NUEVAS TECNOLOGIAS PARA EL DESARROLLO DE PACKAGING Y PRODUCTOS AGROALIMENTARIOS CON COMPONENTE PLASTICA SL

Their core work

TECNOPACKAGING is a Spanish SME specializing in sustainable packaging materials and bioplastics for the food and agriculture industry. They develop biobased and biodegradable plastic packaging solutions, working on alternatives to conventional plastics using agricultural waste streams, biopolymers like PHA, and natural additives. Their core contribution to EU projects is translating lab-scale bio-material formulations into functional packaging prototypes — bridging the gap between polymer research and industrial food packaging applications. More recently, they have expanded into printed electronics for smart packaging and feather-derived biomaterials.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

TECNOPACKAGING's early work (2016–2018) focused on biobased material development — biopolymer processing, additive manufacturing with agricultural waste, and designing biodegradable packaging replacements. From 2019 onward, their focus shifted toward circular economy systems, sustainability-driven bioplastics, and functional ingredients from food industry by-products. Their most recent projects show two new directions: smart packaging through printed electronics (MADRAS, 2020) and bioeconomy applications using keratin from poultry feathers (UNLOCK, 2021), signaling a move from pure material substitution toward higher-value, functionally enhanced packaging.

TECNOPACKAGING is evolving from a bioplastics packaging company toward integrating smart functionalities (sensors, electronics) into sustainable packaging, positioning them at the intersection of bio-materials and digital packaging innovation.

How they like to work

TECNOPACKAGING operates exclusively as a participant — they have never coordinated an H2020 project, which is typical for a specialist SME that brings targeted technical capability rather than project management. With 112 unique partners across 22 countries in 8 projects, they work in large consortia (averaging 14+ partners per project), indicating they are valued as a reliable technical contributor in multi-partner Innovation Actions. Their broad partner network suggests they are easy to integrate into new consortia and have established credibility across many European research groups.

Extensive network of 112 unique partners spanning 22 countries, built entirely through participant roles in large Innovation Action consortia. Their geographic reach is pan-European with no apparent regional concentration, reflecting the broad international scope of their packaging and materials projects.

What sets them apart

TECNOPACKAGING occupies a specific niche: they are a packaging-focused SME that can take biopolymer and agro-waste research and turn it into functional packaging prototypes. Unlike university labs that stop at material characterization, they bring industrial packaging design and processing know-how — making them the bridge between material scientists and food industry end-users. Their recent entry into printed electronics for smart packaging adds a digital dimension that few bio-packaging SMEs can offer.

Highlights from their portfolio

• NEWPACK
  Largest single EC contribution (EUR 339,168) and most representative of their core mission — developing competitive bio-based plastics for sustainable food packaging.
• UNLOCK
  Their most recent and forward-looking project, converting poultry feather waste into keratin-based biodegradable plastics — a creative circular bioeconomy approach.
• MADRAS
  A strategic departure into printed electronics and smart tags, signaling TECNOPACKAGING's expansion from passive packaging materials into intelligent packaging systems.