The History of Paper Sacks in the Animal Feed Packaging Industry
Today, paper sacks are a familiar part of the animal feed industry. Strong, practical and available in a range of constructions, they are used to package products that need to withstand filling, handling, storage and transportation. But the paper sack used for animal feed today is the result of decades of development.
From the early days of multi-wall paper packaging to modern sacks incorporating specialist liners, barrier materials and sophisticated manufacturing processes, the industry has continually evolved to meet the changing requirements of manufacturers and their products.
So, where did it all begin?
The Origins of the Multi-Wall Paper Sack
The multi-wall paper sack, so much a feature of modern life, was first produced in Britain by Colthrop Board & Paper Mills Ltd (now Medway Sacks) of Aylesford in 1929, following the development of Kraft paper. Initially sold under the brand name ‘Satchelsac’ they were used for what were termed ‘rock products’; cement, lime and plaster. In 1933 a form of creped Kraft paper was developed which allowed the development of paper sacks for animal feed-stuffs (sold as ‘Crepesacs’), which received a Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of Hygiene.
Larger users such as cement firms might well produce their own sacks from rolls of multi-layer paper. The rolls of paper are some four or five feet in diameter and about five or six feet wide, generally coloured pale brown. This is fed into a machine which prints the logo and then forms the paper into a gummed tube. One end is closed off, originally by sewing, these days by folding and gluing, and the sacks are passed to the filling plant where they are filled with pre-weighed quantities and sealed by automatic machines.
Firstly paper sacks were initially used with the open end tied off not sewn, although the resulting package was squared off with well defined ‘shoulders’. These sacks continued in use for some products into the 1950’s (to produce these add a small blob of Milliput or similar modelling clay to the centre of one end of a whitemetal sack). Secondly two colour printing of sacks was only introduced after the second world war, some time in the early 1950’s.
The technology, however, was about to find another important application.
1933: Paper Sacks for Animal Feed
A particularly important moment in the history of animal feed packaging came in 1933. The British paper-industry history records that a form of creped kraft paper was developed that allowed paper sacks to be produced for animal feedstuffs.
These sacks were sold under the name “Crepesacs” and received a Gold Medal from the Royal Institute of Hygiene. Animal feed needed packaging that could withstand the weight and handling involved in moving agricultural products, and the development of stronger, multi-layer paper constructions made this increasingly practical.
The animal feed sack had begun its transition from a simple container into a purpose-designed form of industrial packaging.
From Simple Sacks to Engineered Packaging
As the use of paper sacks expanded, so did the technology behind them. This evolution has allowed the kraft paper sack to take shape using an unlimited array of constructions, such as carefully selected papers, films, foils, special coatings, laminations and surface and other treatments. The construction materials specified in each case are determined by the product itself and the degree of product protection required to safeguard its quality.
This development is important because different products require different levels of protection.
An animal feed product may have requirements relating to moisture, strength, filling, storage or transportation. Modern sack construction allows these requirements to be considered when specifying the packaging.
Instead of simply asking, “What size sack do we need?”, manufacturers can consider the complete construction of the sack and how it will perform throughout the supply chain.
The Rise of Mechanisation
The development of the paper sack went hand in hand with improvements in manufacturing and filling technology. Early sacks were relatively labour-intensive to produce and close. Over time, machinery allowed manufacturers to produce sacks more quickly and consistently.
Automation and technology as accelerator
In the 1950s, the growing number of filling goods required the development of different sack constructions and new, faster machinery. The Bottomer AD 2360 from 1968, a folding and pasting machine for multiwall paper valve sacks, became the workhorse of the paper sack industry worldwide. In 1982, the first partly electronically controlled machines accelerated production speeds. As automation proceeded further, such as with digital glue application and automated roll changes, the output of paper sack machines evolved from 160 sacks per minute in 1975 to 400 sacks per minute today. Packing machinery evolved similarly.
A sack isn’t simply filled by hand and moved into storage anymore. It forms part of a highly automated manufacturing and distribution process.
Stronger Paper, Fewer Layers
Another major area of development has been the strength of the paper itself. Improvements in fibre processing and paper-machine technology increased paper strength by 45% between 1994 and 2014. At the same time, the amount of paper required for individual sacks decreased significantly. Greater strength doesn’t simply mean stronger packaging. It can also mean that manufacturers can achieve the required performance while using less material.
The result is a paper sack that can be lighter and more resource-efficient while still providing the strength required for demanding applications.
The Introduction of Barrier Materials
Paper provides many useful properties, but some products require additional protection. During the 1960s, the industry increasingly began combining paper with plastic materials to provide barriers against factors such as water vapour and oxygen. This opened new possibilities for paper sack applications.
Liners and barrier materials could be incorporated into the sack construction where additional product protection was required, helping manufacturers tailor packaging to the particular needs of the product.
For animal feed producers, this development provided greater flexibility when considering how best to protect different feed products during storage and transportation.
Making Sacks Easier to Handle
The development of paper sacks wasn’t solely about protecting the product. The way people handled the sacks also became an important consideration. Handles began appearing on paper sacks in the late 1970s, helping make heavier sacks easier to carry. From around 2000, features designed to make sacks easier to open, pour and reclose also became increasingly popular. These developments demonstrate how paper sack design has increasingly considered the complete experience of using the packaging — from filling and transportation to opening and emptying.
For products such as animal feed, where bags can be relatively heavy, ease of handling can be an important consideration.
Sustainability and the Modern Paper Sack
More recently, environmental considerations have become an increasingly important part of paper sack development. The industry has invested in improving manufacturing efficiency and reducing resource use. That the fossil carbon footprint per paper sack fell by 28% between 2007 and 2018. The industry has also investigated bio-based alternatives to conventional plastic barriers.
Around 2010, research and development began replacing some polyethylene barriers with bio-barriers made from materials such as corn and cellulose.
This reflects a broader change in the industry: modern paper sacks are increasingly expected to provide excellent product protection while also considering the environmental impact of the packaging itself.
What Does the Modern Animal Feed Sack Look Like?
Today’s animal feed sack is very different from the early paper sacks developed almost a century ago.
Modern multi-wall sacks can be designed around a wide range of requirements, including:
- Product weight
- Sack dimensions
- Number of paper layers
- Moisture protection
- Barrier requirements
- Filling equipment
- Closure method
- Storage and transportation
- Printing and product identification
- Sustainability considerations
The PSSMA describes modern paper shipping sacks as “custom-designed to meet the exact requirements” of individual applications. That flexibility is one of the reasons paper sacks have remained relevant to the animal feed industry.
Looking to the Future
The development of animal feed packaging isn’t finished. As manufacturers look for greater efficiency, improved product protection and more sustainable packaging solutions, paper sack technology will continue to evolve. For companies choosing packaging for animal feed, understanding this history also highlights an important point: the modern paper sack is the result of nearly a century of innovation and refinement.
At CB Paper Sacks, we bring more than 50 years of experience in the paper sack industry to the manufacture of multi-wall sacks for animal feed and a range of other applications. Our experience allows us to understand that every product has different requirements, from strength and protection to filling, handling and transportation.
Looking for paper sacks for animal feed packaging?
Contact CB Paper Sacks to discuss your requirements and find a packaging solution designed around your product.
