New Products Archives - Hoffer Plastics

From Rigid Bottles to Spouted Pouches: Innovation that Transforms Packaging and Performance

Hoffer Team — Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:12:48 +0000

When Prestone, a trusted leader in automotive fluids, set out to refresh its packaging to a flexible spouted pouch for its top-off pouch, the goal was clear: reduce environmental impact, improve cost efficiency and ensure product safety. The company saw an opportunity to evolve the packaging from a rigid bottle to a large-format spouted pouch – a lighter and more sustainable packaging solution that uses significantly less plastic.

To make this vision a reality, Prestone needed more than a supplier. It needed partners with the expertise to deliver a high-performing closure system capable of safely containing automotive chemicals, ensuring child resistance and maintaining seal integrity. Equally important, the new design needed to meet customer demand for a more sustainable packaging option, one that strengthens the brand, reduces transportation impact and enhances the overall user experience.

Pouch converter and flexible packaging manufacturer Zacros America partnered with closure expert Hoffer Plastics to rise to the challenge. Together, they combined Zacros’ flexible pouch design expertise with Hoffer’s precision-engineered Trust-T-Lok P22 spout to create a safe, efficient and sustainable packaging solution that brought Prestone’s vision to life.

Learn how Hoffer’s Trust-T-Lok P22 Spout with six-pitch design made all the difference for Prestone’s debut of large-format flexible spouted pouches.

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Hoffer Plastics Debuts Expanded Lok Line at PACK EXPO Booth N-5138

Hoffer Team — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:44:58 +0000

Flexible and rigid solutions deliver more choices, more value and more impact.

SOUTH ELGIN, Ill. (September 23, 2025) – Hoffer Plastics announced today the expanded Lok family of closures, debuting at PACK EXPO Las Vegas (Sept. 29–Oct. 1), Booth N-5138. Building on a legacy of customer-driven engineering, the new line extensions give brands greater versatility, speed and value across flexible and rigid formats – while enhancing performance, reliability and shelf appeal.

Product highlights

Hoffer’s Trust-T-Lok Drop-In Cap & Spouts runs on existing pouch filling equipment without modifications and cuts plastic by 18.5%. Patented tamper-evident technologies boost product integrity and consumer trust. Caps are available with FDA-compliant PCR content upon request and are fully compatible with existing machines, including mono-PE and mono-PP structures, making this closure recycle-ready.
The new Trust-T-Lok P22 Spouts ease the shift from bulky rigid bottles to slim, efficient pouches, cutting material costs, energy use and CO₂ emissions. Up to 26 truckloads can be consolidated into one. Larger printable surface area enables bolder branding on store shelves. The spout is offered in tamper-evident, child-resistant and spray-hose versions on one versatile spout base for universal use on pouch making equipment.
38 mm & 28 mm Rigid Caps offer expanded options with uncompromising tamper evidence, faster lead times and compatibility with glass, PET and HDPE. These caps are ideal for fresh juices, dairy, kombucha and energy drinks. The 38 mm format comes in three distinct options-Hoffer Drop Lok, Standard Double Lead and DBJ neck finishes tailored to the niche premium beverage sizes most commonly seen at Whole Foods and Fresh Market.

“Every addition to the Lok line was designed with our customers’ biggest challenges in mind – reducing costs, improving performance and sustainability and making their brands more visible on shelf,” said John Strubulis, Senior Product Manager at Hoffer Plastics. “Our commitment at Hoffer extends far beyond supplying closures. Our commitment is to engineer solutions with real business impact.”

Meet us at PACK EXPO: To schedule an in-booth interview with John Strubulis, contact Jody Delie at jdelie@trefoilgroup.com.

Learn more: Visit our landing page for product specs and resources: https://hofferplastics.com/sem/lok-family-packaging-enhancements/

About Hoffer Plastics

Robert “Bob” and Helen Hoffer founded Hoffer Plastics in 1953. Over 70 years later, the company continues its commitment to driving success for its customers, employees and the industry. A full-service contract manufacturing partner, Hoffer produces more than three billion plastic parts annually with a consistent 99.45% on-time delivery record. The company serves customers in markets that include flexible packaging, medical, automotive, consumer, industrial, health & beauty and appliances. Located in South Elgin, Illinois, Hoffer employs more than 350 individuals within its 365,000-square-foot facility located on 24 acres. The company has pioneered numerous product innovations, including its Lok family of products. For more information, visit www.hofferplastics.com.

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Proprietary closures bring sustained growth to Hoffer Plastics

Hoffer Team — Tue, 14 Mar 2023 13:25:17 +0000

South Elgin, Ill. — The seed for Hoffer Plastics Corp.’s recent growth was planted more than a decade ago — even before the company won the Plastics News Processor of the Year award in 2012 — according to Alex Hoffer.

“To be able to tell the whole story, we have to go back to a conference room in 2009, when we were doing strategic planning, because we recognized at the time that we had a customer — and they’re still one of our largest customers, and we love them dearly — that too much of our business was coming from,” Alex Hoffer said.

“So the question that the group asked was, ‘What happens if they went away?'”

The strategic answer to that question was to develop a proprietary product. The move marked a big departure from Hoffer Plastics’ roots in custom injection molding.

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National Inventors’ Month

Hoffer Team — Wed, 15 May 2019 10:53:42 +0000

May is National Inventors’ Month!

We highlight new products, inspirations and thoughts on improving innovation in any context. And as Memorial Day closes out the month, please remember to thank a

Vet and honor all who’ve served.

Hoffer Plastics and BBC Cellpack Team at the Plastics Pouches Trade Show, Vienna, April 2019

Spotlight on Hoffer Plastics and BBC Cellpack: A 100% Sustainable Pouch

Hoffer Plastics is proud to have partnered with BBC Cellpack to create a breakthrough innovation in flexible pouch packaging for the European market. CELLPouch is a state-of-the-art stand-up pouch that’s 100% recyclable. It was designed to meet the European Commission's strict requirements, whereby all plastic packaging on the EU market must be recyclable by 2030. Every element of the packaging is recyclable: the printed laminate film as well as the closure cap can be disposed of with the household recyclable materials and re-purposed for other uses. The technology used to produce CELLPouch has been proven to reduce carbon emissions and enables processing of recyclable, biodegradeable nanomaterials.

In addition to being 100% recyclable, CELLPouch also offers substantial benefits for consumers. Its superior film barrier protects against oxygen and water vapor damage, and can withstand hot filled products. This helps ensure superior product quality and safety, as does its child proof safety cap. The laminate material used in forming the pouch can be customized in terms of colors, printing and branding, and the various sizes available can accommodate variations in the caps and closures. It’s an exciting, sustainable packaging solution for a wide range of food, beverage, personal care and household products.

“We were honored to work with the BBC Cellpack Team on this truly breakthrough sustainable innovation”, says Alex Hoffer, Vice President of Business Development for Hoffer Plastics. “We’re excited about the opportunity to co-create products that bring substantial benefits to the environment and consumers.” The collective Hoffer/Cellpack Team looks forward to bringing CELLPouch to Europe and other consumers around the globe.

Need to Improve your Innovation Capabilities? Here are Three Simple Enablers*

Willingness to Change: do the right thing for the project or the company, unbound by conventions
Not settling for “Good Enough”: relentlessly seek ways to raise the bar; embrace “restless dissatisfaction”
Assembling an Innovative Community: lead and instill a climate of mutual trust, collaboration, and learning

…and keep working on that pet idea or project you’re passionate about. Chances are, it can solve a problem, fill a void and maybe even change the world!

* Source: Forbes 2017

Helpful Links and Resources:

www.sba.gov – Office of Investment and Innovation Resources
www.ccl.org – The Center for Creative Leadership

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National Consumer Protection Week

Hoffer Team — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 15:59:32 +0000

In comes March – and with it, March Madness, Daylight Savings Time, St. Patrick’s Day and the start of Spring.

Within all this excitement humbly lies National Consumer Protection Week. This month, we we focus on the importance of continuous innovation to keep products, and people, safe.

Spotlight on Hoffer Plastics: High Speed Lining for Signature Drop-Lok Closures

Drop-Lok

Hoffer Plastics Corporation continues to lead the way in packaging and closure innovation. One of the newest capabilities is a High Speed Lining machine for the company’s signature Drop-Lok closures. Drop-Lok closures were designed for a wide range of rigid and flexible pouch packaging configurations across many diverse industries. The closure features a traditional one motion, twist off design, comes in sizes ranging from 20mm to 48mm in diameter, and is available in many different types of resin.

In many Drop-Lok applications, a lined cap is a key element, providing a crucial barrier for product integrity, quality, shelf life and most importantly: safety. Hoffer’s new High Speed Lining machine takes this important feature to the next level. Beyond just improving line speeds, the equipment delivers a more consistent, high quality lined closure, which means increased efficiencies for customers.But what it ultimately means is a better, safer product experience for consumers and their families.

“We’re excited about the new improved capabilities the High Speed Lining equipment can deliver for our customers and consumers”, said James Harris, Director of Engineering. “When you can deliver improved efficiencies for customers with improved product quality and safety, it’s really a homerun.”

Injuries, deaths and property damage related to consumer product safety incidents cost the U.S. $800 Billion a year.

Source: Allgov.com

Fun Facts about Caps & Liners

Glass bottle caps and liners were invented by William Painter and patented in 1892. His original "crown" metal cap, designed to prevent leakage, is still in wide use today
Cap liners were originally made of cork, but evolved to synthetic materials as cork became more scarce.
Threaded twist-off caps came into play in the 1960's, as cork scarcity continued.
You can visit the Bottle Cap Museum, located in Grayling, Michigan.

In Celebration of National Consumer Product Safety Month: Some Milestones in Consumer Product Safety

1904: Upton Sinclair publishes “The Jungle”, exposing unsafe, unsanitary conditions in the meat packing industry

1949: FDA publishes first guidelines to industry regarding toxicity of chemicals in food

1958: First FDA list of GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) ingredients published

1962: Consumer Bill of Rights endorsed by JFK

1965: Ralph Nader publishes “Unsafe at Any Speed” exposing safety dangers of the Corvair automobile and unethical corporate behavior

1973: Consumer Product Safety Commission created by Congress

1979: FDA distributes doses of potassium iodide to residents impacted by the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant accident

1982: Seven people die from ingesting Tylenol capsules laced with cyanide, the result of product tampering

1983: Federal Anti-Tampering Act passed in response to the Tylenol crisis

1995: FDA declares cigarettes to be “drug delivery devices”, restricting marketing and sales activities

2004: Food Allergy Labeling and Consumer Protection Act passed

2013: Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) empowers FDA with increased authority, tools, and linkages with state and local resources

Links and Resources:

U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission: www.cpsc.gov
U.S. Food and Drug Administration: www.fda.gov
U.S. Federal Trade Commission: www.ftc.gov

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