GCS Product Innovation & Added Value Closure Solutions ‘Insight: Growth comes by creating Added Value’

GCS Manufacturing ExcellenceGCS takes the lead in the Health Care market‘Expert View: GCS France embodies Global Strategy’

GCS Market PenetrationGCS expands its footprint in Argentina, the GCC and India

GCS Latest NewsNew product launches‘Happy Anniversary Zeller Plastik Poland’

2015 Mark Your Calendars

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Following our strong 2013 performance, the 2014 challenge was about confirming the group’s ability to improve its performance in a sustainable manner.

We now can proudly say that this challenge has been taken up successfully, despite some unexpected adverse market winds.

No doubt! The in-depth transformation of the company engaged a few years ago is delivering results.

In 2015, the priority is to deliver outstanding value to our customers and to further improve the group’s performance, as a result of the full implementation of our strategy across all areas of the business.Whilst progressing continuously towards operational excellence, innovation and marketing efforts will be intensified to ultimately translate into a strong sales pipeline of innovative blockbusters and attractive adjacent products.

Together, let’s keep on building a bright future for GCS !

CONTENTS

Christian Voegeli

CEO of GCS

A word from our CEO

DISCLOSURE#02

N E W S L E T T E R

2015

How would you describe GCS’ overall strategy on product development?

Our strategy is to support our customers’ growth by providing them with innovative added value products, within and beyond the closure market.

We can create value by developing closure systems that are more user-friendly to open, pour and close, and easier to keep clean. Other ways are improving quality, safety and brand image.

Among GCS’s recent achievements in creating value, we can mention the following examples:> unique technology that creates the perception of premium quality glass in a plastic jar> high-quality plastic coffee capsules manufactured with the highest efficiency> best-in-class valve dispensing performance for the booming beverage enhancer market> highly effective security closures for the spirits market with our market-leading non-refillable technology.

What other innovative products and technologies currently under development by GCS can we expect to be launched in 2015 and beyond?

In the coming years GCS is set to dominate the sport cap market with a brand new range of flip top and push pull closures designed to fulfill consumers’ expectations and fit their on-the-go lifestyle.GCS is also working on pioneering technologies and product designs that will transform the child-resistant closure market – switching, for example, from a 2-piece to a single-piece dispensing closure.

Many other value-added adjacent products (i.e. non closures) are under development, especially for the Health Care sector. But this is only the tip of the iceberg: there will be a constant flow of new solutions from our innovation pipeline. What other steps will GCS take to further deliver this growth?

Ultimately, we want to help our customers strengthen their competitive advantage at shelf and increase their market share. Therefore, GCS will accelerate its evolution into an innovation and marketing-led company, dedicated to proactively promoting our portfolio and supporting customers by co-developing new state-of-the-art solutions.

As more and more products become global blockbusters, GCS – through its extended footprint and manufacturing excellence – has the ability to locate production as close as possible to customers and end users, moving then from a local/regional to a global scale.

This is why we feel confident that GCS will grow further in a profitable way.

2014 REVIEWGCS PRODUCT INNOVATION & ADDED VALUE CLOSURE SOLUTIONS

‘Insight: Growth comes by creating Added Value’Disclosure interviews Stéphane Tondenier, Vice-President Sales & Marketing and Business Development, Global Closure Systems

To keep pace with soaring consumer demand for Tassimo coffee-making ma-chines, GCS has invested in injection-moulding machinery large enough to host injection-moulding stack-tools and an assembly line.

This new production line has been installed at Bender, one of GCS’ factories in Germany, to manufacture proprietary plastic pods containing UHT milk. These pods, called T-Discs, consist of two parts of uncoloured PP which are welded together by a device that also serves as an optical quality inspection tool.

GCS, one of the leading suppliers of coffee capsules in Europe, was chosen by Mondelez to support further growth of the Tassimo brand due to the group’s leading technological capabilities and its proven expertise in supplying high-volume, high-quality plastic packaging components.

FoodCOFFEE PODS SOW SEEDS OF SUCCESS

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NEW TECHNOLOGY SQUARES WITH NIVEA

2014 REVIEWGCS PRODUCT INNOVATION & ADDED VALUE CLOSURE SOLUTIONS

Beverage

Personal Care

Beiersdorf has recently introduced a brand new bi-injected plastic jar for its Nivea face care creams range. While the overall packaging provides on-shelf appeal and achieves a luxurious ‘glass effect’, the jars are shatter-proof which also makes them safe and practical both for the end user and the supply chain.

GCS has built on its expertise in both bi-injection and cube technology to manufacture the highly complex double-wall jar which is composed of two layers - the inner part is opaque, the outer is translucent. The jars are manufactured in a very short cycle time and individual manufacturing steps - such as mould filling, cooling phase and part removal - are running simultaneously.

Beiersdorf trusted in GCS’s proficiency in cutting-edge technology as well as its ability to meet the demands of a global launch.

VALVE ENHANCES CONSUMER EXPERIENCE

Its key element is a silicone valve which is specifically designed to perfectly match the product formulation and provides a single, straight directional stream, as well as consistent and rapid cut-off. The slit is sealed in a relaxed position and when pressure is applied to the valve, the head moves in order to improve the seal. As the pressure builds, the valve petals open and the product flows.

Demand for beverage enhancers is booming in an environment in which many consumers want to enjoy their favourite drinks anytime, anywhere, with more flavour than water can provide.

The beverage enhancer packaging brings convenience to consumers as it can be used on the go: a little squeeze and the one-piece flip-top valve cap delivers 20 to 30 shots of highly concentrated drink under well-controlled flow conditions.

Among recent projects, the GCS factory in Libertyville, USA, has developed a bespoke closure solution to help food and drink giant Nestlé satisfy the lifestyle expectations of “on-the-go” coffee drinkers in North America with the launch of its new Coffee-mate® 2GO™ creamer range. The Nestlé project team has recognized that “the cap development and industrialization execution were flawless”.With over 1 billion valve closures produced each year worldwide, top companies, such as Coca-Cola, Nestlé and Unilever, can rely on GCS’s strong expertise.

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1.5 BILLION CLOSURES PRODUCED ANNUALLY

OVER 230 REFERENCES

3 PRODUCTION PLANTS

3 CLEANROOMS ISO 7 & 8

Improving qualityGCS is continually improving its quality culture and manufacturing standards to meet the ever-increasing demands of a highly regulated market, customer requirements for brand and product integrity, and exacting ISO safety standards for child resistance and dose accuracy. The group is investing in quality control systems and processes and introducing more intensive training for employees at all levels. In 2014, Astra Plastique, one of GCS’ plants in France, was accredited to the ISO 15378 standard in recognition of its good manufacturing practices (GMP) for pharma.

Expanding capacityGCS continues to invest in its production facilities and steals a march on its rivals by anticipating future increasing demand. At Astra Plastique, GCS has invested €1 million in the construction of a second ISO 7 cleanroom, the third in the group, to meet the growing needs of the global health care market.

GCS takes the lead in the Health Care market

2014 REVIEWGCS MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE

Highest quality

standards

Increased production

capacity

New product

development

Cyrano

Lite-Loc

Flip-Loc

With its well-established product ranges Vistop®, Clic-Loc®, Medi-Loc®, CapePharma® and PharmaSafe®, Global Closure Systems is one of the world’s leading suppliers of child-resistant closures (CRCs), tamper-evident (TE) closures, dosing devices and droppers to the healthcare industry. To help maintain GCS’s dominant position in pharma, the group is implementing a long-term strategy for sustainable growth based on three key pillars:

GCS HEALTHCARE

Developing new productsGCS is constantly expanding its portfolio of closures and capping solutions for pharmaceutical applications. The group’s network of R&D professionals have recently designed a number of innovative new product lines, such as CapePharma®, a one-piece TE closure, and PharmaSafe, a two-piece CRC. Other newly launched solutions, which were exhibited at the CPHI trade show in Paris in October 2014, include Flip-Loc, a one-piece CRC for pills, powders or liquids, Lite-Loc, a lightweight CRC, and Cyrano, a bi-injected TPE perfusion bottle closure.

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2014 REVIEWGCS MANUFACTURING EXCELLENCE

Astra Plastique, our plant in St Georges de Reneins, France, entered the healthcare sector over 35 years ago. With its long track record of providing capping solutions to this sector, Astra Plastique has an intimate understanding of the needs of its customers and end-users.

Our success in this market has been based on developing an unrivalled range of CRCs and TE products that comply with all industry regulations and meet the requirements of our customers in terms of quality. We have also grown by being innovative, introducing, for example, advanced lightweight solutions that are more price competitive yet still guarantee the same level of security.

Under our growth strategy, GCS aims to increase its healthcare sales from €45 million to €50 million by 2017. This is an ambitious target, given that the market in Western Europe is slowing down, but I am confident we will achieve it if we continue to innovate and invest in our products, facilities and people.

Indeed, to maintain our rate of growth, we are continuously working in partnership with our R&D colleagues across the group on ideas for new standard and bespoke product lines that offer added value. Moreover, GCS has recently invested in the construction of a new cleanroom at the Astra Plastique factory: this new cleanroom took 12 months to complete and exceeds pharmaceutical industry standards. It is rated at ISO Class 7, meaning it offers an extremely hygienic and contaminant-free environment. The state-of-the-art facility has been designed to optimize the flow of both people and products. There is a dedicated personnel entrance and separate exit gates for finished products to keep cartons and pallets out of the room. The facility is also equipped with its own laboratory and a bag sealing/welding machine.

Our recent Pharma Day, which was organized to unveil our ISO 7 cleanroom, was a good opportunity to strengthen our relationships with some of our key customers and gain a better understanding of their future packaging needs. The event was also held to recognize the vital contribution our employees have made to the expansion of Astra Plastique. They can feel justly proud of their achievements.

Vincent Clauzel, Vice President, GCS France

‘Expert View: GCS France embodies Global Strategy’

OPEN DAY HAILED A SUCCESS

Astra Plastique held a Pharma Day in October 2014 to celebrate the opening of its new cleanroom. The event was attended by more than 50 pharmaceutical companies, agents, distributors and suppliers. The guests were treated to a tour of the cleanroom and the rest of the factory.

GCS senior managers gave a presentation on the group’s healthcare strategy and future product development. Representatives of VG Emballage and Delpharm Group, two of the group’s biggest healthcare customers, delivered talks about their longstanding and successful partnerships with GCS. Also present were journalists from some of the industry’s best-known magazines and the event received widespread coverage in the media.

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AMERICA TAMPAS

STRENGHTENS ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH GCS

IN SOUTH AMERICA with the construction of a new

factory in Argentina. With already 2 factories in Brazil - Venancio Aires and

Manaus - GCS and America Tam-pas extend their footprint in

Latin America.

2014 REVIEW & 2015 OUTLOOKGCS MARKET PENETRATION

ARGENTINA

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GCS PARTNERS

WITH SHAILY ENGINEERING PLASTICS,

one of India’s leading injection moulding companies that specializes in manufacturing complex drug delivery devices and primary packaging. With GCS’ large range of closure solutions and Shaily’s high-quality manufac-turing facilities (including ISO Class 8 clean-

room), both companies are joining forces to meet the expectations of highly demanding local and international

customers from the health care sector.

GCS EXPANDS IN THE

MIDDLE EAST WITH ITS NEW LICENSEE

DUPLAS AL SHARQ, a leading plastic packaging manufacturing

company which supplies local and international FMCG companies. With

production facilities strategically located in Jebel Ali, Dubai, both groups are

partnering to target the fast-growing GCC area.

2014 REVIEW & 2015 OUTLOOKGCS MARKET PENETRATION

INDIA

GCC

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2014 REVIEWLATEST NEWS

A JEWEL IN THE CROWN

Following the recent success of Rubi and Perla, GCS is launching Diamond, a new oval bi-injected snap hinge closure, available in a multitude of colour combinations, including translucent.

With its rounded shape, its matt base and glossy lid, Diamond perfectly meets the expectations of the beauty and cosmetics industry in terms of aesthetics, convenience and on-shelf differentiation.

Personal Care

HATING WASTE AS MUCH AS MESS

GCS has been chosen by a leading multinational consumer products company - selling products in more than 200 countries - to adorn its new all surfaces cleaning products and ensure powerful cleaning performance and great value.

Designed and produced by GCS’ Centre of Excellence in Norwich, this standard valve closure guarantees a clean and controlled dose.

Its best-in-class valve prevents drips and spills; not a single drop gets wasted and consumers are always using the right amount of product. Furthermore, the round glossy red cap brings clear benefits to the packaging: convenience, easy opening and closing, appeal and differentiation on the shelves.

Household & Industry

PARACHUTING IN FOR A WIN

PackTheFuture 2014, also known as the Sustainable Plastic Packaging Award and held at the Interpack exhibition, has honoured GCS for its Parachute closure.

Parachute was awarded in the EcoDesign category after judges hailed it as « an innovation that is environmentally friendly throughout the product’s entire life cycle » and which does not compromise brand image.

Personal Care

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2014 REVIEWLATEST NEWS

Household & IndustrySAFE & SOUND

Mediterránea de Productos de Limpieza, which specializes in the manufacture of cleaning products, has adopted GCS’s new Hector closure to ensure that its household range is convenient and child-resistant.

Hector is a user-friendly and lightweight Angle Neck Bleach (ANB) child-resistant closure. The total packs are accredited to the latest IS0 8317:2003 standard. This new two-part assembly also has a snap-on neck finish to safely retain it to the container neck featuring a new CRC operating system. Moreover its directional nozzle is ideal for precise dosage.

Wine & SpiritsBEATING THE CHEATS

TIVA 2, GCS’ latest highly effective standard security closure , has been incorporated by one of the global leaders in the premium spirits market for its whisky brands, which are exported all around the world.

This non-refillable closure has a clever tamper-evidence ring built into the top part of the body which breaks off if forcibly removed from the bottle, leaving behind permanent evidence

CLOSURE CLARITY

Robert McBride Ltd, Europe’s leading provider of private label household and personal care products, has refreshed its Gentelle toiletries collection using a natural oval dispensing closure from Global Closure Systems.

From the GCS Personal Care standard range, this polypropylene push-on dispensing closure is being supplied by UCP in Norwich to McBride for shampoos, conditioners and shower gels.

Personal Care

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2014 REVIEW LATEST NEWS

FROM FLAT TO SPARKLING WATER

Gravity II is a lightweight 26mm neck finish solution which provides an interchangeable solution by offering a single-thread closure while maintaining the same overall finish dimensions as the three thread 26/22 (GME 30.28). It is also a lightweight finish solution with 2.05g compared to 3.85g for a PCO-1881 finish.

A pioneer on the market, Gravity II is on the way to being approved by the International Technical Centre for Bottling and related Packaging (CETIE) as an industry standard.

Gravity II has already been selected by Refresco and other major companies.

Beverage FoodSAUCY STAR FOR THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Magellan is a new lightweight 38/400 (55mm) valve closure which is perfect for food applications. With its best-in-class silicone valve, Magellan provides enhanced convenience to consumers with controlled, precise dosing and a ‘stay clean’ performance.

Magellan is available with two types of dispensing systems: a snowflake valve or a star-shaped orifice. The snowflake Valve Sub-Assembly (VSA) offers excellent flow control and a clean cut-off for a wide range of product viscosities such as condiments, sauces, dressings, edible oil, honey, jams and syrups.

CLOSURE TURNS BREAKFAST ON ITS HEAD

Lyle’s Golden Syrup’s new handy-sized Breakfast Bottle has been ergonomically designed with an oval valve dispensing closure from GCS to provide the perfect format for squeezing onto porridge, toast, bagels and chopped fruit.

The custom-designed snap-on gold-coloured PP closures come in a gloss finish and provide a stable base for the 340g dispenser.

Food

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A hat-trick of celebrations

‘Happy Anniversary Zeller Plastik Poland!’

Our Zeller Plastik plant in Poland has recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Established in September 1994, it has expanded from a small factory with a single machine to a modern facility with a production capacity of two billion items a year. Located in Garwolin, 60km from Warsaw, the site specializes in injection moulding, injection blow moulding and extrusion blow moulding, which are supported by decoration (hot stamping & silk screen) and assembly operations. It has a 180-strong workforce.

“More than 70 per cent of our employees have been with us for more than ten years. The loyalty and dedication of the whole team have been instrumental to our success”.

Zeller Plastik Poland manufactures high-quality closure solutions for the Per-sonal Care, Household and Food markets, such as bi-injected caps and valve caps, dishwasher capsules, jars, roll-ons and mini roll-ons.

“It is a huge advantage for GCS to have its own production plant here. Many FMCG companies have plants in Poland and expect deliveries from the nearest possible location and, for 20 years, Zeller Plastik Poland has supplied leading blue chip companies such as Avon, Beiersdorf, Colgate-Palmolive, Henkel, L’Oreal, Oriflame, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt-Benckiser, Unilever…”

Jaroslaw (‘Jerry’) Janowski, General Manager, Zeller Plastik Poland

2014 REVIEW LATEST NEWS

POLAND

Events to mark the 20th anniversary of Zeller Plastik Poland were held over three days and included:

> A dance show, barbecue, children’s games and a factory tour - more than 400 guests attended the family event.> A barbecue and factory tour for clients, suppliers and local government officials (Mayor of Garwolin, Garwolin County Governor and Mayor of Garwolin Commune)> A football match between Zeller Plastik Poland and Obrist Romania. (Zeller Plastik Poland won 10-4!)

A HAT-TRICK OF CELEBRATIONS

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Contact detailsFor information and enquiries, please emailmarketing@gcs.com

Websitewww.gcs.com

PD+I 2015 - Product Design Innovation Conference20-21 May 2015

London, United Kingdom

Plastics Closures Innovation Congress 9-11 June 2015Berlin, Germany

PPS - Plastics Packaging Show 16-17 June 2015Telford, United Kingdom

Plastics Caps & Closures 2015 Conference4-5 November 2015Nice, France

CONFERENCES

2015MARK YOUR CALENDARS

Pharmapack Europe Booth 53611-12 February 2015Paris, France

Easyfairs - Packaging InnovationBooth B3225-26 February 2015Birmingham, United Kingdom

HispackBooth C33621-24 April 2015Barcelona, Spain

CPhi - Innopack Paris Booth 4F135 13-15 October 2015Madrid, Spain

Brau Beviale A-319 10-12 November 2015Nuremberg, Germany

TRADE SHOW NEWS