TNT Group is looking well beyond zamak! The company, renowned for its expertise with this noble, dense, and cool-to-the-touch material — prized for giving packaging exceptional presence and durability — has just filed a patent that could significantly expand packaging possibilities across a variety of luxury sectors, from perfumes and cosmetics to spirits.
Blending aesthetics with circularity
TNT Group’s new patent-pending injected aluminum technology with a glossy anodized finish combines aluminum’s circularity advantages with the versatility of die-cast materials, while delivering aesthetic qualities close to those of zamak. It eliminates several of the constraints associated with zamak or cold-compressed aluminum solutions traditionally offered by the company.
In particular, it provides broad design flexibility, a wide range of metal finishes enabled by anodization, reduced weight compared to zamak while retaining a premium hand-feel, and full compatibility with standard household recycling streams.
TNT Group had already invested in the development of cold-compressed aluminum parts for clients such as Chanel and L’Artisan Parfumeur. This technology offered a lighter alternative to zamak, leveraging a widely available metal from the food industry and benefiting from significant volumes that facilitate access to established global collection and recycling streams. However, the shapes of these pieces remained limited to simple, symmetrical structures achieved through machining.
“The complementarity of zamak, cold-compressed aluminum, and the new anodized injected aluminum broadens the range of solutions available to brands, enabling them to adapt material choices to intended use, desired consumer experience, and ESG objectives,” explained the company in a release.
Life Cycle Assessments
To support its customers’ strategic choices, TNT Group has initiated Life Cycle Assessments (LCA) to evaluate and compare the environmental impact of different options for identical projects. These studies provide clients with transparent, measurable data to guide material and technology decisions. An initial LCA has already been completed, comparing recycled zamak with first-melt zamak. Additional studies will cover cold-compressed aluminum by the end of 2025 and anodized injected aluminum in 2026.
TNT Group said that the first projects are already in the design and industrial testing stages. This new solution will be presented at the company’s booth (VA12) at Luxe Pack Monaco.
With this innovation, the ISO 14067 certified company reaffirms its ability to transform all metals. TNT Group, which already manufactures its products with more than 30% recycled zamak, thus continues to advance the circularity of its portfolio.
Among the group’s latest achievements are two refillable packaging designs with an innovative structure for the new Darphin Paris skincare products.
