Exclusive: United Caps debuts lightweight 26mm sport closures at Interpack

With 50% of its business being bespoke, United Caps utilises an in-house R&D centre and a dedicated mould-making entity to accelerate the prototype-to-production cycle. To demonstrate this flexibility, the company featured a 3D printer at its booth, allowing visitors to see real-time solutions for custom closure ideas.

Major highlights at the show was the newly launched 26/22 beverage cap, and low-carbon resin offer. This bio-based resin is derived from used cooking oil (UCO) rather than fresh crops, ensuring no competition with food applications. Through a mass-balance concept, the used oil is transformed into resin that can be processed either chemically or mechanically.

Product spotlights: Beverage, carton, and edible oil

United Caps introduced several updates to its standard range designed to meet specific market booms and recycling requirements:

26/22 prospring: A sport cap for the beverage market, marking the company’s first entry into the 26-mm neck size. Engineered for small, on-the-go bottles, it is marketed as the lightest closure of its type currently available.

27H pack: A brand-new closure for carton packs, specifically designed to be compliant with aluminium-free structures (such as SIG carton packs). By moving away from complex aluminium-plastic combinations, the closure facilitates easier recycling of the entire container.

26L flip-on: An edible oil cap featuring an integrated tethered band (T-band). While edible oil is typically consumed at home, the attached band prevents loose plastic parts from entering the waste stream and ensures all components are recycled together.

Specialised nutrition and the Protex Scoop

The specialised nutrition segment, covering infant and medical nutrition, remains a high-growth area for United Caps, particularly for Asian brands that prioritise European manufacturing standards for hygiene.

The company showcased its new generation 127 Protex Scoop, which solves a recurring consumer pain point: The scoop falling into the milk powder. The new design features a scoop that is directly sealed inside the cap during production, rather than added later. This "one-piece" approach improves hygiene by eliminating the need for consumers to reach into the powder and simplifies the recycling process by reducing additional parts.

Protex Scoop

While United Caps has historically focused on rigid containers, it is now expanding into the flexible pouch closure market. This is a new market for the company, primarily for bespoke applications where pouch sizes vary significantly.

PPWR consensus and future expansion

The European packaging industry is facing an imminent deadline with the 2030 Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), but United Caps warns that many brand owners are repeating the "rush" seen with tethered closures rather than engaging in early development.

The company observes that while sustainability was an emerging topic at the last Interpack, it has now become the primary driver for all R&D, with daily enquiries at the show focusing on bio-based resins and recyclability.

Addressing the Indian market, the company maintains a cautious expansion strategy. While acknowledging India as a massive potential market, United Caps is currently focusing its expertise on regions where it has established infrastructure.