Innovation in caps and closures for all types of application and end-use will be a major part of the Packaging Innovations & Empack 2025 experience.

From sealing and securing to sprays, pumps and droppers for dispensing, caps and closures come in all shapes and sizes to fulfil a variety of functions.

Chief among those is preventing spillage and spoilage, although today’s caps and closures are far more sophisticated and functional. Whether taking a sip from a sports drink; precisely measuring out oils and vinegars; applying creams, lotions and potions; dispensing chemicals; or require a counterfeit prevention tool for industrial applications, there’s a cap/closure for that.

Valves on ketchup bottles are an everyday example of innovation in action. Gone are the days of consumers having to find the perfect angle for pouring ketchup from a glass bottle – 35-45° is ideal, according to Heinz. Squeezy bottles with valves ensure ideal condiment distribution, provided you follow that “hack” to expel excess air and prevent sauce splatter. If you’re not a “Tommy K” fan, how about squeezable butter? Anchor Squeezy is suitable for baking, frying, basting, greasing pans and even for topping cooked vegetables, meat or other food. Dispensed straight from the pack without the need to melt or soften, squeezable butter is more convenient for cooks and bakers to use. A PP cap and valve are integral to the consumer experience.

These light-hearted examples of where caps and closure impact our daily lives provide evidence of what you can expect to experience at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2025, where a plethora of suppliers will be exhibiting their solutions and advances for sealing, securing, dispensing and distribution.

Flipped and clipped
Bericap (L72) offers a wide range of closure solutions that enable manufacturers and bottlers to ensure product integrity and content quality. For example, the Ring Peel Liner combines product and counterfeiting protection. It is a liner with a tamper evidence feature that prevents product contamination and provides proof to the consumer that the bottle has not previously been opened. The company is also committed to sustainability, focusing on four priority areas. In product development, for example, it is concentrating on reducing material use. Its offer to the agricultural sector now includes special lightweight caps for 50mm and 63mm neck finishes. To advance closed-loop material cycles, PCR is used and mono-material designs are deployed wherever possible.

Berry Global (K42) has added the Pical Pouring Closure, a tamper-evident pouring closure for edible oils, dressings and sauces. This is designed to combine consumer convenience and functionality with sustainability enhancements that improve recyclability. A special tamper-evident tab drops inside the closure when the lid is opened for the first time. This ensures the tab remains with the pack so that all components enter the recycling stream. The snap-on neck finish also means that the bottle does not require an additional sleeve for tamper evidence. Manufactured in HDPE, the lightweight closure is a one-piece design and of mono-material construction, making it fully recyclable where appropriate collection facilities exist. A flip-top design incorporates an active hinge with a wide opening angle that allows easy one-handed opening and closing, with the secure closure mechanism providing an audible click to confirm it is fully closed. A venting feature and pouring orifice in the closure ensures smooth product flow and accurate dispensing that minimises glugging, while a cut-off lip provides a clean finish at the end of pouring.

Cambrian Packaging (M32) offers array of different closure types to suit a variety of bottles. These include tamper evident caps, IHS caps, flip tops, disc tops and screw caps. Child-resistant caps are available for more harmful substances. The company’s Monolite lotion pumps feature a patented plastic spring allowing for easy operation, while producing a 2ml dose with each action. With 24/410 and 28/410 neck options available, they complement a wide range of bottle types. An all-plastic construction, manufactured from 100% PP, allows Monolite lotion pumps to be recycled via traditional, curb side services, with no need for separation.

Embaco (J30) is a supplier of high quality, customisable and sustainable PET bottles, jars, closures and dispensers. PP and aluminium jar closures are available in 38mm-120mm sizes. PP closures come in matte and gloss finishes with boreseals, EPE liners, PS liners and IHS liners. Aluminium closures are stocked in a brushed (silver) finish as standard but can be made in custom colours to order. These are available with EPE or PS liners. Printing is an option for both PP and aluminium closures.

Dispensing solutions offered include flip top and disc top caps, nozzles, lotion pumps, mist sprays and trigger sprays.

As a company that develops and produces highly functional primary packaging for pharmaceutical, food and chemical-technical applications, Joma Kunststofftechnik (C22) brings deep experience in dispensing and distribution to Packaging Innovations & Empack 2025. For example, the Joma cream dispenser features a three-stage dosage setting (3ml, 5ml and 7ml) that allows individual dispensing of the contents, while a self-closing protective cap protects against drying out and contamination. The integrated tamper-evident closure ensures safe use for consumers and the vacuum pump system allows the containers to be emptied completely. For the pharmaceutical industry, Securibox containers feature a tamper-evident closure and snap-on lid to ensure maximum protection for tablets, powders, creams and the like. Joma is also the recognised market leader in the development and production of high-quality spice grinders and shakers. The DuoFlapperCap spice shaker is designed to allow consumers to effortlessly control the amount of spices dispensed with a simple hand movement. The two openings provide versatility, enabling individual spice dispensing tailored to personal preferences. A tamper-evident seal and an advanced system of sealing elements ensure brand security and long-lasting aroma protection. The newly developed MonoFlapperCap enhances this experience with either 5 or 11 pouring spots, designed specifically for maximum aroma protection and ease of use.

Germany’s Kisico (V84) manufactures screw caps, laboratory caps, 2- and 3-component caps, desiccant caps, child-resistant caps, tamper-evident caps, and caps with brushes or spoons. With customers for these caps mostly coming from the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industry, innovations such as HologramCap are in high demand. As an anti-counterfeiting tool, this sees a hologram applied directly during injection moulding of the closure. When coupled with a tamper-evident ring, a high degree of product security and packaging integrity is assured. The attractive and unique appearance of a holographic cap can also be used for aesthetic branding purposes and to enhance the impression of quality. HologramCap is part of Kisico’s XtraCap range of solutions designed for enhanced functionality. NFCCap is another line from this range, with integrated MGC tags communicating contactlessly with any NFC-enabled device. As well as authentication and anti-counterfeiting, NFCCaps can be used to provide additional product information and drive consumer engagement.

For the spirits industry, bartops – also known as t-stoppers, t-top closures or cork stoppers - are regarded as the ultimate premium closure. Viscose (Q74) has been a trusted supply partner to the drinks industry for more than 60 years, working with a wide range of customers from craft distilleries to mainstream brands and contract bottlers. Heads, which are the top section of the bartop that is visible above the glass neck and used to remove it from the bottle, can be made from a range of materials, whether wood, metal, glass or plastic. The shank that sits within the bottle neck to form a tight seal to secure the contents within, can be made from five different grades of natural cork or micro agglomerated cork depending on the customer’s needs.

These companies and products example a small selection of those to be exhibiting the latest in caps and closures at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2025, which takes place 12 & 13 February next year at the NEC, Birmingham.

The event is free to attend and registration is now open.