BERICAP and Thinfilm partner to implement advanced closure technology
BERICAP (Budenheim, Germany), a supplier of world-class high value-added plastic caps and closures for food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets, and Thin Film Electronics (San José, California), a leader in near field communications (NFC) solutions, have signed a letter of intent for an exclusive joint partnership to develop fully integrated digital authentication solutions for closures in over-the-counter pharmaceuticals and industrial applications.
The companies have established a strategic partnership encompassing innovation, integration, and implementation of Thinfilm’s NFC-enabled solutions. The collaboration will embed advanced chips into closures to create dependable and cost-effective solutions for brand protection and authentication purposes.
“This partnership with Thinfilm allows us to offer another important security and marketing tool for our customers in a range of markets,” said Jörg Thiels, CEO of BERICAP Industrial Products. “Smart and anti-counterfeiting packaging solutions are fast developing requirements and Thinfilm’s technology and software platform is a perfect fit to further extend BERICAP’s extensive assortment of closures.”
“BERICAP is an important strategic partner for us,” said Kevin Barber, CEO of Thinfilm. “Fake products are not only a menace but also a safety risk and a danger to a brand’s reputation and its consumer relationships. We are looking forward to joining forces in developing product closure solutions that will help thwart the global problem of counterfeiting, refill fraud, tampering, and diversion. These solutions will add differentiation, interactivity, and relevance to BERICAP’s current customer offering.”
The two companies have begun to integrate NFC into injection-moulded plastic closures, enabling consumers to easily interact with products and ensure authenticity, while providing brands with unique insights. The solution provides BERICAP’s customers with an easy-to-implement, integrated closure that supports brand protection, supply chain visibility, and direct consumer engagement. BERICAP and Thinfilm will work with brands to integrate and scale NFC-integrated closures onto high-value products in an efficient and economical manner.
Currently, BERICAP manufactures more than 84 billion plastic closures and dispensers every year. Thinfilm’s unique technology is expected to offer BERICAP and its customers a new dimension in brand protection solutions that will add value to an already broad portfolio of closures. Together, the companies will help customers stay one step ahead of counterfeiters while adding connectivity for a variety of customer needs.
Caption: Technology from Thinfilm (photo: Thinfilm)