Origin Materials, a technology company committed to accelerating the global shift to sustainable materials, has announced a significant milestone in its journey: the production of PET caps with new customer-driven features. These caps were manufactured at a partner facility in Germany using the proprietary Origin CapFormer System, which specializes in creating recyclable PET closures. Designed to be compatible with the PCO 1881 standard, the new caps incorporate recycled PET and address specific enhancements requested by customers.
The Origin CapFormer System underwent a successful factory acceptance test in September, and the production of these advanced caps marks a continuation of the company’s rigorous commercial qualification process.
Customer-Driven Design Innovations
The newly produced caps now feature knurling, a modification aimed at improving grip and enhancing the user experience. According to John Bissell, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Origin Materials, this design enhancement reflects the company’s commitment to customer-centric innovation.
“The team has been working hard as we approach the end of the year, and we’ve stayed close to our prospective customers every step of the way,” Bissell explained. “As a result, we decided to add a few key new features to our PET caps—chiefly, knurling. Knurls improve the grip of the caps, making for a very comfortable consumer experience. The market spoke, and we listened. I am proud of our team’s agility in making it happen.”
In addition to knurling, the caps feature refinements to improve their compatibility with existing capping machines and bottling lines, ensuring seamless integration into standard production processes.
Leveraging European Operations
Producing these caps in Europe offered two distinct advantages, according to Bissell. First, it allowed Origin to perform customer qualification in parallel with the shipment of the CapFormer System to its final destination in Reed City, Michigan. “By working in parallel, we can go faster,” Bissell noted.
Second, the European location enabled close collaboration with local equipment partners, facilitating the efficient implementation of new features. These strategic advantages have not only accelerated the timeline for customer qualification but also strengthened Origin’s relationships with its European partners.
Next Steps: Reed City Installation
The CapFormer System is now being prepared for shipment to Reed City, where it will be installed in preparation for further cap production. Origin anticipates beginning production at the Michigan facility in the first quarter of 2025.
“Our momentum with prospective customers remains strong and continues to build,” Bissell said. “We’ve shipped the new caps for commercial qualification and are thrilled to announce a new signed customer term sheet. This is in addition to our previously announced memorandum of understanding (MOU) for over $100 million in PET caps over an initial two-year term. We are working hard to complete these qualifications so that Origin can begin fulfilling the awaiting customer demand.”
About Origin Materials
Origin Materials is a pioneering technology company dedicated to enabling the global transition to sustainable materials. The company’s innovations span PET caps and closures designed for enhanced recycling and performance, specialty materials, and a patented biomass conversion platform that transforms carbon into sustainable materials for diverse applications.
With an addressable market worth approximately $65 billion, Origin Materials is redefining the possibilities of sustainable manufacturing while aligning with the growing demand for environmentally friendly solutions.
