William Painter invented the crown cork in 1892 and applied for a patent. Originally the crown cork had 24 serrations and was 6.75 mm high. Since its development more than 100 years went by and with the use of new materials in the 1960s (PVC plastisols) it was possible to reduce the numbers of serrations to21 and the height to 6 mm. As the lobby for environmental protection grew bigger PVC-free granulates were developed in the 1980s which are nowadays nearly exclusively used. Besides its functional advantages, they can be opened quickly, have a good density and are tamper-evident, etc crown corks are also used as an advertising medium to represent the identity of a brand in a unique way.


Standard crown corks can be made of three different types of plate: tin-free, tin plated and stainless steel plates. Except for the optical aspect (tin is shinier) there is no difference between tin plates and tin-free plates concerning price and quality. Stainless steel plates are used when corrosion problems cannot be solved with conventional materials (eg tropical climate, storage in icy water)

Twist off crown corks consist of a special plate, lacquering and sealer which ensure in connection with a special bottle neck (a bottle neck with a thread) the twist. As the thread of the bottle neck is very sensitive it can cause higher opening results if you use it for returnable bottles. To use twist off crown corks you do not need a new machine only the crimp ring should have a diameter of 28.4 mm instead of the usual 28.25 mm to reach the requested opening results. It is recommended to clean the closed mouthpiece of the bottle after the filling thoroughly to reach the best protection against corrosion and the highest hygiene.