GREEN BAY, Wis. — Oct. 26, 2026 — BW Converting is expanding access to its Hudson-Sharp pouch-making technology in Latin America through a new sales representation agreement with Zip-Pak LATAM and the installation of an Ares pouch machine at Zip-Pak LATAM’s Santiago, Chile, facility. The system combines customer demonstration capabilities with an active pouch converting operation, allowing converters to evaluate machine performance using their own materials under practical production conditions.
Installed in September, the Ares has already produced zippered pouches at 150 bags per minute using locally supplied film, according to Zip-Pak LATAM. The installation gives regional converters a firsthand opportunity to assess output, setup requirements, and material performance as they consider investments in pouch-making capacity.
“For converters, seeing a machine run their own film is much more meaningful than discussing a specification,” said Milton Seguel, Southern Cone Manager and Chief Business Development Officer at Zip-Pak LATAM. “We understand the materials they are working with and the production challenges they face because we run those materials ourselves. Having the Ares here allows us to demonstrate what it can do and have a much more practical conversation about the value of the investment.”
An independent, family-owned business, Zip-Pak LATAM has spent more than 25 years developing the regional market for resealable packaging. Its work with food producers and flexible packaging converters has expanded from supplying zipper closures to providing pre-applied zipper and pouch converting services. The company’s relationship with Hudson-Sharp includes an Inno-Lok installation in Colombia in 2016 and a smaller Inno-Lok system installed in Santiago in 2019.
That progression gave Zip-Pak LATAM direct experience with the demands of pouch production. As its converting business grew, output, setup times, and scrap became increasingly important considerations. A visit to BW Converting’s Green Bay operations introduced Seguel to the Ares platform and prompted discussions about how the technology could support both Zip-Pak LATAM’s production needs and a broader regional sales effort.
Material requirements are central to that opportunity. Seguel estimates that approximately 80% of Zip-Pak LATAM’s pouch production involves all-polyethylene structures, including oriented polyethylene films and polyethylene-to-polyethylene laminations. These materials can present processing challenges, making application-specific trials especially valuable for converters evaluating new equipment.
Much of the company’s pouch converting work serves frozen fruit applications, reflecting the importance of food exports to Chile and neighboring markets. Zip-Pak LATAM processes film supplied by converters, providing additional pouch-making capacity when those customers need production support. This service model puts the Santiago facility in regular contact with the films, formats, and operating requirements encountered in the region.
The new representation agreement builds on Zip-Pak LATAM’s established customer relationships and local technical capabilities. Demonstrations at the Santiago facility will support discussions about equipment selection, application requirements, and the operating economics of Hudson-Sharp pouch technology.
“Local access to equipment and application expertise gives converters a stronger basis for making investment decisions,” said Mark Peterson, Sales Channel Manager, LATAM, at BW Converting. “Zip-Pak LATAM brings established relationships and hands-on experience with the materials being converted in this market. Together, we can help customers evaluate BW Converting's Hudson-Sharp technology in the context of their own production requirements and growth plans.”
For more information about BW Converting’s Hudson-Sharp technology, visit bwconverting.com.