Grupo Plastilene and ExxonMobil Set a New Benchmark for Packaging

Grupo Plastilene combines advanced blown film technology with ExxonMobil Signature Polymers resins to produce high-end thermoforming films in Colombia.

This collaboration delivers outstanding optical properties, mechanical strength, and hermetic sealing to meet the needs of meat and cheese packaging applications. — ExxonMobil Polymer Solutions

Grupo Plastilene, in collaboration with ExxonMobil Signature Polymers, introduced Tube Water Quench (TWQ) blown film technology, achieving a breakthrough in Colombia’s flexible packaging sector and enabling the production of high-performance thermoformable films with performance comparable to and capable of replacing imported structures.

This Latin American company, a long-standing leader in the thermoforming film sector, integrated TWQ extrusion equipment from Windmöller & Hölscher (W&H) in 2021, further strengthening its technology platform. The company regarded this as a transformative leap in optical performance, mechanical properties, and thermoforming capability. According to a case study by ExxonMobil Signature Polymers, the collaboration directly addressed a key challenge: enhancing the performance of locally produced thermoforming films while giving the products outstanding optical appearance, mechanical strength, barrier properties, and strong shelf impact.

Diego Amaya, Sales Manager for the Latin America region at W&H, stated: "TWQ expands the design space for barrier thermoforming films—offering cast-like optical effects, stable thickness, and a wider sealing window, enabling deeper stretching and less waste. This is an ideal foundation for replacing imported products with local quality."

Advanced resin combinations drive performance improvement

To fully leverage the potential of TWQ technology, Plastilene adopted two high-performance polyethylene resins from ExxonMobil’s product portfolio: Exceed Flow m 0520, which provides the film with toughness and deep-draw durability; and Exxtra Seal POP 2008, which ensures strong airtight seals while delivering excellent optical performance.

Research shows that this combination successfully developed a medium-to-high barrier structure with excellent strength, high transparency, and superior sealability. The case study indicates that there was no change in oxygen transmission rate or water vapor transmission rate between TWQ technology and conventional processes, with both delivering satisfactory results—an OTR below 1.0 cc/m²·day and a WVTR below 3.0 g/m²·day—fully meeting the requirements of the target packaging application.

Before investing in TWQ, the traditional blow molding barrier technology limited Plastilene's performance in deep draw applications, especially in areas such as meat and cheese packaging that require higher puncture resistance, optical quality, and low curl characteristics for films.

Technology brings quantifiable improvements.

Case studies indicate that the TWQ rapid water-quench cooling process delivers outstanding transparency and gloss, greater puncture and impact resistance, superior thermoforming performance, and thickness uniformity far exceeding that of conventional blow-molding processes.
Plastilene’s test data demonstrate significant performance advantages. Compared with conventional blown film, the water-cooled film achieves a machine-direction tensile strength of 34.5 MPa, a machine-direction gloss of up to 94 GU, and a substantially reduced haze. The TWQ film reaches an elongation at break of 835% in the machine direction and 817% in the transverse direction.

The developed structure must meet stringent requirements: it must achieve reliable airtight sealing even under slight contamination; it must also possess exceptionally high transparency and gloss to enhance product display; meanwhile, by optimizing the materials and layer ratios, it should balance barrier properties, thermoformability, and established processing routes.

Validate commercial feasibility through practical application.

Beyond laboratory certification, these films have also proven themselves in real-world thermoforming applications. According to a case study, practical use validation by meat packaging customer Carnes Casablanca confirmed their excellent formability, outstanding sealing performance, and premium shelf appearance.

Today, Plastilene is the only processor in Colombia operating TWQ technology, offering what the company describes as a unique localized thermoforming solution with world-class performance.

Strategic benefits outweigh technical performance.

The collaboration between Plastilene and ExxonMobil is a technological milestone in Colombia’s flexible barrier thermoformed packaging sector, bringing multiple strategic advantages.

Both parties noted that the collaboration delivers thermoforming performance with stable deep drawability and high puncture resistance, enhanced optical properties that improve product visibility and shelf appeal, and operational efficiency supported by ExxonMobil’s formulation and processing expertise—helping shorten development cycles and reduce waste during scale-up.

In addition, local production capabilities enable brand owners to access domestically produced high-performance barrier films with stable supply and consistent quality, ensuring supply security. The enhanced capabilities also allow Plastilene to enter new performance-driven high-end segments, supporting business expansion.

Set a new regional benchmark

The case study concluded that the combination of TWQ technology, ExxonMobil’s advanced resin portfolio, and Plastilene’s processing expertise has set a new benchmark for thermoforming films in the region. The result is a solution that delivers world-class performance, strengthens local competitiveness, and drives continuous improvement through innovation.

ExxonMobil Signature Polymers consolidates the company's polyolefin products under a single brand portfolio, simplifying product navigation and promoting in-depth collaboration across the value chain. This brand focuses on providing top-notch service and partnerships in the polymer industry, helping customers find solutions that enhance performance, processing capabilities, and business objectives.

The platform also opens up possibilities for further improving material efficiency and developing next-generation barrier solutions, enabling Plastilene to maintain a continuous innovation advantage in Colombia’s growing packaging market.