Ecopol invests in water-soluble polymers and edible films from JRF Technology

Ecopol, a leading developer and producer of innovative biodegradable films and delivery systems, announced it has completed a strategic investment in JRF Technology, a leading developer of water-soluble polymer and edible film technology.

Founded in 2007 and based in Tampa, Florida, JRF is an innovation and R&D organization focused exclusively on water-soluble polymer and edible film technology. From its state-of-the-art GMP laboratory, JRF provides innovation services to clients ranging from leading multinational consumer goods companies to innovative start-ups. The Company has unique expertise in product development and process technology to convert water-soluble polymers into value-added commercial products. JRF will continue to be led by President James Rossman and Managing Director Richard Fielder and will serve as Ecopol’s US R&D Center of Excellence, complementing its R&D capabilities in Italy.

JRF represents the latest in a series of global investments by Ecopol to expand its capacity and capabilities. Ecopol recently invested in a new pouch-filling pilot line at its Italian R&D Center of Excellence to enhance its product development capabilities for unit-dose detergent delivery systems. Since 2019, Ecopol has invested more than 70 million euros to add the largest solution cast polyvinyl alcohol film line in the world to serve laundry applications and a new production facility in Griffin (Georgia), to serve the North American market. Ecopol will continue to seek strategic opportunities and investments globally to bolster its R&D capabilities and add new technologies. These steps represent the first in partnership with SK Capital Partners, which made a strategic investment to acquire a majority stake in Ecopol in September 2023.

“Our strategic investment in JRF aligns well with Ecopol’s strategy to accelerate the development of the next generation of sustainable delivery systems,” said Ecopol CEO Mauro Carbone. “We see tremendous opportunity to leverage our complementary R&D capabilities and JRF’s exciting pipeline to commercialize innovative biodegradable and bio-based delivery systems for applications across attractive end-markets, including personal care and healthcare. We believe these solutions will experience significant tailwinds for adoption as brand owners and consumers seek more sustainable and innovative products. We are excited to collaborate with Jim and Richard, who bring decades of experience as inventors and innovators in the field.”

“Since founding JRF more than 15 years ago, our focus on serving as an innovation partner to our clients has driven our expansion. Ecopol’s strategic investment will allow us to invest further in our development and commercial capabilities and accelerate the introduction of our innovative pipeline to the marketplace. Mauro and his team’s expertise in scaling up world-class production of innovative films and delivery systems makes Ecopol the ideal partner for JRF, and together we look forward to realizing the full potential of water-soluble polymer technology,” added Rossman and Fielder.

Josh Lieberman, Principal at SK Capital, added: “We are excited to leverage SK Capital’s deep resources and capital to support Ecopol as they invest to expand its R&D capabilities globally and accelerate the introduction of innovative products to new end-markets. We look forward to continuing to back Mauro as he executes on his vision to make Ecopol the global leader in sustainable delivery systems.”