Why tower pack products like snus and oral tobacco need specialized shrink wrapping instead of standard L-type sealers. Technical comparison of stacking, sleeving, and sealing approaches.
If you're packaging cylindrical products stacked vertically — snus cans, oral tobacco tins, supplement tubes — you've probably looked at L-type shrink wrapping machines and wondered if they'll work for your product.
They can. But for tower pack configurations, they usually aren't the right tool. Here's why, and what works better.
What Makes Tower Pack Packaging Different
A tower pack stacks cylindrical products vertically (like 5-10 snus cans standing on end), then wraps the entire stack in shrink film. The package shape is fundamentally different from flat products:
- •**Height dominates** — the package is taller than it is wide
- •**Circular cross-section** — no flat surfaces for the film to grip during shrinking
- •**Stack stability** — products must stay aligned through the wrapping process
An L-type shrink wrapping machine seals film around flat or low-profile products using an L-shaped seal bar. It works well for boxes, trays, and bundled flat items. But when you try to wrap a tall cylindrical stack:
- •The film curtain doesn't support the package height during sealing
- •Products shift during the sealing cycle because there's no lateral support
- •The L-bar must be sized for the full stack height, making the seal bar impractically long for standard machines
How Tower Pack Shrink Wrapping Actually Works
Instead of forcing tower packs through an L-type sealer, the process is designed around the product geometry:
Step 1: Stacking
Products are accumulated in the correct orientation. For snus cans, this means standing them vertically in a column of 5-10 units. The stacking mechanism must be stable enough to hold the column without toppling.
Step 2: Sleeving
A pre-cut film sleeve drops over the stack from above. This is fundamentally different from L-type sealing, where film wraps around the product from a continuous roll. The sleeve approach matches the tower pack's vertical geometry.
Step 3: Sealing
The film is sealed at top and bottom (or just one end, depending on the package design). The seal tool is customized for the stack diameter — typically 80-200mm for snus and oral tobacco products.
Step 4: Shrinking
The sleeved package enters a shrink tunnel where heat tightens the film around the cylindrical stack. Because the film was placed as a sleeve (not wrapped from a flat curtain), it shrinks evenly around the circular cross-section.
Technical Comparison: L-Type vs. Tower Pack System
| Factor | L-Type Shrink Wrapping Machine | Tower Pack System (ZF-X500-T) |
| Product orientation | Flat/horizontal | Vertical stack |
| Film application | Continuous roll, L-bar seal | Pre-cut sleeve, drop-over |
| Package height limit | Limited by L-bar arm length | Designed for tall stacks |
| Stack stability during wrap | Products can shift | Stacking fixture holds position |
| Seal tool | Standard L-bar | Custom diameter tool |
| Typical products | Boxes, trays, bundled items | Snus cans, tins, tubes |
| Speed | 20-40 packs/min (typical) | Matches product-specific line design |
Why Not Just Modify an L-Type Sealer?
Some manufacturers try to adapt L-type sealers for tower packs by extending the seal bar or adding fixtures. This creates problems:
- •**Seal bar deflection** — longer bars flex under their own weight, creating uneven seals
- •**Cycle time** — the L-bar must travel further for tall packages, slowing the cycle
- •**Film waste** — wrapping a tall cylinder from flat film creates excess film at the corners that doesn't shrink neatly
- •**Product damage** — cylindrical products roll and shift during the L-bar's horizontal sealing motion
A purpose-built tower pack system avoids all of these because the process was designed around the product geometry from the start.
The Shrink Tunnel Pairing
After sealing, tower packs need a shrink tunnel that handles cylindrical packages effectively. The ZF-S550 pairs with the ZF-X500-T tower pack system, using its 3D air duct design to shrink film evenly around circular cross-sections.
The key challenge with cylindrical packages is that film tension varies around the circumference. A tunnel with uniform airflow from all directions (rather than top-and-bottom only) produces a tighter, more consistent shrink without film channels or loose spots.
The ZF-S550's ±1°C temperature control and hot air recirculation (30-40% energy savings vs. conventional tunnels) make it suitable for heat-sensitive film used in tobacco and pharmaceutical packaging.
When an L-Type Sealer Still Makes Sense
To be fair, tower pack systems aren't universally better. An L-type shrink wrapping machine is the right choice when:
- •Products are flat or low-profile (boxes, cartons, trays)
- •You need to wrap products of widely varying sizes on the same line
- •Package volume doesn't justify dedicated tooling
- •You're doing occasional tower packs as a small part of a broader product range
The decision comes down to your primary package format. If 80%+ of your output is tower packs, a dedicated system pays back quickly in speed, reliability, and package quality. If tower packs are occasional, an L-type with custom fixtures might be acceptable.
Specifying the Right System
If you're evaluating tower pack packaging, start with these parameters:
- •**Stack dimensions**: diameter range and stack height
- •**Product weight**: affects stacking stability requirements
- •**Target speed**: packs per minute at production volume
- •**Film type**: POF, PVC, or PE — affects seal temperature and tunnel settings
- •**Changeover frequency**: how often you switch between stack sizes
Our ZF-X500-T system handles stacks with W(200-360)×Φ(80-200)mm range, with customizable seal tools for different diameters. The machine size is 2447×1225×1607mm at 380kg — compact enough for most production floors.
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Discuss Your Tower Pack Requirements
If you're packaging snus, oral tobacco, supplements, or similar cylindrical products in tower pack format, our engineering team can evaluate whether a dedicated tower pack system or a modified L-type approach makes more sense for your volume and product range.
📧 contact@zonefu.com | 🌐 www.zonefu.com
*Guangzhou Zhongfu Packaging Technology Co., Ltd. — Manufacturing packaging equipment since 2002, serving customers in 30+ countries.*
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