to the high added-value and demand for superior barrier materials on the food products shipped to those countries. Customers in Australia and New Zealand are equally aggressive in their desire to have our foil in their premium food packaging, as well as their pharmaceutical packaging applications. The Middle East is becoming more open to using our foil for food packaging, particularly in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, due to their demand for higher performance packaging based on the aggressive shipping and distribution conditions experienced in the region. Acceptance of HTMM's 8079 9 micron foil by all of these customers reflects a global realization of superior barrier performance, quality and consistency being provided by HTMM.

When you partner with HTMM for your Aluminium Foil 9 Mic 8079 needs you will gain access to world class manufacturing capabilities, extensive metallurgical know-how and dedicated technical assistance that is designed to help you succeed in the demanding packaging markets. We provide you with expert technical consultation to ensure that you select the most appropriate specification for your specific application, whether it be for pharmaceutical blister packs, flexible food pouches or technical laminates, resulting in maximum performance and value. Our advanced manufacturing capabilities, including precision rolling mills, controlled annealing furnaces, and sophisticated detection systems for pinholes, allow us to produce consistent quality and performance throughout every roll that we manufacture. We also offer a full range of customization services including precision slitting to exact width specifications with minimal edge burr; corona treatment to provide superior adhesion; customized annealing profiles to achieve the desired mechanical properties of the material; and high definition rotogravure printing to enhance brand recognition. Our comprehensive quality assurance program includes real-time thickness measurements, automated pinhole inspections, as well as complete mechanical testing ensuring all shipments comply with the highest possible standards for flexible packaging applications. We provide complete certification documentation including FDA and EU compliance, test reports and complete traceability of materials giving both manufacturers of pharmaceutical and food products the confidence that they need in the products they supply.  
 

FAQ

1. How does 8079 alloy compare to 8011 or 1235 for flexible packaging?
A: 8079 Alloy has much higher tensile and puncture resistance than 8011 and also has a higher elongation than 1235 when comparing same-thickness materials. The unique balance of iron and silicon in 8079 Alloy allows it to produce very fine grains, resulting in much fewer pinholes and greater consistency in the barrier performance of the material. For this reason, 8079 Alloy is the preferred material for applications that require both mechanical durability and absolute barrier properties.

2. What is the reason for using 9 microns as the preferred thickness for flexible packaging?
A: The 9 micron gauge represents "the best ratio of barrier performance, material efficiency, and converting efficiency". A gauge of this thickness will provide enough aluminum to create an absolute barrier with minimal amounts of pinholes while using less material than 12 micron foils. This is also the most specified thickness in the flexible packaging industry; therefore, the converting equipment and process have been developed and optimized to run at this thickness.

3. Is your 9 micron 8079 foil appropriate for pharmaceutical blister packaging? 
A: Yes, absolutely. The 8079 9 micron foil is made from a premium grade with pinhole densities less than 10 per square meter. Our foil is engineered specifically for use in applications requiring pharmaceutical blister lidding. In addition, it meets all FDA and EU food contact criteria and is made under rigorous quality controls that meet all requirements for pharmaceutical packaging. A significant number of the world's pharmaceutical packagers utilize our foil for a wide variety of their most sensitive products.

4. Will your foil work for retort packaging applications? 
A: Yes, the 8079 aluminium alloy has excellent thermal and mechanical characteristics that enable it to withstand the retort sterilization process coupled with the high temperatures and pressures found within a retort environment. 9 micron foil has become the industry standard for use in retort pouch configurations for ready-to-eat meals as it will maintain its barrier properties as well as its bond strength during the retort process.

5. What type of technical support can you provide to help us with integrating your foil into our converting processes? 
A: We have a wealth of technical information available which includes recommended lamination parameters such as temperature, pressure, and adhesive systems. We also provide guidance on optimizing the printing/coating processes, as well as troubleshooting assistance for common problems such as wrinkling and web breaks. We can also provide on-site assistance, if required. Our technical staff will work very closely with your engineers to achieve the best possible performance of our foil on your particular equipment.