BERICAP will be participating once more as an exhibitor at this year’s Drinktec event in Munich. The closure manufacturer and global operator will present its tried-and-tested closure systems and new product features in hall B, stand 3.502.
Weight savings with innovative closures
There is an unrelenting level of interest in the subject of ‘lightweight’ closures.In addition to cost savings through lighter closures, this also addresses the sparing use of non-renewable resources and the alleviation of the impact of greenhouse gases. Bericap has already been able to convert a large portion of its different beverage closures into more lightweight versions that fit the respective lightweight bottlenecks. The resulting savings in granulate permit a significant annual reduction in CO2 production.
New closure size: 33mm for Hotfill
Bericap has developed 33mm closures for hot fillings available in the versions flat screw closure and ‘PushPull sport closure’, which does not require any aluminium sealing foil for safe sealing. Dispensing without sealing foil on the PushPull closure offers the consumer the advantage that the bottle can be opened without difficulty by simply removing the upper protective cap and the upper part of the closure. Both versions of the closure have the well-known BERICAP DoubleSeal™ system, which guarantees a leakproof product and stabilizes the bottleneck through an inner and outer sealing lip during the hot filling process, even though the neck wall thickness is just 1.5 mm. The product integrity will be reliably preserved. The DoubleSeal™ 33mm is equipped with a cut and folded slit band that breaks the first time the bottle is opened. The filler’s demands for cost-saving and lighter packaging are fulfilled with the 33mm closure: the bottleneck and closure can be more than 40% lighter than the 38mm closure system still widely used today.
New features for aseptic filling
- DoubleSeal 33 mm – offers material and cost savings
As part of the cost-saving and CO2-minimization process, Bericap developed a 33mm closure as an alternative to the commonly used 38mm closure. Fillers who switch from the 38 mm closure size to the 33 mm size profit from lower costs due to a weight saving of approximately 30% for closure and neck.Bottles with the new 33mm closure differ in terms of their appearance on the shelf from the conventional beverage products with large closures and thus contribute towards a marked visual product differentiation. Compared to the 38mm bottle used to date, the consumer enjoys a more pleasant drinking experience thanks to the narrower bottleneck.
The 33mm closure that is based on the Bericap DoubleSeal has a folded and slit safety band that breaks the first time the bottle is opened. It can also be used on all conventional aseptic systems with dry or wet sterilization. At Drinktec Bericap will present a new version of the 33mm aseptic closure that is slightly higher as an alternative for these bottlers, who like to have a closure that is small in diameter but still offers a better grip to open the bottle (consumer convenience).
Bericap Push Pull next generation – filling without aluminium foil
- Sports Caps for hot and cold aseptic fillings
Sport closures are best suited for consumption when on the move, when travelling or when doing sport; always on those occasions where the consumer wants to open and close their drinking bottle rapidly and simply.
The Bericap Push Pull Next Generation meets this requirement. This closure does not require aluminium foil as a seal, is easy to open and to reclose and meets all the requirements of a modern, environmentally-friendly and customer-friendly package.
Thanks to its user-friendly functionality, the consumer can enjoy a drink immediately after removing the protective cap. What is more, thanks to its flow rate – approximately 30% higher than that of conventional products – this sports cap has achieved increasing acceptance in the market since its launch in 2010.
The 3-piece Push Pull Next Generation is equipped with DoubleSeal technology that has also been successfully used for other Bericap closures in the beverage industry.
The 38mm sports closure has so far been used for aseptic fillings and is appropriate for wet and dry sterilization processes. The successful qualification of the 33mm PushPull Next Generation for the hot filling process by a multinational beverage filler in Latin America is a further step forward.
This closure type, the Push Pull, is another innovative step that allows drinks to be dispensed without removing an aluminium foil seal.
Lightweight closure solutions for still water– Bericap HexaLite® 26 and 29 mm
The bottlenecks for PET 29/25 and PET 26/22 were developed for still beverages and have now been established by CETIE as European standards.
The PET 29/25 neck is mainly to be found in Europe and neighbouring regions, whilst the PET 26/22 neck achieves high levels of acceptance in Northern America and China, but has also been able to celebrate its first successes in Europe.
Bericap offers the HexaLite® product lines 29/11 and 26/10 for these bottlenecks.
HexaLite closures guarantee the exceptional leakproof nature of the container due to its specific closure design. The cut and folded slit band guarantees high levels of product security as it breaks easily when first opened and thus makes the integrity of the product clearly visible to the consumer.
At Drinktec Bericap will present a new HexaLite closure that fits the PET 29/25 neck but is slightly higher compared to the current HexaLite 29/11 closure. The increased height offers a better grip when the consumer opens the bottle (increased consumer convenience). This new closure will be introduced in the UK market by the end of 2013.
Another trend in still water is for a lighter weight of the bottle itself. This very often requires controlled N2 dosing to stabilize the bottle during transport. The HexaLite closure types are suitable for N2 dosing and therefore fulfil the requirements of the market.
Dispensing Valve from Bericap
Bericap has acquired the assets and technology to manufacture a dispensing valve.
Called BericapValve, the dispensing valve is bi-injected to offer superior tightness. The BericapValve is manufactured from TPE material, thereby avoiding contamination of the PET recycling stream, a phenomenon known from competing valve solutions made of silicone.
The BericapValve has been on the market for several years and performs to the satisfaction of consumers thanks to its soft-dispensing start and superior tightness. To ensure good, user-friendly dispensing for various products and viscosities, Bericap offers different degrees of valve hardness.
BericapValve is currently used for applications such as ketchups, chocolate sauces, products containing pieces and bodycare products and is also used in the pharmaceutical industry. Bericap offers a wide range of standard design hinge closures for insertion of the BericapValve. Bericap also has the resources to develop customized closures for BericapValve applications.
Recycling-friendly TPE valves are also suitable for the beverage market. Bericap will present valve solutions for sports closures in the near future.