In February 2006, leading beverage companies collaborated to develop the next-generation plastic closure only (PCO) 1881 finish. The idea was that a single global standard finish for the beverage industry would deliver significant financial benefits, simplify package designs and improve efficiency.
Cross-industry collaboration was crucial to the success of the project. Without establishing global guidelines and proper testing procedures, the industry could have wound up with multiple finishes, which would have resulted in inefficiencies, inflated inventories and a host of quality issues.