Sustainable packaging technology company Pulpex announced that it has opened its first commercial-scale fiber bottle manufacturing plant near Glasgow, Scotland, aimed at scaling production of its paper-based alternatives to conventional plastic and glass packaging.

Launched in 2020, UK-based Pulpex was established as a collaboration between Pilot Lite and Diageo together with a group of leading global CPG companies including Unilever, PepsiCo, Castrol, Haleon, Estée Lauder and Kraft Heinz, committed to pioneering compostable and recyclable packaging that degrades readily in the natural environment and has a significantly lower carbon footprint solution relative to glass or plastic. The company’s fiber bottle platform uses sustainably sourced wood pulp to produce bottles free from hidden plastic, designed to be recycled through existing household paper and cardboard recycling systems.

Pulpex said that the new facility marks the transition of its fiber bottle technology from pilot-scale development to commercial manufacturing. The plant will have an initial production capacity of up to 40 million units per year, with a long-term goal of scaling up to one billion units a year, the company added.

Scott Winston, Managing Director & Chief Science and Sustainability Officer at Pulpex, said:

“With an initial capacity of 40 million units a year, Glasgow is the first step on our path to one billion units globally. It is exactly the kind of innovation-led manufacturing the UK’s Industrial Strategy champions: high-value UK intellectual property, advanced production, skilled jobs in Scotland, and a practical solution for a lower-carbon economy.”

The launch comes amid tightening packaging and recyclability requirements, including those arising under the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and the UK’s Extended Producer Responsibility regime.

According to Pulpex, the new plant will serve as the reference facility for its international Manufacture under License network, under which established packaging manufacturers will produce fiber bottles closer to regional customer demand. The company’s partner-led model is designed to enable its expansion internationally without requiring brand owners to become manufacturers, while keeping production aligned with local recycling infrastructure.

At launch, more than 90% of than 90% of the site’s initial available capacity for the current financial year has been sold, with customers across both food-grade and non-food categories. The company said that Purely Scottish Natural Mineral Water plans to launch natural mineral water in Pulpex’s fiber-based bottles. As well, UK cleaning company smol is introducing Pulpex fiber bottles into its liquid laundry business, providing an alternative to conventional plastic packaging.

As part of its international expansion, Swiss paper manufacturing company Perlen Industrieholding has become Pulpex’s first European manufacturing partner, with exclusive manufacturing rights covering Switzerland, Austria, Italy and southern Germany. In Asia, India-based plastic packaging manufacturer Alternicq has secured exclusive market development rights across India and the Gulf Cooperation Council, as a precursor to a full manufacturing partnership.

The new facility has received investment support from the UK’s National Wealth Fund and the Scottish National Investment Bank, which led Pulpex’s $78 million Series D financing round in 2025 to support the construction of its first commercial-scale manufacturing plant.

Sandy Westwater, CEO at Pulpex, said:

“The opening of our Glasgow facility marks the moment Pulpex moves from proving the technology to proving the industrial model. We have developed and industrialised a breakthrough packaging technology in the United Kingdom, and Glasgow is where partners and brand owners can now see it running.