BakPac installs Totani spout inserters

BakPac, the flexible packaging division at Baker Labels, has installed two new Totani automatic spout inserters.

The investment, worth more than half a million GBP (681,000 USD), adds new capability for custom-printed spouted pouches and strengthens BakPac’s position in the growing refill and liquid pouch market.

The two machines arrived at Bakers’ Brentwood site on August 6, with installation starting on August 10. Totani engineers were on site for four days to complete the installation and commissioning, followed by a week for team training. Both machines are now installed and running live customer work, with further trials, testing and operator training continuing as the team builds up production.

For BakPac customers, the new machines mean greater access to high-quality digitally printed spouted pouches, with more capacity, more flexibility and faster production options for medium and longer runs.

The automatic spout inserters support both top and corner spouts, with BakPac initially offering 10mm, 17.5mm and 21.5mm spout sizes across pouch formats from 50ml to 5 liters.

Steve Baker, managing director at Bakers, said: 'Spouted pouches are a really exciting area for BakPac. The refill market in the UK is still at an early stage, but we believe it is a question of when, not if, demand grows. We wanted to invest now, get really good at the process and make sure we have the capacity and capability in place before the market really accelerates.

'There is also a strong trade supply opportunity here. We know there are other UK pouch producers and trade customers who may not have dedicated spout insertion capability, or the capacity to take on higher-volume spouted pouch work. By investing in two Totani machines from the start, we are putting BakPac in a position to support brands directly, but also to offer a high-quality trade solution as demand for spouted formats grows.

'The Totani machines are already proving themselves. The installation was extremely positive, the results we are seeing are excellent, and we are already seeing more spouted pouch work coming through. This investment gives us a major step forward in speed, consistency and quality for customers looking at refill and liquid pouch formats.'

Spouted pouches are becoming an increasingly important format for brands looking at refill packaging, lighter-weight alternatives to rigid containers and packaging that is easier to store, use and transport.

BakPac sees particular growth opportunities in beauty and wellness, alcohol and ready-mixed cocktails, food and condiments, health supplements, household products and automotive applications.

The new equipment sits neatly within BakPac’s existing digital print and pouch converting workflow. Pouches are digitally printed and converted in the same way as BakPac’s standard stand-up pouches, with the added value of high-quality spout insertion at speed.

That matters for brands working across multiple SKUs, testing new product formats or looking to scale quickly once a product gains traction.

BakPac’s recyclable Mono material has also run extremely well through the new machines, supporting the company’s ability to offer recyclable spouted pouch options for customers exploring refill packaging and more flexible alternatives to bottles, tubs and jars.

The investment also helps remove one of the key bottlenecks in spouted pouch production. Spout insertion comes toward the end of the process, after printing, laminating and pouch conversion, so adding reliable, high-speed capacity at this stage gives BakPac more control over quality, planning and delivery.

Steve Baker added: 'Spout insertion is one of the final stages in the production process, after printing, laminating and pouch conversion, so it is critical that we protect quality and delivery. Having the capacity of two Totanis means we can support customers as they scale, whether they are testing a new refill concept, moving into higher-volume repeat work or looking for a trusted trade partner with specialist spouted pouch capability.'

The arrival and positioning of the machines was handled by Bakers’ own facilities and maintenance team before Totani engineers completed the installation and training.

It is another example of Bakers’ long-standing approach to reinvestment: identifying new opportunities, bringing in the right equipment and building the skills and capacity needed to keep moving forward.

The BakPac team is already in discussion about further automatic spout inserter investment as demand for spouted pouches continues to grow.

Steve Baker added: 'This is a significant investment, but it is also the start of where we believe this market can go. For challenger brands especially, spouted pouches offer the opportunity to start small, test the market and scale with a packaging partner that has the speed, quality and flexibility to support them.'