19 minute read
News
Packaging Process
Before
Purchase Wiring Solutions Plus (WSP)
Form Load Tape
After BoxLatch
Purchase Form Load Latch Ship
Ship REDARC Electronics
100%
Cut Open Empty Flatten Dispose
13%
Latch Open Empty Flatten Dispose
6x
Closed-Loop Corrugated Case Reuse Process Delivers Savings Through Cycles, Material Input Reduction
Wiring Solutions Plus (WSP) supplies wiring harnesses to manufacturer REDARC Electronics in suburban Adelaide, South Australia. Last year, the two companies piloted a closed-loop corrugated case reuse system to see how much (if any) material input savings they could achieve. Prior the trial, WSP’s products were packaged in single-walled corrugated cases that were taped closed before being sent to REDARC. These weak cases were often damaged during transport under the strain of the heavy wire contents. Upon receiving at REDARC, cases were opened, and aps removed with knives, then unloaded on the line before being disposed of after a single use.
With 42 cases shipped per week by WSP to REDARC for 50 weeks per year, even this small volume of corrugated was seen as wasteful. Supplier BoxLatch, whose clip products stabilize corrugated and provide for reuse, partnered with the two companies on a year-long trial to see what savings and circulatory could be achieved.
Today, by using BoxLatch products, WSP’s cases are now kept in good condition as they move through production, enabling their reuse like plastic totes, but at a fraction of the purchase cost. Two BoxLatches are used to secure the base of the box to carry an 11-kg (24-lb) load, while one is used to close the top of the case. Tape is no longer needed, saving WSP $115 per year.
The wire supplier also decided to upgrade its cases to a double-walled variety at a marginal cost to allow for reuse and improved product protection, which meant cases are cycled a modest seven times before disposal. This has cut costs from $1.20 to 0.30¢ per use. Over the expected ve years of use, this will prevent wasting 9,114 cases and over 20 km (13 miles) of tape.
While there were fears that BoxLatches would take more time, in practice they were faster than tape and knives for closing and opening boxes, saving WSP a projected $568 per year in staff costs.
REDARC bene ts from reduced task time and lowered risks from blades damaging products or injuring staff. Both WSP and REDARC have invested in a set of Clip & Stack products that are used to hold back box aps as items move along the assembly line, improving access to the contents while being faster and safer than rubber bands or tape. Open boxes are also now safely stacked to save oorspace.
Clean, empty cases are collapsed, with BoxLatches and Clip & Stack packed separately at end-of-line for reuse. No tape was stuck to conveyors and no bands were wrapped around rollers. Maintenance people were happy with this bene t, the company says. Cases and BoxLatches are then returned to WSP, where they start the cycle again.
This case study illustrates that closed loop corrugated case reuse works with even a small number of cartons and provides a signi cant ROI on the cost of BoxLatch products. The more cycles the cases are reused, the higher the return. —Matt Reynolds
Project Savings A$
Savings on boxes/cartons Savings on task time Savings on tape
Total Savings 5 Year Proj.
9,611.28 2,840.00 577.50 Annualised
1,888.64 568.05 115.50
12,284.41 2,456.69
BoxLatch Product Costs Return on Investment 744.66 1649% 329%
VS. Cost of box per use (1 cycle per box) A$ 1.14 Cost of tape per use A$ 0.06
(used a minimum 250 times) A$ 0.07
Savings per box use (75%) A$ 0.90
Read about the genesis of the WSP and REDARC corrugated case circularity pilot project in Packaging World at pwgo.to/7728.
Fiji Water Dives into 100% rPET
Following in the footsteps of major bottled water producers such as The Coca-Cola Company, Evian, Nestlé Waters, and others, Fiji Water has announced a transition to 100% post-consumer recycled PET bottles for its 330- and 500-mL package sizes in the U.S. The move, which the company says will replace nearly 65% of its bottled water volume with recycled material, falls in line with a multifaceted initiative it launched in 2019 to “transform its use of plastic while promoting a circular economy.” Among other strategies, the plan calls for the use of 100% rPET in all its bottles by 2025. Other sizes include 700 mL, 1 L, and 1.5 L.
“In our transition to recycled plastic, our intention is to make a truly meaningful and lasting environmental impact,” says Clarence Chia, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Fiji Water. “We are using recycled plastic to breathe new life into existing materials, while maintaining Fiji Water’s same great taste, look, and quality that consumers come to expect from Earth’s Finest Water. We will continue to set ambitious targets to drive innovation and transformation in our approach and commitment to sustainability and look forward to building on this momentum.”
According to the company, the switch to rPET not only reduces plastic waste, but also can reduce CO2 emissions in the process, with some studies showing that rPET can result in up to a 79% reduction in carbon emissions when compared to new material.
In addition to introducing the new 100% rPET bottles, Fiji Water adds that it has also invested approximately $2.5 million on energy efficiency initiatives on the Fijian islands, the source of Fiji Water, which includes the use of microturbine energy generation and adopting the low-sulfur fuel standard for all shipping to decrease sulfur oxide emissions. —Anne Marie Mohan
On-Pack QR Attracts Students with Beats
Harvest Snaps, a plant-based snack and flagship brand of Calbee America, Inc., is launching a music-driven, TikTokbranded effect designed to attract and engage college students across the U.S. this fall.
Created in partnership with Cutwater, its digital creative agency of record, the effect entitled “Snap Sounds” can be accessed directly through TikTok (@harvestsnaps_official) or by scanning the QR code on Harvest Snaps’ newly launched Mixed Snack Pack. This bag-in-bag, six-pack offering of veggie snacks includes the brand’s best-selling Lightly Salted and Tomato Basil flavors, along with Crunchy Loops Sour Cream and Onion. Each single-serve bag is portioned and sized for backpacks or handbags.
“We love the idea of making music while snacking, and TikTok is the perfect platform for reaching a younger group of consumers hungry for healthier, tasty snacks and fun experiences,” Sandra Payer, Calbee America, Inc.’s Head of Marketing says. “Snap Sounds is designed to appeal to these students, who crave better-for-you snacks and want to interact in a personal way with the brands they buy.”
Named after the fun-to-eat, snappy products, Snap Sounds invites audiences to create their own snacking-inspired music via head movements. Each motion triggers one of six beats, many of which are recorded sounds pulled directly from Harvest Snaps’ packaging and products, such as the memorable crunch that happens when you eat the snack. Users can create vocals, instruments, or even dance choreography. The beauty of the beats is that they create an ownable sonic identity for Harvest Snaps that wasn’t there before, the company says.
To drive awareness for the campaign and push sell-through of the Mixed Snack Pack at retail, Harvest Snaps is activating targeted ads on social media, influencer partnerships, a nationwide college sampling events program, and limited-time coupons for all Harvest Snaps items.
Harvest Snaps’ Mixed Snack Pack is available for retailers nationwide to carry for an SRP of $6.99. —Matt Reynolds
Most Packagers Changed Pack Source to Fight Market Challenges, Survey Finds
Supply chain disruptions and rising costs have necessitated changes across several industries, and packaging is no exception.
Nine out of 10 packaging decision makers changed how their packaging is sourced as a result of recent global supply chain disruptions, according to a survey for R.R. Donnelley (RRD) & Sons Company’s 2022 Unpackaging Reality Report.
The survey, conducted in April and May 2022, asked 300 U.S.-based procurement, brand marketing, and package engineering professionals how they have coped with current challenges and adapted to the evolving consumer marketplace.
Current market issues proved all-encompassing in the survey, with 96% of packaging leaders agreeing that supply chain disruptions and inflation impacted their operations in some way.
The results of current challenges haven’t been all bad though, according to Lisa Pruett, RRD president of packaging, labels and forms, and retail solutions.
“These challenges actually transformed the industry into a more innovative, agile, and environmentally conscious sector,” Pruett says. “Organizations responded with diverse strategies as there is not a one-size-fits-all approach to tempering disruptions.”
Below are some key statistics from RRD’s report that illustrate today’s market challenges and the packaging industry’s response: • Material price hikes and supply shortages have presented the largest challenge over the past years. About half (52%) of packaging professionals said their business was strongly impacted by material price increases, 46% by supply shortages, 37% by staffing challenges, and 36% equally strongly impacted by increasing demand and speed to market requirements.
• The majority of organizations have reprioritized some aspect of operations, including packaging materials (68%), budget (52%), packaging design and aesthetics (49%), and sustainability goals (45%). • Many companies have adapted their strategies to fit individual needs. Out of the 90% of packaging leaders who shifted their packaging source, 62% moved toward more diversification of suppliers, 42% outsourced their manufacturing or fulfillment, 39% cut down on their supplier roster, 30% substituted their package specifications, and 26% reshored to the U.S. • A majority of organizations (81%) made changes to packaging design over the past one to two years. Over one-third (36%) of packaging leaders said they were extremely willing to use alternative package materials. • Sustainability has surprisingly advanced in recent years, despite cost pressures. Two-thirds (66%) of packaging leaders said they have shifted
to more sustainable packaging than what was previously used. 55% of respondents even said recent supply chain disruptions moved their companies closer to their carbon emissions goals. • E-commerce and the packaging demands stemming from it have skyrocketed in recent years, partly due to increased online shopping through the COVID-19 pandemic. Over half (57%) of packaging professionals said their company’s e-commerce orders increased in the past one to two years, and 92% of those who saw an increase said it resulted in increased packaging needs. • Packaging professionals responded to this e-commerce growth by increasing inventory (55%), expanding warehousing (53%), changing materials (52%), and increasing staff (51%).
View the report at pwgo.to/7726. —Casey Flanagan
Reuse is on the Rise, but ‘Much More Needs to be Done’
Reusable and refillable packaging is one of the most dynamic sectors of the packaging market in 2022, with rapid growth fueled by innovative formats and the imperative for Consumer Packaged Goods companies to enact more planet-friendly business models. That’s according to a new report from Smithers, “The Future of Refillable and Reusable Packaging to 2027,” which outlines how retailers and brands can make a highly visible commitment to cutting single-use plastics by fundamentally rethinking their packaging for reuse.
According to Smithers’ data, the market for reusable/refillable packaging will reach $42 billion in 2022, up from $35.1 billion in 2017. As the industry looks to new concepts to realize true circularity in packaging, Smithers forecasts future growth at 5% year-on-year reaching a value of $53.5 billion in 2027.
Smithers’ analysis identifies four distinct reusable/refillable business models, a categorization that is also laid out in a 2019 publication from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, “Reuse – Rethinking Packaging”: • Refill-at-home: Users refill a container at home, typically with lightweight or concentrate refills delivered by a mobile refill or subscription service. • Return-from-home: Packaging is recovered for reuse from a consumer’s home by the scheme operator or a logistics company working under contract. • Refill-in-store: Consumers take reusable containers on their shopping trips to refill via an in-store dispensing point. • Return-in-store: Users return the reusable packaging at a store or designated drop-off point, often supported by a deposit return scheme.
As the report reveals, there is no single reuse model that works with all products and in every situation. Different consumers have different needs and wants, which depend on a host of factors—where they live, how they shop, and what they buy. Likewise, different product categories work better in-store than at home, and vice versa. “Success depends on tailoring solutions accordingly, removing barriers to entry, and keeping systems as simple as possible,” Smithers advises.
In beverage retailing, reuse/refill is a familiar business model, especially for glass bottles. For this reason, even in 2022, glass packaging for beverages remains the dominant segment, representing over 75% of all reuse/refill packs.
Other market segments are still at a nascent phase. Brand owners in food, cosmetics and personal care, and home care, as well as other beverage types are investing heavily in reuse/refill concepts featuring more durable packaging designed for repeat use and prolonged handling. Strengthened by the experience of COVID-19 and the rise in e-commerce subscription sales, Smithers forecasts each of these new segments will see
Read about another refill-in-store program on page 18 of this issue of Packaging World.
Unilever introduced its Dove refill-at-home deodorant package in early 2021.
ai166267233940_enercon-half-page-ad-outlined-9x5.4375-S-1766.pdf 1 9/8/2022 4:25:42 PM growth in excess of 30% year-on-year across the next five years.
Going forward, there are several technologies that will improve the effectiveness of reuse packaging models, the report advises. One is the integration of smart packaging technologies, such as scheme-specific smartphone apps, that link the consumer to advice on refill locations and incentivize reuse, for example. Integrating this with track-and-trace systems will give greater insight into packaging and waste flows, facilitating the more accurate mapping and effective collection of higher-value reusable packaging.
Another is the greater diversification of refill locations for refill-instore platforms, of which Smithers says there are not enough currently, to make them a more appealing option for customers. “Immediate priorities are to develop mobile refill machinery and multi-product dispensers that can provide a range of SKUs comparable to those seen on supermarket shelves,” says the report.
Lastly, superior bottle cleaning technology will increase the number of bottles recoverable for existing beverage refill systems, including the deployment of more automated, decentralized micro-cleaning facilities and more durable PET bottle constructions.
Concludes Smithers, while a large number of small-scale developments for reuse/refill have emerged since 2017, “much more needs to be done.” It adds, “More trials and scaling up of pilot projects on everyday household items must become available to consumers if refill and reuse is to become more mainstream.” —Anne Marie Mohan
Unilever’s Laundry Capsule Lowers Laundry’s Carbon Footprint
Unilever will soon launch a new laundry capsule and container designed to add a dash of sustainability to the laundry cycle.
The new capsules, set to be sold under Unilever’s Dirt Is Good brand (also known as Persil, Skip, OMO, and Surf Excel across global markets), use a fully biodegradable membrane now made with 25% renewable materials, a Unilever release says. The brand claims it’s the fastest dissolving capsule on the market.
“We needed to strike the balance between a film strong enough to protect the liquid formulation that would also dissolve quickly and fully in cold and short cycles, ensuring consumers could use them with confidence in the most energy efficient washing machine cycles,” Dr. Keith Rutherford, Head of Global Innovation, Unilever Home Care R&D, says.
The short- and cold-cycle-capable capsule design, combined with a detergent formula using biodegradable and 65% plant-based active ingredients, reduces the capsule’s carbon footprint by 16% and saves consumers up to 60% energy per wash.
The product’s packaging sustainability benefits extend beyond the capsule with a 100% plastic free container, supplied by Graphic Packaging International (GPI). Using fully recyclable cartonboard that is sourced half from recycled material and half from Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) certified forests, Unilever expects the containers to prevent over 6,000 metric tons of plastic from entering the waste stream each year.
The container features water-based barrier coatings and a separate pad inside to protect the capsules from water damage and excessive heat or humidity. It is easier to open than the outgoing plastic equivalent, with cartonboard strong enough to maintain opening functionality after repeated use. It also meets European standard test protocols for childproofing.
“[GPI and Unilever’s] combined expertise in carton design, product protection capabilities, and understanding of consumer behavior has enabled us to create this superior, plastic-free and child-proof solution, enabling consumers and businesses alike to reduce their use of single-use plastic,” Graphic Packaging International Director of New Business Development, EU Consumer Products Ralf Mack says.
This new package design furthers Unilever’s Clean Future Strategy, which aims to “fundamentally change the way that some of the world’s best-known cleaning and laundry products are created, manufactured, and packaged,” the release says.
Announced in September 2020, the strategy is backed by a €1 billion investment over the course of 10 years. It includes goals to use less plastic, better plastic, or no plastic where possible, and design packaging to meet requirements for a circular economy. “Through our Clean Future program, our ambition is to make sustainable cleaning the compelling choice for every consumer by bringing real innovation to established mass market products,” Unilever’s Rutherford says. “The new proprietary formulation and child-proof cardboard packaging is the work of so many people. This is our best and most sustainable laundry capsule yet.” The capsules were first released in France in September 2022, followed by the UK and other European countries in early 2023, with plans to expand globally in all Dirt is Good markets. —Casey Flanagan
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Electronic, bus-compatible position indicators with target / actual value comparison and intuitive operation Automated fi eldbus-/Ethernet compact actuators: easy commissioning, fast amortization Mechanically compatible: SIKO positioning systems are mechanically interchangeable
Grower Trials Grab-and-Go Paper Pack for Larger Apples
Wenatchee, Wash.-based tree fruit grower and packer Stemilt Growers is trialing a newto-the-U.S.-market, grab-and-go paperboard package for its larger-sized fruit—apples, in particular—that offers consumers a curbside-recyclable option for bulk fruit and drives consumer awareness and sales of larger-profile apple varieties. According to Stemilt Marketing Director Brianna Shales, the package, known as the EZ Band, was created in response to the high demand for grab-and-go grocery items during the COVID pandemic and to meet Gen Z consumers’ growing interest in more sustainable packaging
“Not long ago, apple sales were about 80% bulk and 20% in bags or packaging. Those numbers started to skew during and after the pandemic, and we’re now seeing about 60% of apples sold in bulk and 40% in bags,” Shales says. “We simply can’t grow fruit sized only for bags, so we zeroed in on working on a package for bulk fruit sizes that would be easier to merchandise for retailers.” She adds that packs like these for apples are already very popular in Europe.
Stemilt came up with the concept for the EZ Band in-house and worked with WestRock to develop the design. The package comprises a paperboard tray that holds four apples coupled with a paper band that encircles the tray top to bottom. The tray is made from 38-pt paperboard and has end panels that work with the band to hold the fruit in place. The pre-formed and preprinted tray is converted by WestRock; the 60-mm band is supplied by Felins.
During packaging, after the apples are sized and graded through an automated process, they are manually packed into the tray. If the trial of the new pack proves successful, Shales says Stemilt hopes to automate this step. Following hand-packing, Stemilt uses an ultrasonic bander, the US-2000 AD from ATS, to wrap the paper band around the filled tray. When complete, Shales says the pack can weigh up to 2.5 lb.
EZ Band four-packs are shipped to retailers in a Euro-size corrugated case that holds 12 four-packs (two layers of six). “The case is intended to help display the bands so that merchandising and grab-and-go out of the box is very convenient,” explains Shales. The apples are sold off the count, with a UPC code printed on the bottom of the band for easy ringing up at the register.
“It’s a new way of packing and selling apples in the U.S.,” says Shales. “These larger sizes are traditionally sold by the pound off a PLU sticker. This new pack is a step towards increasing purchase size and brand awareness while providing retailers with an easy and effective merchandising solution in-store or online. It will move through selfcheckout stations with ease. We also foresee automation capabilities in packing the fruit down the road to bring efficiency to a pack that aims to delight consumers.”
Stemilt introduced the EZ Band in August for its Rave variety apples and for its organic and conventional SweeTango apples in September. Says Shales, “It’s a small trial in the initial year and a great way for us to get feedback on how a pack like this works in the U.S. marketplace.” —Anne Marie Mohan ENERGY EFFICIENT DRYING
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