Heat seal coating for food packaging using styrene and vinyl-chloride free co-polyester technology

Overview

Bostik's VITEL co-polyester resin technology provides a heat seal coating solution tailored for aluminum-based food packaging applications. The technology is designed to bond to aluminum substrates, withstand boiling conditions, and comply with global food contact regulations. As a styrene and vinyl-chloride free system, VITEL addresses growing regulatory and consumer demand for safer packaging materials.

The technology is available in two formats: resin form for extrusion applications and solvated form for roll or gravure coating applications. This flexibility allows packaging manufacturers to integrate the coating into diverse production processes. VITEL resins are activated across multiple heat profiles, enabling selection of the optimal system for specific temperature ranges.

Technical specifications

Key features and performance properties:

• Styrene and vinyl-chloride free co-polyester formulation supporting regulatory compliance
• High specific adhesion to aluminum foil substrates
• Good abrasion and chemical resistance for durable packaging performance
• Very good UV stability for extended shelf life and visual quality
• High pigment binding properties for versatile coating formulations
• Multiple heat activation profiles to match application temperature requirements
• Suitable for copper and aluminum foils, rigid metal coatings, and coil coatings
• Available in resin format for extrusion coating and solvated format for gravure coating

Applications:

• Heat seal coatings for aluminum foil-based food packaging
• Rigid metal packaging coatings
• Flexible food contact packaging requiring boil-in-bag or retort capability

Technology readiness level

VITEL technology is commercially proven across multiple segments of the packaging industry, with established use in both extrusion and gravure coated applications. Bostik proposes a structured validation approach: gathering critical-to-quality attributes and substrate specifications from the partner, performing in-lab testing at the Wauwatosa, WI R&D facility, evaluating the full VITEL portfolio against specified conditions, and recommending a specific grade with optimized processing parameters. Bostik also commits to providing on-site support during partner evaluation and scale-up activities.