March 3, 2026 12:02

Polyplastics, Colgate-Palmolive and PTI have developed a compound based on high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and cyclic olefins (COC) that enables the production of bottles and dispensers using injection stretch blow moulding (ISBM) – the same process used for PET containers – in place of the more conventional extrusion blow moulding technique widely applied in HDPE processing.

ISBM features shorter cycle times and the ability to produce lighter containers, particularly in the base area. According to the three partners, adopting this process would result in reductions of more than 25% in both weight and cycle time.

The innovation involves incorporating Polyplastics’ Topas COC (cyclic olefin copolymer) into HDPE, significantly expanding the material’s processing window and making ISBM viable and efficient starting from preforms. The process yields a transparent, lightweight container that is recyclable at end of life.

The copolymer is already used in the packaging sector in combination with polyethylene (PE) to enhance properties, as well as in medical applications requiring extremely high purity.

Colgate-Palmolive is exploring the use of COC to enable cost-effective, high-performance packaging that meets increasingly stringent regulatory requirements for weight reduction. Results to date are described as encouraging, and the company plans to continue progressing towards commercialisation.

Polyplastics has carried out extensive testing at PTI’s development facility in Holland, Ohio (US), where the hot-fill performance of the new technology was validated. PTI expects to collaborate with several brands to support preparations for the commercial launch of ISBM HDPE in cosmetics, food, medical and general packaging applications.

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