Elopak strengthens sustainable packaging innovation with Blue Ocean Closures investment

SWEDEN – Elopak, a global leader in carton packaging and filling solutions, has announced a strategic investment in Swedish company Blue Ocean Closures (BOC), further reinforcing its commitment to sustainable packaging innovation.

The investment will enhance Elopak’s research and development (R&D) efforts as it collaborates with BOC to advance fibre-based closures for packaging applications.

The partnership aligns with Elopak’s ‘Repackaging Tomorrow’ initiative, launched in September last year, which focuses on driving sustainability-driven growth through innovative, low-carbon, and renewable packaging solutions.

By joining forces, the two companies aim to accelerate the development and commercialization of next-generation fibre-based closures, providing a viable alternative to traditional plastic caps.

BOC, recognized for its pioneering work in fibre-based moulded caps, will continue rolling out its initial product offerings with support from Elopak.

The investment allows BOC to leverage Elopak’s extensive global network, technical expertise, and resources to expedite product development and market entry. 

As part of the agreement, Elopak has secured exclusive worldwide rights to market, distribute, and sell BOC’s fibre-based closures for gable-top cartons, including its Pure-Pak and D-PAK product lines.

This exclusive licensing underscores Elopak’s ambition to lead the transition toward more sustainable packaging solutions, reducing plastic dependency in beverage and liquid food packaging. 

Elopak CEO Thomas Körmendi emphasized the importance of this partnership in driving sustainable innovation, “We are proud to be partnering with Blue Ocean Closures in further exploring this exciting technology, complementary to our ongoing R&D activities.

“BOC’s fibre-based closures are a promising solution that can support Elopak’s vision for a more renewable, low-carbon, and low-plastic-dependent packaging sector. This innovation fits within our ‘Repackaging Tomorrow’ strategy for sustainability-driven growth.”

Similarly, BOC CEO Lars Sandberg welcomed the partnership, “BOC is delighted to have Elopak join our partnership of leading industrial owners.

“We share Elopak’s vision for reshaping the future of packaging and are excited to learn from their global network and decades of experience in sustainable innovation.”

This strategic investment follows Elopak’s expansion efforts in North America, including plans to increase production capacity at its Arkansas, US, facility, announced in September last year.

With increasing pressure on the packaging industry to minimize plastic waste and embrace circular economy principles, the Elopak-BOC collaboration represents a major step forward in sustainable packaging solutions.

The development of fibre-based closures has the potential to significantly reduce plastic consumption, reinforcing both companies’ commitment to environmentally responsible innovation.

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