Something for the weekend?

US-based Condomania, which sell condoms over the Internet s well through its new York store, has brought out a range of condoms in 55 different sizes, and offers a free fitting guide in the form of a downloadable Word document.

The rationale for the range is that one size does not fit all. Two things suffer: comfort and security. Condomania founder Adam Glickman says "For the first time ever, condoms will be sold like shoes or bras. These innovative, patented condoms take into consideration just about all the likely combinations of length and girth, virtually assuring that each man will have a condom that fits properly. In fact, They-Fit Condoms are available in sizes that go well beyond the existing limiting sizes currently available." To determine the right fit, customers can download the Fit Kit from http://www.condomania.com/Theyfit.

BTW, the story goes that during the Second World War, Russian soldiers asked Britain to add condoms to the supplies of materièl supplied on the infamous Murmansk convoys. “Send them the large size, but mark them ‘small’,” growled Churchill.

Processing

Cold-fill gets hot

US bottling firm V-Net Beverages has bought a quarter share in Impact Beverages, which it claims has the first new process to the production of beverages and fluid foods in the past 50-60 years.

"V-Net Chairman Michael Brette says "It’s always difficult to predict the next major industry innovation, but we are certain that the technology offered by Impact Beverages will be a significant player in the future."

Impact Beverages, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, apparently owns two patents, one process patent and its first formula patent, in addition to two additional patents pending formulations. The company also has exclusive use of special trade secret-protected manufacturing technology. These allow for the manufacture of beverage products using a less expensive and more efficient cold fill process rather than traditional hot fill.

The company will license these technologies to large consumer products manufacturers globally, sell formulas used to make concentrates and, in some instances, sell concentrates directly.

V-Net Beverages owns the Palm Springs Bottling Company and Buzzy`s Coffee Company.

Innovation

Bags of light

German bag specialist Bree and Bayer Polymers have combined talents to shed light in an otherwise stygian gloom - the interior of women’s handbags.

Bayer technicians created a flexible electroluminescent plastic sheet that lights up at the press of a switch, and the handbag designers built a smart ladies handbag that incorporates the innovation. The handbag will debut at the international "Summerstyles" leatherwear trade show in Offenbach, Germany, from 27-30 September 2003.

Company presidents Philipp and Axel Bree say "We had been toying with the idea of illuminating the dark insides of handbags for quite some time, but lacked an elegant solution which not only met our traditionally high demands with regard to style and function, but was also technically feasible."

The solution they found depends on smart surface technology developed by Bayer Polymers in partnership with the Swiss firm Lumitec, a specialist in electroluminescence (EL) and precision electronic components.

This is the first time engineers have been able to make a flexible EL sheet; up to now they have been rigid. But Bayer’s technology allows the films to be shaped as needed and thus to illuminate any conceivable geometry.

Eckard Foltin, head of the Creative Centre at Bayer Polymers, says the main field of application for this technology is in the automotive industry. "Incandescent lamps in cars will soon be a thing of the past. Instrument panels will take up less room. The interior lights in a car will glow in a soft, glare-free light and provide a pleasant atmosphere in the passenger compartment."