Reducing Material Without Compromising Performance
Traditional extruded tubes rely on a rigid shoulder to connect the tube body with its closure. Removing this element creates an immediate opportunity for material and weight reduction, but it also changes the way the different components must be assembled.
For Albéa, one of the main challenges was therefore ensuring component compatibility and reliable sealing without the structural support provided by a conventional compression- or injection-moulded shoulder.
At the same time, the shoulderless concept had to preserve the characteristics expected from premium packaging: a smooth appearance, reliable functionality and an intuitive experience for the consumer. And, critically, the solution had to perform at industrial scale. Integrating shoulderless components into the production process required high precision while maintaining production speed and avoiding increased reject rates during tube assembly.
Finding the Right Technology Partner
To industrialize the concept, Albéa was looking for a technology partner combining reliability, strong mechanical engineering, production expertise and responsive technical support.
Polytype’s extensive experience in tube manufacturing and decoration, together with its engineering capabilities, provided the foundation for the collaboration.
The required solution needed the precision, modularity and speed to meet Albéa’s production requirements while providing the flexibility to adapt the equipment to the specific characteristics of the shoulderless concept. But the project quickly became more than a conventional machine installation.
Co-Engineering the Solution
A key element of the collaboration between Albéa and Polytype was the ability to work closely throughout the project.
Open dialogue between the teams allowed feedback from the production floor to be translated into technical adaptations and customized features. This close co-engineering process ultimately led to the development of the RHM 240+, Polytype’s dedicated solution for the industrial production of shoulderless tubes.
But the collaboration also continued throughout installation, calibration and training, with Polytype’s technical teams supporting the implementation and optimization of the new process. Rather than a traditional supplier-customer relationship, the project developed around a shared objective: creating a reliable industrial process and continuing to improve it over time.
Turning Innovation into Industrial Reality
Shoulderless tubes illustrate an important reality about sustainable packaging: reducing material is only part of the equation. A new packaging concept must also be manufacturable, reliable, attractive and scalable.
Through close collaboration between Albéa and Polytype, the shoulderless concept could be translated into an industrial production solution, with the RHM 240+ turning the concept into a scalable manufacturing process combining material reduction, production performance and premium decoration possibilities.
A concrete example of how close collaboration and engineering can turn packaging innovation into industrial reality.
