The little packet next to the coffee machine—containing sugar, sweetener, and instant coffee—is known in the industry as a “stick pack.” It is made on a stick packaging machine: Essentially, a VFFS that builds multiple narrow bag tracks side by side within a single frame. A single roll of film feeds all the tracks at the same time.
The Multi-Column Layout
Each column is a miniature VFFS: its own forming shoulder, its own filling tube, and its own pair of sealing jaws. The film roll is wide and is slit into strips: with 8 columns, eight sticks are produced simultaneously from a single roll. Each column processes 20 to 30 sticks per minute; with 8 columns, that amounts to approximately 200 sticks per minute in total. Small systems start with 3 columns.
| Columns | Total Output | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|
| 3 to 4 | 60 to 120 sticks per minute | small batches, pilot production |
| 6 | 120 to 180 sticks per minute | mid-range hospitality sector |
| 8 to 10 | 160 to 250 sticks per minute | retail volume |
Dispenser: almost always powder or granules
Stick packs contain doses ranging from 2 g to approximately 20 g: sugar, instant coffee, sports powder, spice blends, and medicinal powders. Dosing is performed using fine screw feeders or vibrating chutes—the same technique used on the powder packaging solution-page, but in miniature. Liquid sticks (honey, syrup) are available with a micro-piston dispenser.
The bag itself is a 4-sided seal bag: Sealed on all four sides, with no air pockets where the product could shift. This snug fit makes the stick easy to spot in the drawer and easy to tear open.
Stick pack or sachet?
A sachet is wider and flatter—think of shampoo samples and sauce packets. A stick pack is narrow and long with a rounded back profile. The product selection follows from this: powder that you empty in a single motion goes into a stick; liquids or larger doses go into a sachet. On the machine, this means a different forming shoulder and dosing program, but not a different operating principle.
What stick packs are not suitable for
Packages weighing more than about 20 g lose the advantage of their size: the bar becomes too thick to tear cleanly. Products containing chunks—such as nuts and dried fruit—won’t fit through the narrow tube. And anyone who wants bags of 250 g or more will have to stick with a regular vertical form, fill, and seal machine with wider tracks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many grams fit in a stick pack?
In practice, 2 to 20 g. Below 2 g, the dosing accuracy becomes relatively too high (±1% of 2 g is 0.02 g); above 20 g, the stick becomes unwieldy. Outside that range, choose a sachet or mini-bag.
Q: Can a single machine produce different flavors at the same time?
Yes, that’s exactly the advantage of columns: each column can run its own dosing program from its own product feed. For physically separate products, you add separate hoppers—a specification you define before purchase.
Q: How much does a line like this cost compared to a VFFS?
Without a price list, the following structure applies: more columns mean more dosing and sealing modules, and thus a higher investment per frame. Compare the costs with the return per stick—the decision is based on how much a packaging machine costs.
Related pages
stick packaging machine | powder packaging solution | 4-sided seal bag | vertical form, fill, and seal machine | What is a VFFS?
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