Liquid and paste pouch routes
Liquid and Paste Pouch Packaging Machines
These lines dose a liquid or a paste with a pump or a piston, present a pouch, and seal it. The host is a premade-pouch rotary machine or a VFFS machine that forms the pouch from film. Bottle filling is not this page.
Two machine routes on this page: premade pouches on a rotary host · pouches formed from roll film on a VFFS machine
- The machines
- How they work
- Line scope
- Watch them run
- Compare
- What you can pack
- Output scale
- Project inputs
- Before you order
- Material route
- FAQs
- Read next
Choose the pouch first: pump or piston filling is selected for the product, fill volume and cleaning needs. For other food formats, use the food pouch guide.
- Best fit
- Food brands and co-packers packing sauces, pastes, oils or other pumpable products into a pouch.
- Not this page
- Bottles, cans and cups. Tea bags and drip bags — the tea & coffee bag page. Powders — the powder page. Granules — the granule & solid page. Daily-chemical liquids (shampoo, detergent) — the chemical pouch page.
- Start with
- Product and viscosity, inclusions, fill volume or weight, pouch format, film, bags per shift, cleaning expectation.
The machines
Which machine makes which pack?
The pouch decides the host. Premade pouches go to a rotary machine. Roll film that must be formed, filled and sealed on the line goes to a vertical form-fill-seal machine. The filler is a pump or piston selected for the product — not a weigher and not a bottle filler.
Rotary Premade Bag Packing Machine
Picks up a pouch that is already made, opens it, presents it at the fill point and seals it. The host does not form the bag from film.
What the machine has to do
Hold and open the premade pouch, accept the dose from the pump or piston, then seal and discharge. The filler is selected from viscosity, inclusions, temperature, fill cut-off and cleaning. A spout is confirmed from the real pouch, not assumed.
Published screening figures
- Dosing route
- Pump or piston, selected from viscosity, inclusions, temperature, cut-off and cleaning
- Pouch
- Premade pouch, picked up on the rotary host
- Reference speed
- 10–60 bags/min on the 200 and 250 frames; 10–50 bags/min on the 320 and 350 frames
- Reference power
- 380 V / 50 Hz (phase and total line load confirmed per project)
Not for: bottles, cans or cups, or forming pouches from roll film — that is a different machine type.
Model Vertical Form Fill Seal Machine
Vertical Form Fill Seal Machine
Forms the pouch from roll film, fills it and seals it in one pass. Typical liquid outputs here are sachets and pillow packs, not bottles.
What the machine has to do
Form the bag from the web, accept the pump or piston dose at the fill tube, then seal. Splash and seal-area contamination are specified with the filler, not after. A zipper doypack you already buy ready-made belongs on the rotary host.
Published screening figures
- Bag size and speed
- Confirmed on the model page against your bag drawing
- Fill range
- Confirmed on the model page against your product sample
Not for: bottles, or a premade zipper doypack that only needs to be filled and sealed.
Screening figures. Rotary ranges are preliminary machine references, not a quoted rate for honey or oil. Confirm fill volume, pouch size and output together using your sample. The VFFS model page provides dimensions and family references; liquid filling performance is confirmed with the selected pump or piston and film.
How it works
How the machine actually works
Four stages. The host changes between the two routes; the product still has to be held, dosed, filled and sealed without contaminating the seal area.
Stage 01
Hold the product
A hopper or feed path keeps a steady supply to the filler. Temperature is a project input — a heated path is not a listed heater SKU on this page.
Stage 02
Dose with a pump or piston
Viscosity, inclusions, temperature, fill cut-off and cleaning decide the unit. A thin oil and a thick paste with particulates are different fillers. CIP is not assumed.
Stage 03
Present the pouch and fill
On the rotary route the host opens a premade pouch at the fill point. On the VFFS route the bag is formed from film around the fill tube. Splash onto the seal area is the risk to specify here.
Stage 04
Seal and send downstream
The pouch is sealed and discharged. Coding and inspection are project-configured, not assumed in every quote.
Roll film or premade pouches? Roll film arrives wound on a core and the machine forms the bag on the line. A premade pouch arrives already made and the machine only fills and seals it. The rotary host on this page is the premade route. Forming pouches from rollstock film is the VFFS route. This split is not bottle labelling.
Photo scope. The station photographs are from the published rotary liquid-pump and piston assemblies plus pouch handling and outfeed. They are one configuration each, not a CIP suite and not a claim that every sauce has been run on these frames.
Line scope
What sits upstream and downstream
A host quote is not a liquid line. The pump or piston is selected with the host; coding and inspection are added when the project requires them. Cleaning hardware is confirmed, not assumed as CIP.
-
01 · Hold
Product hopper / infeed
Holds a steady supply. A heated path is a project input, not a catalogue heater.
Standard
-
02 · Dosing
Pump or piston
Selected from viscosity, inclusions, temperature, fill cut-off and cleaning. Not assumed to be the unit in the photograph.
Standard
-
03 · Packing
Rotary or VFFS host
Premade pickup and seal, or form-fill-seal from roll film.
Standard
-
04 · Code
Date / lot coding
Added only when the project requires it.
Optional
-
05 · Inspect
Checkweighing or inspection
Added only when the project requires it.
Optional
-
06 · Outfeed
Finished product conveyor
Moves sealed pouches downstream.
Standard
-
07 · Clean
Cleaning hardware / CIP
CIP is not published as a standard Spack liquid-pouch module. Cleaning needs stay a project input; this row is not a sanitary-design certificate.
Optional
See them run
Watch the machines in operation
Both clips are on the official Spack Machine channel and are already published on the rotary machine page. Each one is one running setup — not a speed or option list for your liquid.
Footage, not a specification. These clips show one running setup each. Viscosity, fill volume, pouch size and whether a heated path or inspection runs in the same pass are confirmed against your sample, not taken from a video. No official VFFS liquid-pouch clip is published on the VFFS page, so none is shown.
Side by side
Compare the machines
Compare the pouch-handling route, then confirm the pump or piston, pouch opening and filling conditions. Open the model page for its machine references.
| Machine | Fits when | Does not fit when | Published speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rotary Premade Bag Packing Machine | You buy premade pouches and need the host to pick, open, fill and seal a liquid or paste. Pump or piston is specified next to the host. | You need the machine to form the pouch from roll film, or you are filling bottles. | 10–60 bags/min (200 / 250 frames); 10–50 bags/min (320 / 350 frames) |
| Vertical Form Fill Seal Machine | The pouch should be formed from roll film on the line — typically a sachet or pillow pack — then filled and sealed in the same pass. | The pouch is already made, or the pack is a bottle. | Confirmed on the model page |
Reading the speed column. Rotary ranges are preliminary references. Actual output depends on viscosity, inclusions, fill cut-off, pouch opening and sealing, optional stations and downstream handling. Compare quotations using the same product and pouch, and consider accepted bags per shift.
What you can pack
Which products run on these machines
Dosing is selected from viscosity, inclusions, temperature, fill cut-off and cleaning. Daily-chemical liquids use the chemical route. These photographs illustrate product types; compatibility still requires your sample.
Thin sauces / oils
A pump is often the starting idea. Splash and seal-area contamination are the checks that matter. Not a viscosity specification and not a bottle oil line.
Particulate sauces
Inclusions drive piston versus pump, and they drive fill cut-off. Confirm on a sample that still contains the pieces you will actually pack.
Jam / jelly / honey
Paste filling. Temperature at fill may matter; a heated hopper is not a published Spack filler specification on this page. Confirm against your own sample.
Bean paste / thick paste
A piston is more often the starting idea for a thick paste. The sample still decides. Not a default 316 or CIP claim.
Yogurt-type, in a pouch
Only if the pack is a pouch. Cups are not this page. Confirm the real pack before treating a yogurt name as a liquid-pouch project.
Pouch drink / juice sachet
Pouch only. Mineral-water bottling is not this page. Small 3-side or 4-side sachets continue on the sachet hub; stick packs continue on the stick hub.
Product examples. These photographs illustrate product types. Confirm viscosity, filling behaviour and pouch sealing with your own production-representative sample.
Output scale
Starting small, or scaling an existing line?
A small liquid pouch packaging line can mean a first automatic setup, a limited footprint or a smaller investment. Define which constraint matters before choosing the host and filler.
A first automatic line
You are moving off a tabletop filler and need one lane that doses and seals a consistent pouch. The variables that decide the machine are the pouch route, the viscosity and inclusions, and how many shifts you will run.
A small footprint, not a small output
Floor area, ceiling height and the real power supply are the constraint. The rotary page publishes reference dimensions per frame and a 380 V / 50 Hz reference supply; phase and total line load are confirmed per project. Send site conditions early.
A smaller budget
Price follows the finished pack and the line around it. A host alone, a host plus its filler, and a host plus filler plus coding and inspection are different quotations. Fix the pouch and the fill before comparing prices.
Automatic lines. The two machines on this page are automatic pouch hosts. Whether a semi-automatic option exists for your format is confirmed case by case. Rotary reference speeds are on the model page; they are not an entry-level promise.
Project inputs
What to define before asking for a configuration
Seven inputs settle most of the questions that follow. Send what you already have; gaps are normal on a first project.
01
Product
What the liquid or paste is, viscosity, inclusions, temperature at fill, and whether it is a food sauce or a daily-chemical liquid. Daily chemicals leave for the chemical page.
02
Fill volume or weight
Target millilitres or grams per pouch and the tolerance your label accepts. Fill range is defined by the filler and the product test, not by a single brochure number.
03
Pouch format
Premade pouch or roll-film sachet, width and length, and whether a spout exists on the real pouch — not as a default SKU. A drawing if you have one.
04
Packaging material
The laminate or film, including the seal layer. Material decides which sealing route remains available.
05
Target output
Bags per shift and how many shifts, rather than a single peak figure.
06
Cleaning / allergen
What must be washed out between SKUs, including allergen or colour change. CIP is not assumed.
07
Site conditions
Floor area, ceiling height, power supply, compressed air, and whether a heated path is in scope.
Sample validation. Compatibility is confirmed with a production-representative product sample and your intended pouch. A product name or a photograph alone does not confirm dosing or sealing.
Before you order
What to confirm when you import the machine
Most first-time problems are not mechanical — they are things that were never confirmed in writing before the order.
Power and utilities at your site
The rotary page publishes a 380 V / 50 Hz reference supply and states that phase, local voltage and the total power of the complete line are confirmed per project. Match that to what your building actually provides, including compressed air.
Heated product path
Confirm whether honey, jam or another paste needs a heated hopper or pipe. A heated path is not a published standard module on this page.
Documentation for your market
Decide which certificates and food-contact declarations you need on arrival, and who issues them — the machine builder or the material supplier. Ask for the documents; do not read a website as a certificate. This page does not state a CE, FDA, 3-A or CIP result.
Shipping, duty and clearance
Crated dimensions and weight drive freight, and the HS classification drives duty. The customs clearance walkthrough lists what your broker will ask for.
Acceptance before dispatch
Agree what the machine has to demonstrate before it ships — which liquid, which pouch, what fill tolerance — and that it runs your sample, not a generic one.
Wear parts and format parts
Nozzles, seals, and pouch or forming-set parts. Ask for the list against your two SKUs, not a generic kit name.
Not a commitment. Nothing on this page states lead time, warranty period, installation scope, CE, FDA, 3-A or CIP certification. Warranty wording lives on the rotary machine page. First-time buyers can start from the packaging machine buying guide.
Material route
Material comes before sealing method
The film or laminate you choose decides which sealing routes remain available, so it belongs in the first conversation. This page does not rank pouch materials, barrier claims or compostability — those are properties of the material and its certificate, not of the machine.
Related guidePrepare your product, pouch and project scope before comparing machine quotations.
First-machine buying guideMaterial requirements. Ask your material supplier for food-contact and other required declarations valid in your market. Confirm the film structure and seal layer against your product and machine.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Which machine should I use to pack liquids and pastes?
Start from the pouch, then the viscosity. A premade pouch goes to the rotary host. A sachet or pillow formed from roll film goes to VFFS. On either host the filler is a pump or a piston, selected for viscosity, inclusions, temperature, fill cut-off and cleaning. Bottles are not these machines.
How much does a liquid pouch packaging machine cost?
No figure on this page would be meaningful. Price follows the host, the filler, and whether hoppers, coding or inspection sit in the same line. Fix those three things and the quotations become comparable.
What is the smallest automatic setup for liquids and pastes?
An automatic single-lane line that doses the product and fills one pouch format. Whether that pouch is premade or formed from film is the first split. No entry-level bags-per-minute range is published here; it is confirmed per configuration.
Manual, semi-automatic or fully automatic — which do I need for liquids and pastes?
The two machines on this page are automatic pouch hosts. A tabletop filler plus a sealer is a different quotation — say so in the enquiry so the comparison is honest. Whether a semi-automatic option exists for your pouch is confirmed case by case.
Which bag formats are most common for liquids and pastes?
Common formats include premade stand-up pouches and VFFS sachets or pillow packs. Confirm a spout against the real premade pouch. For narrow single-serve sticks, review the stick format and forming set separately.
Rollstock film or premade pouches for liquids and pastes?
Premade pouches go to the rotary host. Roll film that must be formed on the line goes to VFFS. Do not confuse this split with bottle roll-fed labels. Cost per bag at volume is a project comparison once the pouch is fixed.
How long does a changeover take between liquid products?
No confirmed minutes are published for these routes, so none are stated here. Time follows viscosity, inclusions, and how thoroughly the filler must be cleaned. Ask against your two SKUs, especially an allergen or colour change, not a brochure minute count.
Which packaging material works for liquids and pastes?
Seal layer and puncture or barrier needs are properties of the film and its certificate. This page does not rank materials. Food-contact claims belong to that certificate, not the machine.
What do I need to confirm before importing a liquid pouch packaging line into the US?
Site voltage, phase, frequency and compressed air; whether a heated product path is required; which documents you need on arrival and who issues them; crated dimensions, weight and HS classification; what the machine must demonstrate on your own liquid before dispatch; and wear parts. This page does not state CE, FDA, 3-A or CIP certification, lead time or warranty period.
How do I get my liquid or paste tested before ordering?
Send a production-representative sample with the same viscosity and inclusions, the target fill volume or weight, the pouch you will actually run, and bags per shift. Note temperature at fill and cleaning expectations. Anything still open can be marked as such.
Do you pack beverages in bottles?
No on this page. This page is pouch filling. Bottle unscrambling, capping and labelling are a different machine family. A drink in a premade pouch or a VFFS sachet can stay here as a pouch project.
Is CIP included?
CIP is not published as a standard Spack liquid-pouch module. Cleaning needs are a project input. Do not read this page as a sanitary-design certificate.
Read next
Background reading before you specify
Next step
Send your project details
Tell us the product, the viscosity, the pouch you will run and the output you need. That is enough to put you on the right host.
Project confirmation. Machine, filler, material compatibility and output are confirmed against your samples and site conditions before anything is quoted as final.
Include if you have it
- The liquid or paste, including viscosity and inclusions
- Target fill volume or grams per pouch
- Premade pouch or roll film, plus spout yes/no from the real pouch
- Target output per shift
- Cleaning expectation and site utilities
