A recognized expert in the design and manufacturing of innovative plastic solutions dedicated to human and animal health industries, Union Plastic is a French supplier of custom products and also develops its own product lines. Yohann Langlois, Innovation and Development Project Manager, explains the strategies this plastics manufacturer has implemented to reduce its carbon footprint.
Yohann Langlois, Innovation and Development Project Manager, talks about the strategies implemented by Union Plastic to reduce its carbon footprint.
Interview by Rachelle Lemoine, editor at The Pharmaceutical Post.
R.L. : Union Plastic manufactures millions of plastic parts each year. How do you reconcile this activity with current environmental challenges?
Y.L. : It’s indeed a major challenge for us.
We produce approximately 2 billion parts per year, which represents 4,000 tons of raw materials, with the largest volumes being produced for our standard pipette-dosing product line.
Given these volumes, we’ve become aware of our environmental responsibility with a clear objective: to commit to continuously reducing our carbon footprint. Although we haven’t yet set specific numerical targets, we’re already actively working to reduce our impact.
R.L. : What concrete actions have you implemented?
Y.L. : Our approach is first and foremost based on leveraging what we control best. We’ve undertaken a profound transformation of our industrial facilities with concrete action on our energy consumption. Indeed, since our production takes place in ISO-certified cleanrooms, it’s particularly energy-intensive, and finding solutions to reduce energy consumption has become a priority since 2015.
Thus, 3,700 m² of photovoltaic panels have been installed since 2018 across our two sites in Haute-Loire, France. This installation has enabled us to reach a 25% energy self-sufficiency rate through self-consumption in 2025. We’ve also invested heavily in our machinery by replacing all hydraulic processes with latest-generation 100% electric presses, allowing us to significantly reduce energy consumption.
To this comes the use of hot block technology on all our molds, which allows us to limit energy consumption per part produced and especially to avoid waste production. This combination allowed us to reduce our energy consumption by 30%.
R.L. : Beyond energy, you’re also working on the materials themselves. Can you tell us more?
Y.L. : Indeed, work on new materials has become a major strategic focus. First, we prioritize polyolefins such as polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP), which ensure better recyclability.
But our approach is comprehensive and is structured around three main areas. The first is eco-design. We’ve managed to lighten our products by 20% by reducing the weight of raw materials used. This may seem modest, but multiplied by our production volumes, the impact is considerable.
Another research avenue: bio-based materials. This is clearly a growing demand among our clients, mainly for secondary packaging. We’re testing materials derived from sugarcane residues, corn starch-based materials, polylactic acid (PLA), or PBS.
Finally, we’re also investing in recycled materials, particularly post-consumer recycled polypropylene (PCR PP). This has become systematic for every new project.
R.L. : What are the main technical challenges you face with these new materials?
Y.L. : Post-consumer recycled materials present more complex variability control: they’re less traceable, more variable in their properties.
On the other hand, our production waste, which we recycle directly from the press outlet, is perfectly traced, so no issues there. In total, 220 tons of production waste are reused directly at the press outlet or in the recycling sector. For bio-based materials, we conduct rigorous selection. We primarily look at the availability of raw materials and the actual possibility of substituting them for petroleum-based materials. They must meet specifications that are as consistent as possible with existing materials. Our engineering department systematically validates the conditions of use for each application.
The major challenge remains the necessity of pharmaceutical grade for the materials we use. This is a level of requirement that considerably limits the available supply. Currently, we’re in contact with a new supplier offering a biodegradable material with pharmaceutical grade, which would be a real breakthrough.
R.L. : How do you work with your clients on these issues?
Y.L. : We’ve adopted a supportive approach. Our clients sometimes come with their own material proposals, and we help them validate technical and regulatory feasibility. When designing new products, we systematically propose the most sustainable material families, whether in terms of their origin or their recyclability.
This demand for more sustainable solutions is growing strongly. It’s become systematic for every new project. As a first priority, we always advocate for eco-design: designing lighter, more efficient products from the start.
R.L. : Union Plastic continues to use fossil-based materials. How are you managing this transition?
Y.L. : We’re realistic. Fossil-based materials will remain essential for some time, particularly to meet the strict requirements of our sector. We must secure our clients and our operations. The raw materials market is volatile, so we systematically maintain material backups in case of supply disruptions.
In the long term, reserves will be less productive. That’s why we’re already keeping an eye on decarbonized materials developments. We need to prepare for this shift. But the main obstacle is twofold: the market supply remains limited, and pharmaceutical regulations are extremely demanding, which is normal given the health stakes involved.
R.L. : In conclusion, what will be your strategy for the coming years?
Y.L. : Our vision is clear: Union Plastic must be a pioneering plastics manufacturer, capable of supporting the pharmaceutical industry in its ecological transition without compromising on quality, safety, and regulatory requirements.
We work in ISO 7, 8 and 9 certified cleanrooms, and this operational excellence must now be accompanied by environmental excellence. But the ecological transition of our industry is a collective challenge. As a supplier of custom products as well as our own products, we position ourselves as a partner capable of co-developing more sustainable solutions with our clients.
The question is no longer whether we should change, but how fast we can do it together, while maintaining the quality and safety standards that are at the heart of our profession.
Union Plastic is ready to take on this challenge alongside its pharmaceutical clients.