THE HELIX
A SURPRISINGLY SIMPLE SHORTFILL SOLUTION
The vape industry is a fertile ground for innovation . From mods to liquids and even vape-integrated clothing , the level of creativity in the vaping world never fails to surprise
Most innovations are borne out of necessity and many of the developments from the past couple of years can be traced back to the TPD . Shortfill e-liquids are one such example of a product being adapted in a way that meets the needs of vapers while complying within the regulations . To an outsider , the cap on a Helix shortfill bottle is like that on any other e-liquid container . But a closer look reveals an ingenious innovation – a detachable nozzle screwed into a small hole , enabling the bottle to be refilled without causing a mess . The men behind the detachable nozzle ( or ‘ removable niblet ,’ as they call it ) are Sami and Rafi , two brothers employed by Vape Distribution – a company located just outside London that has supplied vape products to independent retailers and major supermarkets across the UK since 2012 . “ We were trying to find an easy way to fill a shortfill bottle without pouring liquid everywhere ,” said Sami . “ We had a few ideas along the lines of the existing e-liquid bottles on the market . But then we thought : ‘ why not pierce through the lid ?’” They sent the design off to a manufacturer in the Far East . Barely six months after inception , they had the mould that would go on to become the Helix . The Helix isn ’ t the only innovation the brothers have developed . If you ’ ve tried the liquids on sale at a Vapouround Lounge or many other retailers , you may be familiar with Vape Distribution ’ s Taste Station e-liquid sampling machine . The company has also patented a head for e-shisha pipes that can be directly filled with liquid . Shortfills have skyrocketed in popularity in the past 12 months , both for professional e-liquid companies and home DIYers , so there ’ s certainly a significant potential market out there . And with distribution channels across the EU and US , there ’ s every possibility that the Helix will become an industry standard as ubiquitous as the Post-it note or the Bic biro . Like all the best inventions , the Helix is as simple as it is wellengineered : the answer to a problem that many people had previously accepted was an unavoidable occupational hazard . Sami added : “ The Helix makes it easy to fill a bottle without pouring liquid everywhere . We love looking at a problem and finding a solution that works .”
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