Stick Pack Machines vs. Sachet Machines: Which Is Better for You?

Imagine this: You’re standing in your production facility, watching pouches glide down the conveyor belt: fast, precise, and perfectly sealed. Everything looks smooth… until you realize you need to scale up production, or maybe start a new product line. Suddenly, you’re asking the big question every growing manufacturer faces:

Do I need a stick pack machine or a sachet packing machine?

At first glance, they may seem similar: both fill, form, and seal flexible pouches. They both handle powders, liquids, and gels. But in the world of packaging automation, the difference between a stick pack and a sachet can make a big impact on your product presentation, production speed, and bottom line.

Let’s break it down and help you decide which one fits your business better.

Meet the Two Contenders

Stick packs are designed as narrow, tubular pouches, typically formed from a single roll of flexible film using a vertical form-fill-seal (VFFS) system. Their compact shape reduces film usage by up to 40% compared to conventional flat pouches, making them ideal for lightweight, single-portion applications such as instant coffee, electrolyte powders, and liquid supplements.

Sachets, by contrast, are flat, rectangular pouches sealed on all four sides. They can hold a wider volume range and are commonly used for products like sauces, condiments, shampoos, and creams. Sachet packaging machines provide greater flexibility in pouch dimensions and are capable of handling higher fill weights and viscosities. This makes them suitable for products that require more surface area for branding or tighter seal integrity for extended shelf life.

However, the true difference lies in the engineering behind the machines.

How They Work

Both stick pack and sachet machines are Vertical Form-Fill-Seal (VFFS) systems. That means they form pouches vertically from a roll of film, fill them with product, and seal them, all in one continuous motion.

But the engineering design and lane configuration make them quite different.

Stick Pack Machines

Stick pack machines specialize in creating slim, elongated pouches from a continuous film roll. They are equipped with multiple forming tubes arranged in 1 to 16 lanes, allowing simultaneous production of multiple stick packs.

At Unified Flex, for instance, the Multilane Stick Pack Machine runs at speeds up to 800 stick packs per minute, that’s serious throughput for high-volume operations.

Technical features include:

• Lane configurations: 1 to 16 lanes
• Max web width: up to 31.49 inches (800 mm)
• Output speed: up to 800 packs/min
• Max cycle rate: 50 cycles/min
• Compatible products: powders, granules, liquids, gels
• Sealing options: heat or ultrasonic

Stick pack machines are also engineered for precise dosing. Depending on your product, they can use auger fillers (for powders), piston fillers (for liquids or gels), or volumetric fillers (for granules). This ensures accuracy down to fractions of a gram, minimizing waste and maintaining consistency across every pack.

Sachet Machines

Sachet packing machines operate on a similar VFFS principle, but they form wider, rectangular pouches. The sealing happens on all four sides, giving that familiar pillow-style shape.

The Multilane Sachet Bagger from Unified Flex, for example, can be configured with up to 20 lanes, running at speeds of up to 1000 sachets per minute. It’s built for industries where speed, hygiene, and reliability are critical like food, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Technical highlights:

• Lane configurations: up to 20 lanes
• Output speed: up to 1000 sachets/min
• Max sachet width: 8 inches
• Max sachet length: 12 inches
• Fillers available: auger, piston, volumetric
• Product range: powders, liquids, gels, semi-solids

Engineers love sachet machines for their modular design, allowing you to switch between product types and film materials without lengthy downtime. The machine’s flexibility and performance are packed into one system.

Practical Considerations for Choosing the Right Machine

Before investing, it’s important to understand the key factors that will impact production efficiency and ROI.

Design & Usability: Slim vs. Spacious

From a design perspective, stick packs offer a modern, space-saving look. They use less film material, which makes them more sustainable and cost-effective in the long run. Because of their slim shape, they’re easy to carry, pour, and display, ideal for single-serve consumer products.

Sachets, by contrast, are more versatile in size and shape. You can package anything from 2 ml of shampoo to 50 g of instant soup mix. Their flat surface gives you more space for branding, labeling, and nutritional information.

For business owners, this often comes down to how you want your product to look and feel in the customer’s hands.

Speed, Efficiency & Scalability

Here’s where things get interesting for production managers and engineers.

If you’re producing large volumes of lightweight, single-serve products like coffee, sugar, or dietary supplements, the Multilane Stick Pack Machine is a powerhouse. Its compact design, high cycle rate, and lower film usage make it faster and more efficient.

But if you need more flexibility in size and product variety, the Multilane Sachet Bagger wins. It handles a broader range of fill volumes and viscosities, from liquid condiments to thick creams, all while maintaining high accuracy and sealing integrity.

Both flexible packaging machines can integrate with auger fillers, piston fillers, or volumetric cups, depending on your product. And both are engineered with servo-driven motors, PLC touchscreens, and automatic film alignment, ensuring smooth, error-free operation.

Sealing & Material Compatibility

No packaging machine is complete without strong, clean seals. After all, seals determine product safety, shelf life, and consumer trust.

Stick pack machines typically use heat sealing for thermoplastic films. However, modern models also support ultrasonic sealing, ideal for eco-friendly or recyclable films that require lower sealing temperatures. This reduces film waste and saves energy.

Sachet machines also offer both heat and ultrasonic sealing options, with features like tear notches or perforated seals for easy consumer use.

Both machine types can handle eco-friendly materials, including:

• Compostable films: PLA, PHA, paper-based
• Recyclable mono-materials: PE, PP

Unified Flex even helps businesses fine-tune settings for low-temperature sealing and tension control to ensure compatibility with sustainable films, keeping you aligned with FDA and ASTM standards.

Cost & Return on Investment

Let’s talk numbers because every smart investment starts with understanding ROI.

Stick pack machines generally require a lower upfront investment for smaller-scale operations. Entry-level models like the AP-140 can produce up to 40 stick packs per minute, perfect for startups or specialty brands.

For high-volume production, multilane systems are a bigger investment but deliver excellent cost per unit savings due to efficiency, reduced waste, and minimal downtime.

Sachet machines, depending on configuration, range from mid to high investment levels. The Auto Pouch Bagger (AP-140 or AP-180) serves smaller operations, while the Multilane Sachet Bagger (MSB 813mm), capable of 1000 sachets/minute, supports industrial-scale production.

Ultimately, the price varies depending on:

• Lane count
• Product type
• Filling system
• Film material
• Custom features

Unified Flex offers custom quotes, ensuring each business pays for only what it truly needs, with no unnecessary extras.

Which One Should You Choose?

Here’s the simplest way to decide:

If You Want To…	Choose a Stick Pack Machine	Choose a Sachet Machine
Package slim, single-serve products	✔️
Minimize film usage and packaging cost	✔️
Run ultra-high volumes with small portions	✔️
Package liquids, gels, powders in varied sizes		✔️
Have more branding space on the pouch		✔️
Handle larger fill volumes		✔️
Offer flexible product formats		✔️
Work with both powders and semi-solids		✔️
Save floor space on the production line	✔️

With This in Mind

Choosing between a stick pack machine and a sachet packing machine isn’t just about the shape of your pouch; it’s about the efficiency of your entire production line. Whichever you choose, investing in the right packaging technology ensures a smoother, faster, and more profitable production line. At Unified Flex, we offer both types of flexible packaging machines, engineered for speed, precision, and reliability. Our team can help you select the right solution for your production workflow and business goals. Contact us today to upgrade your line with efficient, durable, and high-quality packaging equipment.