Husky's HyCAP SecuRE+ technology responds to increasing sustainability requirements in the beverage industry. The solution enables the design of monomaterial packaging by using PET caps matched to PET bottles. Eliminating material combinations typical of standard systems, in which polyethylene terephthalate bottles are combined with caps made of high density polyethylene or polypropylene, simplifies the recycling process and reduces the risk of contamination of the secondary raw material stream.
In traditional multimaterial solutions, caps can account for up to 15% of the total packaging weight. Replacing them with PET caps increases the share of material that can be processed within a single recycling stream, which directly translates into higher rPET yield. This is particularly important in the rapidly developing beverage market in the Middle East and Africa region, where both packaging consumption and pressure to improve the efficiency of raw material recovery systems are rising. At the same time, this solution is intended to maintain high production efficiency and finished product quality without the need for compromises in packaging functionality or consumer safety.
New concept of the tamper-evident band
A key element of the SecuRE+ technology is a new approach to the design of the cap's tamper-evident feature. In the presented system, the tamper-evident band is formed directly in the mould, which eliminates the need for additional cutting after the moulding is ejected. Omitting this step means a cleaner production process without dust generation and thus a lower risk of contamination that could affect machine operation or the quality of the final product.
The design of the tamper-evident band is intended to ensure a smooth, low-stress capping process. The band passes freely over the protective elements of the bottle neck without overloading the bridges. In practice, this translates into greater reliability of cap application, reduced reject rates and more stable process parameters, which is particularly important in high-speed filling lines typical of industrial beverage production.
Performance parameters and closure system weight reduction
The use of polyethylene terephthalate as a material for caps is important not only from the recycling perspective. The higher stiffness of PET compared with common closure materials such as HDPE or PP offers additional opportunities to reduce the weight of closure system components without deteriorating performance characteristics. This allows optimisation of raw material consumption while maintaining the required packaging functionality, including tightness and mechanical strength of the cap.
The molecular structure of PET also supports improved barrier properties of the packaging. This is particularly important for oxygen-sensitive beverages and carbonated drinks, where limiting gas diffusion through the packaging material is crucial. Better barrier performance translates into the possibility of extending product shelf life and maintaining its properties over time, which is especially relevant in regions with demanding climatic conditions, such as the Middle East and Africa, where high temperatures and logistical challenges can affect the beverage supply chain.
Compliance with CETIE neck finishes and integration with existing lines
The HyCAP SecuRE+ technology has been developed with existing standards for bottle neck finishes in mind. The solution is fully compatible with CETIE specifications, which means that no design changes are required to the bottle itself. For beverage producers and packaging suppliers, this is important in terms of implementing the new closure system on existing production lines without the need for costly modifications to blow moulds or filling equipment.
Consequently, the HyCAP SecuRE+ technology fits into the trend towards solutions that minimise barriers to the transition to more sustainable packaging formats. From the perspective of line operators, it is important to be able to maintain the existing organisation of the process while taking advantage of the recyclability potential of monomaterial PET packaging.
Monomaterial PET systems and the circular economy
As circular economy initiatives gain importance in the global packaging industry, interest is growing in solutions that reduce material complexity of products. Packaging systems based on a single material, such as PET bottles and caps, demonstrate that appropriate design can facilitate recycling, increase the amount of recovered rPET, and support the achievement of sustainability targets without negatively affecting efficiency, safety or end user convenience.
Simplified material composition enables more efficient operation of sorting and recycling facilities, as the entire package enters a single, well-established processing stream. As a result, the amount of secondary raw material that can be reused for the production of new bottles and caps increases, in line with circular economy principles. Solutions such as HyCAP SecuRE+ indicate possible directions of action for the beverage industry in the field of material standardisation of PET packaging.
More technical information on the PET closure system offered by Husky is available at: https://www.husky.co/en/industries/consumer-goods/closures/pet-closures/.
