Origin Materials has partnered with Reed City Group, a full-scale injection-mould builder, to mass-produce polyethylene terephthalate (PET) caps and closures in North America. 

The partnership is set to establish commercial manufacturing lines for Origin's PET caps and closures at Reed City Group's Michigan, US, facilities.  

The manufacturing lines will be equipped to process both virgin and recycled PET (rPET) using high-speed equipment and automation.  

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

“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.” 

Origin's PET caps and closures are designed to improve recyclability, including through cap tethering, addressing a market worth more than $65bn.  

The first products, Origin’s PCO 1881-compatible caps made with either virgin or rPET, are expected to be available from the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, with tethered caps and other types to follow.  

Reed City Group CEO Guy Boitos said: “Our company has a longstanding commitment to innovation and bringing our two companies together to fulfil 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.” 

Recently, Origin Materials unveiled the engineering and design of its tethered PET cap solution.