In the beverage packaging industry, customized aluminum can lid has been one of the prevalent methods for competition in brand distinction. Statista estimates that the market size of the global aluminum can was 68 billion US dollars in 2023. Out of them, around 23% of customers requested customized design services such as printed logos or some specific patterns on the can LIDS’ surface. For example, take Coca-Cola. Its 2022 limited series Christness-themed aluminum can LIDS were manufactured by laser engraving technology. The number of a single batch purchase was 5 million units, with the unit price merely adding 0.02 US dollars. However, the premium on the product went up by 12%, driving the rise in sales for the quarter to 8%. From the production side, high-speed stamping machines are capable of producing 2,000 aluminum can LIDS per minute. Through the change in mold specifications (e.g., the standard diameter of 88.9mm with ±0.1mm tolerance), different requirements are met. Customized orders begin at 100,000 units, and production time is shortened to 7-10 days, much less than the 20-day delivery standard of traditional metal packaging.
More stringent regulations on environmental protection have also encouraged innovation of custom aluminum can lid. EU’s Single-Use Plastics Directive requires recycling of beverage packs to be at least 75% by 2030, and aluminum can LIDS are a beneficiary as they are 100% recyclable. One such example is the introduction of lightweight aluminum can lid by Carlsberg Beer in 2023 (from weight 2.3g to 2.0g) and renewable coating technology that saves carbon emissions by 15%. Meanwhile, concave and convex surface texture structure enhances customers’ sense of handhold comfort. Product tests prove that the opening can opening success rate can increase from 92% to 98%. In terms of technology, anodizing processing enables the surface hardness of aluminum can LIDS to enhance to HV400, the resistance to wear life being extended threefold. While that’s happening, resistance to acid and alkali for food-grade paints such as epoxy resin (there is no corrosion within the range of pH between 2 to 12) guarantees contents security. China’s aluminum can LIDS production capacity was 42 billion pieces in 2022, among which high-end customized products accounted for 17%, and the rate of profit was 8 to 10 percentage points higher than common products.
The diversify demands of markets push aluminum can LIDS design to achieve functional integration. The smart aluminum can lid of AB InBev’s 2021 launch is equipped with an NFC chip and can achieve anti-counterfeiting and traceability through mobile phone sensing. The piece price increased by 0.15 US dollars, but the channel diversion rate decreased by 40%. In the energy drink market, the aluminum can lid of Magic Beverage under pressurized form adopts a double-layer sealing configuration to increase the internal pressure resistance from a normal 90kPa to 120kPa to ensure a 18% greater carbonic acid gas retention rate. In addition, the optimized micro-pull ring structure design (with optimal opening force re-designed from 12N to 8N) has enhanced 30% child and senior openability efficiency in opening cans. The related proprietary technology has found uses in 30 countries. Based on the forecast of Grand View Research, the compound annual growth rate of the market for custom aluminum can lids will be 6.5% between 2023 and 2030. Of these, the Asia-Pacific region will be the focal growth pole driven by the average annual growth rate of 4.2% in the consumption of beverages.