Case Study: Silgan Plastics achieves 93% faster prototyping and 60% cost savings with Stratasys FDM

FDM Models Reduce Time to Market for New Spoonable Zero-Calorie Sweetener

Silgan Plastics, a leading designer and manufacturer of plastic packaging, was asked by Cargill to create a distinctive, 9.8 oz recyclable spoonable Truvia container that fit retail shelves and appealed to consumers. To speed iteration and reduce outsourcing costs, Silgan Plastics turned to Stratasys and its Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology, installing three Stratasys FDM machines in their design center.

Using Stratasys FDM prototypes, Silgan produced 10 design concepts in about 48 hours and iterated rapidly with the Truvia team, allowing hands‑on evaluation of form, ergonomics and graphics. The move cut per‑prototype cost from about $750 to roughly $300 (a $450, ~60% saving) and reduced lead time for 10 prototypes from ~30 days to 2 days (~93% faster), while enabling final refinements that led to a well‑received retail package.

Silgan Plastics

Stephen Kocis

Creative Design Services Manager