Graphic Packaging International’s passion for innovation has seen the fiber-based consumer packaging supplier named on Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies for 2023.

With this honor, Graphic Packaging joins OpenAI, Disney, Tiffany & Co. and others at the forefront of their industries. The company, listed as one of the top 10 most innovative companies in the Food category, is recognized for KeelClip, a fiber-based clip packaging solution for beverage can multipacks that eliminates the need for plastic rings and shrink wrap. KeelClip has found success around the globe, having been adopted by some of the world’s leading beverage brands.

KeelClip has many benefits on top of its sustainable design. It also offers consumers enhanced hygiene, as the can tops are protected, plus easy-remove cans and finger holes for ergonomic carrying. The assembly process also enables cans to be oriented for optimal brand presence.

Ricardo De Genova, senior vice president, global innovation and new business development at Graphic Packaging, is delighted by this recognition, saying, “We strive to capture our innovative spirit in every project. It’s a tremendous honor to see our dedication to innovation recognized by Fast Company. We join a distinguished group, and we’re humbled by this accolade, which we share with all our customers.

“The world’s most recognized brands entrust Graphic Packaging to be the critical interface between their brand and its consumers. This success would not be possible without their appetite for innovation, collaborative spirit, and shared vision to create future-focused solutions that make a world of difference.

“At Graphic Packaging, the trends that drive consumer behavior are at the core of how we innovate. We are engaged in developing solutions that enhance circularity through the use of recycled and recyclable materials, employ innovative structures and technologies to better protect and preserve the packaged product, and offer consumers greater functionality, convenience and safety.”

Fast Company says that this year’s list highlights the businesses at the forefront of their respective industries, paving the way for the innovations of tomorrow, noting, “These companies are setting the standard with some of the greatest accomplishments of the modern world.”

Coca-Cola partnership

Last year, Graphic Packaging International partnered with a Coca-Cola bottler to launch KeelClip in the United States with the installation of a KeelClip 1600 multipacking machine at a Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages production facility in Elmsford, NY.

The equipment was the first to be installed in the US after successful expansion in Europe, according to Graphic Packaging. The installation allows recyclable fiber-based packaging to be supplied to markets in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Delaware, and the companies said the transition to the KeelClip 1600 machinery will remove 75,000 pounds of plastic packaging per year from the supply chain.

“Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages is thrilled to be Graphic Packaging’s first partner in the United States to implement this innovative packaging system,” says Paul Mulligan, co-owner of Liberty Coca-Cola Beverages. “We are committed to producing sustainable products across our territories that eliminate waste and develop a circular economy.”

Mulligan continues, “We know that the most valuable change to reduce plastic waste occurs when bottlers and packaging producers work together in partnership, and we look forward to partnering with Graphic Packaging on this sustainable packaging for years to come.”

Bret Arnone, Graphic Packaging’s vice president, commercial operations and beverage packaging, says, “This technology has seen incredible success wherever it has been used, winning 10 industry awards and becoming the gold standard for can multipacks in over 20 countries. Most importantly, it’s proven to help our commercial partners reduce their reliance on plastics for a more sustainable future.”

Arnone adds, “At Graphic Packaging, our commitment to innovation is limitless. Bringing desirable and effective packaging solutions to brands, retailers and consumers that are also sustainable, is a primary goal. KeelClip has been adopted by some of the largest beverage companies in the world, making it a tried, tested and trusted solution for multipack packaging.”