04.04.19
Plastic packaging solutions provider ALPLA and paper packaging materials and solutions provider BillerudKorsnäs announced that they will embark on ecoXpac, a joint venture to develop a fully bio-based and recyclable paper bottle.
When the transaction has been completed, ALPLA and BillerudKorsnäs will own equal parts of ecoXpac. A minority post will be held by the founder family. BillerudKorsnäs is currently the majority owner and has been a shareholder in the company since 2015. BillerudKorsnäs has been a driving force in the ongoing development of a paper bottle, which was started by ecoXpac in 2010 and with Carlsberg Group since 2015.
In late 2016, Carlsberg Group revealed a first physical prototype of a paper bottle, the Green Fiber Bottle, and the first generation of paper bottles has since then been in a testing phase. The plan now is to continue the development to be able to launch and then scale up production.
“I want to emphasize the long-term vision of the joint venture to introduce fully bio-based paper bottles. ALPLA is contributing capital as well as technical know-how to the joint venture to accelerate the development and market introduction of the paper bottle,” said Günther Lehner, CEO of ALPLA.
“The question is not ‘if’ but rather ‘how soon’ this joint venture will introduce a fully biobased and recyclable paper bottle to the market. And when we do, it will enable a significant shift in consumer behavior globally,” added Petra Einarsson, CEO and president of BillerudKorsnäs.
The formation of the joint venture is subject to customary regulatory approvals such as merger control clearances. It is expected that the transaction is completed in Q3 2019.
When the transaction has been completed, ALPLA and BillerudKorsnäs will own equal parts of ecoXpac. A minority post will be held by the founder family. BillerudKorsnäs is currently the majority owner and has been a shareholder in the company since 2015. BillerudKorsnäs has been a driving force in the ongoing development of a paper bottle, which was started by ecoXpac in 2010 and with Carlsberg Group since 2015.
In late 2016, Carlsberg Group revealed a first physical prototype of a paper bottle, the Green Fiber Bottle, and the first generation of paper bottles has since then been in a testing phase. The plan now is to continue the development to be able to launch and then scale up production.
“I want to emphasize the long-term vision of the joint venture to introduce fully bio-based paper bottles. ALPLA is contributing capital as well as technical know-how to the joint venture to accelerate the development and market introduction of the paper bottle,” said Günther Lehner, CEO of ALPLA.
“The question is not ‘if’ but rather ‘how soon’ this joint venture will introduce a fully biobased and recyclable paper bottle to the market. And when we do, it will enable a significant shift in consumer behavior globally,” added Petra Einarsson, CEO and president of BillerudKorsnäs.
The formation of the joint venture is subject to customary regulatory approvals such as merger control clearances. It is expected that the transaction is completed in Q3 2019.