The All-New Alcoa Xtra-Lok ''mini'' Beverage Closure

27 Oct 2006

27/10/06 Alcoa Closure Systems International (CSI) introduces the 28mm Xtra-Lok mini, a beverage closure that delivers maximum performance for soft drink bottlers, while returning to a more classic and easier opening profile design.

Alcoa’s Xtra-Lok mini is specifically designed for carbonated soft drinks (CSD) and delivers total packaging system cost savings by reducing closure and PET bottle finish weight and increasing product freshness. The “mini” offers many of the same features and performance found in standard size closures, but in a lower profile design. This new closure adds to Alcoa CSI’s platform of “mini” closures for a variety of beverage applications including soft drinks, water, and malt beverages.

“The Xtra-Lok mini offers CSD bottlers a total package solution,” stated John Grainda, Alcoa CSI’s Marketing Manager for CSD and bottled water products. “The design allows a bottler the opportunity to reduce system packaging cost and maximize product freshness in an easy opening, short height profile. At the same time, these savings can be an important part of a source reduction and corporate sustainability program.”

“In addition, the mini closure was designed to help beverage bottlers build brand equity with an easy opening closure offering using Alcoa CSI’s “sure grip” knurl, specifically designed for this closure,” commented Javier Espagnol, Director of Marketing at Alcoa CSI Mexico and Central America.

The Xtra-Lok mini closure is a lightweight, 2-piece design that contributes to reducing a bottler’s overall cost of operations. When applied to the Alcoa-designed short height bottle finish, PET bottle finish weight is reduced by 27% while maintaining all the same performance parameters as previous generation bottle finishes. On the inside, the new closure design integrates Alcoa CSI’s high performance XT liner which maximizes seal integrity and product freshness under all environmental conditions. The Xtra-Lok mini closure also delivers superior application performance in bottling operations, which means improved uptime and higher throughput for bottlers. Finally, using Alcoa CSI’s “quick-change” capper conversion kit, “mini” closures can be easily integrated into existing bottling lines, which contributes to increased line uptime when switching between short height and standard size closures.

“The Alcoa advantage,” Grainda stated, “is our total systems integration. That means we supply not only a new closure, but the capping equipment, the technical support, and the strength and expertise of a global company in delivering this total packaging solution.”