Guala Closures Group, the global producer of non-refillable and aluminium beverage closures, has partnered with Oceanworks, the largest global marketplace for sustainable materials, to develop a range of closures produced using ocean plastics.
Headquartered in California, USA, Oceanworks is a digital marketplace that streamlines the sourcing of verified recycled material collected from coastal ecosystems where it is at significant risk of ending up in the ocean. Oceanworks network collects millions of pounds of ocean plastic annually. Oceanworks will supply 100% recycled polymers to Guala Closures, which will be used to develop closures for its wine and spirits range. This partnership extends to the Group’s worldwide market reach and its sole use of Oceanworks materials for all its closures for spirits and wine using these recycled polymers.
Guala Closures will initially use these polymers in the production of its T-bar models for spirits included in the recently launched Blossom range, and more models will be introduced soon. The caps produced with 100% recycled Oceanworks polymers are designed following the “design to change” model of the company’s recently published eco-design guidelines.
Commenting on this major development Fulvio Bosano, Guala Closures’ R&D director, said, “This important agreement strengthens the Group’s commitment toward more sustainable solutions, making our closures part of the future circular economy. It is a significant step in Guala Closures’ objective to use 35% of recycled materials in our products by 2025. The success of our sustainability strategy depends on both strong internal research and partnerships with key players such as Oceanworks.”
Rob Ianelli, president and founder of Oceanworks, added, “Helping our customers in developing new products using our 100% recycled ocean plastics is an important step toward a real circular economy. Thanks to this partnership, we have the opportunity to make a significant impact by scaling the production of a more sustainable packaging from materials that would otherwise be polluting our planet’s oceans. It is a real win-win.”
Guala Closures Group has over 4,700 employees and 30 production facilities in five continents. It markets its products in more than 100 countries. The Group sells nearly 20 billion caps each year, with a turnover of EUR 607 million (approximately Rs 54765 crore) in 2019. Thanks to a policy of continuous commercial development and technological innovation, the Group is recognized as a world leader in the production of safety caps for spirits. It is a leading manufacturer of aluminum caps for spirits, wines, and beverages. Since August 2018, Guala Closures S.p.A. has been listed on the STAR segment of the Italian Stock Exchange, joining the FTSE Italia Mid Cap Index in September 2019.
Oceanworks is a digital marketplace launched in 2019 to connect local recycled plastic supply with global demand to keep plastic out of the ocean. The marketplace offers 100s of ocean and averted plastic resins, textiles, and products from trusted suppliers worldwide. Oceanworks makes it easy for brands and manufacturers to source, evaluate, and buy these materials for both specialty applications and high-volume production alike. By catalyzing demand, Oceanworks creates financial incentives that reduce plastic pollution, cut plastic carbon footprint, and support collector livelihoods worldwide.
