Safety Archives - Hoffer Plastics https://hofferplastics.com/category/safety/ There's a Part of Us in Every Piece Tue, 25 Nov 2025 19:22:11 +0000 en-US hourly 1 From Rigid Bottles to Spouted Pouches: Innovation that Transforms Packaging and Performance https://hofferplastics.com/manufacturing-excellence/from-rigid-bottles-to-spouted-pouches-innovation-that-transforms-packaging-and-performance/ Tue, 04 Nov 2025 18:12:48 +0000 https://hofferplastics.com/?p=23495 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.

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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.

Get the Full Story

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]]> HP014-CaseStudy-Prestone-vertical-Inset Hoffer Plastics Debuts Expanded Lok Line at PACK EXPO Booth N-5138 https://hofferplastics.com/press-release/hoffer-plastics-debuts-expanded-lok-line-at-pack-expo-booth-n-5138/ Tue, 23 Sep 2025 17:44:58 +0000 https://hofferplastics.com/?p=23460 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,…

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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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]]> Custom Closures: Faster to Market Through Collaborative Engineering https://hofferplastics.com/partnership-collaboration/custom-closures-faster-to-market-through-collaborative-engineering/ Thu, 24 Jul 2025 15:33:32 +0000 https://hofferplastics.com/?p=23312 When RoseBud Ice Cream set out to disrupt the frozen treat category, it brought more than just a new product to market. It introduced a bold new format: premium ice cream in a flexible, pouch-based package. To make the vision a reality, Founder Sam Rose needed more than a supplier. He needed a partner who could deliver a high-performance closure system that balanced function and food safety while pairing seamlessly with his custom equipment.

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When RoseBud Ice Cream set out to disrupt the frozen treat category, it brought more than just a new product to market. It introduced a bold new format: premium ice cream in a flexible, pouch-based package.

To make the vision a reality, Founder Sam Rose needed more than a supplier. He needed a partner who could deliver a high-performance closure system that balanced function and food safety while pairing seamlessly with his custom equipment.

Hoffer Plastics rose to the challenge, applying deep technical expertise and a collaborative approach to help bring RoseBud’s innovative concept to life on time and with confidence.

Learn how the right closure partner made all the difference for RoseBud’s market debut!

Get the Full Story

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]]> HP014-CaseStudy-RoseBud-Inset Spouts and Caps: Unwrapping the Magic of Flexible Packaging https://hofferplastics.com/partnership-collaboration/spouts-and-caps-unwrapping-the-magic-of-flexible-packaging/ Tue, 21 Jan 2025 16:04:21 +0000 http://www.hofferplastics.com/?p=23149 Tomte Cake, a company delivering a fresh take on a beloved holiday classic – gingerbread houses, captured the attention of audiences on Shark Tank. As they began to prepare commercializing their product, they identified the need for a proven, reliable partner to provide secure, child-friendly caps and spouts for its flexible frosting pouches. Hoffer Plastics’…

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Tomte Cake, a company delivering a fresh take on a beloved holiday classic – gingerbread houses, captured the attention of audiences on Shark Tank.

As they began to prepare commercializing their product, they identified the need for a proven, reliable partner to provide secure, child-friendly caps and spouts for its flexible frosting pouches. Hoffer Plastics’ Trust-T-Lok™ cap and spout, a proprietary closure system, provided the perfect balance of security and ease-of-use.

Hoffer Plastic’s delivered 25,500 color-matched caps and spouts in eight weeks from initial conversation to shipped product, ready to meet holiday demand!

Click below to learn more about the collaboration between Tomte Cake and Hoffer Plastics.

Get the Full Story

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]]> HP014-CaseStudy-TomteCake-Inset1 Seal It Right: Selecting the Best Cap and Spout for Your Flexible Packaging Application https://hofferplastics.com/innovation/seal-it-right-selecting-the-best-cap-and-spout-for-your-flexible-packaging-application/ Thu, 30 May 2024 14:39:54 +0000 http://www.hofferplastics.com/?p=22978 A convenient, lighter-weight solution that uses less material and extends shelf life, flexible packaging is flexing its strengths in the marketplace today. This type of packaging, which you mostly recognize in formats like pouches, bags and more, is widely utilized across a variety of industries from food and beverage to personal and home care solutions…

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A convenient, lighter-weight solution that uses less material and extends shelf life, flexible packaging is flexing its strengths in the marketplace today. This type of packaging, which you mostly recognize in formats like pouches, bags and more, is widely utilized across a variety of industries from food and beverage to personal and home care solutions and beyond.

Beyond the quality of your flexible film, caps and spouts are a critical factor in a product’s success. Finding the right solution for your application can maximize the safety, sustainability and production efficiency of the whole package to protect your brand and product’s reputation in the market and differentiate on-shelf.

Here’s a look at three considerations to make sure you select a cap and spout that’s just right for you and today’s consumers.

Driving Production Efficiency

Caps and spouts must be chosen intentionally to properly integrate with your complete package. To optimize manufacturing and minimize overall expenses, it’s crucial to consider how caps and spouts assimilate into your filling processes. For example, consider the different fill types that may be required for your product – fill-through or assembled – or even the filling processes, like retort, hot fill, HPP (high pressure pasteurization) or ambient.

But the most important specification to examine for caps and spouts? Compatibility with filling machines.

Existing filling equipment can sometimes limit your choices for caps and spouts, as fitments must be specified to fit specific filling machines. However, if your co-manufacturing partner or internal team is just establishing a new filling line, or integrating new equipment, you now have the opportunity to select a machine that aligns with your preferred cap and spout provider.

How Hoffer Plastics Can Help

With a comprehensive and continuously evolving line of flexible packaging caps and spouts, known as Trust-T-Lok™, we’re always ready to deliver the right solution for your needs, including:

  • Minimizing your upfront investment – Collaborating with filling machine manufacturers – including Mespack, Effytec, IMA and more – to make sure your caps are compatible with industry-leading filling equipment. We also offer a drop-in option that can work with almost any machine on the market.
  • Supporting your filling process – Offering proven solutions for nearly any new system – form-fill-seal, fill-seal; hot fill, ambient, retort, fill through, assembled, etc.
  • Accelerating launch success – Customizing our proprietary Trust-T-Lok™ caps to meet your specific needs with a variety of designs, colors and sizes to quickly fulfill upon your needs.

Supporting Sustainability

For some applications, flexible packaging can achieve critical goals that make it a more attractive alternative to rigid options. For example, where product weight and transportation are a concern, flexible packaging is a lightweight and efficient solution. Your caps and spouts should similarly advance your sustainability – and business – goals.

The right fitments may be able to do their job with less plastic or incorporate recyclable or biodegradable alternatives to lessen your carbon footprint. Caps and spouts can also be made from post-production resins that help reduce plastic waste in landfills.

As a result, you can further reduce your environmental footprint and align with eco-conscious consumer preferences.

How Hoffer Plastics Can Help

We’ve worked hard to upgrade our spout and cap designs and production to:

  • Eliminate unnecessary material, specifically in the evolution of our P-15 cap, which was redesigned to require 46% less plastic than its previous iteration.
  • Incorporate mono-material solutions where feasible to make it easier to recycle – including our proprietary Lok™ family of patented closures for the growing grab-and-go market.
  • Leverage unique resin blends that can lower heat seal initiation if needed with certain Mono PE solutions.
  • Reduce our own carbon footprint with significant material, energy and water usage reductions throughout our entire manufacturing facility.

Maximizing Product Safety

From the store shelf to the home, flexible packaging helps protect foods, beverages, personal care products and pharmaceuticals. Caps and spouts play a key role in this mission. Your closures must provide a perfect seal, safeguard quality, and prevent choking and other safety hazards.

These are potentially life-and-death issues. To protect consumers and build trust and loyalty, you don’t just need standard features like tamper-evident seals. You also need a cap and spout manufacturer you can trust to uphold the most stringent product safety and quality standards during their own manufacturing process to protect your reputation and most importantly, end users.

How Hoffer Plastics Can Help

You’ll find an unwavering commitment to the highest standards of food safety and quality in all of our Trust-T-Lok™ products and every step of our production process.

  • SQF Certified – We are certified by SQF, an independent verification that our products and processes meet stringent international standards for food safety. In addition to other certifications including IMS, IATF and MedAccred.
  • CPSC choke-proof standards – Crucial for food applications to make sure children are safe around your caps.
  • Tamper-evident closures – Providing a hermetic seal for security and consumer confidence through our Trust-T-Lok™ line.

Delivering a Satisfying Sense of Closure

When you incorporate the right spout or cap for your flexible packaging, you help maximize the advantages of sustainability, efficiency, safety and, ultimately, consumer satisfaction.

We hope these tips help you achieve that for your product. If you have any questions about the keys to success with closures, don’t hesitate to contact us! Looking for rigid packaging solutions? Learn more about our proprietary Drop-Lok™ closures here.

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]]> Hoffer Plastics Meets Growing Demand with a Focus on Sustainability https://hofferplastics.com/press-release/hoffer-plastics-meets-growing-demand-with-a-focus-on-sustainability/ Tue, 22 Aug 2023 14:30:14 +0000 http://www.hofferplastics.com/?p=22689 Custom molder to showcase full range of injection molded caps, closures and fitments for flexible and rigid solutions at Pack Expo booth N11308 Sustainability is in Hoffer Plastics’ DNA. So is meeting customer needs for safety, product functionality and aesthetics. Through its Lok™ family of closures, which will be on display at booth N11308 at…

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Custom molder to showcase full range of injection molded caps, closures and fitments for flexible and rigid solutions at Pack Expo booth N11308

Sustainability is in Hoffer Plastics’ DNA. So is meeting customer needs for safety, product functionality and aesthetics. Through its Lok™ family of closures, which will be on display at booth N11308 at Pack Expo 2023, Hoffer Plastics delivers environmentally friendly solutions that preserve product integrity while building customers’ brands. These innovative solutions are engineered to advance sustainable practices with mono-material solutions that are recycle-ready and reduce plastic material usage for lighter-weight solutions. These high-quality, cost-effective options meet CPSC choke-proof specifications making them ideal for food applications, where safety is paramount.

Hoffer Plastics also offers a broad range of solutions that meet customer packaging requirements beyond standard caps and spouts. Perfected over 70 years, the company offers expertise in engineering, design for manufacturability (DFM), tooling, injection molding and assembly. Its MedAccred-certified operations serve customers with unique packaging needs across Beauty, Food & Beverage, Automotive, Personal Care and Medical markets. Visitors to booth N1130 can learn more about the company’s custom injection molding solutions and learn how the team drives critical initiatives like lightweighting to support sustainability goals.

“Our full range of custom injection molded solutions coupled with our proprietary flexible packaging solutions enable us to put our customers at the center of our business model to deliver more value,” said Alex Hoffer, Hoffer Plastics Co-CEO. “Our ability to achieve critical sustainability goals while protecting product aesthetics and functionality ensures our customers across markets can accelerate their business growth.”

Honored as the Plastics News Sustained Excellence Award winner earlier this year, Hoffer Plastics’ patented closures were a key contributor to this recognition. In addition to greater recyclability and choke-proof features, its Trust-T-Lok™ and Drop-Lok™ product lines offer seal integrity and tamper-evident features for end user safety. These closures are also compatible with producers’ existing equipment to minimize upfront investments in machinery and shorten launch timeframes. Hoffer Plastics has previously collaborated with film converters and fill machine manufacturers to provide sustainability packaging to the market.

The sustainability focus within its Lok™ products and custom injection molded solutions represents the company’s position as an environmental steward since its inception. Hoffer Plastics continues to prioritize internal recycling initiatives, champion water usage reductions, leverage on-site co-generation capabilities to relieve the power grid in critical situations and more. This inherent commitment to sustainability is a key driver behind the company’s ability to continuously innovate new solutions that protect not only its customers but the environment and the community.

Contact Kirsten Hewitt (khewitt@trefoilgroup.com) to schedule an in-booth interview with Hoffer Plastics’ Vice President of Sales, Millie Nuno.

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]]> Hoffer-Factory-22 Hoffer Plastics and Mespack Partner for Breakthrough Innovation https://hofferplastics.com/innovation/hoffer-plastics-and-mespack-partnering-for-breakthrough-innovation/ Fri, 13 Nov 2020 17:34:22 +0000 http://www.hofferplastics.com/?p=3194 Featured at this year’s Global Pouch Forum: Partners Hoffer Plastics, a family owned custom injection molder based in South Elgin, IL, and Mespack, a global producer of flexible packaging machinery based in Barcelona Spain. A shared vision and passion for innovation in packaging, and a perfect match of complementary skills and technical expertise.   Hoffer and…

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Featured at this year’s Global Pouch Forum: Partners Hoffer Plastics, a family owned custom injection molder based in South Elgin, IL, and Mespack, a global producer of flexible packaging machinery based in Barcelona Spain. A shared vision and passion for innovation in packaging, and a perfect match of complementary skills and technical expertise.  

Hoffer and Mespack’s Shared Goal: Impact the entire flexible packaging supply chain through innovations that:

  • Encourage growth
  • Minimize production downtime
  • Enable production independence
  • Promote environmental sustainability

Hoffer and Mespack achieved this by melding and leveraging the technical spouted pouch “know-how” of Hoffer with the global machinery excellence of Mespack. It’s about respect, trust, and shared goals.

An open, holistic approach to product development

  • Hoffer and Mespack consider all aspects of the value chain: the needs, problems and benefits to end consumers, the brand, co-packers, converters, cap and spout suppliers, and machine suppliers.  
  • They embrace contributions and capabilities from other internal and external sources that can add value.

Announcing the HF Series: A Revolutionary Fill-Though-the Spout Machine

A  direct result of the Hoffer/Mespack collaboration. The machine is capable of running fully recyclable spouted pouches like the CellPouch™. 

Additional partners that contributed to make this a successful launch included Widmann and BBC Cellpack Packaging.

This machine can:

  • Run multiple products at once at enhanced speeds
  • Be augmented with various end of line modules
  • Deliver enhanced product safety and reliability through its consistent cap application. 
mespack pouch

Features of The CellPouch™ package:

  • Delivers outstanding seal integrity through the use of ultrasonic technology
  • Provides shelf life of up to 12 months
  • Can be run with a variety of hot or cold fill applications.
  • Certified as being fully recyclable in the European Union, with potential expansion to North America and beyond

To see this exciting innovation in action,  click here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1vlRNg5djc&trk=organization-update-content_share-embed-video_share-article_title&ab_channel=MESPACK-InnovativePackagingSolutions   

For more information, contact Justin Markel at Hoffer Plastics:  j-markel@hofferpl.com.   

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]]> mespack-machine mespack-pouch National Safety Month https://hofferplastics.com/leadership-values/national-safety-month/ Sat, 15 Jun 2019 12:44:19 +0000 http://www.hofferplastics.com/?p=654 June is National Safety Month! Learn about the devastating impact of workplace injuries and simple steps you can take to improve safety on the job. Welcome, summer, and a shout out to all the grads, dads and father figures this month. The High Cost of an Unsafe Workplace In the U.S., a worker is injured…

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June is National Safety Month!

Learn about the devastating impact of workplace injuries and simple steps you can take to improve safety on the job. Welcome, summer, and a shout out to all the grads, dads and father figures this month.
hoffer employee with hair net looking down

The High Cost of an Unsafe Workplace

In the U.S., a worker is injured on the job every 7 seconds!
  • The estimated cost of non-fatal injuries averages over $1 Billion per week
  • Overexertion is among the highest contributors to non-fatal workplace injuries

A Simple Training Approach to Improving Workplace Safety

  • Part I: Hazard Recognition. Build employees’ visual literacy in identifying potential hazards. Simple activities can be the most misleading.
  • Part II: Slips, Trips and Falls: the #1 cause of workplace fatalities. Help employees instill meticulous jobsite “housekeeping” practices and provide them with the right equipment (such as slip resistant footwear).
  • Part III: Fatigue. Educate employees on the importance of adequate sleep, nutrition and provide resources to help with work/life balance.
  • Part IV: Impairment. The most common incidences are related to substance abuse. Provide confidentiality, resources and support to help employees who may be struggling.
  • Part V: Commitment: Have all of your employees take the National Safety Council’s “Safe At Work” Pledge, and acknowledge their commitment with a certificate:

I pledge to:

  • Never compromise my own safety or the safety of my co-workers to get the job done
  • Actively look for hazards, promptly report them, and take appropriate action to warn others
  • Be a good safety role model for my friends and family even when off the job
* Source: NES Inc.
chart on workplace injuries

gretchen talked to hoffer employeeSpotlight on Hoffer Plastics

Throughout its 66 year history, Hoffer Plastics Corporation has made workplace safety a top priority. Hoffer is on the forefront of leading edge safety initiatives and best practices.

Some leading edge best practices underway at Hoffer:

  1. Training on fall protection and prevention for all mechanics
  2. Writing up hazard assessments to establish best practices throughout company facilities
  3. Regular, ongoing safety audits and mock OSHA inspections
  4. Event simulations, such as a recent fake break-in at the main building to test security (and Hoffer passed with flying colors!).
Hoffer recently held an Emergency Evacuation training session, mandatory for all employees. The comprehensive class included Fire and Chemical emergencies, along with training for Active Shooter situations. “Safety of everyone in our employee family is paramount”, said Charlotte Hoffer Canning, Vice President of Brand and Culture. “We’re committed to making sure all of our employees are educated, aware and practiced so that if an event occurs, they’re ready and prepared to respond”.
In addition to ongoing safety specific training for all, Hoffer Plastics is committed to enabling a healthy work/life balance to minimize employee stress and fatigue. Flexible work schedules, job sharing, a generous benefits package that includes paid family leave and access to many personal and family support services are all part of the company’s commitment to safety. The company tracks, communicates and celebrates its safety achievements through employee communications and town hall meetings.

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]]> safety workplace-injuries safety-with-gretchen National Consumer Protection Week https://hofferplastics.com/innovation/national-consumer-protection-week/ Fri, 15 Mar 2019 15:59:32 +0000 http://beta.hofferplastics.com/?p=349 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…

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Horizontal color image of woman manager in factory control the production and using digital tablet.

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-38mm

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

 

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]]> Engineer with tablet in factory Horizontal color image of woman manager in factory control the production and using digital tablet. drop-lok-38mm Drop-Lok™ History puzzle word History puzzle word image with hi-res rendered artwork that could be used for any graphic design. National Engineering Week https://hofferplastics.com/innovation/national-engineering-week/ Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:39:46 +0000 http://beta.hofferplastics.com/?p=326 This February, we celebrate National Engineering Week and American Heart Month Spotlight on Engineering Innovation: Hoffer Plastics Tether Lok™ Closure The Hoffer Engineering team played a key role in developing and successfully launching an innovative new closure for flexible pouch packaging. Tether Lok™ is a one piece spout and cap fitment, ready to be installed on horizontal…

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This February, we celebrate National Engineering Week
and American Heart Month

Spotlight on Engineering Innovation:

Hoffer Plastics Tether Lok™ Closure

The Hoffer Engineering team played a key role in developing and successfully launching an innovative new closure for flexible pouch packaging. Tether Lok™ is a one piece spout and cap fitment, ready to be installed on horizontal form, fill and seal pouches. The real benefit is for the end user: the tethered, flip-top design is self closing—so it's perfect for on-the-go usage for busy, active families. "It was a challenge to design and produce a closure that could deliver outstanding seal integrity while being compatible with customers' preformed pouches and equipment", says James Harris, Director of Engineering. "We went through many rounds of raw material sourcing, design iterations, prototyping and in-line testing before we had it right. We love a challenge, especially when it brings real benefits to our customers and to the end users of their products."
The tethered top eliminates the frustration of lost or misplaced caps, product spillage and waste. It also reduces the potential for product safety and spoilage issues. “Tether Lok™ represents a real advancement in convenience, product quality and product safety and environmental sustainability”, says Alex Hoffer, Vice President of Sales and Operations. “In applications from baby food to functional beverages to condiments, consumers will love that they can open, enjoy, and easily re-close the product with one hand." And with a self attached tethered cap, less plastic enters the environment. Tether Lok™ is molded using a proprietary resin that offers excellent sealing properties, multiple color options, and is also environmentally friendly.

Heart Health: A U.S. Priority

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) including stroke, remains the #1 cause of death for American men and women.
  • It’s linked to over 800,000 U.S. deaths annually, equaling:
  • 2,300 Americans dying every day, or one death every 38 seconds
  • Costing over $320 Billion in care and related expenses
Sources: American Heart Association; ODPHP

Manage the Controllable Risks, Reduce the Disease

CVD can be controlled and dramatically reduced by addressing: High blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking, diabetes, diet, physical inactivity and obesity.
That’s easier said than done for many. Medical innovations and devices have helped those who struggle, thanks to advances in mechanical and biomedical engineering.

Engineering Healthier Hearts: Exciting Progress

We can thank physicians and engineers for the early innovations in heart disease treatment including stents, balloon catheters, pacemakers, defibrillators.
Progress has continued with implantable defrillators, drug eluting stents, and percutaneous valve replacements (done without open chest surgery).
Scientists, physicians, and engineers are excited about the next breakthroughs in treatment which include:
  • the use of stem cells introduced directly into the heart muscle to impact response
  • engineering novel nanomaterials that could directly target key immune cells, aid diagnostic imaging and more precise delivery of treatments.
Source: DAIC

Links and Resoruces:

  • Happy Valentine’s Day and in honor of National Engineering Week, thank an engineer, and learn more about CVD and what you can do about it.

 

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