Flexible packaging today makes up for more than 40% of what is used in North America and we see it taking over from rigid plastic, glass and metal in all industries. In food, nutraceuticals, cosmetics, cannabis, pet food and also in the industrial chemical space we are seeing a shift to lightweight, print friendly and recycable films which not only lower shipping weight and in turn freight costs but also improve shelf life and also play into the consumer trend for convenient and sustainable products.
This issue at hand is what we have in the flexible packaging machines which take rolls of film or pre made pouches and turn them into finished filled and sealed packages at speeds which range from 40 to over 1000 units per minute. What machine you choose affects production efficiency, product protection, waste output and long term operating costs.
This 2025 guide goes over all major categories of flexible packaging machines, present specifications, selection criteria, and real world costs. Also we profile a Canadian manufacturer which does in house the full range and are putting out the matching films which is an increasing advantage for both new and large scale packers.
1. What Are Flexible Packaging Machines?
Flexible packaging machines which transform rollstock film or pre made pouches into finished packages of solids, powders, granules, liquids, pastes or frozen products. As opposed to rigid packaging lines which include bottles, cans, trays these systems use inks and print right into lightweight plastic films, laminates or foil structures.
The in 2024 global flexible packaging market had a value of USD 268 billion and is still growing at 4-5% annually which is being powered by single serve portions, e-commerce, sustainability goals and shelf ready retail demands.
2. Main Types of Flexible Packaging Machines
2.1 Vertical Form Fill Seal (VFFS) Machines
Most common type. Film travels vertically around a forming tube, is sealed longitudinally, filled, then sealed horizontally.
- Intermittent-motion VFFS: 40–150 bags/min
- Continuous-motion VFFS: 150–1000 bags/min (high-speed lines)
Typical bag styles: pillow, gusseted, block-bottom, quad-seal.
2.2 Multilane Stick Pack Machines
1 to 16 lanes (sometimes 20). Ideal for single-dose powders, granules, liquids, or gels (sugar, instant coffee, supplements, sauces).
- Output range: 40–800 sticks/min
- Stick width: 12–50 mm standard
2.3 Multilane Sachet Machines
1 to 20 lanes. Produce flat 3-side or 4-side seal sachets.
- Output range: 40–1000 sachets/min
- Sachet width: 30–200 mm
Common for shampoo samples, condiments, pharmaceutical powders, spices.
2.4 Stand-Up Pouch (SUP / Doypack) Bagging Machines
Work with pre-made pouches. Automatic pick-open-fill-seal process.
- Speed: 15–40 pouches/min (rotary) up to 80–100/min (high-end models)
- Options: zipper, spout insertion, laser scoring, hanging holes
2.5 Spouted Pouch Filling & Capping Machines
Dedicated to baby food, beverages, detergents, sauces in pre-made spouted pouches.
- 12–80 pouches/min depending on number of filling heads
- Fill volume: 20 ml – 2 L
2.6 Popsicle / Freeze-Pop Packaging Machines
Specialized multilane machines that form long, narrow 3- or 4-side seal tubes for frozen treats.
- Up to 200 units/min on 4 lanes
3. How to Choose the Right Flexible Packaging Machine
Step 1 – Define Product Characteristics
- Dry (free-flow or non-free-flow)
- Liquid / viscous / paste
- Fragile (nuts, cookies, IQF fruit)
- Hot-fill or aseptic requirements
Step 2 – Target Output
- Startup / pilot: 30–80 bags/min
- Medium volume: 100–300 bags/min
- High volume: 400–1000 bags/min
Step 3 – Bag Style & Size Range
List current and future formats (pillow, stand-up, stick, sachet, quad-seal, etc.).
Step 4 – Film Structure
- Monolayer PE
- PET/PE laminates
- Metallized barriers
- Recyclable or compostable films
Step 5 – Budget & Ownership Cost
Machines using standard, non-proprietary parts reduce long-term spare parts expense by 30–50 % compared to proprietary systems.
4. Canadian Manufacturer Spotlight: Unified Flex Packaging Technologies
Location: Brampton, Ontario (Greater Toronto Area) Years in operation: 17+
Unified Flex manufactures the full range of flexible packaging machines listed above, including Coffee Packaging Machine, and also produces packaging films in-house.
Key models available 2025
VFFS Series
- Hornet XL – bulk bags up to 18″ wide, 50 bags/min
- Vertobagger 2.0 – continuous motion, 150 bags/min
- Vertobagger 2.0 Ultrasonic – cold seal for heat-sensitive products
Stick Pack Series
- MSP 800mm – 16 lanes, 800 sticks/min
Sachet Series
- MSB 813mm – 20 lanes, 1000 sachets/min
Stand-Up Pouch Series
- Doy Rotary – 8-station rotary, 40 pouches/min
- Doy Sigma Bulk – large pouches up to 16″ wide
Spouted Pouch Series
- RS-4 – 4-head, 80 pouches/min
All machines share the following construction standards:
- #304 stainless steel laser-welded frames
- Standard Allen-Bradley or Siemens PLC and servo drives
- Non-proprietary pneumatic and electrical components
- Industry 4.0 ready (OPC-UA, remote diagnostics)
Film & Converting Capabilities
- 8-colour flexo printing
- Solvent & solventless lamination
- Metallization / de-metallization windows
- Laser scoring & registered matte/gloss effects
- Recyclable PE/PE and PP mono-material structures
Support Structure
- Factory-direct spare parts warehouse in Canada
- Telephone & remote support Mon–Fri 8:30 AM–5:00 PM EST
- On-site service technicians across North America
- Film-to-machine compatibility testing lab
5. Industry Applications
Food & Beverage
- Single-serve coffee sticks
- IQF fruit in stand-up pouches with zippers
- Sauce & condiment sachets
Nutraceuticals & Cannabis
- Precise-dose stick packs for collagen, protein, CBD
- Child-resistant stand-up pouches
Pet Food
- Resealable flat-bottom boxes for premium kibble
Cosmetics
- Travel-size shampoo sachets
- Spouted pouches for face masks
Chemicals & Industrial Powders
- 4-side seal sachets for water-treatment granules
6. Cost of Ownership Comparison
Typical price ranges (CAD, new machines):
- Entry-level intermittent VFFS: $90k–$150k
- 10-lane stick pack machine: $250k–$350k
- Rotary stand-up pouch line: $350k–$550k
- Full turnkey multilane sachet line: $600k–$1.2M
Machines built with standard parts save 25–40 % on maintenance over 10-year lifespan versus proprietary brands.
7. Conclusion
In 2025 it will be up to you to choose packaging machines which match your product type, output targets, and film structure to the correct machine category. Also note that when manufacturers control both equipment and film production (for example Unified Flex in Canada) they simplify the validation process, reduce lead times and in the end lower total cost of ownership.
