Fibtray Solutions S.L., a startup backed by AINIA and REDIT Ventures, has signed an agreement with Grupo La Plana to manufacture the Fibtray® tray—a laminated cardboard packaging solution that can reduce plastic use by up to 96% compared to conventional trays. The product features an innovative design that enables cardboard-based solutions suitable for modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) with full reliability.
Designed for recyclability within the paper/cardboard stream, Fibtray® improves packaging airtightness—thanks to a patented flat, seamless sealing edge that is fully uniform—reduces the risk of defects in production lines, and enhances food safety. The initiative aligns with the objectives of the European Green Deal and new packaging regulations, supporting the market adoption of more sustainable solutions compatible with existing packaging lines. Its design accommodates multiple formats, including fresh meat and fish, processed meats, and ready meals.
For Grupo La Plana, the agreement represents a step forward in industrializing an innovative solution and transforming an R&D-developed technology into a manufacturable product with quality, consistency, and supply capacity. According to its CEO, Juan Ignacio Piquer, “this collaboration allows us to contribute our industrial expertise to accelerate its market rollout.”
Fibtray® consolidates this technological advancement by offering a packaging solution that combines sustainability with industrial feasibility. Its optimized design ensures stable performance on production lines, enabling consistent and safe heat-sealing processes, as well as seamless integration into existing packaging systems, including MAP. In addition, its versatility allows adaptation to different product categories, expanding sustainable packaging options within the food industry.
For Cristina Del Campo, Director General of AINIA, the agreement reinforces AINIA’s mission to transfer technology that helps industry decarbonize packaging without compromising food safety or industrial efficiency. “With Grupo La Plana as a manufacturing partner in the Valencian Community, we are bringing an AINIA patent closer to real production, providing companies with a competitive, ready-to-integrate alternative to plastic,” she noted.
For his part, Pablo García Monera, CEO of Fibtray Solutions, emphasized that “this agreement marks a decisive step in accelerating Fibtray®’s market entry and demonstrating that sustainable packaging can be industrialized in a real, scalable, and competitive way. Collaboration with Grupo La Plana allows us to combine innovation, production capacity, and sector expertise to offer the food industry a high-value alternative that drastically reduces plastic, maintains food safety, and integrates into existing packaging lines.”
This agreement reinforces Grupo La Plana’s commitment to innovation and diversification of cardboard solutions, enabling it to incorporate MAP tray manufacturing into its portfolio—a segment where the company was not previously active. The collaboration also forms part of AINIA’s strategy to leverage its intellectual property through Fibtray Solutions S.L. to drive the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of new sustainable packaging solutions for the food industry.
More broadly, the agreement highlights the strength of the agri-food innovation ecosystem in the Valencian Community, bringing together the capabilities of a technology center, a startup, and a leading regional manufacturer.
About Fibtray Solutions S.L.
Fibtray Solutions is a Valencia-based deep-tech startup promoted by AINIA and backed by REDIT Ventures. Its mission is to develop, manufacture, and commercialize sustainable, fiber-based packaging solutions such as the Fibtray® tray, enabling the food industry to adopt plastic alternatives compatible with existing packaging lines.
About Grupo La Plana
Grupo La Plana is a family-owned industrial group specializing in the production of corrugated and solid cardboard packaging, as well as point-of-sale display solutions for sectors such as agriculture, food, beverages, ceramics, FMCG, and e-commerce. Founded in 1973 in Betxí (Castellón), it now operates six production plants across Spain—in Betxí and Onda (Castellón), Cenicero (La Rioja), Igualada (Barcelona), Leganés (Madrid), and Crevillente (Alicante)—alongside sixteen assembly centers and commercial offices in Valencia and Almería, totaling 120,000 m² of facilities.
About AINIA
AINIA is a private technology center with more than 35 years of experience in R&D&I, focused on driving innovation in strategic sectors such as food, packaging, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and chemicals. With a network of over 800 associated companies and 1,700 clients annually, AINIA works in key areas including future food, food safety, health, green transition, and digital transformation. Its facilities, spanning more than 16,500 m², are equipped with advanced technologies to develop innovative projects that deliver efficient and sustainable solutions to industry.
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