Novolex Awarded Patent for Cutlerease Utensil Dispenser

HARTSVILLE, S.C., Feb. 1, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Waddington North America™ (WNA), a Novolex^® brand, announced today that it has been awarded a new patent for Cutlerease^®, an innovative dispenser that offers customers one disposable utensil at a time.

Thanks to the patent, Novolex can now offer customers the opportunity to lease or buy Cutlerease dispensers — making it even easier for foodservice establishments to enjoy its many benefits. The unique system cuts waste, reduces the spread of germs, saves space and provides guests with a more convenient way to get utensils.

Customers simply withdraw the utensil from the dispenser by pulling on the handle of the spoon, fork or knife that they want. After the utensil is removed, another pops out, ready for the next guest.

The new patent covers the Cutlerease refill system that maximizes efficiency and hygiene in loading replacement utensils. It features refill packs that make restocking easy and do not require employees to touch the actual cutlery. The dispenser also works with compostable cutlery from Eco-Products^®, a Novolex brand.

"We're excited about receiving a patent that recognizes the unique attributes of our breakthrough Cutlerease dispenser," said Bill Gallop, Senior Product Design Manager at WNA. "Cutlerease is easy to load and simple to use. Customers take exactly what they need, only touching the utensils they will use, creating less waste and more peace of mind."

The patented system features refills that consist of a stack of utensils with an adhesive strip applied to one side. That makes it easy to refill quickly in two simple steps: Load the stack in the tower and then peel the adhesive down. Cutlerease refills are compactly bundled to reduce the case size, which in turn takes up less space in storage.

The dispenser is a breakthrough in efficiency, convenience and sanitation compared to current refill technologies on the market, which commonly use boxy cartridges or complex wraparound bands that can cause system jams. Cutlerease also can dispense compostable knives, forks and spoons from Eco-Products.

Additionally, Cutlerease now offers Clingz^TM brand customized adhesives that can be applied to the sides of the units, offering "billboard" space that can be used for branding, advertising, menus or other promotions. This unique benefit enables Cutlerease to help customers drive messages to their consumers through a vending item.  

Cutlerease's easy-refill system is just one of its many benefits. Among the others:

• Cutlerease has no trays or levers, which further cuts down on the transfer of germs. Guests only touch the handle of the utensil that they want.
• The system is now offered with single-, double- or triple-tower bases to hold a full complement of forks, knives and spoons or only one or two utensil types. This allows foodservice operators to mix and match utensils. For example, the dispenser could offer a knife/fork/spoon combination at a restaurant, or two towers of spoons at a frozen yogurt store.
• The system's compact footprint saves significant counter space and reduces refill frequency by holding up to 360 pieces of cutlery. Cutlerease features a red indicator tab to reveal when cutlery is low and time to reload.
• No batteries or electrical outlets are required, allowing operators to place Cutlerease wherever guests are best served.

A short video highlighting Cutlerease's features can be seen at https://bit.ly/3lS2KjE.

To learn more, visit www.wna.biz/cutlerease/.

About Novolex
Novolex develops and manufactures diverse packaging products for multiple industries in the foodservice, delivery and carryout, food processor and industrial markets that touch nearly every aspect of daily life. The Novolex family of brands provides customers with innovative food and delivery packaging and performance solutions products for their business needs today while investing in research and development to engineer more sustainable choices for the future. With more than 10,000 employee families, Novolex operates 57 manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe, including two world-class plastic film recycling centers. To learn more about Novolex, visit www.novolex.com.

Media Contact
Novolex
Phil Rozenski
[email protected] 
1-800-845-6051 

SOURCE Novolex