Substitution of metal closures for biobased solutions

Purpose and goal:

The purpose of the project is that Blue Ocean Closures, in collaboration with RISE and Swed-jam AB, develop a bio-based product in which paper fiber replaces metal as the raw material. The project focus is to develop a so-called lug lid, often used together with glass containers combined with hot filling - which provides a vacuum sealing effect. The goal of the project is to confirm the concept on a commercial level and test properties and functionality in a test sale or consumer test.

Expected results and effects:

The project intends to create a drop-in product that directly replaces the metal cap in the customer´s filling process. The product will generate new IPR through design patents and patents. The value chain is changing regarding the manufacturing of the lids, where both the replacement of materials and the manufacturing process means a lower climate impact.

In the end, consumers are faced with a product that functions in the same way as the metal lid but is recycled like paper - a material that is recycled to a greater extent and has a lower CO2 footprint compared to fossil metal. Approach and implementation:

The project´s technical development is divided into two main stages. The first consists in development of Blue Ocean Closures´s existing fiber material as well as press-formed geometry and prototype tool. The second step consists in further conversion of the lid including sealing and coating.

The final products will be evaluated with respect to sustainability (through recycling tests and simple LCA) as well as commercial potential (production, product safety, commercial value). The goal is to start product/storage tests with one of Swed-jam´s existing key customers.