How We Manufacture Our Metal Caps

Precision, control, and sustainability

At Joaquín Alberto S.A., we have been manufacturing industrial packaging solutions for over 40 years, with a clear commitment: to offer sustainable, approved packaging tailored to each customer’s specific needs.

All components of each drum are meticulously manufactured to high standards of quality, control, and safety.

Below, we explain how we manufacture the metal caps for our kraft drums, one of the most crucial components in ensuring a secure seal.

Step 1: Unwinding the steel coil

It all starts with a coil of steel, carefully selected to meet strict requirements for strength, elasticity, and other specific mechanical properties depending on the final product. This raw material is essential, as it defines the structural quality of the packaging from the outset.

Once on the floor, the coil is placed on a fully automated production line, where it is continuously unwound until it becomes a long strip of sheet metal. This process not only allows the rest of the line to be fed without interruption, but also ensures constant tension in the material.

During this initial unwinding process, the thickness of the sheet metal is controlled with millimetre precision, as any variation would directly affect the subsequent cutting, forming, and assembly processes. Therefore, this first step is not only the start of manufacturing, but also a critical phase in ensuring the uniformity, stability, and precision of the entire final product.

Step 2: High-precision press cutting

The second phase of the process is where technological precision and mechanical force come together. A high-performance industrial press acts directly on the continuous strip of sheet metal, cutting each lid without the need for intermediate handling. This automated cutting not only optimises time, but also ensures consistent quality in every piece.

Thanks to this system, the following are obtained:

Exact diameters, perfectly compatible with our various models of kraft drums, ensuring precise assembly without additional adjustments.
Uniform and secure edges, essential for effective and secure closure in later stages of the process.
High efficiency, with a production capacity of hundreds of caps per minute, without compromising precision or finish quality.

Once cut, the lids can be sent directly to assembly or stored temporarily, depending on the logistical requirements at the time.

Step 3: Automatic defect detection

Once cut, the lids pass through an intelligent control system equipped with artificial vision technology. This system acts as a millimetre-precise filter, designed to ensure that only those pieces that meet all quality standards continue on their way along the production line.

How does it work?

High-resolution cameras capture detailed images of each lid in real time, without slowing down the production process.
The system compares each image with reference patterns previously defined in the software, analysing measurements, shape, and surface finish.
Defects such as the following are detected automatically:
- Scratches, even the most subtle ones.
- Visible or structural breaks or deformations.
- Minimal variations in the colour of the strip which could indicate a problem with the coating or the material.
Caps that show any anomalies are automatically diverted from the flow, without human intervention.

This step is key to ensuring that every cap that arrives at your facilities is not only functional but also flawless, meeting the quality, safety, and aesthetic standards required by your brand.

Why is it important to know how a metal cap is manufactured?

Because asking questions at the beginning of any industrial material purchasing process is a sign of responsibility. Especially if your company works in sectors that require special attention to packaging.

Chemical and pharmaceutical industry: where leak-proofing, resistance, and ADR or UN approval are required.
Agri-food and beverages: where lids must prevent contamination and comply with health requirements.
Logistics, recycling, or cosmetics: where every detail counts in sustainability and logistics efficiency.

Understanding the manufacturing process is not just a technical issue; it is a strategic advantage. Knowing each stage allows you to make more informed and accurate decisions, especially if you are part of the supply chain, industrial purchasing, or quality management.

Specifically, it helps you to:

Assess the actual quality of the product, not only by its final appearance, but also by how it has been manufactured, what materials have been used, and what controls it has passed.
Ask informed questions about key aspects such as packaging customisation, compliance with industry regulations (such as FDA, ADR, or EUDR,) or the environmental impact of the process and materials.
Compare suppliers objectively, evaluating not only price, but also traceability, flexibility, and the ability to adapt to your company’s specific needs.

Ultimately, understanding the process makes you a more discerning, better-informed customer, better able to build strong supply relationships that are aligned with your values.

Are our metal caps sustainable?

Yes. At Joaquín Alberto, we are committed to responsible design from the very first component. Every metal cap we manufacture is part of a comprehensive approach to sustainability. We ensure that every element of our drums contributes to a cleaner and more efficient value chain.

Our metal caps are:

Recyclable, thanks to their composition and ease of separation from the rest of the packaging.
Reusable, provided that the end use allows it, extending their useful life.
Compatible with circular economy policies, as they are integrated into processes that promote the recovery and transformation of materials.

In addition, they are designed to be easily separated from the kraft fibre body, enabling efficient waste sorting and facilitating recycling in specialised channels. In this way, we help our customers meet their own sustainability, waste reduction and regulatory compliance goals.

One cover, many impacts

It may seem like a small component, but the metal cap is essential for the safety and functionality of the drum. That is why at Joaquín Alberto we do not consider it an accessory, but rather a strategic part of industrial packaging.

Would you like to learn more about our caps? Contact our team via the Contact section or browse our product solutions.

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