Mechanical caps: innovation as a solution to the challenges of the circular economy.
Edard
You’re probably familiar with the mechanical cap—that retro-style cap attached to an old-fashioned beer or soda bottle by a curved metal wire. Unlike caps, it lets you reseal your bottle to finish it later, and it’s virtually infinitely reusable. These caps are made in Alsace by the 40 passionate employees of Edard, a company founded in 1795. Today, they’ve made it their mission to innovate in pursuit of greater sustainability.
Adapting to the ecological context.
With the rise of the circular economy, the reintroduction of deposit-return systems is now seen as the cornerstone of a sustainable solution to these challenges.
Mechanical stoppers are designed to be reused.
Innovating while staying true to its traditional spirit.
Based on this observation, Edard expressed to Dynergie his desire to take action by identifying a growth driver for the deposit-return system in France as well as for his own business.
The manufacturer’s goal was to move toward greater sustainability while preserving the traditional spirit inspired by bottles with mechanical caps. Innovation proved to be the right approach for achieving greater sustainability, modernity, and interconnectivity among the players in the ecosystem.
Turning ambition into a high-potential offering.
Identify opportunities
Using our proprietary Impact Model, our experts mapped out opportunities for Edard related to the reintroduction of deposit-return systems by analyzing the needs of ecosystem stakeholders and cross-referencing them with what emerging technologies could offer them.
It identified a concept—based on technology for digitizing the mechanical cork—as an opportunity to maximize its potential impact on the sector.
Validate the potential
After confirming the technical feasibility, all potential use cases for which this new technology could be applied were identified, enabling the development of a concept ready for market testing.
Following this initial strategic analysis phase, Edard turned to our experts to validate the concept’s potential and develop it into a tailored offering.
An initial marketing phase for the offering (a critical step in developing the value proposition) preceded the targeting of potential customers in order to showcase the concept and identify the profiles of ideal customers.
Source the land
To confirm the viability of the project, we conducted a qualitative B2B survey to test the market. This approach involved approaching prospects from a sales perspective as if the product or service already existed.
This crucial step also made it possible to collaborate with breweries—the project’s core target audience—to develop a solution and launch a pilot program at their facilities.
During the first three qualitative interviews, our experts and the Edard project team had already identified strong interest in the project.
The results
Staying closely attuned to user needs.
This approach has enabled us to build a collaborative relationship with customers to optimize the new Edard offering, by closely aligning with actual market usage and conducting technical trials under real-world conditions.
Tenfold potential.
TheImpact Model method developed by Dynergie, combined with Edard’s in-depth knowledge of the market, has made it possible to develop a solution that addresses industrial, marketing, and sustainability challenges through the reintroduction of the deposit system.
2 tests conducted.
By partnering with a company like Dynergie, Edard’s teams quickly assembled a network of technical experts to ensure the successful completion of two trials designed to demonstrate the value of the solution. These efforts were undertaken to gather key data and metrics needed to make informed decisions.
Four manufacturers have already expressed interest.
Thanks to the market validation approach—which is based on the principle of selling before manufacturing and, therefore, investing—four manufacturers have expressed their interest in integrating the solution into their processes.
In conclusion.
Every stage of this project was crucial. From the project’s inception to its completion, methodology was key. By combining innovation expertise with an in-depth understanding of the industry, its ecosystem, its needs, and its practices, we were able to turn a concept into a market success.
Joël SEGENREICH
"EDARD is one of France’s oldest companies, with proven expertise and a deep understanding of its ecosystem. Innovation thus becomes a choice—a resolutely bold and deliberate one—to view change as an opportunity to create greater value for our customers, our employees, and the planet. To take on this challenge and venture off the beaten path, we chose to place our trust in Dynergie. They have successfully applied their expertise to our vision with method, perseverance, and humility. Innovating with Dynergie means embarking on a journey of questioning, discovery, and pushing boundaries—but with the right guide by your side. We appreciated both the results and the highly educational journey we took together."
