Seven-layer silage barrier film and films up to 39 meters wide

Michelstadt/Germany, August 19, 2021 – RKW Agri launches Polydress® FarmGuard, a next-generation e7 silage barrier film that offers, among other features, a significantly improved oxygen barrier to protect silage and easier handling. No more need for a vacuum film, saving farmers time, effort, and material, and also reducing waste. All of which means built-in sustainability.

The new 100 µm Polydress® FarmGuard silage barrier film is up to 100 times more effective as an oxygen barrier than standard silage films. Moreover, it is easy to handle thanks to its extreme strength, as demonstrated by the dart drop test. “With this new product, we are giving our customers a seven-layer silage film that unites outstanding practical benefits with high-tech to create a truly sustainable solution for the future,” says Bernd Brenner, Vice President Sales at RKW Agri.

This black-and-white barrier film features UV protection at 120 kLy lasting 18 months in European markets. Farmers benefit most from Polydress® FarmGuard when they need to store silage over longer periods. The excellent barrier function prevents oxygen from penetrating into the forage, ensuring the quality of the silage remains at the highest possible level for a long time. It also promotes the fermentation process.

Maximum protection against oxygen means that:

•             the nutritional value is preserved,

•             silage losses are avoided, and

•             silage can be stored for longer.

The film’s high tensile strength of 38 MPa (equivalent to 38 N/mm2) and outstanding dart drop strength (≥ 750 g) ensure superior handling and quality users can rely on. 

Active contribution to sustainability

“We at RKW take sustainability seriously. We are committed to the responsible use of plastics, particularly in the agricultural sector,” stresses Brenner. Among other things, this includes optimized processes in development and production that lead to less waste. In addition, the special composition of Polydress® FarmGuard, with the EVOH oxygen barrier, does away with any need for additional vacuum underlay films for covering the silo – meaning farmers make multiple savings through lower storage costs, transport costs, personnel and handling costs, and, last but not least, through less waste at the end of the film’s useful life.

In order to be able to dispose of the film properly and professionally after use, RKW recommends using the services of ERDE or APE. These form closed cycles for recycling materials and are reliable collection schemes that offer a professional recycling concept. Among other things, the high-quality recycled materials can be recovered to make garden furniture or other agricultural films.

Furthermore, all production at RKW Group sites is powered exclusively by energy from renewable sources.

Focus on large widths

Initially, RKW is offering Polydress® FarmGuard in widths from 8 to 16 meters / 32ft up to 50ft. From autumn 2021, the film will also be available in extra-wide widths of up to 30 meters / 100ft and lengths of up to 300 meters / 1,000ft. Other silage films, such as Polydress® SiloPro and Bunker Cover, will also be available from the autumn in widths of up to 39 meters / 127ft.

About the RKW Group

The RKW Group is an independent private company headquartered in Mannheim, Germany, and is one of the world's leading manufacturers of excellent film solutions. RKW is the market leader in the areas of hygiene and agricultural films, films for the beverage industry and packaging for powdery goods. Moreover, the company also supplies films and nonwovens for medical applications, for the chemical and processing industries as well as for the construction sector. The RKW Group's sustainable plastic-based films enable its customers to improve the daily lives of consumers worldwide.

RKW employs approximately 3,000 people at 19 locations worldwide. In line with the company's slogan "When excellence matters", the company, founded in 1957, focuses on excellence in quality and service. Respect and reliability are RKW's core values and form the basis of the company's success.

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