In all of the TOP 100 criteria BERICAP demonstrated an innovative approach in its responses to the COVID-19 situation. For example, it ramped up production at short notice to meet growth in demand from the hygiene and hospital segments for hand sanitizer closures. The production changeover only took twelve weeks – instead of the usual twelve months. BERICAP also collaborated with national health authorities to develop urgently required medical aids e.g. to support testing of COVID-19 patients.
BERICAP is focusing on sustainability in the evolution of its closures – by switching to a lighter design with lower material usage. Tethered caps are another noteworthy development in light of EU Directive 2019/904, which stipulates that plastic caps must remain attached to the bottle after opening from July 2024 onwards to reduce the impact of plastic products on the environment. BERICAP’s solution to the tethered cap requirement is BERICAP ClipAside, a closure developed to maximise consumer convenience on all major neck finishes that enables beverage manufacturers to comply with future requirements today – and with minimum impact on their production processes.
Another new and sustainable closure in the BERICAP portfolio is BERICAPValve, which is made from a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) instead of the conventional silicone material. The valve prevents the contamination of the PET recycling stream with silicone and has obvious recycling advantages. BERICAPValve achieved excellent results in the Interseroh Institute’s certification audit and won a Packaging Europe Sustainability Award in 2020 in the category of ‘Recyclable Packaging’.
Successful development of innovative business segments
On the business side, BERICAP has been busy developing new markets and broadening its product portfolio with the acquisition of MALA GmbH, an aluminium closure specialist. In addition to aluminium closures for the wine sector with diverse finishing and décor options, BERICAP now offers aluminium alternatives to its established range of plastic closures for edible oil, vinegar and mineral water.