Time For Closure

The key factors governing the design of a good closure include tamper
evidence, child safety, anti-counterfeit features, openability, dispensing and
branding.

Over the years, suppliers of food, drink and pharmaceutical goods have been
harmed enough by carious tampering scares, so to what length does a
manufacturer have to go to ensure its
product is totally safe How can anyone ever claim to have discovered the truly
pilfer-proof package when many acknowledge that such a commodity does not exist?

The chances are they can't and the future must be considered challenging with
many questions still to be answered. However, the packaging industry's advances
in the field of tamper evidence have been well chronicled and progress is being
made, as shown by some of the innovative developments described below.

Allgauland-Kasereien is filling Kumyss, a traditional Eastern European style
health drink, using Amcor White Cap's 38mm Plasti-Twist closure with liner. The
white closure is reputed to be easy to open and reseal, and also features a
patented drop-down tamper-evident band. The packaging is idea for the on-the-go
consumption.

Amcor White Cap launched its 40mm Brand-Guard closure in 2005. The cap is a
Press-On, Twist-Off (PT) system composite closure. It features a metal disc,
with PVC-free liner, tamper-evident safety button and plastic outer shell, with
drop down tamper-evident band.

The cap provides a dual tamper-evident indicator - band and safety button. The
button pops up with an audible click during first opening when the vacuum is
released. It provides a triple safety feature since the consumer can see, feel
and hear the change. The drop-down safety band is visibly destroyed during first
opening, providing clear evidence of tampering.

Crown closures Europe also has an important recent launch in the composite
closure/dual tamper-evidence market. The cap, called the Ideal, is suitable for
use in the food and beverage sector and is said to be easy to open and to
re-close. There is full seal integrity for all food processes and the cap again
features a drop-down tamper evident band. A vacuum safety button provides the
dual tamper-evident feature. Ideal provides traditional metal barrier protection
and plastic impact resistance and is fully recyclable.

Dragon Plastics has launched its first plastic volumetric closure system,
VoloishoT, which comprises three snap fastenings and one screw fastening.
Suitable for use with hair care products, it incorporates volumetric dispensing,
mixing and tamper evidence. Removing the tear band and then pressing down on the
top cap activates the system.

The desire to achieve the combination of

tamper evidence and child resistance has been something that has taxed the
minds of industry for many years. Innovative developments in this field are now
coming to fruition, some enhancing and improving closure solutions originally
developed in the 1990's.

For example, UCP has developed PP28mm Medi-Loc, a child resistant tamper evident
closure for the pharmaceutical market, which has passed the demanding protocol
testing standards for child-resistant packaging under ISO 8817:2003, which came
info force in October 2005.

Adapted from UCP's Clic-Loc child-resistant closure technology with the addition
of the Vistop tamper-evident thing, Medi-Loc is a more compact closure than that
originally developed in the 90s for the liquid pharmaceuticals market, achieving
a 30% weight saving. As the Vistop tamper evident ring is separate assembly,
closures can be supplied with the ring in a contrasting colour.

SHRINK SLEEVE REPLACEMENT

While the option to use shrink sleeves fitted over a metal or plasticcap is
still finding favour, some users are moving away from this solution. Once such
case in point is Thornton & Ross which has replaced standard screw closures and
shrink sleeves on Covonia cough linctus and other liquid pharmaceutical products
with UCP's PP28 tamper-evident closure.

Thornton & Ross claims that using PP28TE combined with a Vistop tamper-evident
closure system and also obviated the need for an additional sleeving operation.
The pack maintains child resistance through first and subsequent use.

Branding does well in the luxury goods sector, but may not always be evident in
all aspects of other product sectors. One leading designer, however, feels
progress is being made in closure design: "Closures are playing a bigger role
visually and in terms of interaction," says head of packaging at PDD Miles
Hawley, signalling the wide neck, upturned Heinz Tomato ketchup bottle as a good
example. The wide base, ever-ready orientation and the cleanliness and
efficiency of the split valve sauce delivery system add up to a positive
physical interaction with the Heinz brand.

"Long before any physical interaction, however, closures and packs generally are
necessarily geared to standing out, on sight, at point of sale and point of
purchase in the first 0.5 seconds. P&G's 'first moment of truth' is a useful
perspective during development of closure and pack design here at PPD.

"The rise of bottled water is a good example of this sequence of experience.
Re-sealable sports caps quickly became standard across most water brands.
Subsequently, these brands - in particular Evian - have abandoned off-the-shelf
closures for visually innovative and striking closure elements that, in some
instances, emulate the perfumery sector.

"This is a sure measure of the rising status of closures in the brand equity
mix. Some sectors stand out for the elaborate closures they deploy and the
closing, spraying, safety and ergonomics considerations of week-killer solutions
in particular offer a model for the future in other sectors.

"Innovation need not be highly technical, The universal coffee cup cover with
hold for drinking has becom