Finalist De Gouden Noot 33rd edition Eco-Lite Drums

Eco-Lite Drums by CurTec

The pharmaceutical and fine chemical industries demand the highest standards of bulk packaging regarding content protection, safety and regulatory compliance. At the same time, these industries face growing pressure to reduce material use, lower CO₂ emissions and prepare for stricter circularity requirements. ECO LITE drums were developed by CurTec to address both challenges in one industrial packaging solution.

ECO LITE drums are a new generation of high-performance plastic drums designed around circularity from the start. The design has been fundamentally simplified: mounted handgrips have been eliminated, and the separate gasket has been replaced by an innovative integrated HDPE sealing solution. Overall, the drum weight has been reduced by 25% by using advanced simulation and production technologies. This reduction has been achieved without compromising the protection, handling performance and reliability required in regulated industrial markets.

The result is a reusable, 100% mono-material HDPE-drum that is easier to recycle and better aligned with circular packaging principles. The standard ECO LITE drum is produced with 30% bio-based material and delivers an estimated 30% reduction in CO₂ emissions compared with conventional alternatives. Further reductions are available by selecting 100% bio-based material or recycled material options.

ECO LITE drums show that sustainability in industrial packaging does not have to come at the expense of performance. It is a scalable, market-ready solution for customers in pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals who want to reduce their packaging footprint. It reduces Scope 3 emission targets, prepares for PPWR requirements, while continuing to protect their critical materials.