Global Closure Systems said its Zeller Plastik subsidiary has made two recent moves to strengthen its relationship with Asian consumer products manufacturers.
The company said in a March 20 news release Zeller had transferred production of threaded plastic caps for Kraft Foods Inc.'s Maxwell House coffee canisters from a factory in Jiangmen, China, to a newer plant in Shanghai.
In addition, GCS said earlier in March that Zeller is working with Lam Soon Edible Oils Sdn. Bhd. of Malaysia to launch new closures for Lam Soon's line of palm oil for cooking.
GCS said Zeller's relationship with the Maxwell House brand in China goes back nearly a decade. In moving production from Jiangmen to Shanghai, Zeller improved the coffee caps to meet Kraft's standards, according to Aaron Goh, general manager of Zeller Plastik Shanghai.
``We employed a broken thread design on the Maxwell house cap. This means that consumers turn the cap less, but get a tight and secure lock,'' he said. ``We know that Kraft wants to maintain its market leadership and even a small innovation such as this can be the difference in a competitive market.''
The news release said Zeller invested ``significantly'' in the Shanghai plant, which opened in 2002, to bring it up to Kraft's workplace and hygiene standards.
Kraft officials were unavailable for comment.
Zeller's collaboration with Lam Soon is for a new plastic closure featuring a one-piece snap-hinge design intended for products ranging from 2.8-6.6 pounds. The new closure features a drip- and gurgle-free dispensing spout with a self-draining system to allow oil to flow back into the bottle after pouring.
The closure also has a double- point robust seal to prevent oil leakage or seepage, and incorporates a seamless tamper-evidence band.
Lam Soon began marketing the new closures in Malaysia and Thailand for its Buruh, Daisy, Knife and Naturel brands starting late in 2007 into 2008.
GCS is a Paris-based supplier of plastic and metal closing and dispensing systems.