Helios Ruiz, European marketing manager for Sealed Air’s shrink packaging division, claimed hygiene professionals are turning to the shrink-wrapping technology that has benefited other sectors of Europe’s business and industrial economy for decades.
Hospitals, nursing homes and residential care establishments – “anywhere where ultra-cleanliness is a major weapon against the spread of infection and disease” – will all benefit by using Sealed Air, said Ruiz.
Products, wrapped in shrink film, enter the shrink tunnel attached to the packaging machine. The tunnel applies heat and expands the film. Air is then naturally released through tiny perforations in the film and the film wraps tightly around the product.
The main advantage claimed is the elimination of laundry cross-contamination during delivery, an important consideration for hospitals that need to comply with EN14065, a EU standard for hygiene and infection control in laundry processed textiles.
Ruiz expects more laundries heading down the shrink-wrapping route, which offers dual protective packaging without any openings, the ultimate barrier to contamination.
