Purging for Packaging

The packaging industry relies on almost every manufacturing process to deliver us the quality products we depend on every day. In your competitive market, sustainability, quality, & efficiency are essential to your long-term success. Asaclean® has safe, effective, dependable, and affordable purging compounds designed for the specific needs of packaging manufacturers. Whether you’re a sheet extruder making takeout containers, a molder making caps, a blow molder making detergent bottles, or a film extruder making saran wrap, we’ve helped people just like you achieve dramatic cost savings.

Here’s why Asaclean® Purging Compounds are the preferred choice for the best packaging companies worldwide.

Why Asaclean® Purging Compounds are the Best Choice for Packaging

When we hear from processors in the packaging industry, they usually are asking for help with a handful of different processing issues. If you’re reading this section, then you’ve probably experienced some of these struggles firsthand:

You’re dealing with contamination, black specks, gels, or non-melts.
You need fast and consistent changeover times to keep on schedule.
You’re running clear parts need to eliminate haze and residue issues.
You struggle to clean the edges of the die.
You’re starting to use PCR & bio-resins which are harder to process consistently.
You have trouble cleaning your accumulator head.

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You may have complicated setups with high cavitation molds or extruders with multiple layers. You run resins like PP, PE, PET, PETG, HIPS, and work with additives and specialty colors. If you work with food, you probably have regulatory guidelines that you need to consider when making a buying decision.

Many packaging processors assume that these headaches are an inevitable part of the job.

We have good news. It doesn’t have to be that way.

58%

On average, Asaclean®’s packaging customers save 58% on reduced scrap & downtime.

1. Asaclean®’s Products Will Solve Your Issue

Plastic processors in the packaging industry don’t need to experience contamination or lengthy changeovers. We offer Mechanical Purging Compounds, Chemical Purging Compounds, and Purging Concentrates designed to tackle your unique set of processing challenges.

We use Asaclean® to purge our barrels for color changes and reduced our changeover time by 64%! Asaclean® does the best at the right price!”

William , Molding Manager, Packaging (Caps & Closures), Midwest

Once we identify your needs, we will help you choose the best grade of Asaclean® for you.

For Packaging, Asaclean® Purging Compounds:

Excel in hot runner color changes and cleaning
Clean the screw & barrel thoroughly
Quickly clean out valve gates and nozzle tips
Shorten color & material changeover time
Are incredibly easy-to-use
Dramatically reduce scrap and defect rates
Have low residue formulas for clear applications
Remove contamination & black specks
Prevent gels & non-melts
Perform on multilayer lines
Can clean accumulator heads
Help facilitate easier screw pulls
Seal your machine during shutdowns to promote easier start-ups

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Asaclean® drastically reduced the screw pull and replace time. In fact, when we do a screw pull, Asaclean® peels off like peeling a banana, then we just do an inspection, brush the bore of the barrel, and start measuring. Then put it all back together. Using your formula, we cut the time from 12 hrs to 4 hrs, and cost from $2160 to $741."

RB , Production Manager, Film Extrusion, Packaging, KY

various types of plastic packaging

Asaclean® offers Purging Compounds engineered for your specific resins, processing temperatures, and applications.

With the world-class R&D team of Asahi Kasei in Japan, Asaclean® offers incredible cleaning performance coupled with expert technical & product support.

For most packaging applications, we usually recommend Asaclean®’s N-Series line of Chemical Purging Compounds or our PLUS Grade Concentrate.

Asaclean®’s Chemical Purging Compounds are blended products that also match your processing temperatures, your resins, your MFR’s, and your processing needs. But unlike Mechanical Purging Compounds, they clean using a heat-activated chemical reaction that performs best in low-flow and low-pressure environments. Chemical Grades are usually recommended for extrusion because they foam and expand to effectively clean dies or other areas where contamination can hang-up. If you experience color streaking, these are a great option for you.

High-cavitation hot runners are better suited with a Purging Concentrate like Asaclean® PLUS Grade because PLUS supercharges your own processing resins and is easily displaced. This is a huge innovation in purging that’s made an immediate impact since PLUS was launched in June 2021.

For screw pushes, sealing, color/material changes, and black speck/carbon removal, there are different solutions. Work with your Asaclean® Purging Expert to find the best solution for you.

PLUS Grade is the Holy Grail for hot runner color changes."

Ray D. , Plant Manager, Custom Molder, Southeast

2. Our Team Understands the Needs of Packaging Processors

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Asaclean® Technical Service Representative offer a unique level of service not found in other areas of the industry.

Many of our Purging Experts used Asaclean® as customers themselves before joining our team.

Your point-of-contact isn’t a salesperson. They are a processor.

With over 200 years of combined processing experience, we understand your issue and can offer solutions. We’ve seen it all and are here to help you.

When you work with Asaclean®, you have access to free ongoing consultations with a packaging subject matter expert.

From a buying standpoint, one thing that really sticks out is that Asaclean® are solutions providers. They help us solve the problem. They have provided technical support, training, and product support followed.”

Ray R. , Supply Chain Manager, Washington

3. We Will Train Your Team to Be Asaclean® Purging Experts

Asaclean® Purging Compounds are incredibly easy to use, but you will only see your best results when you follow our recommended purging procedures.

When it comes to purging compounds, less is more.

We do not want you to use more Asaclean® than is necessary to achieve your best performance. If you use more than we recommend, your cost savings will drop.

We want you to get the absolute best performance using the least amount of Asaclean®. That is why we place such a premium on training your team.

All packaging processors are dealing with slightly different challenges, so it’s important that you follow the correct instructions. That’s where we come in.

When you select Asaclean®, we will diagnose your issues, build out a free Purge Program, and train your shifts on how to use Asaclean® to get the best results.

We will help you trial our product, provide in-person or virtual training, answer any questions, and be available however necessary to help your team succeed.

Sometimes keeping good labor can be difficult. Don’t worry. As you find new hires, we’ll train them as well.

Asaclean® support goes over and above. Training is a part of that. It's great to have our rep in front of people giving training, because if five pounds works, ten pounds is not better. Training is key when you're using these products, and I feel that if I called my Asaclean® rep for help at midnight he would probably answer.”

John S. , Manufacturing Manager, Northwest

5 Quick Purging Tips for Packaging

1. Purge Preventatively & Don’t Run Until Failure

green plastic bottle containers

If you skip purging because you aren’t changing resins/materials or have a tight deadline, eventually you will have contamination issues that will bring production to a screeching halt. Production resins are not designed to clean machines and are not a substitute for commercial purging compounds. Purging in-between production runs will extend the time between teardowns. You should try to avoid teardowns at all costs. Although purging might take some time in the short-term, it will dramatically improve your product quality and output in the long-term.

2. Use an Asaclean® Purging Compound Grade Formulated for Lower Residue for Clear Applications

If you’re experiencing issues with residue in your machines, use a grade designed for residue-sensitive or low-temperature resins. These grades are formulated for lower residue and can be used in conjunction with other grades, as a chaser, whenever you’re trying to reduce purging compound residue.

Work with a Purging Expert to be certain that your next resin will “purge the purge.”

3. For Blown Film, Use a Grade of Asaclean® Purging Compounds that Holds the Bubble

If you’re a blown film processor, you understand the importance of maintaining a bubble on your lines. Many plants avoid purging during changeovers because losing a bubble can be costly and time-consuming.

Asaclean® offers grades that hold the bubble extremely well for on-the-fly purging. Investing in a good purge will drastically reduce your waste, allowing you to not only cover the cost of the purge, but also increase your production capabilities and output. As a bonus, Asaclean® cleans your machine without needing to change process conditions.

4. Move from Light to Dark Colors for Faster Color Changeovers

When setting up your production schedule, move from clear to light to dark colors whenever possible. Darker color resins leave more visible residue than lighter colors, so moving from light to dark helps hide the effects of purge residue and residual color, and decreases the total time spent purging.

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