CPFormplast and Sulapac Partner to Redefine Sustainable Thermoformed Packaging

Sustainable Biobased material for thermoforming!

We are thrilled to announce a strategic collaboration between CP Formplast — a leader in thermoformed packaging — and Sulapac — the Finnish material innovator on a mission to replace conventional plastic.

With this partnership we combine manufacturing know-how with next-generation materials to deliver sustainable packaging solutions.

Why CPFormplast?

Founded in 1981, CP Formplast has decades of experience designing and manufacturing custom thermoformed packaging for industries ranging from food and cosmetics to electronics and medical.

Importantly, CP Formplast has embedded sustainability into its operations. Their mission emphasizes recyclable and recycled-content materials.

Committed to the 3Rs — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: CP Formplast designs packaging with circular economy principles in mind, using recycled and recyclable materials, optimizing energy use, and minimizing waste and water consumption.

Why Sulapac?

Sulapac is a breakthrough in materials science: its proprietary biocomposite uses sustainably-sourced wood side-streams plus plant-based binders, creating a material that biodegrades without leaving permanent microplastics behind.

Further, Sulapac’s materials are drop-in compatible with existing machinery — meaning packaging converters don’t need to completely rebuild their lines to adopt them.

Sulapac products offer a premium quality and beautiful natural look, suitable for high-end and functional applications.

Applications & Industries

Together, the companies are targeting several key markets:

Food packaging: Lightweight trays or clamshells made from a bio-based, compostable grade of Sulapac.

Protective packaging: Thermoformed packaging for electronics or health care where material performance cannot be compromised.

Cosmetics & luxury goods: Trays, inserts and displays that deliver premium look and feel with a lower environmental footprint.

What this means for brands

For brands considering a switch, this collaboration offers:

Access to packaging solutions that tick sustainability credentials and aesthetic/functional requirements.
A smoother transition path: using established thermoforming practices (via CP Formplast) with new material technology (via Sulapac).
A story worth telling: marrying craftsmanship of custom packaging with genuine material innovation.
In short: you don’t have to compromise on look, feel or performance to be more responsible.

Looking Ahead

As this partnership matures, we anticipate rollout of new product lines and materials optimized for thermoforming, with further reductions in carbon footprint and waste.

Also, broader adoption means greater volumes, which drives cost-efficiencies — a key lever for this kind of innovation to become mainstream.

It’s not about a niche ‘eco’ product anymore — it’s about the next normal in packaging.

Easy to process material with natural look and feel

Sulapac Flow 1.7 is made from wood industry side streams and biodegradable biopolymers with 72% bio-based content.It’s safe for people and the planet, industrially compostable, and compliant with EU and FDA food contact standards.

The material offers premium detail and consistency, can be mechanically recycled, and has a cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of 1.15 kg CO₂ eq/kg (biogenic carbon included)

Join us on the journey

Whether you’re a brand looking to elevate your packaging, a designer curious about new materials, or a supply chain stakeholder ready to think differently — this partnership opens doors.

Get in touch with CP Formplast to explore how your next packaging project can be greener without compromise.

¹Relative biodegradation of 76% in 420 days in simulated marine environment test (ASTM D6691, 86°F / 30°C) using natural sea water. Not considered biodegradable in California.

²Ecotoxicity and threshold values for heavy metals tested according to EN 13432.

Tested for per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by an independent laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025 certified) based on CEN/TS 15968 test method; No PFAS compounds were detected.

In addition, Sulapac Flow has been analyzed in the Daphnia magna plankton toxicity test (according to OPPTS 850.1010 & OECD 202): test series showed that the degradation products of Sulapac Flow are non-toxic, and therefore, do not have any harmful effect on the plankton in the marine ecosystem.

³The compostability has been tested up to the thickness of 910 μm according to BPI (ASTM D6400) and Seedling (EN 13423).

⁴ Restrictions and specifications of use apply, please refer to relevant Declaration of Compliance for further information.

From Your Groceries to Your Gadgets: The State of Thermoforming in 2025

What is Thermoforming?

Thermoforming is a manufacturing process where a plastic sheet is heated to a pliable state and then shaped over a mold using vacuum or pressure. Although essential to modern industry, this technology is built upon foundational principles dating back more than 150 years.

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Ready to package your product with precision-engineered thermoformed designs? Request a free quote now, and our team will fast-track your prototypes and provide competitive pricing tailored to your needs.

The clear plastic container protecting your cretons at the grocery store is a perfect daily example of thermoforming. That sturdy PET clamshell, likely made from entirely recycled materials, is the modern result of a technology that started with 19th-century experiments and is now a cornerstone of the packaging industry.

For over 45 years, Montréal-based CP Formplast has led the thermoforming industry by prioritizing customer satisfaction alongside social and environmental responsibility. In this article, we’ll explore the evolution of thermoforming, from its historical roots to the high-tech, sustainable trends that are shaping its future.

A Brief History: From Parkesine to Precision Packaging

The journey of thermoforming begins with the invention of Parkesine in 1862, widely considered the first manufactured plastic. Innovator John Wesley Hyatt later advanced this material, using steam heat and steel molds to shape objects like toys and bottles, setting the stage for modern techniques. The process took a massive leap forward in 1938 when engineer C.B. Strauch invented the roll-fed thermoforming machine, enabling the mass production of items like ice-cube trays.

Today, that same fundamental process is used to create everything from the clear clamshell for a phone accessory to the sterile trays used in Canadians hospitals, showing just how far the technology has come.

Global Market Growth (USD)

Thermoforming isn’t just a mature industry; it’s a rapidly expanding one. The global market is set to grow from $47.4 billion in 2025 to nearly $60 billion by 2030, reflecting a healthy growth rate of over 4.5% each year. While food and beverage packaging remains the largest application, the pharmaceutical industry is driving the fastest new growth, highlighting thermoforming’s critical role in sterile and secure packaging.

$0B $15B $30B $45B $60B

$47.41B

$59.29B

2025

2030

Canadian Market Growth (USD)

Here in Canada, the thermoforming market is also on a strong growth trajectory. Expected to expand from $1.365 billion in 2021 to over $1.836 billion by 2028, this growth is fueled by high demand from key Canadian sectors like food processing, healthcare, and consumer goods.

$0B $0.5B $1.0B $1.5B $2.0B

$1.365B

$1.836B

2021

2028

Thermoforming in Your Daily Life

Thermoformed packaging is part of your daily life, and from our Montréal facility, CP Formplast creates many of the essential items Canadians rely on.

For the food and beverage industry, we design everything from protective trays and lids to secure clamshells for meats, cheeses, and baked goods. Our packaging is engineered to be tamper-evident and extend shelf life, all while being made with up to 100% recycled PET. We deliver the perfect blend of strength, clarity, and sustainability to ensure your product always looks its best.

In the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, rising hygiene standards demand packaging solutions that guarantee safety and integrity. CP Formplast delivers high-quality sterile trays and tamper-evident blister packs, providing the reliable performance that medical professionals and patients depend on.

For consumer goods, thermoformed packaging provides a powerful retail advantage. It combines crystal-clear product visibility with tamper-proof security, all in a durable, professional package designed to hang perfectly on a retail display.

For industrial and transport applications, our robust, heavy-gauge trays are engineered to secure and protect valuable components for complex supply chains in the automotive, electronics, and recreational vehicle sectors. For sensitive electronics, we also provide specialized electrostatic-dissipative (ESD) trays to prevent damage during handling and transport.

Questions and Answers (FAQs)

Why is thermoformed packaging ideal for food in Canada? Thermoformed packaging is essential for the food industry because it effectively extends shelf life, offers reliable tamper evidence, and protects products throughout the supply chain. In Canada, leading manufacturers like CP Formplast use materials such as 100% recycled PET, which are approved by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to meet the highest standards for food safety and quality.

Is recycled plastic packaging safe for direct food contact? Absolutely. In Canada, all materials used for food packaging are strictly regulated under the Food and Drugs Act to prevent the transfer of harmful substances. To further ensure safety, suppliers of recycled plastics can obtain a “Letter of No Objection” (LONO) from Health Canada, which confirms the material meets rigorous chemical safety standards. CP Formplast is committed to using materials that adhere to these stringent Canadian and U.S. FDA guidelines.

What is the difference between a clamshell and a blister pack? While both are popular thermoformed designs, their construction differs. A clamshell is a single piece of plastic that is hinged to fold over and enclose a product. In contrast, a blister pack consists of a formed plastic cavity (the blister) that is sealed to a separate backing material, such as a piece of cardboard.

Sustainability in Action: A Greener Approach

CP Formplast is committed to an eco-responsible mission that integrates sustainability into every facet of our operations.

Circularity: Our food containers are manufactured from post-consumer recycled PET, giving a second life to materials like plastic beverage bottles.
Clean Energy: The Montréal plant is powered by clean hydroelectricity from Québec’s grid, which significantly minimizes our carbon footprint.
Operational Efficiency: We further reduce our environmental impact through passive heating and cooling, heat recovery technology, and a closed-cycle water system.

Our ultimate goal is to establish a closed-loop recycling system, enabling us to reclaim used PET packaging from retailers and remanufacture it into new containers.

The Future of Thermoforming: Key Trends for 2025 and Beyond

The industry is rapidly evolving, driven by several key trends that CP Formplast is actively embracing.

Enhanced Sustainability: The push continues for more post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics, bio-based materials (like PLA and Bio PET), and mono-material designs that are easier to recycle.
E-Commerce Ready Packaging: With the growth of online retail, packaging must be durable enough for shipping while offering a pleasant unboxing experience. Durable thermoformed inserts and clamshells can reduce the need for secondary packaging.
Smart Manufacturing (Industry 4.0): Automation, robotics, and AI-driven quality control are making production faster and more consistent. CP Formplast’s use of four high-precision CNC machines for rapid prototyping is an example of this, allowing for quick development of custom designs.
Hygiene and Safety: The food and medical sectors continue to demand packaging with enhanced barrier properties and tamper-evident features to ensure product integrity and consumer safety.

Conclusion

Today’s thermoforming industry is a high-tech field focused on sustainability and innovation, a significant evolution from its early beginnings. CP Formplast proudly leads this charge in Canada by pairing an advanced design-to-delivery model with a deep commitment to using up to 100% recycled PET and clean energy. Our work demonstrates that it’s possible to achieve exceptional quality and reliability while upholding strong environmental values. With this balanced approach, CP Formplast is perfectly positioned to continue defining the future of packaging in Canada.

Considering Thermoforming Packaging?

Let’s connect to discuss your packaging needs. Our design team will prepare a complimentary proposal to help you decide if thermoforming is the ideal solution for your product.