Sustainability meets convenience

Lightweight and practical

When originally launched, the first combibloc EcoPlus cartons had no closure. However, SIG Combibloc has now enhanced the pack by adding an environmentally-friendly closure that combines sustainability and convenience: ‘The combiCap screw cap weighs just 1,9g – about 60% less than the first screw cap launched by the company,’ explains Tamara Jevremovic, product manager for combibloc EcoPlus. Less weight means fewer fossil resources are used.

The combiCap is based on a process that’s already established in use with other SIG Combibloc closures and is applied on an over-coated hole. These holes are punched in the raw paperboard before it’s laminated. Closures are applied to cartons after the product has been filled and are easily opened by consumers with a single twist, as the paperboard layer has already been removed and only the thin polymer layers need be broken.

The closure consists of a flange with an integrated cutting ring and a screw cap. With a single twist of the screw cap, the tamper-evident feature on the seal is broken with an audible click. To reclose, the cap is screwed back on and the carton remains leakproof.

It’s not just its low mass that sets combiCap apart. Europe-wide consumer tests show that the cap is easy to open and offers a good pouring action. ‘We wanted to ensure consumers don’t have to compromise – they should get a carton that’s convenient and eco-friendly – and with combibloc EcoPlus we’ve managed to do just that,’ Tamara adds.

Part of the New Zealand-based Rank Group, SIG Combibloc is one of the world’s leading system suppliers of carton packaging and filling machines for food and beverages.