SAFEPACK VCI film SP - MPE is a 50 micron /100 micron thick polythylene film with impregnated with high-tech volatile corrosion inhibitors(VCIs) export seaworthy vci packaging. It is designed to protect MULTIMETALS(ferrous and non-ferrous metals) from corrosion/oxidation during storage and transit when packed in boxes, cartons, containers etc.

1. The Past Shows The Way To A Green Future for VCI
Posted on April 18, 2014
Those in the business have probably heard this story but it bears repeating for those that may have
come in late and in any case most of us have a role in how it plays out in the days to come.
The story of Volatile Chemical Inhibitors starts during the dark days of the Second World War when
the freshly opened lid of a dessicator containing compounds being tested for making gas pipelines
corrosion resistant revealed that the chemical compound placed at the bottom had made its way to the
very top as it vaporized. peelable kraft A mechanism suggested itself to combine the corrosion
inhibiting capabilities of the chemical and its volatile nature in an innovative way to check the
corrosion of especially in-transit metals. This sparked a revolution that many of us owe our
livelihoods to now – the emergence of VCI.
Given the prevailing times it was perhaps inevitable that the earliest promoters of the technology were
the military. VCI Packaging The US Navy with its fleet of steel ships exposed to the most corrosive
environments was a natural supporter. The feature of greatest value at the time, apart from the ability
to stop corrosion in its tracks, was the promise of “dry” protection the technology offered. Just as
attractive was the fact that using VCI removed the need for oils, coatings and other temporary
protective that were the options available at the time. This meant less material to be stored and moved
around in addition to a significant saving in time. On the downside – little attention was paid to the
dangers the VCI materials themselves presented – some nasty, carcinogenic compounds like
dicyclohexylammonium nitrate made their way into the VCI world posing a clear and present danger
to those exposed with them.
With the end of the War the next phase in the evolution of VCI turned the spotlight on making it safer.
Newer chemicals with reduced toxicity started appearing as a result of the growing amount of
research dollars being spent on making them safer. Toxicity tests also started making their impact felt
in deciding the suitability of a material. With continuous development in this area today the materials
being used are safer than they have ever been – at-least as far as we know now.
The next step was to focus on finding newer applications for VCI technology including more effective
and efficient ways of manufacturing and transforming it to make it suitable for these new applications.
Today VCI finds application in not only the marine industry where it originally found acceptance but
also in in-transit corrosion inhibition in industries as diverse as metals, automotive, electronics and
others.
Over the last few years’ concerns for the environment brought with them more onerous environmental
regulations and this has given a fillip to the use of VCI. Given the “dry” process there is no need to
wash off and then discharge protective oils or coats. VCI packaging is generally re-usable and the
possible use of Vegetable Oils is also a promising area but clearly more needs to be done. The future
evolution of VCI has to be motivated by a desire to make VCI chemicals themselves more
environmentally friendly. The challenge for us in the business is to identify more innovative solutions
that tax the environment less and less. Can we learn from history and make VCI even greener and
more responsible?
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The Savings Are In The Process
Posted on April 9, 2014

2. In a previous post we had listed the ways that using VCI Packaging could save money. Among the
points we made was that there were significant Labour Cost savings that would accrue at both the
shipping end and the receiving end. We had also spoken of the increased productivity of the labour
force as a result of the use of VCI. The reaction to the post suggests that more explanation may be
required as to exactly how these cost savings and improved productivity comes about.
A. Process while using traditional protectives:
As you can see – the use of traditional protective like Oils, Coats or Films require the application on
the bare metal component to be protected before shipping and the removal, cleaning and drying of that
before inspection on receipt. In most instances the material has to then go through the same process to
be made ready for onward shipment to the exact location where it will be used.
B. Process while using VCI
As is apparent – VCI offers a quick and easy way to protect the bare metal part in transit. This also
translates into a similarly quick & easy process at the receiving end.
A straight comparison between the two shows how the process while using VCI is significantly
shorter with far fewer steps. This has a direct impact on the time taken. Less time necessarily means:
1. Less labor required to complete the process – at the shipping end as well as the receiving end

3. 2. The less time required to complete a cycle means that the same amount of labor can undertake
more activities – higher productivity in other words.
I hope this helps to drive home the benefits that accrue in terms of time and cost savings due to the
use of VCI as against traditional protective’s. What do you think – is there anything more that we
should consider that could impact the process flow or the time?
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6 Ways VCI Packaging Will Save You Money
Posted on April 1, 2014
Worldwide, there has been a tremendous change in the packaging methods being adopted by various
industries and more so by Engineering industries. With an estimated loss of around $157Billion every
year due to corrosion, industries have become more careful about their packaging methods.
Humidity (Above 40%), saline and polluted atmosphere, surface acidity, hand sweat, packaging
faults, direct contact with wood, paper products, use of bare polythene, air trapped packaging,
corrosive fillers and cushions are among the common causes of corrosion.
Temporary Protective’s are packaging methods which offer protection to bare metal during transit and
storage. The traditional protectors are oils, strippable coats, surface films, coats, shielding materials,
etc. VCIs (Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors) are the new generation protectors that have now matured
enough to gain the confidence of the metal industry.
While VCI technology is rapidly replacing traditional protection methods there is a common
misconception that it is more expensive. Based on our experience of more than 25 years of working
on, research and providing customized R&D solutions for anti-corrosion wrappers let us try to set that
argument to rest as well. Here are 6 reasons why, when you consider the Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO), VCI packaging is in fact more economical than conventional methods
1. Reduced Rejections: The use of VCI packaging has been proven to be more effective at
corrosion prevention than conventional methods – thus providing cost savings due to reduced
rejections at the receiving end.
2. Labor: As VCI packaging is a dry method it does not require coating, drying or packing and
that considerably reduces the labor costs. Coating and sprays are time consuming but VCIs
are quick and easy. The reduced product cycle time increases productivity bringing with it a
cost advantage. Multiply these costs at both the supplier and the receiving end and you can
get a sense of the total cost savings.
3. Material: VCIs reduce the usage of preserving oils, greases, varnishes, oil resistant primary
packaging and dessicants thus saving significant material costs.
4. Storage costs: Unlike VCIs, preserving materials are often hazardous or flammable thus
requiring special, and consequently more expensive, storage, handling and transportation.

4. 5. Special Facilities: With VCI packaging you can save the costs associated with the setup and
maintenance of dipping, spraying and cleaning facilities that more traditional methods need.
6. Pollution monitoring: VCIs are clean, dry and environment friendly – thus reducing the cost
associated with ensuring compliance with the environmental rules and regulations as
compared to protective’s.
We hope these points will help substantiate the point about the economic benefits of VCI packaging –
if you still need help or have any questions you need answered then please feel free to connect with
us. Our experts will definitely have answers!
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So Which VCI Packaging Is Better –A Stress Test Will
Show
Posted on March 20, 2014
Shakespeare’s famous quote about a rose by any other name smelling just as sweet does not apply to
VCI packaging paper – that’s to say that not all VCI packaging is equally effective when it comes to
offering protection from corrosion. The problem is how to tell the difference from one paper to the
other? Here is a simple test we recommend to our customers faced with a similar dilemma.
Set up needed:
1. Temperature controlled air circulated oven
2. 2 Glass Jars of 750 ML capacity each
3. 1 50 ML Beaker
4. 2 CRC Plates of size 7.4 X 7 X 0.2 CM with a hole at the top
5. 0.5 Mtr Nylon Thread
6. 1” BOPP Adhesive Tape
7. 500 ML White Spirit
8. Test Samples of VCI Wrapper / Film of size 10 X 20 CM
Preparing the Test Plates:
1. Tie a thread into the hole in the test plate
2. Polish the plate with emery paper to remove all traces of rust
3. Smoothen the surface of the plate with 800 No. Polish Paper
4. Boil the plate in white spirit to remove all residue
5. Remove the plate from the spirit with a pair of forceps and lay it on a poly sheet to cool and
dry
How to conduct the Stress Test:
1. Take the Glass jars and place the VCI wrappers / films to be compared into each jar as
indicated in the picture below.
2. Hang the test plate inside the jars with the help of the thread.
3. Replace the lids of the jars tightly and keep it at ambient temperature for a minimum of 4
hours. This is called the built-up phase.
4. After the built-up phase pour 30ML of tap water into each jar using a funnel and replace the
lid tightly.
5. Seal the lids with the BOPP adhesive tape to prevent the escape of water vapour.
6. Place both the jars into the air circulated oven for 8 hours at a temperature of 60 degrees C.
7. Remove the jars after 8 hours in the oven and place them at ambient temperature for 16 hours.

5. 8. The end of 16 hours signifies the end of 1 cycle of the test. At this time open the jars and
compare the plates in each jar for corrosion to check the effectiveness of each VCI wrapper /
film – the plate that suffers less corrosion is protected by the better quality VCI wrapper /
film.
9. As a guide a VCI wrapper / film that offers good protection should allow the plate to pass
through 3 cycles of the test.
You may recognize that the test indicated above is a variant on a standard stress test used to show how
using a VCI wrapper / film protects a CRC plate better than an un-protected plate in a similar
condition. We feel that with this little twist it would be just as effective to show the relative merits of
VCI wrappers / papers that make similar corrosion prevention claims- what do you think?
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7 Myths about Corrosion and Corrosion Protection
Posted on March 7, 2014
Wikipedia defines corrosion as “the gradual destruction of metals, by chemical reaction with its
environment.” There have been lot of misconceptions or lack of knowledge about corrosion and
corrosion protection.
In this article, we try to bust some myths about corrosion and corrosion protection.
1. Stainless steel is corrosion free
This is a very well-known misconception about stainless steel. In reality, it is an alloy of iron, low
levels of carbon, and chromium. Undoubtedly, the chromium in Steel gives it resistance to rust, but it
can definitely get stained if it is exposed to corrosive environment such as seawater.
2. There is no harm in touching finished bare metal with bare hands
Did you know that the human sweat contains salt materials and is acidic in nature? This can cause
corrosion. Therefore, using gloves while handling finished metals is good not only from hygiene
perspective but is also recommended from corrosion prevention perspective.
3. Kerosene (also called as MTO) is rust preventive
It is a common misconception that kerosene coating can safely be used as rust preventive on metals.
In reality, kerosene is rust loosening agent and not a rust preventive agent. Because of its rust
loosening quality, one may see rust removal for some time after use of kerosene, but it cannot prevent
rust formation.
4. Wrapping bare parts in plastic is enough for giving corrosion protection
While it is true that plastic is water proof, it cannot protect the metal from moisture because it is not
moisture proof. Would you believe that 500 gauge thick plastic allows water vapour transmission of
4gm/sqm/day?
5. Packaging of metals in wooden boxes is safe
Contrary to the belief that bare metals can be “safe” inside wooden boxes, it must be noted that wood
can be highly corrosive because it contains moisture and acidic juices, which can be highly corrosive.

6. Therefore, packaging in wooden boxes without any appropriate protective layer is strictly not
recommended. One should also pay special attention to the fact that the protective layer should be
able to provide protection throughout the duration of transit.
6. Used oil is good enough for in-plant corrosion protection
Not at all. One needs to be careful about used oil because it can develop acidity over a period of
exposure to the air and contaminants. This can cause corrosion.
Domestic corrosion prevention methods are good enough for exports too
May not be always true. There are various other factors such as transport condition, handling and
atmosphere which need to be taken into consideration while exporting the material. The techniques
used for packaging for local transits may not suffice for exports where you may need to consider other
factors such as seaworthiness of packaging.
Would you like to share some other myths which you hear often?
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Dos and Don’ts for VCI Anti-rust Packaging
Posted on March 7, 2014
A recent NACE report suggests that, loss due to corrosion is estimated at trillions of US Dollars per
year. Many surveys have also shown that corrosion losses significantly affect a nation’s GDP.
Post World War II, VCI evolved as a quick and easy method for protecting bare metal in transit. The
technology has now evolved and matured and used globally for safe transit of bare metals.
With our experience of more than 25 years of working and providing customized R&D solutions for
anti-corrosion wrappers to global customers, here we share some basic dos and don’ts for VCI
packaging of bare metals in transit:
Dos for VCI Packaging
- Make sure to clean the parts properly and remove all the finger prints because finger prints are
corrosive. Pack the products as soon as they are cleaned.
- While using the VCI anti-corrosion wrappers, ensure that the VCI-coated side of the wrapper
faces the metal which you would like to protect.
- Place the VCI paper not more than 30 cm’s away from the metal product.
- Use at least 1 sq. m. of paper for about 2 sq. m. metal surface to be protected and minimum of
1 sq. m. paper to cover 1 Cubic Mtr. of void space.

7. - In case the VCI wrapping paper remains open for more than 24 Hrs., as a measure of abundant
precaution, discard 1 or 2 layers of the roll or 1 or 2 sheets from the ream.
- If you are using VCI wrappers in CFB (Corrugated fiber Board), as a Liner then ensure that the
CFB material is totally dry. Wet CFB has acidic adhesives which may be absorbed by the VCI liner,
leading to corrosion of packed component. To avoid this, line the CFB box firstwith PE Bag & then
put the VCI liner inside the PE bag.
Don’ts for VCI Packaging
- Don’t place anything between the product and the coated side of VCI wrapper (many a times,
companies first pack the metal product inside a polythene bag and then cover it with VCI paper). It is
important to have free exposure of VCI to all critical Metal areas to be protected.
- Never pack hot metal objects immediately in VCI wrappers. Such objects should be allowed to
cool below 500
C before packing.
- Don’t carry inventory of VCI wrappers for more than 1 year. Store the wrappers in dry and
cool place and avoid direct sun rays and heat.
- Don’t use wet wood in packing – Wet wood oozes out acidic juices which are very corrosive.
Metal surface should never be in direct contact with wooden crates. Even while using packaging
between wood and the bare metal, make sure that the packaging offers corrosion protection
throughout the transit period.
- Don’t touch with contaminated hands during inspection.
These are some of the basic but important guidelines for ambient conditions and one needs to check
for suitable packaging and packaging methods for individual conditions. But these guidelines can help
you ensure that your material is packed safely and can help you avoid the damages occurring because
of corrosion. After all, prevention is always better than cure!
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How Would You Explain Corrosion To A Child ?
Posted on March 6, 2014
We at Safepack have been manufacturing and selling some of the very best “In transit” corrosion
prevention VCI packaging solutions for decades now and we have a comprehensive range of products
accepted as leaders by customers around the world. We obviously know “Corrosion” but even we
were stumped by a question put to us by a little child. A bunch of school children were picnicking in
the garden attached to our manufacturing facility and when one of them asked us “What is
corrosion?” we found ourselves unable to answer him in terms that he would understand.
Wikipedia defines Corrosion as the gradual destruction of materials, usually metals, by chemical
reaction with its environment. Most commonly this would be the Oxidation of the metals in reaction
with an oxidant, typically atmospheric oxygen to form oxides or salts of the original material. This
explanation is obviously no help as far as the child is concerned though.
Another way to explain this could be to refer to corrosion as the metal trying to return to its original
state – ore.

8. In succeeding posts we will try to address other questions related to packaging and corrosion
prevention but for now do you have a better way to get this message across here? How would YOU
explain “Corrosion” to a child?