“With our ‘Less is More’ approach, implemented over the past 75 years of working with plastics, we have continued to innovate versatile caps and closure solutions that reduce the need for product line complexity,” said Benoît Henckes, CEO of UNITED CAPS. “Our deep understanding of market requirements combined with meticulous engineering and design work has resulted in a streamlined, yet comprehensive, portfolio for beverage caps and closures, broad enough to meet industry needs yet simple enough to avoid overwhelming customers with unnecessary choice. A good example which visitors to our stand will see is PROGRIP, widely hailed as a segment leader that embodies the ‘Less is More’ design elements.”

PROGRIP is a super lightweight monopiece screw closure for flat water, engineered from organoleptic resin. Its bore seal ensures highly reliable reseal of PET one-way bottles with a 29/25 neck finish, and its molded tamper-evident band assures the integrity of the product, indicating first opening by drop down. The unique design of the 72 knurls and the optimised ergonomic shape enables improved grip for the consumer while standard dimensions allow dual sourcing. PROGRIP delivers outstanding capping line efficiency with the number of deformed caps below one in 10,000.

Breakthrough Differentiation on the Shelf

Another example of UNITED CAPS innovation for beverage caps and closures that visitors will be able to observe at drinktec 2017 is the Wattwiller Flower Cap, a superb illustration of breakthrough thinking for stand-out products on the shelf. Wattwiller bottled water is targeted at an older demographic; the cap features a patented petal-flower design that is not only eye-catching but allows end users to open bottles with very little effort. Wattwiller mineral water emerges from the ground in the Ballons des Vosges Regional Nature Park and is marketed by the Spadel Group.

“I appreciate the entrepreneurial mindset of the talented UNITED CAPS team,” said Philippe Henon, Group Packaging Manager, R&D Spadel Group, an international industrial group with activities focused on the bottling and marketing of natural mineral waters as well as a varied range of refreshing drinks. “We viewed the collaboration in the development of the Wattwiller Flower Caps as an opportunity to invest in our brand differentiation and provide added value to our customers. It is an iconic look that truly sets the product apart on the shelf.” Henon also cited the importance of UNITED CAPS’ close relationship with capping machine manufacturers that assured the cap would perform well on bottling lines.

“The opportunities we provide for on-shelf standout for the beverage industry are limited only by the imagination,” Henckes added. “Our significant experience working with plastics, coupled with our exciting bi-injections processes, colour swatches and engraving possibilities, inspire brands to unleash creativity that results in increased product usability and differentiation, ultimately delivering more revenue to the bottom line.”

Staying Current with Trends

UNITED CAPS will also be displaying a number of new products that address current and emerging industry trends and standards, including a new 26 FLAT Premium developed in anticipation of the new 26/22 CETIE neck, a lightweight monopiece screw closure engineered from organoleptic resin. For increased safety, it includes an optimized venting feature and a slitted flexband that breaks after the first opening, providing reliable tamper evidence and assurance of product integrity.

UNITED CAPS’ new 28 CC Flex cap, engineered for the most demanding carbonated soft drink specifications for high carbonation, will also be of interest to visitors. Also engineered from organoleptic resin, this lightweight monopiece screw closure is fully compatible with existing 28- 1881 closures and can be used for a wide range of applications, from still water to CSD up to 9g CO₂/litre.

At drinktec, UNITED CAPS will also be showing an updated version of the popular 29/25 FLAT ITE closure first introduced in 2016, now featuring improved grip at full. Its unique shape, created from organoleptic resin and featuring a highly visible internal flexband for product security, enables brand differentiation and stand-out on-shelf performance.

Speak to the Experts

“These are just a few of the innovations visitors to our stand will experience,” Henckes concluded. “We will also have technical staff available to discuss individual needs, recommend standard or bespoke caps and closures, and explain how various closures interact with filling lines and the ultimate consumer. We are excited to be sharing all of these developments with visitors to drinktec 2017!”

For more information about innovative caps and closure solutions from UNITED CAPS, visit www.unitedcaps.com.

MEDIA ALERT: To schedule a one-on-one meeting with UNITED CAPS executives, please contact monika.d@duomedia.com.

Captions:

• Close up (3D Rendering): 29/25 PROGRIP: super lightweight monopiece screw closure for outstanding capping line efficiency

• Spa bottle with label / without label: SPA 0,3 l Bottle + 29/25 PROGRIP: The unique design of the 72 knurls and the optimised ergonomic shape enables improved grip for the consumer while standard dimensions allow dual sourcing for PET bottles with 29/25 neck finish

• Close up (3D Rendering): PCO 28-1881 Wattwiller Flower Cap: Patented petal-flower design that allows end users to open bottles with very little effort, optimizing their on-shelf performance

• Wattwiller bottle with label / without label: Wattwiller bottles + PCO 28-1881 Wattwiller Flower Cap: Wattwiller mineral water, a Spadel Group brand, with its iconic flower cap

About UNITED CAPS
UNITED CAPS is a global industry reference for the design and production of high performance plastic caps and closures. Extensive innovative capabilities and a broad portfolio of advanced standard and bespoke solutions make UNITED CAPS a preferred partner for the world’s leading companies. We support our customers’ value chain by safeguarding product integrity, assuring safety and consumer health and ultimately protecting brand reputation. A highly dynamic and flexible family-based group, UNITED CAPS offers end-to-end solutions to serve a wide range of applications and markets around the world. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg and has manufacturing facilities in Belgium, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg and Spain. Employing more than 500 people, UNITED CAPS’s turnover amounts to 131 million Euros (as at end 2016).

CONTACT
Monika Dürr
duomedia
monika.d@duomedia.com
+49 (0)6104 944895