Bericap Asia secured a contract with Chevron International for supply of 40mm screw caps for the new consumer pack design for the Caltex and Chevron brands of automotive products.
The contract covers regional supply of caps to plants in China, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka.
The cap was based on Bericap standard design SK40/24 PV with customized knurl finish and embossment with CA star or Chevron logo on top of the cap. Adoption was carried out by Bericap R&D centre in Germany – one of four centres globally – to provide the 3D design proposals and to finalize the cap drawing. Time-to-market was shortened by conversion of an existing mould in Bericap Kunshan/China, which was essential in securing the contract and commencing supply in February 2007.
The induction heat seal design is printed with a distinctive CALTEX logo on a white background which is achieved by reverse printing on PET film that is laminated to the aluminium foil. This is done for tamper evidence and anti-counterfeiting feature. Cap shell design with fixing lugs allows a modular cap by assembling whatever kind of seal is required (IHS with or without easy-open-end/print/hologram or simple EPE wad).
Additional features such as flow regulator inserts are an option. Bericap designs closures and necks as systems which enable the customer to select different options or caps on the same neck. It’s up to him to opt for an appropriate cap providing consumer-convenience in the most effective way.
The SK 40/24 PV cap is produced in Bericap Kunshan/China and Pune/India. This safeguards a supply backup for the Asean region as well as a production close to the customer reducing logistic risks.
One of the reasons for Bericap’s selection was that it offered a short term closure system and support for the conversion process helping to improve the blending plant productivity. In addition the capping process was optimized through specification and control of bottle neck finishes and technical service at the capping machines. Previously the caps were supplied by the bottle suppliers in each country or location. Using Bericap closures provided a uniform cap quality through out the region for consistent brand image and package quality.
This is an example how to translate customer requirements quickly into commercial solutions. They may arise from well proven products by adoption or by a brand new design predicting market trends.
Decentralization is one of Bericap’s most obvious strengths; in terms of development and production locations. The latter safeguards backup supplies out of different factories and maintains the customer even if one mould may be down. Distribution of R&D work on currently four R&D centres – Budenheim, Dijon, La Roca and Gebze – is making use of the variety of people, their knowledge of the regional market and their individual creativity to generate unusual and outstanding ideas.
At the time being BERICAP serves out of 18 factories globally and intends to complete the coverage with plants in south-eastern USA and the Asean region. Bericap is a global manufacturer of plastic closures with 18 factories in 17 countries across the world, on-going projects in several countries of Asia and Middle East and a network of licensees and partners to supply similar products made according to the same quality and service standards to its global customers; with four central R&D centres in France, Germany, Spain and Turkey, two mould shops in Hungary and Poland and several satellite R&D offices in its main operations, Bericap is particularly committed to development and innovation in plastic closures for its customers.