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Afa Dispensing Group celebrates 40 year anniversary

Dutch company Afa Dispensing Group (Afa), a world leader in technologically advanced liquid dispensing systems, is celebrating 40 years of packaging innovation.

Thought to be first to introduce trigger sprayers in Europe back in 1972, Afa has marked the 40th anniversary of its trigger sprayers business with the opening of a brand new Innovation Center in Helmond, The Netherlands.

The Center is adjacent to, and integrated with, Afa's local production site, enabling the visitor to experience the entire process of product development - from research to a concept; from a product design to a prototype; and from a final product to mass production.

Named after the inventor of the trigger sprayer, Alfred Frederic Alders, Afa has been behind many of the features now regarded as industry standards in the dispensing market. These include the following:

* 1975: Afa pioneers venting in trigger sprayers. With this feature, chemicals could be safely packed and transported in spray bottles without leakage.
* 1978: Afa introduces the rotating nozzle, allowing the nozzle to be closed when not in use.
* 1989: The world's first all-plastic sprayer is developed by Afa. The sprayer incorporated several new features, including plastic springs and a snap-on neck.
* 1999 / 2000: Pre-compression becomes a new industry benchmark with the launch of OpAd - an all plastic, pre-compression trigger sprayer. Highly-valued for its very powerful drip-free spray and higher output, it is used by leading consumer brands as a dispenser for household, chemical, automotive and home & garden applications.
* 2007: Afa initiates its strategic focus on Cradle-to-Cradle solutions, with the market's first single-material trigger sprayer - OpUs. Comprising fewer parts than traditional sprayers, OpUs is the fastest selling sprayer in history.
* 2011: Afa launches Flairosol a propellant-free spray package that bridges the gap between triggers and aerosols.

"Enhancing our customers' brands through our proprietary dispensing packages continues to be the driving force behind our growth," comments Ariel Gratch, Chief Executive Officer. "It is the combination of reliability, quality and innovation that makes Afa a trusted partner for many multinational consumer product companies in food, beverage, home care and personal care.

"Today, 40 years after launching our first trigger sprayer, we are proud that we were able to continue to set new standards of quality and innovation for our industry."

Afa Dispensing Group of Amsterdam, The Netherlands, is a major trigger sprayer supplier in Europe and Asia and a world leader in technologically advanced liquid dispensing systems. The company was the first producer of trigger sprayers in Europe 40 years ago.

Afa's recent innovations expand the company's entry into beverages, soft food products and beyond. The latest Afa dispensing platform, Flair(r), offers a non-pressurized propellant-free dispensing system for a wide range of applications. In 2013 Afa expects to introduce two new Flair based products in food and beverage, marking a new consumer experience for the underlying brands.

The Dutch company was founded in 1965 as Polytek, a custom injection-molder servicing several industries. Shortly thereafter, the company moved into the trigger sprayer industry, being the first company to offer the product in Europe. Since then, Afa has gradually exited the custom modeling business, and today Afa is a leader in providing major brands with proprietary dispensing solutions which are based on Afa's patented technologies and enhance its customers' brands.

Afa has one production site in Helmond (The Netherlands) and two in Shanghai and Ningbo (China). Sales offices are located in Amsterdam, St. Louis (USA) and Shanghai.

T: +31 20 5633 005
F: +31 492 502 699
E: [email protected]
W: www.afadispensing.com

31st May 2012