Pricing factors for rollstock packaging
What is a rollstock packaging?
Rollstock packaging (often called roll-stock film or simply rollstock) is a form of flexible packaging made from one or more continuous sheets of film supplied on a roll. The film is typically formed, filled, and sealed into individual pouches or bags by automated packaging machinery. Rollstock is commonly used for food products, medical items, consumer goods and many other packaged products.
Continuous film on a roll: The packaging material (plastic, foil, paper or laminates) is supplied wound on a core for use in automatic machines.
Form/fill/seal (FFS) operation: Most rollstock is processed in FFS machines that form the film into a pouch or bag, fill it with product, then seal and cut to produce individual packages.
Flexible materials: Rollstock typically uses flexible films or multilayer laminates that provide barrier properties (moisture, oxygen, aroma), strength and printability.
Customization: Film can be printed with branding and product information before or after forming. Seal types, package shapes (pillow, gusseted, sachet, stand-up pouch) and closures (zippers, spouts) vary.
High speed automated packaging: Ideal for high volume production.
Cost efficient material usage: Minimal waste when optimized for film width and format.
Design flexibility: Multiple layers, printing, and features (zippers, spouts).
Good barrier and shelf life control: By choosing appropriate laminates and seals.
Recycling complexity: Many multilayer films are hard to recycle in standard streams.
Equipment cost: FFS machines and tooling can be significant investments.
Permeability considerations: Needs correct material selection for oxygen/moisture-sensitive products.
What factors make up the price of rollstock packaging?
Unlike other flexible packaging products (mainly referring to pouches), a rollstock packaging or supplier only needs to know two factors—”material structure” and “thickness”—to calculate the unit price of a product.
What do these two factors refer to?
Material structure
Refers to which materials are laminated together to form the rollstock packaging‘s printing layer, barrier layer, and contact layer.
Thickness
Refers to the total single-side thickness of the rollstock packaging in micrometers.
Two ways to quote the unit price of lidstock packaging
01/
Priced by kilogram
That is, how much per kilogram or per 1,000 kilograms—this is a common quoting method used by rollstock packaging manufacturers.
02/
Priced by square centimeter
That is, how much it costs per square centimeter; this is another pricing method used by rollstock packaging manufacturers. This method is somewhat cumbersome because the supplier must first convert kilograms into square centimeters using a formula, but its advantage is that it allows calculation of how many bags can be form/fill/seal per unit square centimeter.
