Supplier News
Chroma Corp.’s new glow-in-the-dark plasticPlastic Glows in the Dark
A new type of plastic from Chroma Corp. (McHenry, IL) can glow in the dark for more than 32 hours after initial exposure to outdoor light.
According to Chroma, the plastic can be used to create such beauty packages as compacts, lipstick containers, and bottles. The nonradioactive plastic can be tinted with color to make it aesthetically pleasing when viewed in light.
Stuart Swain, Chroma’s commercial director, says that most other glow-in-the-dark plastics only glow in the dark for an hour at most and don’t glow at all after 100 hours of exposure to outdoor light.
Delicious Design
Together with its full-service division, Alcan Packaging Beauty (New York City) has introduced a new stock compact collection called French Pastry. Modeled after macaroons, the plastic compacts are rounded and pastel.
The supplier’s full-service division can manufacture and fill colorful lip glosses and pressed powders in the compacts.
High-End Treatment Bottle
Inoac Packaging Group (Bardstown, KY) has developed a PET bottle for skin care products that is designed with luxurious, ultrathick walls. Created with anti-aging serum products in mind, the entire package, including its overcap, is made from PET, an environmentally sound material.
To create the thick-wall look, the bottle was covered with a thick molded shell, which is held in place by a collar. The supplier says that it “insert molded” the outer shell twice to avoid sink marks.
New Bottles by Lumson
Lumson (Capergnanica, Italy) offers its new Indy collection of bottles and jars. The firm, which aims to provide complete standard packaging lines, says that all of the containers in the line are designed with matching contours.
The line consists of glass jars and plastic and glass bottles. The plastic bottles are available in either PET or polyethylene with a soft-touch finish. Sizes range from 100 to 250 ml, and 30- and 50-ml heavy-wall versions are being developed. The glass bottles are offered in sizes of 30 and 50 ml. The glass jar is available in a 50-ml size. The packages are designed to match the supplier’s Joli dispensing caps and overcaps.
World Wide Improves Prototyping
World Wide Packaging’s (Florham Park, NJ) prototyping services have been upgraded so that in just days, the firm can create models from two- or three-dimensional files that look and feel like the finished package—long before a completely tooled product would typically be finished.
World Wide says that models are dimensionally accurate and exhibit the same surface finishes and graphics that a finished product would have. Thousands of surface finishes can be replicated, including chrome, pearl, metallic, and even colors that change depending on the angle at which a package is viewed. The firm says that these details enable marketers to compare different ratios, sizes, colors, and graphics on a variety of different package models.
New Bottle Line
DieterBakicEnterprises’ (Munich) new Kronos bottles, jars, and caps can be mixed and matched in a number of combinations.
Bottles are available in sizes of 125 and 200 ml. Screw caps are offered in 12 designs. The line also includes PMMA jars in numerous sizes.
Dual Mascara Sampler
Sample and unit-dose packaging supplier Ileos (Nanterre, France) has introduced a unique double-ended mascara sampler that was designed to give customers the high-quality experience of using a full-size mascara container.
The package features high-quality brushes. The brushes can be produced in two versions, such as an elastomer brush molded in a single piece or a fine, slanted brush. Guerlain recently used this sampler for a new mascara.
Oyster Jar
Continental Packaging Solutions’ (Chicago) new small-sized Oyster Jar is made from polypropylene. A gold hot-stamped trim gives the jar a luxurious look.
The jar is suited for eye creams, face lotions, and body scrubs An interior liner helps to keep products fresh.
TricorBraun Makes Updates in China
TricorBraun’s (St. Louis) operations in Guangdong, China, have been enhanced to include real-time interface with the firm’s domestic design and engineering facilities.
“The new facility is staffed with…a first-class quality lab to bring to our customers custom and unique packaging options from around the world—options not available from our core domestic supply base,” says Keith Strope, president and CEO of TricorBraun.
Dispensing Brush
Qosmedix’s (Edgewood, NY) new pocket-sized dispensing brush was designed for transporting and applying loose powder on the go.
The brush’s 3-in. size is portable and convenient for travel. The brush features a retractable sleeve, goat-hair bristles, and a clear overcap.
Surefil Passes Audit
Surefill LLC (Grand Rapids, MI), a contract manufacturer of liquid products, recently passed a Silliker Audit with a high score of 96.7%.
The audit evaluates quality systems, employee practices, receiving, storage and shipping, plant hygiene, and manufacturing.
O. Berk Acquires Decorator
O. Berk Co. (Union, NJ) has acquired AQL Decorating Company, Inc. (Fairview, NJ). As a decorator of plastic, glass, and metal containers, AQL specializes in screen printing, pressure-sensitive labeling, hot-stamping, and pad printing.
AQL will continue to operate as an independent company, retain its current management team and employees, and serve its existing customers. Jim Sheehan, corporate vice president of O. Berk Co., will serve as vice president and general manager of AQL.
New Dispenser Designs
Click-On Fragrance Pump
MeadWestvaco Calmar’s snap-on Clickit pump, as pictured on Banana Republic’s Cordovan and Malachite fragrance bottles.MeadWestvaco Calmar (Barcelona) has introduced a new version of its Melodie fragrance pump that snaps onto a fragrance bottle’s neck for fast, efficient assembly on packaging lines. Designed with Melodie’s same low-profile pump, the Clickit snap-on pump is an alternative to crimped pumps.
Clickit is delivered preassembled. Its plastic body reduces risk of corrosion from fragrances.
Protecting Products from Metal
Valois’s new Evolux Eyes & Lips dispenser, featuring Pfeiffer’s Alpha Technology cartridge.Pfeiffer GmbH (Radolfzell, Germany) has introduced its new Alpha Technology dispenser cartridge, whose dispensing pathway is free of metal parts.
The cartridge’s spring is positioned outside of the dosing chamber, and its ball is made of plastic. Because of this, the cartridge prevents chemical reactions with a product such as corrosion of the dispenser or product discoloration.
Pfeiffer’s new Alpha Technology dispenser cartridge, designed with a metal-free fluid pathway.The cartridge was designed for anti-aging skin care, facial lotion, and fluid foundation products. Alpha is already available on several of Pfeiffer’s pumps.
The Alpha cartridge can also be used on other suppliers’ dispensers, such as those by Airlessystems (France) and Valois (Congers, NY).
Valois used the Alpha cartridge on its new Evolux Eyes & Lips pump. The pump’s tip dispenses a precise 70-µl dose that is ideal for targeted applications. The pump is available in metal or plastic, with metal or plastic overcaps.
Shortening Lead Times
Pfeiffer GmbH and Pfeiffer of America also announced that Pfeiffer’s lotion pump range can now be produced in the supplier’s Congers, NY, location. Accordingly, lead times for select lotion pump models will now be shortened to six weeks for U.S. and worldwide customers.
“Six-week lead times—no high-end packaging supplier is offering that,” says Pfeiffer’s senior vice president of beauty, Franco Lucà. “As one of the world’s leading cosmetic suppliers, it was a logical step to invest in speed to market.”
Automatic Flip Top
Seaquist Closures’ One Touch cap flips open at the touch of a button.Seaquist Closures (Mukwonago, WI) has obtained the rights to market MVF International Corp.’s Push Open flip-top closure, which automatically opens at the press of a button.
When pushed, the button allows the closure’s lid to flip up automatically, exposing the dispensing orifice.
“By engaging multiple senses, interactive packaging takes the consumer’s emotional tie to the package to a new level,” says Brenda Chamulak, director of strategic innovation for Seaquist Closures.
Seaquist will market the closure under the name One Touch. It will manufacture and sell both stock and custom versions of the closure throughout Europe and the United States. Seaquist’s first designs will be for the personal care market. The firm plans to introduce a 2-in.-diam flared design for bottles and tubes.
Hidden Parts Streamline Pump
Rexam’s XD11 pumpTo create an ultralow profile for its new fragrance dispenser, Rexam (Suresnes, France) designed the pump so that its operating mechanisms are hidden in the neck of a fragrance bottle.
The XD11 features a reduced nozzle diameter. An ergonomic actuator was designed to feel comfortable under a customer’s finger and also enables intuitive handling. Thanks to a precompression design, the spray dosage and spray angle can be adjusted. Finally, the pump is fashioned with an external spring, a glass bead, and a nonelastomer gasket to ensure compatibility with fragrance formulations.
Dual-Chambered Aerosol
SeaquistPerfect’s Fusion dispenserSeaquistPerfect Dispensing (Cary, IL) has introduced an aerosol can with two product chambers. The chambers keep two product parts separated until the moment of dispensing.
The Fusion dispenser utilizes a bag-on-valve system. The valve system comprises eight parts: mounting cup, stem, body, spring, plug, gasket, optional dip tube, and a laminated bag. Filling can be accomplished on existing industry-standard equipment.