Unilever Turns to 3D Printing to Make Better Plastic Bottles

One less-discussed area where we have seen the growth of 3D printing in recent years is in the packaging industry. With the market valued at $1.21B in 2023 and expected to rise to $2.56B by 2023, according to Future Market Insights, in recent years we have seen more and more large names including L’Oréal and Pepsi turning to additive manufacturing. Now, we have yet another to add to the list, Unilever, who has turned to resin 3D printing from Formlabs to make molds for plastic bottles.

Maybe you have not heard of Unilever before. However, you have definitely heard of some of the British company’s products and brands, including Axe, Ben & Jerry’s, Dove, and Knorr, among many others. The fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) conglomerate is the largest producer of soap in the world, with products available in over 190 countries. Still, the FMCG sector has fierce competition and thus Unilever is constantly looking for ways to innovate, including this latest move to use 3D printing for bottles.

Comparing bottle prototypes made using the 3D printed mold

Stefano Cademartiri, CAD & Prototyping Owner, Unilever, expands, “A consumer goods company like Unilever must be on the market as soon as possible or before your competitors. You need to offer the best product at the best price in the shortest time possible to the consumers. 3D printing helps us speed up this process.”