JSE-listed packaging company Nampak has installed a state-of-the-art scanning electron microscope (SEM) in its research and development (R&D) division in Cape Town.

The company made the investment at the end of last year and is already seeing the benefits from this advanced scientific equipment, says Nampak R&D GM Morongwa Themba.

Its R&D division applied the new microscope's capabilities to material development with a particular focus on coatings, metals and plastics. It has helped Nampak Liquid Cartons to identify and solve challenges around liquid cartons, such as measuring sealant layers on the inside of the carton, she says.

The microscope has also supported the company's plastics division in the chemical analysis of master batch samples, as well as foreign object identification. The SEM can also assist in verifying specifications and identifying counterfeit material.

“The high-quality imaging of the SEM supports our problem-solving abilities for customers, while also enabling greater cost savings and improved efficiency,” she explains.

“The addition of this new SEM allows us to solve more challenges for Nampak’s various divisions as they look to provide customers with the most innovative packaging solutions from paper and plastic to metals.

“It is also extremely useful in failure and root-cause analyses, as well as assisting customers in the identification of foreign matter found in packaged products. The instrument is, therefore, an extremely important asset to ensure the safety of food and beverages packed in Nampak’s packaging,” she says.

The Thermo Fisher Scientific Axia ChemiSEM microscope, which is supplied by Scientific and Precision Solutions, is the fourth SEM bought by Nampak R&D in its 77-year history.

The microscope has undergone significant technological advancements since the company bought its last SEM in 2009, Themba adds.

Meanwhile, Nampak's previous SEM is now at the National Institute of Communicable Diseases in Johannesburg. Owing to the equipment’s versatility, it will be put to good use as a key piece of medical equipment to continue identifying new and existing disease strains, she notes.

“Investment in modern equipment allows Nampak to continue to be a market leader and widely regarded as the most advanced packaging science and technology facility in the southern hemisphere. Our R&D division provides crucial scientific support and services exclusively to Nampak customers.”

The equipment allows Nampak R&D to scientifically investigate packaging, while also removing the risk of potential claims against its customers or Nampak itself. In the past, findings by the division have helped to prevent financial and reputational damage for brands, Themba adds.