Mexico Case Study: SW-2030 Back-Seal Machine for 30 g Protein Powder Sachets
Case Facts
| Country | Mexico |
| Customer | Contract packer; first order with us |
| Product | Protein powder |
| Sachets | Back-seal, about 30 g; about 3 × 10 cm and 5 × 12 cm |
| Machine | SW-2030 with a second former |
| Status | Balance reported paid on 7 October 2026; no shipment recorded |
A Contract Packer That Wanted a Test First
This buyer packs powdered nutrition products for other companies in Mexico. Contract packing means many small formats, so the first decision was where to start. Our records of the project start with its inquiry on 25 August 2026. A local import agent pays us and handles the invoicing in Mexico.
What They Needed to Pack
The product for this machine is protein powder. The buyer described its density as close to milk powder. Each sachet holds about 30 g. Two sachet sizes came up, about 3 × 10 cm and 5 × 12 cm. The proforma invoice (PI) lists both sizes. No output target was stated.
Three Quotations, One Machine
We quoted three powder machines, each for a different bag. The SW-2030 makes back-seal sachets. The SW-1528 makes four-side-seal sachets. The SW-620E is built for larger bags.
The buyer took the SW-2030 and left the other two for later. In Spanish it wrote: “Seria en la proxima compra, comprar las 2 extra primero quiero hacer la prueba”. In English: “The other two would be for the next purchase; I want to run the test with the first one.”
Back Seal Auger Powder Vertical Packing Machine
A vertical form-fill-seal machine with a motor-driven auger screw for fine powders.
Two Sachet Sizes, Two Formers
On 9 September 2026 the buyer and our salesperson checked the two sachet sizes by exchanging photos. The sizes differ in width. On the SW-2030 the diameter of the forming tube sets the bag width, so a new width means a new former and re-threading the film. Bag length is set on the touch screen. A second former was included with the machine.
The Pouch Machine That Waited
Two days after the PI, on 4 September 2026, the buyer asked about protein powder in premade pouches. We offered our 8-station premade pouch machine. On 9 September 2026 the buyer said that machine was too big for a first purchase. If you are weighing the same two routes, our premade bag vs VFFS guide compares them.
Rated Speed and Bag Range
The SW-2030B page rates the machine at max 60–100 bags/min (machine specification; not measured on this order). The same page gives a bag width of 25–140 mm, a bag length of 50–200 mm and a fill weight of 5–100 g. Both sachet sizes and the 30 g fill sit inside those ranges.
How the SW-2030 Handles Protein Powder Sachets
Protein powder is light and fine, and powders of this kind tend to bridge and hold static. A cup filler relies on the powder dropping freely into a cavity, which such powder does poorly, so the SW-2030 meters it by screw rotation instead. In an auger hopper, an agitator rotating against the screw breaks up bridges and keeps the bulk density even. Since the dose is a volume, the density of each powder has to be measured before the turn count is set.
Width and length on a back-seal sachet are controlled by different things. Width is a piece of hardware: the film wraps around the forming tube, so the tube diameter fixes it. Length is only the distance the film is pulled each cycle, which is why it lives on the touch screen and a new length needs no new parts.
On a small sachet, sealing is where powder causes trouble. The back seal and the cross seal each have an adjustable temperature, so each can be set for the film being run. Temperature cannot fix contamination, though: a dust cloud at the cross-seal jaws can trap particles in the seal area and leave a leaker. Keeping dust down at the filling point matters as much as the jaw setting.
How the Project Ran
| 25 August 2026 and 26 August 2026 | Inquiry; quotations for the SW-2030, SW-1528 and SW-620E |
| 28 August 2026 | Final SW-2030 quotation agreed |
| 2 September 2026 | PI issued for one SW-2030 |
| 9 September 2026 | Import agent's payment received; sizes checked by photo; pouch machine set aside |
| 7 October 2026 | Buyer reports the balance paid; test-run videos sent |
On 7 October 2026 the buyer wrote: “Ya pague para la transacción”. In English: “I have already paid for the transaction.” Later that day we sent videos of the factory test run.
Commercial Terms
- Incoterm: EXW, at the buyer's request.
- Payment: 30% deposit; balance paid by bank transfer before shipment.
- Lead time: 15–20 days after the deposit, as written on the PI.
- Warranty: 2 years. In-warranty parts are free, wear parts excluded. Remote support is lifetime.
Status
Shipment had not been recorded by 7 October 2026, where the records used here end. We have no result from the buyer's own test yet. The other two machines remain a stated plan, not an order.
What We Would Check First on a Similar Project
For a contract packer, I would start from the format list, not the machine list.
- Group every sachet size by width. Each width needs its own former, so the list tells you how many formers to order.
- Send a powder sample or its bulk density; another powder may need a different auger set-up.
- Test the format that sells most first, then add machines, as this buyer plans to do.
For powder in premade zipper pouches, see our UK Case Study: SW-L200 Powder Packing in Zipper Pouches.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did the buyer order one machine instead of three?
The buyer wanted to run a test first. It wrote that the other two machines would be for the next purchase. It also judged our 8-station premade pouch machine too big for a first purchase.
What lets one SW-2030 run two sachet sizes?
With two formers. The forming tube diameter sets the bag width, so a second width needs a second former and re-threading of the film. Bag length is adjusted on the touch screen. This order included a second former.
Can an auger back-seal machine pack protein powder?
The SW-2030B is designed for fine and semi-fine powders that an auger screw can meter. In this case the buyer described the protein powder as close to milk powder in density, and milk powder is on the machine page list of typical products. Send us your powder type and bulk density for a feasibility check.
Send Us Your Powder, Sachet Size and Fill Weight
Tell us the product, its density, the sachet sizes and the fill weight range. We will come back with the machine that fits, the forming tubes you need, the lead time and the payment terms for your order.
info@shengweimachine.com · or contact our engineering team directly
International Sales Manager · ShengWei Machine
Technical review: WeiHuang Wu, Chief Engineer
