[IP Encyclopedia] Is a symbol of airtight containers ‘LocknLock’ American product? Far from it!

LocknLock [Photo provided = LocknLock official website]

Patent Application : Airtight container (KR20080008814A)

Year : 2006

Nation : Republic of Korea

Region : Seoul

Name : Chang-ho Kim (LocknLock Co.Ltd.)

Lets have a look inside the fridge at home. We can find the one thing that every household has it is an airtight container blocking the external air with just ‘click’ sound which is a must-have item in kitchen. Among them ‘LocknLock’ a symbol of airtight container is catching our eyes. However maybe because of its name there are plenty people who are confused where it came from. In today’s IP encyclopedia meet a proud Korean intellectual property ‘LocknLock’.

Until 1990’s the penetration rate of fridges was saturated already but the way of food storage was not standardized like it is now. Food was stored covered with foils plastic wraps plastic bags chinaware pots or just plain plastic containers in the fridge. There were food containers but they did not have airtight function so it was inconvenient for Korean food that is mostly soup dish because it was easily leaking out of the containers.


Of course there were import airtight containers at that time. In 1947 American scientist Earl Silas Tupper invented a cup-shaped airtight container with the idea from paint can lid. Futhermore in 1954 the common plastic airtight containers were invented. It was ‘Sealing method’ which is simply fit the striated lid to the container and press it to close. It was a hit to the point of being called ‘Revolution in the kitchen’. After that Earl Tupper launched ‘Tupper ware’ kitchen supplies brand and exported airtight containers to all over the world.

In 1980’s imported Tupperware airtight containers grabbed attention in Korea. Since there was few of airtight containers it was not a product that anyone can buy due to its expensive price despite of high demand from people. At that time Tupperware products were kept at their house as a treasure. Tupperware was a symbol of richness in the society to the extent that many people say “A home with Tupperware means the rich”.

While imported airtight containers were encroaching on the domestic kitchen supplies market one of the domestic companies developed a new airtight container. The existing containers have some downsides such as opacity high price and insufficiency of sealing method. The product solved these downsides all at once is today’s ‘LocknLock’ airtight containers commonly used in every household.

First of all a new form of container was designed by adding the sealing wings (Closing hooks) at the sides of the lid to strengthen the power of closeness. The container was applied to so-called ‘4 sides closing method’ and possessed perfect closeness. Through the thousands of experiments the thickness of ‘Hinge’ connecting the wings of the lid and container was implemented by 0.4mm and raised its coherence to a highest level. The slight bezel was applied to the center of the hinge which is called ‘Flow stopper’ to improve durability of the wings.

Especially LocknLock lid is a patented technology in about 50 countries it does not cut off easily no matter how many times it has been open and closed. With this improved power of closeness it was designed not to leak food from the containers easily. It is a perfect airtight container for Korean who enjoy soup dish.

In addition the exist opaque containers were replaced by transparent containers that we can look through its inside. We do not have to open it to see what they have inside and its freshness. Finally ‘LocknLock’ containers made of plastic have become much lighter and above all the dramatically cheaper price caught people’s eyes.

Market advance of ‘LocknLock’ that solved all these downsides at once was expected a rosy outlook. However domestic airtight container market was already occupied by ‘Tupperware’. New airtight containers were hard to accepted in the market. Specially because the existing large-scale distributors shun brand-new product.

Then LocknLock changed its marketing strategy to overseas which was originally focused on domestic market. In 2000 they participated in the kitchenware exhibition in abroad and gained new chance. In the exhibition one of the American buyers offered ‘Infomercial marketing’ which means one of the types of TV commercials.

Conventionally in the US there is a high demand of TV home shopping which is one of the forms of ‘Infomercial marketing’. Since there were high expectations for new types of kitchenware such as ‘LocknLock’ it recorded great success that sellout in row in the year. The success in oversea home shopping led the success in domestic home shopping. It shows a case that it hits in abroad first and settles in domestic market inversely.

‘LocknLock’ targeted domestic TV home shopping when they were about to enter in their golden days and at the same time they expanded their promotions for housewives to try their products. As the product hit in the US were selling in Korea all of sudden many people saw LocknLock as American product because of their success process and reaching power was bigger in overseas.

Paying attention to this LocknLock did not take their mind off oversea markets. They targeted blue ocean countries such as China Japan Vietnam India Thailand the US UK and Italy by opening local corporations.

After the success of LocknLock today’s domestic airtight containers brands were diversified. Many airtight container series have been developed to meet consumers’ needs such as Glasslock for glass airtight containers two-way containers dividing the rooms lunch box for picnic and containers exclusive use for fruit.

Due to the change of population aging eating habits and family members it is sure that food and culture consumed in household would change. National airtight container brand ‘LocknLock’ that every household has. It will be interesting to see if ‘LocknLock’ would maintain its brand reputation in the changes that will be led after COVID-19.

Plastic wrap [Photo provided = ImageToday]

Tupperware plastic airtight containers [Photo provided = Google patents]

LocknLock plastic airtight container [Photo provided = LocknLock official website]

Lid of LocknLock container [Photo provided = LocknLock official website]

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