Packaging designer and developer Plastic Technologies Inc. introduced what the company says is the “world’s first ergonomic hand-held torque meter.” The TorqTraq closure testing device is used to test packaged products to determine if they have been sealed properly, and to test whether the customer can remove the closure from the bottle easily. The measurement of application and removal torque is one of the most important yet most sensitive tests in the packaging laboratory. The TorqTraq device, developed and patented by Plastic Technologies, eliminates the problems associated with current testing devices that are prone to operator variability. The TorqTraq is water-resistant so it can perform these tasks at the filling line where the data needs to be collected. Additionally, it is small enough to fit in the operator’s pocket, so it is handy and can be taken from one filling line to another, and eliminates the need to grip the closure, perhaps the most important feature of the TorqTraq. The TorqTraq can check closures from 15-43 mm, and is as sensitive as more costly devices. Plastic Technologies Inc., Holland, OH, USA; +1 419-867-5400; www.plastictechnologies.net