ExxonMobil and Flexo Spring develop optimized film solution for bread bag packaging

ExxonMobil, one of the largest publicly traded international energy companies, uses technology and innovation to help meet the world's growing energy needs. ExxonMobil Signature Polymers™ brings together ExxonMobil’s polyolefin products under a single portfolio brand, simplifying portfolio navigation and promoting enhanced collaboration across the value chain. Focused on delivering best-in-class service and partnerships within the polymers industry, ExxonMobil Signature Polymers helps customers identify solutions that support performance, processing and business goals.

A leading bread brand owner in Colombia sought a smarter way to reduce packaging costs without compromising quality, performance, or shelf appeal. The challenge was clear: reduce material usage per bag while maintaining performance and enhancing visual appeal, all without disrupting existing operations.

(Source: ExxonMobil)

To address this challenge, ExxonMobil Signature Polymers™ and Flexo Spring came together with a shared vision: to rethink the film design and create value across the entire value chain. By combining ExxonMobil Signature Polymers expertise in polymer design with Flexo Spring’s deep knowledge of extrusion and conversion processes, the team developed an optimized film solution through downgauging.

The result was a redesigned three-layer coextruded film structure delivering a 17% reduction in material thickness. The ExxonMobil Signature Polymers portfolio played a critical role in achieving this outcome, with a tailored formulation designed to ensure both processability and high performance under the customer’s specific extrusion conditions.

In the new design, Exceed™ Flow performance PE was used to maintain stiffness and enhance optical properties, while Exceed™ performance PE grades delivered excellent sealing performance, tear resistance, and shelf appeal. Together, the teams introduced a flat-bottom bread bag design, enhancing shelf presentation and improving filling efficiency, delivering tangible benefits to the brand owner’s operations.

With the downgauged structure, the brand owner can now produce approximately 17% more bags from the same amount of material, unlocking significant cost savings while maintaining mechanical integrity, sealing performance, and durability.

The project maintained packaging film haze below 10%, a common requirement in the bread industry, helping ensure clear product visibility and consumer appeal. Operationally, the optimized structure provided consistent processing and reliable sealing, while the new bag format increased filling speed and overall production efficiency.

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