Customer spotlight: Q Pet Expands into Tethered Closure Production with Advanced HyCAP™ Technology

South African PET manufacturer enhances local production capabilities with sustainable packaging solutions

South African PET manufacturer Q Pet is expanding its capabilities to include local production of tethered closures at its Pietermaritzburg facility. This family-owned business, which has been operating in South Africa since 1988, continues to demonstrate its commitment to innovation and market responsiveness.

This strategic expansion comes at a crucial time when local retailer groups are vigorously on the lookout for local manufacturing capabilities for tethered closures to support their sustainability initiatives. Q Pet, with its proven track record in manufacturing, stepped forward to meet this need.

"The demand for locally produced tethered closures represents a significant opportunity for South African manufacturing. By investing in this technology now, we're not just meeting current market needs - we're preparing for the future of sustainable packaging” says Ziyaad Moosa, CEO at Q Pet.

Strategic Technology Implementation The relationship between Q Pet and Husky Technologies™ has evolved over several years of strategic planning and market evaluation. While the vision for local tethered closure production was clear, both companies wanted to ensure the timing and technology were optimal for the South African market. 2024 marked a turning point when Husky's advanced mold technology aligned perfectly with Q Pet's manufacturing capabilities and market demand. As a global leader in injection molding systems and services, Husky Technologies™ brought the technological foundation and expertise needed to support this strategic shift.

The technical solution includes HUSKY HYCAP™ mold, which offers several key advantages:

• Superior closure quality that ensures optimal performance in high-speed filling operations
• Industry-leading tethered design featuring an enhanced opening angle and secure locking mechanism
• Precision-engineered lightweight construction that advances sustainability goals while maintaining structural integrity

Husky’s HYCAP™ closure molding technology is ideally suited for Q Pet's requirements, offering the precision and efficiency needed for high-quality tethered closure production. This demonstrates how collaboration of global expertise can support local manufacturing capabilities.

Company Profile and Manufacturing Capabilities Q Pet operates approximately 35,000 square meters of manufacturing and warehousing space nationally, with facilities in Pietermaritzburg, Johannesburg, and Cape Town. The company has established a strong presence in the Edible Oil Industry, playing an important role in the sector's transition from metal cans to PET packaging. Through their commitment to innovation, high quality standards, and competitive pricing structures, Q Pet has maintained a significant market position for over 30 years.

Their manufacturing expertise includes PET injection moulded preforms, blown bottles, jars, and closures, serving diverse markets including:

• Edible Oil Industry
• Mineral water
• CSD beverage
• Dairy
•  Juice
• Spice & Sauce markets

New Production Capabilities The new production line is installed, and commissioning is in progress to produce the 38mm tethered closure with an annual capacity more than 200million closures. The next phase will be to launch later in this year the 28mm tethered PCO 1881 closures, with an initial similar capacity of 200million units per annum. This local manufacturing capability will significantly reduce the carbon footprint associated with imported closures.

Technical Specifications

• Production solution: HUSKY HYCAP™ mold technology
• Key features:
  • ○ High-performance closure production capabilities
  • ○ Advanced tethered design with enhanced 180 degree opening angle and locking mechanism
  • ○ Lightweight solution supporting sustainability goals

Sustainability and Compliance As a Level 2 BBBEE supplier registered with the Department of Forestry Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) and fully compliant with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regulatory requirements, Q Pet demonstrates their commitment to both environmental sustainability and economic transformation in South Africa.

Future Growth Q Pet's investment in tethered closure production represents just one aspect of their broader vision for growth. The company has recently increased their preform, blowing, and closure capacity with the latest technology available and continues to invest as new markets emerge. Their intended target markets include Food, Dairy, and Beverage sectors, for which they are well-equipped to make constructive offerings.

“As we expand our capabilities with this new tethered closure line, we're maintaining our focus on sustainable growth and local market development. This investment represents our commitment to both environmental responsibility and South African manufacturing excellence,"   says Ziyaad Moosa, CEO at Q Pet.