Because of the increase in plastic input materials, the use of CaCO3 filler in the packaging industry has now become more and more popular, especially in the packaging industry. In this article, let’s discover top 5 most common applications of calcium carbonate filler in the packaging industry.

According to some research, packaging industry takes up 39% of the total amount of CaCO3 filler consumed, making it the largest consumer of calcium carbonate. This figure is much greater than the second-largest field, which is building & construction industry with 21%. That statistics implied the popularity of calcium carbonate filler in the packaging industry. So, what applications in particular is this material applied in?

I. Benefits of using CaCO3 filler in the packaging industry?

Calcium carbonate filler is the combination of CaCO3 powder, plastic resins (PP, PE,...), and other additives (normally processing aid and dispersion agent). Thanks to the presence of CaCO3 powder, whose price is relatively lower than that of plastic resins, this material is more affordable and reasonable for plastic enterprises. Besides, CaCO3 filler also assists in improving certain properties of end-products such as mechanical properties, rigidity, and thermal resistance,... thus increasing products’ competitiveness. 

II. 5 most common uses of CaCO3 filler in the packaging industry

1. Food wrapping film

Plastic wrap was initially created from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), which is the most common plastic component globally. However, due to many concerns regarding the toxic penetration of the film, low-density polyethylene (LDPE) has been chosen as a safer alternative. Though it is less adhesive than PVC, it can be reinforced by adding linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), which also improves the film's tensile strength. 

Nevertheless, the revolution hadn’t been really initiated until CaCO3 filler came into use. With a view to saving production costs, PE filler masterbatch is added to partly replace PE resin in the manufacturing process. The usage rate of PE calcium carbonate filler is determined by end-products technical requirements, normally varying between 5 to 50% of the total weight. Thanks to the compatibility of PE filler masterbatch to the original plastic combination, it merely causes any chemical changes to the original content, which makes it more appealing to plastic manufacturers.

2. Roll bags

Similar to food wrapping film, the application of CaCO3 filler in roll bags has significantly decreased the production cost as CaCO3 powder is more affordable than plastic resin. Besides, as roll bags are mostly used in the food-contact application, the use of calcium carbonate has alleviated negative impacts on consumers’ health which resulted from fossil plastic components. 

3. T-shirt bags/Shopping bags

Another important application of CaCO3 filler in the packaging industry is T-shirt bags and shopping bags. According to some research, the average American family takes home almost 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year, which again proves an increasing demand for plastic shopping bags. The application of PE filler masterbatch not only helps plastic enterprises reduce production costs but also improves plastic performance by increasing elongation, tear strength, and printability. 

4. Woven bags

Woven bags are one of the most important applications of CaCO3 filler in the packaging industry. Basically, the input material for woven bags is required to meet certain standards in terms of rigidity, tear strength, printability, and price, of course. That leads to the application of polypropylene (PP) filler in woven bag manufacturing. Not only does it offer end-products a competitive price, but PP calcium carbonate filler also significantly improves end-products’ mechanical properties such as impact strength, tear strength, printability, and thermal resistance,...Thereby, the use of PP filler in woven bag manufacturing largely contributes to the success of plastic enterprises.

5. Single-use packaging products

For decades, single-use plastic products have been accused of causing severe environmental pollution because of their fossil resin components. However, this no longer bothers plastic manufacturers as the application of bio filler masterbatch has opened up many opportunities for them to cut down on the amount of single-use plastic waste. Thanks to the composition of bioplastic and CaCO3 powder, bio filler is completely biodegradable while maintaining a competitive price. Thus, it not only lessens the burden on the waste processing system but also helps plastic manufacturers save production costs.

III. EuroPlas CaCO3 filler in the packaging industry

EuP is one of the leading CaCO3 filler manufacturers in Vietnam. After nearly 14 years of development, EuP has marked its name in the World’s top 5 filler masterbatch manufacturers, which highlights its capacity in providing plastic end-products manufacturers with a cost-effective material solution. Thanks to the advantage of calcium carbonate resources and state-of-the-art technology, EuroPlas filler masterbatch has made a good impression on customers regarding its top quality and reasonable price. The experience in the plastic material market along with effective research activities enable EuroPlas to bring customers customized products at a competitive price. Noticeably, EuroPlas CaCO3 filler is widely applied in the packaging industry, making this sector one of our most important target markets. 

Currently, EuP offers packaging products manufacturers a wide range of CaCO3 fillers such as PE filler, PP filler, and Bio filler,...For further information and product samples, do not hesitate to contact us!