Staying close to consumer trends is crucial for progressive packaging manufacturers. The global mega trend for greater convenience shows no sign of slowing down1, while the growing understanding for the need for sustainable solutions across FMCG brands is increasingly both a legal2 and an emotional requirement.
As consumers across age, nationality and social demographics identify with being busier and more time-poor, so too do they want to maximise their hard-earned leisure time. Consumers are exhausted! Exhausted by choice, responsibilities, demands on their time. They are constantly accessible to colleagues, bosses, friends and family through smart phones and social media. Expectations to perform are high.
Consumers' stressful on-the-go lifestyles means that they value self-care more than ever before. People are starting to appreciate that being this busy means being more stressed, with a greater understanding of the negative impact on what stress does to our wellbeing. The growing trend for taking better care of ourselves3 – both of our physical and mental health - means that there are unparalleled opportunities for wellness brands to gain brand ambassadors; consumers that identify with their values, whether that's gluten-free, dairy-free, luxurious, organic – and they're happy to shout about it.
Win, win
Balancing these seemingly contradictory trends is a fascinating element of differentiation for packaging manufacturers and their R&D teams. The goal to create desirable, sustainable plastic packaging for bottled water is in everyone's interest; consumers, legislators, packaging manufacturers and beverage brand owners all have a part to play and a dog in the fight.
The multinational team across RETAL's global manufacturing is continually looking at ways to ensure that its products are lighter and smarter, with clever ways to make sure that the PET preforms, closures and containers it creates are taking part of the responsibility on board. From integrating state-of-the-art software so physical prototyping is unnecessary, to installing huge solar panel plants on its factories, to working closely with global beverage brands to guarantee that its plastic water bottles have tethered closures that helps to avoid contaminated recycling and increase their collection due to not being lost in general waste, RETAL is working on active ways to mitigate its impact.
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Innovations in closures and caps give brand-owners an opportunity to differentiate through convenience and style - and helps packaging manufacturers stay ahead of the game. With lightweighting and clever design key in the more visible role of closures and caps, Emma-Jane Batey speaks to players across the packaging value chain to learn more.
Light yet strong
For global packaging manufacturer RETAL, the closures issue is a chance to add an extra level of responsibility to its offering, with its multinational household-name customers increasingly demanding solutions that support their CSR targets. The company showcased its new high-grip closure design at BrauBeviale last year, which offers more options for plastic reduction in beverage packaging. RETAL’s high-grip closure is 19.85mm, the same height as a standard closure, but just 2.45g, saving around 1.3g of weight per bottle compared with standard bottles, thanks to the unique manufacture of the closures that allows for deeper grooves to distribute the weight across a taller surface area.
The innovative design is more sustainable as it uses less plastic, is easy to grip and open, and retains rigidity due to the height. Dalia Petrauskaite, RETAL’s closures director, says, “We worked closely with the market-leading bottle-filling company to create a functional solution that delivers high market acceptance thanks to its consumer-friendly attributes such as being easy to open and grip. Our High Grip closures offer many unique advantages; light yet strong, it also allows co-packers to reuse their existing stacking trays that are for standard 1810 specifications, making the High Grip even more eco-friendly.”
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Investment in advanced CAD software means RETAL can create precise bottle simulations without incurring the cost or time of prototyping.
PET and rPET packaging producer RETAL is dedicated to delivering responsible solutions to its global beverage customers, so this latest development supports its focus on creating lighter, stronger bottles that meet the precise performance and sustainability goals of brand owners.
Designer Andzejus Buinovskis explains, “We searched the market for a dedicated software suite that would allow us to simulate the stretch blow moulding process, but we couldn't find what we wanted, so we worked with Dassault Systemes to add several plug ins to its ABAQUS software product that provided the exact 3D modelling and types of parameters we require.”
The bespoke simulation software now in operation at RETAL's dedicated R&D Centre means that it is able to create precise information regarding performance relating to the distribution of the thickness and stretch ratio of the bottles without needing to produce a physical product. Buinovskis adds, “With the 3D model of the preform and bottle, we can simulate different temperatures, movements, pressures and pre-blow and blow variations. It's a powerful tool that saves the considerable time and money associated with prototyping; in one case, two bottles of the same weight but different geometry showed that one had a better stretch ratio, making it stronger.”
Comparing bottles of the same weight with different geometry, it is possible to choose the most durable bottle in terms of stretch ratio. This means that physical tests can be conducted for the most optimal model, avoiding the cost of testing all intermediate versions.
Investing in this complex software makes it faster, cheaper and easier for its global brand customers to choose the precise bottle for their food and beverage applications.
Investment in advanced CAD software means RETAL can create precise bottle simulations without incurring the cost or time of prototyping.
PET and rPET packaging producer RETAL is dedicated to delivering responsible solutions to its global beverage customers, so this latest development supports its focus on creating lighter, stronger bottles that meet the precise performance and sustainability goals of brand owners.
Designer Andzejus Buinovskis explains, “We searched the market for a dedicated software suite that would allow us to simulate the stretch blow moulding process, but we couldn't find what we wanted, so we worked with Dassault Systemes to add several plug ins to its ABAQUS software product that provided the exact 3D modelling and types of parameters we require.”
The bespoke simulation software now in operation at RETAL's dedicated R&D Centre means that it is able to create precise information regarding performance relating to the distribution of the thickness and stretch ratio of the bottles without needing to produce a physical product. Buinovskis adds, “With the 3D model of the preform and bottle, we can simulate different temperatures, movements, pressures and pre-blow and blow variations. It's a powerful tool that saves the considerable time and money associated with prototyping; in one case, two bottles of the same weight but different geometry showed that one had a better stretch ratio, making it stronger.”
Comparing bottles of the same weight with different geometry, it is possible to choose the most durable bottle in terms of stretch ratio. This means that physical tests can be conducted for the most optimal model, avoiding the cost of testing all intermediate versions.
Investing in this complex software makes it faster, cheaper and easier for its global brand customers to choose the precise bottle for their food and beverage applications.
Leading global packaging manufacturer Retal develops and produces a range of closures as part of its varied portfolio, alongside preforms, containers and films. Offering PET and, increasingly, rPET, Retal provides standard and bespoke solutions to its large roster of global food and beverage brand customers. Read more
Among the products that packaging manufacturer Retal exhibited on its stand at Brau Beviale 2018 was its new High Grip closure. This system, which was presented for the first time at the trade fair, features a taller overall design and continuous slats, which are intended to provide an optimised, non-slip opening and closing of beverage bottles. The closure height is at the same level as the classic PCO1810 closures and also fits PCO1881 bottle necks, but only at a weight of 2.45g. Read more
Co-packers can now reuse existing stacking trays designed for standard 1810 specifications thanks to RETAL's High Grip closure solution – with over 20million units already sold.
High Grip helps customers reduce the plastic in their beverage packaging as it's the same height as a standard closure, at 19.85mm, but just 2.45g, saving around 1.3g of weight per bottle, thanks to its deeper grooves that distribute the weight across the taller lid.
Using less plastic but still maintaining excellent rigidity due to the height, the RETAL High Grip is also ideal for older people or those with reduced mobility in their hands as it's easy to hold and use – helping beverage brands to meet their CSR targets while keeping consumers happy.
RETAL worked closely with a market-leading bottle filling company to create this functional solution that delivers high market acceptance thanks to its consumer-friendly attributes such as being easy to open and grip.
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The quest for the perfect preform continues: with smart collaboration between PET packaging solutions provider RETAL and one of its global beverage brand customers to create a bigger, lighter, easier-to-pour container that performs better in every way. Read more
Retal showcased its new high grip closure design at BrauBeviale 2018, which enabled customers and potential partners to discover more options for plastic reduction in their beverage packaging. Read more
Leading food and beverage brands understand the importance of protecting their product. Packaging has a major role to play in environmental issues and product safety, with the strict demands of global brands pushing ever-more innovative solutions that protect their product, their consumers and their brand. Read more