Plastic spray cap increases appeal for Nivea skin-care packaging

Nivea has been Hamburg, Germany-based Beiersdorf’s loved and perenially reliable global skin care brand. So it comes as no surprise that the esteemed brand took great care in selecting a packaging supplier for its new female deodorant and antiperspirant range. Weener Plastics (Ede, The Netherlands) was chosen to design, develop and manufacture the new twist-lock spray cap, including development and manufacturing of the tooling.

In the body care range, Nivea deodorants are designed to meet different consumer needs while providing superior protection. For effective application of the deodorant and anti-perspirant formulations, WP developed an elegant 5-piece spray cap.

The high-end polypropylene cap offers an ultra-fine spray pattern while the ergonomic design permits convenient left- and right-handed activation of the button. The finger grips on the sides allow for easy opening and locking by twisting. This twist-lock function ensures firm closure in the locked position, safe for storage and on-the-go.

With one minor exception, the entire spray-cap assembly is molded using PP. The exception is an insert made of polyoxymethylene (POM), i.e. acetal, that forms small channels to create the breakup of the fluid into small droplets, Rik Nuijen, Director Innovation & Development, tells PlasticsToday. In short, it’s a commonly used part that’s referred to as a MBU—mechanical breakup unit—that creates the spray.

The literal part was part of a broader and “intense” packaging development process that required 2.5 years, according to Nuijen.

“The biggest challenge was to come to an uncompromised appearance of the spray head combined with intuitive usage and fulfilling demanding technical requirements,” he says. “Molding high-end quality products requires world class tools and equipment, but the Weener Toolshop and our other strategic suppliers laid a solid and reliable base.”

WP was also responsible for tooling and engineering. Advanced mold sets and newly developed innovative assembly technology enhance high-speed manufacturing with automated vision control and 100% flow check. Furthermore, product and stock handling are fully automated.

Nivea deodorants and anti-perspirants are packaged in appealingly-shaped aerosol cans, each with different protective formulas and actives for a long-lasting feeling of freshness. They all have the new spray cap with the Nivea -blue button enhancing the brand identity. The deodorant spray range is currently being introduced in Europe and will be rolled out in Asia and possibly other continents in the future.