Aluminium foil is widely used in daily life and also industrial application.The consumption structure
differs from country to country due to variable economic development level.In Europe and the United
States,the aluminum foil for packaging account for seventy percent of total demand,while in China
market packing foil only make up thirty percent of total domestic demand.
The Development of Aluminium Foil Manufacture
China aluminium foil manufacture began in 1932,but foils consuming is not going well in a very long
period until the 1990's,along with the continuous development of China's industrialization process
following by introduction of a lager number of advanced equipment,production management and
technical outfit is also gradually moving towards the modernization and inter-nationalization.
In this century,aluminium foil consumption improve rapidly thanks to strong needs of market.
The History of Aluminium Foil Packaging
Aluminium foil packaging began in the early 20th century,at that time aluminium foil,as one of the
most expensive packaging materials,used only for high-end packaging.In 1911,Swiss Confectionery
Company began to use aluminium foil packing chocolate instead of tin foil,after that,it is gradually
popular in packing market, and two years later,the United States started production of aluminum foil
on the basis of success in refining aluminum,but mainly application in high-grade goods,life-saving
supplies and chewing gum packaging.In the year of 1921,the United States initially produced the
first-one composite board on the aluminium foil grounded,which is used for decorative panels and
advanced packaging folding cartons.In 1938,heat sealing foil paper was launched.During World War II,
as a military packaging material,aluminium foil gets rapid development.Ten years later,containers
formed by foils are applied for food package.In the 1950s,foil paper,aluminium-based composite
materials enter into market and till 1970s,the matures of the color printing technology accelerate the
popularization of aluminum composited packaging.
In the first few years of the 21st century,market competition and product homogeneity stimulate rapid
progress for foil packaging.Two main reasons result in foil packing development in Chinese market.
First,the rise of soft package,which is very closely related with economic development level,is relatively
tardive.In Europe and The United States, aluminum foils used in various packaging have exceeded
seventy percent of total consumptions, and even reaching at eight percent or more,while it only take up
less than thirty percent accordingly in China.On the other hand,the rapid economic development speed
up industrializaiton and specializaiton,which require more high-quality foils ,mulriple foil is growingmore
and more a wide range of utilization and bringing along downstream industries growth. Below both of
items,pharmaceutical packaging and food packaging,is the typical usages.
1. Pharmaceutical Packaging
Blister packaging is mainly compounded of 0.02mm thick aluminium foil and PVC,which is also one
of the most popular packaging styles made of medicine tablets and capsules.In China,most of medical
packages like tablets,powders,capsules and tablets etc. is gradually turning into aluminum-plastic
blister packaging instead of traditional paper bags , simplified plastic bags,glass bottles and so on.
There will be a bright future for Blister packaging thanks to its many advantages such as convenience
for transportation, safety and harmlessness etc.
Another point function for aluminum foil is for seal-peel film (easy to tear ,mainly apply in food sealing)manufacturing, presently there are over one thousand production lines in need of three thousand metric
tons aluminum foil totally per year in China market.Two more potential markets in foil consumption are
aluminum-pastic composite hose used in ointment packaging and caps laminated by aluminium-plastic
in packages of water aqua and injections,totally consuming over one thousand metric tons foil materials
every year.In addition to these,pharmaceutical aseptic packaging is becoming one more potential
product.At present it is in the infant stage in health drinks like tea packing,traditional Chinese medicine
in water aqua is in the store as well.
2. Food Packaging
Chinese food industry is in an important flourishing period,flexible packaging greatly improves
mechanization and automation of the food processing,speed up modernization and socialization of
people's diet. There are two main types in food packing,one is aluminum paper compound packing,
the other is multi-layer packaging multiplexed from alumimum,plastic and paper,namely Tetra Pak.
Main applicable fields in food packaging
1) Chocolate and Candy Packaging
Chocolate package is basically by aluminum foil packing,demands is increasing with the market
expansion of China's chocolate consumption.Candy wrappers lie in two forms,some of them is the
aluminum-plastic or aluminium-paper packaging,and many other by aluminized film or single plastic
packing;
2) Easy-To-Carry Foodstuff
3) Dairy Products Packaging
Presently,aluminum-plastic packaging is widely used in powdered milk products,while aluminized
paper is popular in packing liquid milk.
The Prospect of Aluminum Foil Packing
The development of foil package is closed related to the advanced technology of materials compound ,
which is divided into three layers including the Ground,the Functional Layer and Sealable Layer. The
first layer,Ground mainly play the role of pleasing to the eye,printing,and moisture barrier. The
Functional Layeris to insulate and shield light,the last layer,sealing layer,is touching the packaged
goods directly in the functions of adaption,permeability and heat-sealing etc.. With the development of
the base material and compound foil technology,aluminium foil packaging is bound to broad prospects
for foils package in the future.
Aluminium foil
