The packaging industry continues to be a hotbed of innovation, with activity driven by urbanisation, sustainability, and safety & trust, and the growing importance of technologies, such as connected packaging, sustainable/eco-friendly packaging, active packaging, and near-field communication (NFC). In the last three years alone, there have been over 310,000 patents filed and granted in the packaging industry, according to GlobalData’s report on Innovation in Packaging: Tamperproofing slide fasteners.
However, not all innovations are equal and nor do they follow a constant upward trend. Instead, their evolution takes the form of an S-shaped curve that reflects their typical lifecycle from early emergence to accelerating adoption, before finally stabilising and reaching maturity.
Identifying where a particular innovation is on this journey, especially those that are in the emerging and accelerating stages, is essential for understanding their current level of adoption and the likely future trajectory and impact they will have.
80+ innovations will shape the packaging industry
According to GlobalData’s Technology Foresights, which plots the S-curve for the packaging industry using innovation intensity models built on over 87,000 patents, there are 80+ innovation areas that will shape the future of the industry.
Within the emerging innovation stage, web dispensers for rotary baggage wrappers, multilayer laminated packaging, and oxygen-blocking laminate packaging are disruptive technologies that are in the early stages of application and should be tracked closely. Water-soluble packaging films, cartridge type beverage dispensers, and medical syringe packaging are some of the accelerating innovation areas, where adoption has been steadily increasing. Among maturing innovation areas are detachable drawer-and-shell type containers and barrier-coated containers, which are now well established in the industry.
Innovation S-curve for the packaging industry
Tamperproofing slide fasteners is a key innovation area in packaging
Tamper-resistant slide fasteners or security fasteners are frequently used to prevent unapproved entry. These systems are in many cases non-removable or need a special tool for removal.
GlobalData’s analysis also uncovers the companies at the forefront of each innovation area and assesses the potential reach and impact of their patenting activity across different applications and geographies. According to GlobalData, there are 10+ companies, spanning technology vendors, established packaging companies, and up-and-coming start-ups engaged in the development and application of tamperproofing slide fasteners.
Key players in tamperproofing slide fasteners – a disruptive innovation in the packaging industry
‘Application diversity’ measures the number of different applications identified for each relevant patent and broadly splits companies into either ‘niche’ or ‘diversified’ innovators.
‘Geographic reach’ refers to the number of different countries each relevant patent is registered in and reflects the breadth of geographic application intended, ranging from ‘global’ to ‘local’.
Patent volumes related to tamperproofing slide fasteners
| Company | Total patents (2010 - 2021) | Premium intelligence on the world's largest companies |
| Packaging Finance | 60 | Unlock company profile |
| Toppan | 40 | Unlock company profile |
| S.C. Johnson & Son | 37 | Unlock company profile |
| S2F Flexico | 28 | Unlock company profile |
| Mondi | 18 | Unlock company profile |
| Rommelag Kunststoff-Maschinen Vertriebsgesellschaft mbH | 16 | Unlock company profile |
| Nite Ize | 13 | Unlock company profile |
| Idemitsu Kosan | 11 | Unlock company profile |
| Purple Innovation | 10 | Unlock company profile |
| Reynolds Group Holdings | 10 | Unlock company profile |
| Colgate-Palmolive | 9 | Unlock company profile |
| Fisher & Paykel Healthcare | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| Taiwan Paiho | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| Sargento Foods | 7 | Unlock company profile |
| 3M | 6 | Unlock company profile |
Source: GlobalData Patent Analytics
Packaging Finance is one of the leading patent filers for tamperproofing slide fasteners. Some other key patent filers in the space include Toppan, S.C. Johnson & Son, S2F Flexico, and Mondi.
Toppan recently integrated tamper-evident NFC tag functions into paper-based packages to form a new type of smart packaging solution that not only enhances security but also helps to streamline manufacturing processes and preserve package design.
In terms of application diversity, Idemitsu Kosan leads the pack. Mondi and Rommelag Kunststoff-Maschinen Vertriebsgesellschaft stood in the second and third positions, respectively. By means of geographic reach, Toppan held the top position, followed by Nite Ize and Purple Innovation.
Tamperproofing slide fasteners hold significant potential in the future as key packaging players will invest in the product/technology to make their products safer with only approved usage.
To further understand the key themes and technologies disrupting the packaging industry, access GlobalData’s latest thematic research report on Packaging.
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GlobalData, the leading provider of industry intelligence, provided the underlying data, research, and analysis used to produce this article.
GlobalData’s Patent Analytics tracks patent filings and grants from official offices around the world. Textual analysis and official patent classifications are used to group patents into key thematic areas and link them to specific companies across the world’s largest industries.
