Powder & Pulses
Powder & Pulses
GIC has been designing, installing, and servicing vertical form fill and seal packaging machines for four decades. UK-made to the highest standards, GIC’s machines play an essential role in some of the country’s largest suppliers of building materials, chemicals, salt and various other powdered foods and drinks.
GIC machines are designed and built in Gainsborough to exacting standards. We are a gold-level partner in the Rockwell Automation PartnerNetwork™ programme, and all our component suppliers are hand-picked for quality and reliability.
Irrespective of whether you are packing powdered milk, coffee, pulses, food ingredients, sugar, or even washing powder, we can design a machine customised to your requirements. We back up our engineering excellence with operator training and comprehensive service and maintenance plans to ensure hassle-free ownership.
Our vertical form fill and seal machines offer the optimum combination of effectiveness, reliability and low cost of ownership backed by first class technical and servicing support.
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Key Considerations
If you’re considering introducing a new VFFS machine to your production facility there are several key things to consider:
Salt, chemicals, and spices are all very different, but they are all classed as powders and handled as such. When specifying and customising a Vertical Form Fill and Seal machine, we consider the specific properties of the powder. Different powders have different particle sizes, some larger than others. How does the product handle? Will it flow freely, or is there a possibility it will stick or suffer from compaction issues?
We must also consider the powder and its properties; for example, is it corrosive? If it is, a painted steel packaging machine may eventually show its age, so a stainless-steel variant could be the better option. As well as being more corrosion-resistant, a stainless-steel finish will keep its clean appearance in the most challenging situations.
If its pulses such as lentils or rice that you are packing GIC can call on our experience to help. Pulses are generally dry and free running and can be measured using weighers, augers or volumetric fillers. Our applications knowledge will help to findyou the best solution.
Different powders and pulses have different textures; some are easily handled, others are not. Some powders can be weighed, and others must be screw-fed by an auger. Coarse powders and granular products can usually be weighed whereas pulses with a consistent density can be volumetrically dosed.
Every factory or production plant is different. We need to consider the environment in which the machine will be working and how these conditions affect the product. Most GIC clients have already considered factors such as humidity, temperature, and whether or not a high-care finish is required.
Depending on the powder being packed, we may need to consider ATEX.
VFFS packaging machines working with powders and pulses often require specially designed forming sets. In particular dust extraction needs careful consideration.
Not all packaging materials are suitable for packing powders and pulses. We will work with you to ensure we develop theright machine and feed system for your unique combination of film, powder and bag style.
All GIC machines can be fully interfaced with a range of upstream filling systems and end-of-line plant including check weighers, metal detection machinery and pallet loading equipment.
For the vertical seal, we can offer the TOSS HAS system. This non-contact, low-maintenance unit is ideally suited to working at with LDPE and other similar films on continuous motion machines
For Powders & Pulses
GIC 2100 – Intermittent variants
- Maximum pack size250mm
- Maximum speed90 packs per minute
- Pack formatsPillow, Gusset, Block Bottom
- Packaging materialsAll suitable heat-sealable materials, including laminates and polyethylenes. Optional impulse sealing
GIC 3000 – Continuous Motion Variants
- Maximum pack size250mm
- Maximum speed100 packs per minute
- Pack formatsPillow, Gusset, Block Bottom
- Packaging materialsAll suitable heat-sealable materials, including laminates and polyethylenes. Optional impulse sealing
GIC 3100 – Continuous Motion Variants
- Maximum pack size400mm
- Maximum speed150 packs per minute
- Pack formatsPillow, Gusset, Block Bottom, Quad, Doy
- Packaging materialsAll suitable heat-sealable materials, including laminates and polyethylenes. Optional impulse sealing
GIC 4100 – Intermittent variants
- Maximum pack size400mm
- Maximum speed90 packs per minute
- Pack formatsPillow, Gusset, Block Bottom
- Packaging materialsAll suitable heat-sealable materials, including laminates and polyethylenes. Optional impulse sealing
GIC 8000 – Continuous Motion Variants
- Maximum pack size400mm
- Maximum speed100 packs per minute
- Pack formatsPillow, Gusset, Block Bottom
- Packaging materialsAll suitable heat-sealable materials, including laminates and polyethylenes. Optional impulse sealing
GIC 8100 – Continuous Motion Variants
- Maximum pack size400mm
- Maximum speed150 packs per minute
- Pack formatsPillow, Gusset, Block Bottom, Quad, Doy
- Packaging materialsAll suitable heat-sealable materials, including laminates and polyethylenes. Optional impulse sealing
Free Site Appraisals
Irrespective of whether or not you currently rely on GIC vertical form fill and seal packaging machinery to keep your production line flowing efficiently, we offer free site appraisals.
Our experienced engineers will visit your facility and provide an accurate overview of the current condition of your packaging machinery, service and maintenance requirements, available software and hardware upgrades and opportunities to improve operating efficiency.
To request your free site appraisal, email us or call +44 (0) 1427 611885