Albéa, the market leader in samples and mini-products, has launched the innovative 'Sofix', the only sample on the market with a mini-pump that fits both plastic and glass bottles thanks to its patented fixation system.

With Sofix, choosing the sample that best fits a promotional strategy is now an easy task. Moreover, dedicated production and decoration lines mean optimum responsiveness.

In its plastic bottle version of 1.2 ml, Sofix guarantees a cost-effective promotional budget. By making the distribution of high numbers of samples possible in stores, it keeps the cost per contact between brand and end consumer to a minimum.

Sofix can be customized using conventional decoration processes, with customer colours, hot stamping and silk screening. For visual appeal and optimized costs through breakage-free filling lines, the Sofix plastic bottle is also available in clear PP for glass-like transparency. In the glass bottle version of 1.5 ml, Sofix offers a chic, luxury solution that is close to the world of fragrance. The glass bottle can also be customized with a standard, gold or platinum varnish.

Sofix allows brands to segment their sampling campaigns in line with the product's lifecycle. For the launch phase, the plastic version makes massive distribution possible across multiple channels. In the growth phase, brands can switch to a glass version for prestigious, elegant sampling. Finally, during the maturity phase (Summer or Limited editions, etc.) it's easy to switch back to another version as you wish. And so on... The plastic and glass Sofix have the same dimensions, so switching between them has no impact on secondary packaging.

The Sofix innovation will revolutionize how sampling campaigns are developed:

- Freedom to choose the finish that best suits the retail product's positioning
- Creativity: launching flankers and distributing plastic or glass samples is no longer a constraint
- Simplified supply chain: one pump, two bottles and similar secondary packaging means fewer components to order, manage and store
- Volume effect: in line with launch schedules. No need to order one pump to go with your glass bottles and a different one for plastic. With Sofix, a single, competitive pump fits both bottle types!

Albéa has already produced more than 10 billion samples at its Le Tréport unit in Normandy, France. Major market innovations have been developed at this global excellence centre for samples. For example, Sofix benefits from the high performance of SP5K, a benchmark engine that delivers superior spray quality. Sofix is fitted with the same Maximist insert as the XD11 fragrance pump, so offers similar spray quality to the retail product. Launched in 1999, SP5K was the first neutral, miniaturized pump. 15 years on, more than 3 billion units have been sold. SP5K has been developed in plastic and metal finishes, from the sample version to pumps for travel volumes and miniatures.