Award: ALPLA is Austria's most innovative company

Paper bottles, lightweighting, climate-optimised packaging, mono-material pumps, PET wine bottles, thin-wall injection moulding and bio-based plastics: innovations are very popular at ALPLA. The sustainable and smart packaging solutions set trends in the industry and are regularly awarded prizes. The courage is also worthwhile economically: Several of the projects mentioned at the beginning are already in series production and others are about to be launched on the market.

However, being named Austria's most innovative company by Trend and Statista came as somewhat unexpected for Christian Zmölnig, Director Corporate Research, Development & Innovation at ALPLA: "Our commitment is seen and appreciated, which is a great honour! The number of patents was apparently not the only decisive factor for the jury, others own more. We are all the more pleased and motivated by this award." At ALPLA, innovations are driven globally and in many departments. Hundreds of people contribute their ideas, develop new products and adapt processes. In addition, ALPLA pools forces with other industrial companies in joint ventures and conducts research together with universities and colleges.

Innovation is part of the DNA

Pioneering spirit has characterized the family business since its foundation in 1955 and is also expressed in the self-description "Family of Pioneers". At ALPLA, everything revolves around safe, affordable and sustainable plastic packaging – and this is exactly where innovation plays a central role, as CEO Philipp Lehner emphasises: "Innovation is part of our DNA. We are one of the innovation leaders in the industry because we are willing to invest and act very agilely for a company of our size." 

This is also due to the company structure. As an independent, family-run company, ALPLA can plan for the long term and pursue strategic goals regardless of quarterly results. "Innovation needs staying power – and enough room for creativity and experimentation. A healthy error culture is also essential," emphasizes Lehner. The direct line to the management accelerates and simplifies development work. "If one of our ideas is well received by the board, we get started immediately. With every new experience, we increase our lead over the competition," reports Christian Zmölnig.

Discovery, Development and Commercialization

At ALPLA, three phases lead from idea to realisation. The search for (potential) problems and needs leads to solutions. "We always move in the triangle of safe, affordable and sustainable. Other cornerstones are the four R's of the circular economy: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse and Replace. If it is technically and commercially feasible, we dare to take the next step," explains Zmölnig. Prototypes quickly deliver initial results, which are improved iteratively.

Transferring an innovation to series production is often the biggest hurdle. It is anything but a matter of course in the fast-moving market of cost-sensitive fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG). "With conventional solutions, brand manufacturers are on the safe side. Innovations always carry a risk. But they can just as easily make the difference, create trends and set new standards. At ALPLA, we offer both and connect the worlds. As a result, we are right at the forefront," Zmölnig is convinced. Innovations do not necessarily lead to new products. Nevertheless, the preparatory work is worth its weight in gold. This can be seen, for example, in the ultra-light shampoo bottle "BARE" from Head & Shoulders, which was able to build on the know-how of the climate-optimised sample packaging Canupak. Another turbo for new developments: In the STUDIOa, customers are involved from the very beginning. The one-stop-shop brings together product design, marketing, sales and technology.

Latest innovations at a glance

• Paper bottle from Paboco: The subsidiary's fiber-based bottle is ready for series production and will be available on the market in 2025. It uses a thin plastic barrier and blends seamlessly into the paper recycling stream. Paboco is currently moving into a new plant in Denmark and building up capacity.
• Bio-based materials: ALPLA is working intensively on novel polymers from biogenic sources and testing them in practice. Bio-PET and Bio-PE, for example, behave in the same way as conventional plastics and fit easily into the established recycling stream.
• PET wine bottle: It is more stable, lighter and cheaper than glass, looks confusingly similar and also saves up to 50 percent of emissions. The shatterproof alternative made of plastic is already in circulation and can revolutionize the wine market. 
• Mono-material dispenser pump: The new product from ALPLAhana is made entirely of PP thanks to a stable and durable plastic spring. It is fully recyclable, customizable and available as a complete system including bottle. 
• Thin-walled injection moulding rePETec: The one-stage injection moulding process developed jointly by ALPLA, machine manufacturer ENGEL, mould manufacturer Brink, IML manufacturer IPB and joint venture partner INTOPACK enables fully recyclable packaging made of up to 100 per cent rPET in new packaging segments for the first time. In the future, dairy products such as yoghurt, spread cheese, pudding, cream and curd cheese can be packaged more sustainably in thin-walled cups and trays.
• SafePha is an innovative anti-counterfeiting technology for pharmaceutical packaging that offers numerous benefits. SafePha's holographic elements deter counterfeiters and are aesthetically pleasing. Each package also can contain a unique QR code for reliable product authentication, promoting digital patient communication, trust and brand loyalty. In addition, SafePha is cost-effective and scalable at no additional cost.

More info: https://www.alpla.com/en/products-innovations/innovations