Log On
- Caps and Closures Search
- Packaging Suppliers
- Packaging Innovations
- Packaging News
- Packaging Map
- About Caps and Closures
bi packaging twist open close caps mould gcs lining machines flip top caps bi injection eaton inca twist open caps CRC closures regulation bi cap lightweight oil silicone valve clean tube cap bottle dropper lightweight pe dose cap 20 zp tap closures aluminium containers cosmetic jars liner ucp lightweight cap triggers natural cap dispenser weener glass bottles plastic cups wrap child resist dispensing caps roll on pourer
ABOUT Caps and CLOSURES
Whilst the known history of closures can be traced back a mere 5,000 years, they have been used daily since we first realized that putting a big leaf on a pot ensured the bugs stayed out. In the 21st century, the simple lid is now a complex closure, designed with a specific use in mind. Withstanding vast temperatures as well as physical and chemical challenges, the humble lid can be seen in a variety of forms around the home, in the workplace or when out and about. Functionality is at the heart of every product, whether it be an easy-open screw cap, a closure which doses or pumps, or a child-safe tamper-evident cap. The use of every closure is what makes it distinct from any other.
For the consumer, a cap or closure very often comes as part of a package, along with a bottle or other container and suffices merely to close off the product within the pack and keep contaminants out. For the packaging producer, there is far more to consider when designing and creating a new closure considering its role as the protective barrier between the product and the outside world and the fingers and thumbs that need to be able to operate or open it.
Standard or Customized?
Whether standard or customized, many caps and closures conform to industry standards in terms of their neck size and neck finish increasing their compatibility with container standards, particularly in the case of bottles and jars. Common standards include: GCMI, DIN, Europa, and more.
Beverages are by far the largest market for standardized caps, requiring easy manufacturing, speedy affixing to bottles and ease of opening whilst protecting and preserving the integrity of the drink.
Customized closures can be seen across various industries. Gone are the days where consumers picked a bottle with a screw cap from the shelf, expected to cover situation necessities. Now, we have a choice based on application, with pumps, sprays, dosers, not to mention “sports caps” for athletes or young children, tamper and child-proof closures, one-handed opening caps, and so much more. The technology and usability of a closure are now very often linked to product branding and differentiation. Visibility is everything in our on-the-go society, and we expect ease of use, safety, and convenience as standard.
What trends do we foresee?
- There have been two distinct trends which have been clear over the last year which we expect to continue well into 2012 and beyond: diversification and being green.
- Some recognizable closures may not seem very different at first glance, but upon taking a closer look, the materials of many have changed. With legislation around the world starting to back recycled or recyclable products, being green is moving up the bill as packaging companies embrace the use of recycled materials or those that can be recycled, lead to reduced carbon footprints or weight reduction which benefits both the environment and the producer through cost efficiency.
- In addition to their looking for products and packaging with personality, consumers also look for packaging that suits their individual needs. One size fits all is no longer an option. Jumbo-, household-, handbag- and pocket-sized everything is expected and demanded with the appropriate closure to suit both the product and the consumer’s lifestyle whether, the product be for a food and beverage product, a cosmetic, a chemical, a pharmaceutical or a personal care product. A more traditional or standard bottle top or cap still works for many products, but does the consumer want to be fiddling about with a cap when trying to shower quickly at the gym?
- The days of consumers excessively dosing out products are now far fewer with the introduction of caps combined with brushes and droppers, incorporating an atomizer, pump or spray, and other orifice reducers to ensure the consumer has the best product experience available. For years, it has been the more luxury markets that have chosen to diversify their products through the use of special closures, but the mainstream market has picked up on consumer expectations of their packaging.
- No longer is packaging seen as merely a way to encase a product and the diversification of closures in the marketplace over the last decade is testament to consumer expectation of choice and demand for packaging to serve more than just the purpose of encasing a product.
- The drinks market for plastic caps in Europe is the biggest, taking over 60% of the market. That’s one heck of a lot when you consider that plastic caps and closures have been replacing metal closures to the extent that they now hold over 50% of the European market in addition to major strongholds in other world markets.
- Over a third of the total drink closures market is held by Asia. Whilst this was initially developed through cheaper production, the increased consumption of soft drinks in China in particular, has strengthened the Asian hold on the market.
Whether standard or customized, caps and closures are essential tools in the lives of every consumer and we just can’t live without them.
"Some recognizable closures may not seem very different at first glance, but upon taking a closer look, the materials of many have changed..."
"Beverages are by far the largest market for standardized caps..."
"No longer is packaging seen as merely a way to encase a product..."
