Plastic Can Induction Sealed after Seaming

As reported by Packaging World Magazine, McCall Farms of Effingham, South Carolina is creating a stir on store shelves with Sonoco’s new TruVue® can (To view a video of the new TruVue® can click here). Its clear design enables consumers to see the products inside the can before they buy.

The innovative plastic container can be seamed at 500 cans/minute, retorted at 267 degrees F, and it offers a shelf life of 2+ years. A major benefit to packagers is that this innovative design is essentially a drop-in replacement for the traditional steel can.

Key to the package design is the use of induction sealing technology. Sonoco partnered with Enercon to develop a proprietary sealing process based on the Super Seal™ Max to enable the package to maintain freshness. Both the bottom and the top of the can have a polypropylene film laminated to them. After seaming, the cans go through an induction sealing process. This layer of plastic becomes a second means by which the end is affixed to the can body. “It creates a really tight, bonded seal throughout the entire seam area,” says Sonoco Director of Corporate Communications Brian Risinger.

This FUSION Fresh Lock Technology® is what really sets Sonoco’s three-piece container apart from plastic retortable cans developed by others. The container has been granted four U.S. patents.