Hinojosa Packaging Group – BottleClip Carrier

Hinojosa is a leading company in the design and manufacture of sustainable packaging solutions. With over 75 years of history, its business model is built on the principles of the circular economy.

Its sustained growth is driven by continuous innovation, a customer-focused approach, and a commitment to excellence. Thanks to these pillars, the group has established itself as an international benchmark, with 3,000 employees and 24 production facilities located in Spain, Portugal, France, and Italy.

In a strategic partnership with KHS Group, a global leader in filling and packaging systems for beverages and liquid food, Hinojosa developed BottleClip Carrier, an innovative secondary packaging system. This solution is made from 100% recyclable and biodegradable cardboard, designed to replace traditional plastic shrink film in bottle transportation.

The system uses a single high-strength cardboard handle combined with specific adhesive points to securely assemble packs of 2 to 8 PET bottles, ranging from 200 ml to 2 litres. Its technical design ensures the stability of each bottle throughout the entire supply chain, having undergone rigorous handling and transport tests.

With this solution, Hinojosa addresses a key environmental challenge: eliminating single-use plastics without compromising functionality or product protection. The company leverages its technical excellence and industrial know-how to turn packaging into a real driver of the circular economy.

 

Potential future developments

The future of BottleClip Carrier is closely linked to the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which requires material reduction and enhanced recyclability.

The company will continue investing in R&D to improve fibre sources and develop bio-based adhesives, ensuring fully circular solutions that meet the needs of a society increasingly demanding genuine sustainability.

As a European benchmark, Hinojosa will explore new business models through its AI Lab and the “Hingenia” intrapreneurship program, using artificial intelligence to optimise eco-design.

This evolution will consolidate the technological leadership of the European paper industry and move towards a model where forest-based design becomes the standard for a sustainable future.

Current contribution

BottleClip Carrier acts as a benchmark for the European bioeconomy by replacing fossil-based plastics with certified renewable resources. Its main economic contribution lies in radical resource efficiency: the design reduces material use by up to 85% compared to conventional plastic solutions.

BottleClip Carrier also offers operational advantages by facilitating handling and optimizing packaging space. Its design allows it to be delivered in cartridges, making transport and storage significantly easier. In addition to reducing operational effort, the system enables more efficient use of machinery, both in performance and size, achieving a reduction of nearly 4 meters in machine length.

As a “Made in Europe” innovation, it is the result of collaboration between the design of a Spanish company and German engineering, strengthening Europe’s technological sovereignty in the green transition.

The solution is already validated in the international market through brands such as Vilsa. Furthermore, the project supports qualified industrial employment in the graphic arts and mechanical engineering sectors across the regions where Hinojosa operates.

By drastically reducing the use of virgin plastic, BottleClip Carrier becomes a key tool for brands to improve their ESG performance and meet the European Union’s demanding environmental targets, demonstrating that a competitive forest-based bioeconomy is achievable.