That canned drink? Chill, open?re-seal

OWING to a new type of can end made of plastic and aluminum, it is now possible to re-seal both steel and aluminum cans after initial opening. This is a decisive advantage for the can, which already scores highly with brilliant printability, fast chilling, long shelf life and recyclability. After many years of development work, Ball Packaging Europe is launching an innovation on the market that has what it takes to become a real classic: the resealable beverage can. The "Ball Resealable End" is the result of close collaboration between Ball Packaging Europe, Coca-Cola ?the first company to launch a product in the resealable can, and Bound2B B.V., a company based in the Netherlands. Antonio Perra, the director and shareholder of Bound2B B.V., invented the resealable end and jointly further developed it with Ball Packaging Europe ready for marketing. The development work focused on the very demanding requirements to be fulfilled. On the one hand the end should be easy to open, on the other hand it is essential to ensure drip-tightness and the pressure stability of the can. "Extensive consumer trials have shown that on the market beverage cans are given preference due to their fresh, cool feel. However, the consumer sometimes turns to PET containers in certain situations because these are re-sealable," adds Rob Miles, Vice President Sales & Marketing at Ball Packaging Europe. "Thanks to our innovation, consumers can in future enjoy refreshing, carbonated beverages from the beverage can and reseal it again." Adding more convenience The Ball Resealable End is an aluminum can end into which a flat plastic opening mechanism is integrated. A simple rotating movement uncovers the opening. In this way the new beverage can retains its classic shape ?and also its usual stackability including the relevant logistical advantages for transport and retailing. In the new type of container, beverages stay just as cool as standard cans. The new can end forms a complete barrier against light and gas ?an essential prerequisite for the quality of the beverage and a long shelf life and a unique attribute of the can compared to other beverage packaging. As the total amount of plastic material used in the end is small, it doesn't affect the recycling properties of the can at all. Beverage cans are easily and completely recyclable and this is one of its environmental-friendly attributes. The tamper-proof feature is also retained, i.e. the consumer can easily verify that the seal has not been broken prior to first opening. High consumer acceptance In March, Coca-Cola's energy drink "Burn" in 500ml resealable aluminum cans were launched with on the French market. But a beverage can with this innovation has immense market potential for around the globe, the world's leading soft drink company has found. According to a consumer survey which Coca-Cola carried out during the test phase last year, consumers appreciated in particular the following benefits of the resealable can owing to attributes like "convenience", "great for on the go" and "exactly what I need from a pack". The survey showed that the resealable end significantly increases the "consumer appeal" of the can and contributes substantially to the differentiation of existing brands. "Intensive research was carried out to deliver a consumer-oriented solution. The resealable end marks a major advance in beverage packaging, and the French Trade understood it: they all welcomed the innovation with enthusiasm," sums up Vincent Bouin, marketing manager at Coca-Cola France.Nike Air Max 98