PETpla.net Insider 06 / 2017

TRADE SHOW REVIEW PET planet Insider Vol. 18 No. 06/17 www.petpla.net 40 Beno î t Henckes, CEO of United Caps, on balancing ease of use with lightweight design As lightweight as possible and compact as necessary by Gabriele Kosmehl The international Luxembourg-based exhibitor, United Caps, was demonstrating at this year’s Interpack trade fair how small improvements to caps and closures can enhance a product’s sale potential. Also, the company has just announced plans to expand into the South-East Asian market (see PETplanet 5/2017). A good enough reason therefore for PETplanet to drop in on United Caps and speak to its CEO, Benoît Henckes. PETplanet: Mr Henckes: What products are you tempting visitors with at this year’s Interpack trade fair? Henckes: We are offering a wide range of closure solutions for bever- ages, edible oil and dry food, which is something the food sector has been calling for. Special emphasis is being given to two particular strands which we use in the closure sector. The first is brand differentiation. Customers are increasingly offering to work with us to develop original closure solutions that visually distinguish a customer’s prod- uct on the merchandising shelves. To this end, we work with the client to create differentiating features that suit their particular needs, e.g. a special design, prints or engravings. The second strand is the issue of convenience. Improvements in han- dling have recently become the big talking point in the closure sector. PETplanet: Has light-weighting been superseded? And equally does that mean that closures are becoming heavier again? Henckes: Light-weighting has been a big issue in recent times. Theoretically, further weight savings are possible in the closure area but our current focus is on finding the right balance between light-weight- ing and convenience. In theory, we could produce caps weighing <1g but this would be pointless if it means the product can no longer be prop- erly protected or if an older person is unable to open the bottle. To this end, we have come up with a really nice flower cap design. The petal flower design of this 1881 closure not only looks great on the shelf but also allows the end-user to open bottles with very little effort. An excellent combination of brand differentiation and convenience. PETplanet: How do you find out in advance whether a new closure will meet market requirements in terms of convenience and what are the constraints within which you have to operate? Henckes: The needs of the consumer are never overlooked in our developmental work; in fact we are putting large sums into market The easy-to-open flower design has been used for Wattwiller Mineral Waters Benoit Henckes, CEO, United Caps