CAPS & CLOSURES 19 PETplanet Insider Vol. 27 No. 01+02/26 www.petpla.net print is decided before the tool ever runs. That principle will guide how we design the next generation of products. Beyond our own operations, we are supporting efforts to improve carbon data quality from material producers. Reliable upstream information is essential for real decarbonisation, and a collective approach will help the entire value chain move faster. PETplanet: Where does product innovation sit within this? It has been a demanding year operationally. Henckes: Innovation becomes more important, not less. We advanced our lightweighting work, especially in edible oil caps where we will deliver lighter, more recyclable solutions without sacrificing performance. We also introduced our PPWR Ready range to help customers act early rather than waiting for the rules to harden. At the same time, our teams are preparing the product platforms we will take to Interpack. Interpack only comes once in a cycle. It’s a great opportunity to show where the company is heading. We intend to use that opportunity fully. tomers, but to help them understand what is coming and why waiting is the risky option. Sustainability Week helped here because it provided clarity. It removed the noise and showed the facts. PETplanet: So, what is your outlook for 2026? Henckes: Demand will remain cautious at the start of the year. But the regulatory wave is not slowing. PPWR will continue to move from discussion to implementation. Carbon reporting will harden. Mass balance will become central. And Interpack will be the first major moment to show how design, carbon and circularity come together in real products. For UNITED CAPS, the priority is clear. Stay credible. Stay science based. Stay ahead of the rules. And help customers move from ambition to action. PETplanet: Thank you very much! www.unitedcaps.com PETplanet: Let’s talk supply chains. Are they any more predictable than last year? Henckes: Not really. Energy is more stable than 2023 to 2024, but it is still a structural cost risk. The geopolitical picture is fragmented. The US, EU and Asia are moving in different directions on industrial policy. Tariffs are on and off… trade no longer outpaces GDP, which tells you supply chains are shortening. Europe risks becoming less competitive if it does not address carbon competitiveness. PETplanet: Let’s finish with customers. Are they really ready to move with urgency on sustainability? Henckes: Some are. Many are not. Consumers say they will pay more for sustainable packaging but often do not follow through. Brands behave the same. Commitments are made, but action follows slowly unless cost can be shared. Trust is low. Scrutiny is high. And the rules are tightening. This is why we ask our sales teams to discuss sustainability in every meeting. Not to pressure cus4–5 March Cologne (Germany) ai-circulareconomy.eu Be Part of the Future! SPONSOR the transformation. EXHIBIT in the very heart of the conference hall. MEET valuable contacts and shape the circular economy. >200 Participants Expected Unlocking the Potential of Renewable Carbon from Biomass, CCU and Recycling through Artificial Intelligence • Digital Twins, PINNs & Process Intelligence • Data-Driven & Optimised Operations in Manufacturing • AI for Sustainable Materials Discovery • Mechanical & Chemical Recycling with AI • Smart Sorting & Feedstock Intelligence Systems • Predictive Economic Modelling & Strategic Market Intelligence • Waste-to-Value & Bioeconomy Innovation • Society, Skills & Responsible Innovation with AI
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