FJC Packaging Consultants

The Challenge

 

A client came to us with a fascinating but complex request: design a flexible pouch that would safely hold two fine powder chemicals separately during transport and storage, then allow the user to easily mix them inside the pouch and safely vent the resulting gas into the environment — all while protecting the chemicals from the environment.

 

Our Approach

 

We started by asking the right questions to fully understand the requirements:

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• What exactly are the two chemicals?

• What size are the granules?

• How much of each chemical goes into every pouch?

• What barrier properties are needed?

• Should the product be visible through the pouch?

• What shelf life is required?

• What environments will the package face during shipping and storage?

• How much gas needs to vent, and over what timeframe?

• Who will be using the pouch (and will they be wearing gloves)?

 

The Solution

 

Armed with this information, we designed a dual-chamber pouch with a frangible (easy-break) seal separating the two chemicals.

 

We partnered with a film extrusion vendor to create a custom film that would form a strong permanent seal at high temperatures and a clean peelable seal at medium temperatures. We also custom-designed the shape of the frangible seal so it would pull smoothly without tearing the pouch.

 

Because users would be wearing gloves, we added strategically placed stick-on pull tabs on both sides of the pouch for easy opening. To handle gas venting safely, we worked with a laser company to precisely bore micro-holes that allow gas to escape while keeping the fine powder contained. The pouch was designed with side openings for easy filling and sealing of both chambers.

 

Once filled and sealed, the inner pouch was placed inside a protective metallized outer pouch that provided additional barrier protection, carried customer branding, instructions, and lot numbers.

 

The Outcome

 

We successfully commercialized the pouch system and the client has successfully sold multiple orders of this innovative pouch into several markets, including medical, industrial, transportation, and food. Users consistently report zero defects and love how easy and reliable the pouch is to open and use. What started as a challenging “dream” design is now a proven, real-world success across multiple industries.

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Project Timeline 18 months