Superfos develops award-winning closing mechanism
mechanism that it claims strengthens the competitive position of
plastic over glass packaging solutions.
The Danish-based company claims that SuperLock, which won an award at the recent ScanStar2004 Awards ceremony, is suitable for both food and non-food consumer goods that need to meet high standards for user-friendliness, hygiene and product safety.
It features a unique liquid tight closing mechanism that guarantees high product safety both before breaking the seal and at re-closure. The jury complimented the SuperLock on its high degree of functionality.
The lock mechanism is based on a sealed twist system, similar to ones used on other plastic bottles. However, Superfos claims that the new lid is much easier to open and close.
By twisting the lid only 60°, the sealing ring comes off as the tamper evident band is broken. The pot cannot be opened without breaking the seal. To give the consumer a further perception of product safety, the lid lets out an airtight sound when the seal breaks.
Furthermore, an audible click lets the consumer know when the pot is correctly re-closed for keeping, as the edge of the pack meets the sealing ring in the lid. This provides the consumer with both an emotional and acoustic guarantee of efficient re-closure.
The European glass container industry has been hard hit by the onslaught of such new innovations in plastic. With the exception of the German beverage market, where the transition to plastic has been particularly conspicuous only since 1999, plastic packaging has now firmly established itself in the packaging sector.
This break from traditional forms of packaging means that there has been intense focus on product development and innovation, and the packaging industry has become highly competitive.
Superfos is marketing the SuperLock concept as a clear competitor to glass packaging. The product offers the same degree of transparency as glass, and is capable of accommodating sharp high quality graphics. At the same time, it offers all the advantages of plastic packaging.
"We live in a world with global brands and that places new demands on packaging of fast moving consumer goods," said sales and marketing director Martin Malmros. "Plastic is a modern material, which can match these demands.
"It is liquid tight and makes production less noisy than that of glass, and there is no risk of glass contamination in the end product. Furthermore, it is a lighter product that stacks well and is unbreakable. All together, this makes handling of the product easier, safer and more environmentally correct."
And unlike glass, the SuperLock pot is resistant to shock and can be stacked without any chance of breakage. This provides advantages in both production and transportation.
Superfos manufactures plastic packaging for the food industry. It operates 13 productions facilities in Europe and one in the United States, and has an annual turnover of approximately €345 million.
