Origin Materials enters North American partnership for mass PET cap production

12 Aug 2024 --- Origin Materials has partnered with Reed City Group, a full-scale injection mold builder, injection molder, hydraulic press maker and automation solutions company, to mass produce PET caps and closures in North America.

In Reed City Group’s Michigan facilities, the companies will operate Origin PET cap and closure commercial manufacturing lines. The lines will convert virgin and recycled PET (rPET) into caps using high-speed equipment and automation. Origin says its caps are positioned to be the first commercially viable PET closures to reach the mass market.

“Together with Reed City Group we expect to begin mass production of PET caps for the North American region later this year,” said Origin co-CEO and co-founder John Bissell. 

“We look forward to partnering with the Reed City Group team of over 200 people including skilled machinists, mechanical engineers, and operations professionals, with impressive capabilities in tool making and clean room manufacturing.”

“Our Reed City Group partnership enables a geographic expansion complementary to our previously announced mass production capability based in Europe. We are thrilled to announce this new member of our PET cap manufacturing ecosystem,” he adds. 

Reed City Group’s CEO, Guy Boitos comments: “Our company has a long-standing commitment to innovation and bringing our two companies together to fulfill the market needs of sustainable products is a natural fit. We are eager to partner with Origin for this transformative project for years to come.”

Origin’s PET caps and closures improve recyclability through cap tethering, enabling light-weighting, and extending product shelf life in a US$65 billion market. 

Origin’s PCO 1881-compatible caps, which can be made with virgin or recycled PET, will be available beginning in Q4 2024. PCO 1881-compatible tethered caps and other cap types will follow afterward.