The Invento facility was opened in Gardno Industrial Park at the end of September last year. Its main product − a can − seems prosaic enough. However, Invento cans are not made from aluminium, but from PET which is known, among others, as the material used in the production of plastic bottles. The manufacturing process is based on an innovative technology invented by Bogumił Miłkowski − a co-founder of the company and a machinery industry specialist. It was developed by Invento and patented in 96 countries of the world. 

 

Invento cans are manufactured from transparent PET, their capacity ranges from 240 to 500 ml and they come in many forms and sizes (the company's offer includes 10 different types). They are used for cold beverages, but due to increased heat resistance, Invento containers can also hold hot drinks. Aluminium taps that are similar to those known from aluminium cans are used to close them. Invento cans are more resistant to damage than PET bottles, and they are similar to aluminium cans both in their resistance and pricing.

 

“Invento's objective was to create a new type of container that would be based on materials that can be recycled and that have higher barrier proprieties. The new product was to combine the attributes of PET bottles and aluminium cans,” says Michał Makaruk, Director of Operations at Invento Group. PET cans, as opposed to aluminium cans, can be used to hold fizzy drinks as well as flavoured water.

 

Higher resistance

 

In response to the demands of the client that buys cans from Invento (the name will remain unknown), the company has undertaken to improve its cans even further. With that end in mind it started cooperating with the Centre of Bioimmobilisation and Innovative Packaging Materials (CBIMO) led by Professor Artur Bartkowiak and operating at West Pomeranian University of Technology.

 

The project carried out by Invento and CBIMO is focused on improving the barrier properties of the material, to be specific, its light and gas transmittance.

 

The production of improved cans is scheduled to start in the fourth quarter of 2016. The new cans will be exported to the U.S., and then to other countries of the world. The remaining clients of Invento that operate in the FMCG and bottling sectors, the majority of which do business on a global scale, are also bound to benefit from the new technological solution. One of them is Monster Energy − the top global producer of energy drinks which has signed a long-term contract with Invento. Soon afterwards, the services provided on the American market will be taken over by Invento Americas, a facility that has recently been opened in Sheboygan in Wisconsin.

 

 

EU-supported Innovation 

 

At the turn of 2017 and 2018 Invento plans to open a Research and Development Centre in Gardno to conduct detailed tests and research in the scope of new containers. However, some of the research will still be continued by CBIMO. “We expect our cooperation with CBIMO to last long,” says Michał Makaruk.

 

He admits that innovative business undertakings require considerable financial outlays. That is why Invento has been using EU subsidies in its work on design of new containers and putting them into production. Almost PLN 2.6 million was provided by OP IE, and further PLN 1.4 million − by the European Regional Development Fund. However, the most serious cash injection (PLN 23 million) came from a project carried out as part of OP IE 2014-2015. The above subsidies accounted for 50% of the project's budget. 

 

100% Polish capital

 

Invento Sp. z o.o. was established in 2004 by private investors: Venture Capital (a Polish fund), Impera Capital and the inventor, Bogumił Miłkowski. The Invento plant in Gardno employs 50 people, and the Warsaw headquarters − 20 people. In 2012 the Company acquired a new financial investor − FX Data − that purchased some of the shares from Impera Capital thus becoming the majority shareholder.

 

The Company sells cans to well established beverage producers, such as Monster Energy, Plusk Water, Akvo and Pop Water.

 

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