Vacuum Pouches for Henkovac Chamber Machines

Henkovac is the other Dutch chamber machine maker, and the name causes a certain amount of confusion with Henkelman on the phone. For our purposes it doesn't matter: both make chamber machines, both take smooth PA/PE pouches, and both run our range without any special film. This guide covers sizing and settings on a Henkovac and the sizes we see going to them.

Sizing

Henkovac makes tabletop machines with a single bar, and floor-standing and double-chamber machines with longer or paired bars. Measure the bar and take 20mm off. That's the widest pouch that will seal fully.

Bar length	Widest pouch	Stock sizes that fit
300 to 320mm	280 to 300mm	160×250, 200×300, 250×350, 300×400 on a 320
400 to 420mm	380 to 400mm	Above plus 400×500, 400×600
500mm and above	Whole range	Including 500×600, 530×650

Pouch length is limited by chamber depth. A pouch that's too long for the chamber can be sealed in two passes. The size guide matches sizes to product.

Settings

• 65 micron clear, blue, gold, parchment: standard bag seal time, full vacuum. If you've been running another smooth pouch, nothing changes.
• 130 micron: one step more seal time. Check the first pack.
• Soft or sliced product: stop at 90 to 95% vacuum.
• Liquids: chill first, don't overfill, use the insert plate to raise the opening. Newer models with liquid detection handle it automatically.

Where Henkovac machines tend to be

We see Henkovacs in cooked meat and deli production, catering kitchens and cheese rooms as much as in butchery, which shifts the sizes toward the middle of the range. 200×300mm for portions and sliced product, 250×350mm for joints and 1kg to 2kg packs, 300×400mm for larger. For sliced cooked meat going to retail, the gold pouches with a clear front suit the machine as well as any clear pouch.

Seal problems and what they usually are

A pouch that peels at the seal is usually a wet or greasy seal area, especially on cooked and sliced meat. Fold the top of the pouch outward while you fill it. A seal that's fine at one end and weak at the other is a bar tape or element issue, not the film. A pack that's loose the next morning with an intact seal is a puncture; check for bone or a sharp edge and read the bone-in guide.

One box, every machine

If there's a Henkelman or Boss on the same premises, the same box of pouches serves all of them. Width is the only thing to check per machine. The Henkelman guide has that range's bar lengths by model.