Luxembourg-based caps and closures manufacturer United Caps has announced that is has expanded its R&D facility in Messia, France, and will restructure its R&D organisation to be “more responsive to market needs”.
The expanded facility features an extra 200 square-metres of floor space, an increase of 30%, and the facility now features a 3D printer which will accelerate the production of prototype products.
Staffing at the facility will also increase by 30%, and United Caps says that the upgraded facility will decrease development time by approximately 10%-20%.
United Caps unveiled the expanded facility at an open house event, where the company unveiled a new closure for Nestlé’s Nescafé Gold coffee range.
According to United Caps, Nestlé wanted a closure for its Nescafé Gold coffee that would “support the high-quality image of Nescafé” and stand out on shelves, and the development of the product began at the Messia facility.
The end result was a 100% metallic material wrapped around the skirt of a closure, something which United Caps claims had never been achieved before.
Benoit Henckes, CEO of United Caps said: “We were thrilled with the turnout at this event. It was truly a Golden Moment for our company and our customers. It also gave us a platform to share our experience in the development of a new closure for Nestlé, another Golden Moment worth celebrating.
“Our special thanks go to the representatives from Nestlé that joined us for this important event.
“I want to commend the United Caps R&D team for its persistence in successfully delivering this outstanding solution.
“Many would have given up several times along the way. While the entire project took two years, the first prototypes were delivered in less than a year.
“And the folks in our Messia R&D centre also pitched in to reconfigure operations and make time and room for this important project.”
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