Gwalia Packaging Group has launched Top Twister, an opening aid designed to fit any closure from 20-38mm on containers with either child resistant or standard closures.
Top Twister is a single piece injection moulding in polystyrene with six graduated gripping ribs on the interior and eight gently curved concave finger holds on the exterior – the PS gripping ribs, or teeth, engage with the softer PP or HDPE outer surface of the closure.
According to Wales-based Gwalia, Top Twister works by giving the user a large surface area where they can use the flat of their hand as opposed to their fingers.
Top Twister incorporates ‘Push-Turn’ opening instructions, which are also rendered in Braille.
Top Twister was developed using a derivative of the recently developed European technical specification, CEN DD TS 15945:2011 ‘Packaging - ease of opening- Criteria and test methods for evaluating consumer packaging’.
Gwalia is currently in discussion with CEN, the European standards setting body, with a view to converting it into a full European Standard or EN.
Testing involved 100 adults aged 65-80 opening a 50ml cylindrical container typical of pharmaceutical dispensing bottles, capped with a 22mm child resistant closure, said often to create opening problems for elderly people, because of its small diameter.
According to Gwalia, when scored on efficiency, effectiveness, and satisfaction, opening the bottle with Top Twister was said to give a “significantly better performance”, particularly among the older panel members aged 75-80.
Rod Parker, Gwalia packaging managing director says: “There are 92 million people aged 65 and over in the European Union, 18.21% of the population.
“These people are our customers and we need to supply them with help, when needed, to open all packaging.”
www.gwaliapackaging.com
