High-quality drinking bottles and beverage cups with seals made of food-compliant TPEs

A cup of coffee in the morning, tea at lunchtime and mineral water during the evening workout: Whether at home, in the fitness studio or at work, we always have to ensure a sufficient intake of liquids for our well-being. The trend is away from disposable bottles and paper cups toward intelligently designed reusable containers of high-quality materials that are both pure and durable.

The reusable OMNI line and CRUISE line products from Timolino Ltd. are available in diverse models of stainless steel, plastic or silicate glass for cold, hot and carbonated beverages. Different quick-release lids – from the classic Flip Top to the Screw or Dial Top, both with a tea strainer, as well as the Sports or Kidz Top with an integrated straw – fulfil specific requirements for the respective use.

All lids feature an absolutely leak-proof seal, as a result of a special THERMOLAST K developed by KRAIBURG TPE for contact with foods and beverages. The TPE compound is used as a seal ring in the lids of the beverage systems or as part of a preformed, pressed in seal block. Like all parts of Timolino products, the sealing components are 100% neutral in taste and odor, free of bisphenol A (BPA), dishwasher-safe and recyclable.

As a globally operating company Timolino values the professional support of KRAIBURG TPE in the material selection and color matching of the optimal seal material.

“The time needed from the inquiry and presentation of the requirement to finding the solution, including the sending of TPE samples to our factory, was minimal,” says Timolino managing director Denis Krafft. “The market and application competence of KRAIBURG TPE as a global player and the company’s reputation for innovative, high-quality and sustainable materials ideally accommodated our requirements as a manufacturer of reusable premium drinking systems.”

The application fundamentally required a technologically advanced seal compound with guaranteed compatibility with foodstuffs and a long life. The TPE compound used by the company fulfills the stringent requirements of the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 21 (CFR21) of the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as EU directive 10/2011 for plastic materials and objects made of plastic. In addition, the material features an outstanding compression set throughout a broad temperature range. This property was decisive for sealing components that feature permanent resiliency and elasticity without embrittlement even after repeated contact with hot beverages, after cleaning in a dishwasher or at low refrigerator temperatures.

“For the market success of high-tech products such as drinking systems from Timolino, it is necessary to adapt the materials to the particular application as early as possible, which requires good knowledge of the market and active customer support,” says KRAIBURG TPE product management Josef Neuer. “That is why we insist on market- and customer-oriented formulations in the development of our materials that pave the way for innovative packaging solutions and speed up the market launch.”

In addition to lab and field data on the application-oriented material selection, KRAIBURG TPE supports its customers with a comprehensive service package from the concept through to market launch, including mold optimization, processing recommendations and detailed migration tests for applications with food contact. As a global manufacturer, a top priority for Timolino was the guaranteed worldwide availability of the chosen TPE compound in consistently pure quality.

About Timolino Ltd.

For the past 20 years the drinking systems of the Timolino brand have stood for premium quality, innovative design and sustainability on the American and Asian market. Now the company is offering its range of reusable OMNI bottles and CRUISE cups in Europe as well. All products are manufactured under stringent quality controls of recyclable materials that are guaranteed to be food compatible. Timolino, with headquarters in Irvine, California, and a European branch in Hamburg, Germany, is the owner of more than 30 patents and utility models worldwide and has received numerous awards for products of outstanding form and function. For more information, visit www.timolino.com.

About KRAIBURG TPE

KRAIBURG TPE is a global manufacturer of thermoplastic elastomers. From its beginning in 2001 as subsidiary of the historical KRAIBURG Group founded in 1947, KRAIBURG TPE has pioneered in TPE compounds, today being the competence leader in this industry. With production sites in Germany, the U.S., and Malaysia the company offers a broad range of compounds for applications in the automotive, industrial, consumer, and for the strictly regulated medical sectors. The established THERMOLAST, COPEC, HIPEX, and For Tec E product lines are processed by injection molding or extrusion and provide numerous processing and product design advantages to manufacturers. KRAIBURG TPE features innovative capabilities as well as true global customer orientation, customized product solutions and reliable service. The company is certified to ISO 50001 at its headquarters in Germany as well as in Malaysia and holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications at all global sites. In 2016, KRAIBURG TPE, with over 550 worldwide employees, generated sales of €167-million (~CDN $246-million). Company information available at www.kraiburg-tpe.com.