Asepto is the liquid packaging material brand from Uflex, a multinational flexible packaging materials and solution company, and the first aseptic liquid packaging brand in India.
Asepto has redefined the art and science of liquid packaging with its innovative range addressing the challenges of the ever-evolving dairy, juices and distilled beverage industries delivering user convenience, ease of opening and optimal shelf life. Making its debut at GulFood Manufacturing 2017 in Dubai, Asepto showcased its range of liquid packaging solutions to global audiences. Elisabeth Skoda spoke to Mr. Ashwani Sharma, president and CEO for new business initiatives at Uflex, to find out more.
What were the packaging trends and consumer requirements you identified to spark the development of Asepto?
We studied trends in the aseptic packaging market to determine whether it would make sense for us to acquire an aseptic packaging company outside India. Interestingly, the result of our research was that that there hasn’t been much development in last 20 years on the aesthetic side of liquid packaging, in the area of brick cartons. Cartons for perfume or alcohol bottles offer fancy effects, including embossing, foil stamping or holographic effects, but not in aseptic packaging. But in the aseptic brick industry, the only thing changing was pack size. So we saw a massive opportunity for our company. We have been in the flexible packaging printing industry for over 25 years and have a global presence, and therefore are able to offer value solutions to our customers.
Please explain the technologies behind Asepto.
We have a team of experts who work with the best extrusion and printing lines money can buy. We are a fully backward integrated company and also make our own films, including BOPP, BOPET metallised polyester film and CPP films, holographic and specialty films. We are the largest holography company in India, and are now combining holographic strength with aseptic packaging strength. We have been extruding for over 20 years and are making the most of our strengths to make our aseptic liquid packaging solution truly unique.
Besides our standard offering, the pillow, trio and brick formats (in sizes between 90ml up to 1000ml), we offer two value added product ranges: Asepto Spark and Asepto Premium.
Asepto Spark offers a unique holographic and metallic pack range, giving customers countless possibilities to modify their existing packs or create a new brand proposition to their existing line of products. Asepto Spark enhances the aesthetic and functional elements of the carton packs, giving a distinct identity. With Asepto Premium, the metallic look achieved through flexo printing technology gives the option of foil stamping, embossing and 3-D Fresnel Lens holographic effects, distinguishing the pack. These features enhance the identity of packs and prevent counterfeiting. We have 25 years of experience in the area of form fill seal machines, and our Asepto Smart filling lines complete our aseptic liquid packaging solution offering. The Asepto Smart 78 machine has received positive feedback from the market.
What makes Asepto different from other beverage packs?
The aseptic packaging industry has offered nothing substantially new to customers in last 20 years. In the FMCG packaging space, for example, massive upgrades have been happening in terms of printing and aesthetics, but not in the aseptic packaging industry, so we saw a huge opportunity to change that. With our various types of foil stamping, 3D printing on packaging and embossing, our packaging is standing out, and, 95% of the time, if packaging stands out consumers will put it in their shopping basket. Of course it is a given that we will keep the product fresh. It is important while functional property remains best standard in the world, the aesthetic part really shines and stands out. In any store in North America, Europe or Asia right now, you will see bricks that look the same, with at the most maybe laminated films on them, and we are going to change that.
How do Asepto’s special effects protect against counterfeiting?
A major counterfeit prevention is the capital barrier. Counterfeiting in the aseptic brick industry requires a massive investment. As we have a technology that nobody else in the world is offering, our products are 100% counterfeit proof by that virtue.
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