^{Joint News Release}

easyconnect Closed Transfer System wins award

for consumer benefit and convenience

The easyconnect Closed Transfer System (CTS) wins the Pack the Future Award for sustainable packaging innovations in the category Design for Consumer Benefit and Convenience on 09^th May 2023 during the interpack trade fair in Düsseldorf, Germany. The award is presented by the IK German Association for Plastics Packaging and its French partner ELIPSO. It honors innovative and sustainable packaging solutions made of plastic and their contribution to climate protection and circular economy. Various criteria are considered such as avoidance of waste, resealability, packaging security, easy or safe opening, improved convenience, adaptation to the correct use of the product and meeting today’s user needs.

The easyconnect CTS is a hardware for farmers that makes filling their spray tank faster, easier and safer than conventional methods. The system consists of two components: a unique cap made of recyclable plastic – pre-fitted on the product containers – and a coupler. Together they establish a closed system to transfer liquid crop protection products from the product container directly into the spray tank. It is designed to provide farmers a compelling combination of convenience and safety.

Robert Huber, easyconnect CTS project lead at BASF and steering team member of the easyconnect CTS Working Group, points out: “We are very pleased that the easyconnect system has won the award especially in the category consumer benefit and convenience. The ease of use of easyconnect was always a central point and prerequisite in the development. We have paid attention to numerous details that relieve our customers of several work steps like no more unscrewing of the closure, no foil seal to be opened, simple connecting to the coupler, easy resealing and even automated cleaning of the cap after emptying the canister – that makes the joint recycling of cap and container easily possible and will increase the rate of recycled caps which improves their environmental impact.”

All agricultural industry leaders in Europe join forces in the easyconnect CTS Working Group (ECWG) to offer farmers a broad choice of products that are all compatible with the easyconnect system. BERICAP is an important partner of the ECWG and has been instrumental in developing the cap to market maturity.

Carsten Pfromm, business development director of BERICAP Group explains: “As the selected partner for the development of the easyconnect closure solution we are proud to be awarded together with the easyconnect Working Group. We are happy to have contributed with BERICAP’s expertise on consumer convenience, product integrity and sustainability which are key factors to any of our closure innovation projects.”

The first products equipped with the innovative easyconnect cap are just being introduced in the European market and are available to farmers for example in the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Germany or in the UK. Other countries are likely to follow.

The easyconnect system is an open technology that is available to all interested agricultural parties. Further industry players in the agrochemical sector, equipment manufacturers or any other parties interested in joining the launch of easyconnect are encouraged to contact any of the member companies.

For more information, please visit our website www.easyconnect.tech.

About the easyconnect CTS Working Group

easyconnect is a closed transfer system (CTS) for liquid crop protection products that consists of two components: a unique cap – pre-fitted on the containers – and a coupler. It makes filling the sprayer faster, easier, and safer than conventional methods. Developed by BASF in collaboration with third-party equipment manufacturers, easyconnect is accessible to all interested parties in the market. The easyconnect Working Group consists of interested companies that are piloting easyconnect in selected countries. As of May 2023, they are ADAMA, Barclay, BASF, Bayer, Certis Belchim, Corteva Agriscience, FMC Corporation, Globachem, Nufarm, Rovensa Group, SUMITOMO CHEMICAL,  Syngenta and UPL Europe.

AP-230509