BakPac at Bakers has installed two new Totani automatic spout inserters in an investment of more than £500,000, expanding its capacity for custom printed spouted pouches.

The machines arrived at Bakers’ Brentwood site on 6 August, with installation beginning on 10 August. Totani engineers completed installation and commissioning over four days, followed by a week of operator training. Both machines are now running live customer work, with further trials and training continuing as production ramps up.

The new equipment increases BakPac’s capacity for digitally printed spouted pouches, providing greater flexibility and production options for medium and longer runs. The machines support both top and corner spouts, with initial formats including 10mm, 17.5mm and 21.5mm spouts on pouches from 50ml to 5 litres.

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.”

BakPac is targeting applications including beauty and wellness, alcohol and ready-mixed cocktails, food and condiments, health supplements, household products and automotive products.

The new equipment has been integrated into BakPac’s existing digital print and pouch converting workflow. The company said its recyclable Mono material has also performed well on the machines, supporting the production of recyclable spouted pouch options.

The investment is intended to increase capacity at the spout insertion stage, which follows printing, laminating and pouch conversion, giving BakPac greater control over production planning, quality and delivery.

Mr 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 machines were positioned by Bakers’ facilities and maintenance team before Totani engineers completed the installation and training.

BakPac is already considering further automatic spout inserter investment as demand for spouted pouches develops.

Mr 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.”