Can you introduce CurTec to our readership?

CurTec is a GMP-certified high-performance packaging company manufacturing plastic screw top drums, pails, and jars for high-value materials industries, including pharma and specialty chemicals. In 2023, the company expanded our production capability into the US and opened a GMP and FSSC-certified facility in Westminster, South Carolina. We are primarily a bulk packaging supplier that specializes in keeping the products of pharmaceutical, specialty chemicals, and food ingredients companies safe during transport and storage while also having the safety of the humans interacting with the product in mind. Our development, production, and logistic processes are certified and comply with the high-quality requirements of our customers.

How important will the US be for CurTec moving forward?

As many of the development of new medicines and drugs are happening in the US, this market will remain extremely important for CurTec. We already supplied a large US customer base from the Netherlands, but to be closer to our customers, cut down on delivery time, and reduce transportation needs to make the logistics chain more sustainable, we decided to establish a manufacturing facility in the US. Since the opening of the facility in May 2023, we have seen great traction, and we look forward to partnering with new customers. CurTec has a unique product that fits the unique needs of the market, and we see the US as our main market for growth. South Carolina is a growing production hub, which means there is ample talent. From a logistics perspective, the state is geographically well-located to easily reach customers.

What is CurTec’s approach to ESG?

In 2023, Ecovadis again awarded CurTec a gold sustainability rating, and SBTi accepted the company’s 2023 and 20250 climate goals to reduce our GHG emissions.

We are focused on truly understanding our own footprint and have mapped out our scope 1, scope 2, and scope 3 emissions. Where we see the biggest impact is in raw materials production and the end of life of the products, which is why our actions are primarily focused around these two topics. Circularity is becoming increasingly important in the packaging industry, and we contribute to a circular economy by having introduced recycled and biobased materials into our products. CurTec’s sustainability goals are divided into three pillars – Climate, where the ambition is to bring emissions to net zero across our entire value chain; Health and Well-being where we are focused on having a positive impact on the health, safety, and well-being; and Circularity and Partnerships where the focus is on working with partners on the transition to a circular packaging industry through new products and materials.

For the pharma industry to reach the level of sustainability it wants and needs to, there has to be industry collaboration and it will have to start at the top. We are already seeing big pharma pushing from the top, researching alternative packaging solutions or materials like biobased and working only with companies with a strong and active ESG policy, in efforts to make their supply chain more sustainable. These efforts will ultimately trickle down throughout the industry, making entire supply chains sustainable.

What makes you excited about the life sciences industry in 2024 and beyond?

There is optimism in the market, and we are seeing much more activity in terms of new projects coming online. There are efforts to eliminate cost and quality issues in the supply chain, as well as to work towards a more sustainable supply chain, and the level of opportunities that are arising is much higher than in 2023. CurTec has expanded our sales and support team in the US to meet increased customer demand, and since the establishment of our facility in the US, we have felt the appreciation of the market in being able to have a local partner, especially in light of many companies trying to localize their supply chains.

What are CurTec’s main priorities for the next year?

CurTec hopes to significantly grow our market presence in the US. Furthermore, realizing that the companies we work with are often globally organized, we have in Q1 2024 opened a new sales office in Singapore, supporting the Asia-Pacific markets. Lastly, we will continue to innovate and make further bold steps forward in terms of sustainability through collaboration with industry partners.