How to keep reputations intact

2 March 2011



Industrial and transit packaging is there to protect the good name of brand manufacturers and their agents, and ensure handlers and the contents come to no harm, as Joanne Hunter discovers.


Swiss transit packaging producer Wegmüller ultimately helps to keep reputations intact. Every year, the company uses around 15,000m3 of wood and 70 tonnes of nails and screws to produce packaging for the export of technologically advanced and sensitive products manufactured by Swiss industry. Properly packaged products can be exported around the world, withstand the inevitable knocks and arrive undamaged, which protects the good name of manufacturers and distribution agents, and avoids replacement costs and wastage.

Amid a fragile recovery from the global recession, the industrial packaging market acts as a barometer for the relative health of the manufacturing and export sectors. “As one of the first links in the supply chain, the packaging industry is a leading indicator for economic development,” explains Dr Clemens Willée, Chief Executive Officer, Mauser Group.

Recently, the worldwide industrial packaging company reported that, on the basis of a successful 2010, it is coming out of the economic crisis, with increasing demand ‘in all product areas and countries’.

“I am optimistic that order volume will continue to remain stable at a high level in 2011. We are expecting demand to be strong, especially from the chemical and oil and lubricants sectors,” says Dr Willée. Nevertheless, a cloud hangs over the export industry, he observes: “The sector still faces greater challenges in terms of rising electricity, transport and freight costs as well as volatile raw material prices.”

In 2011, the group plans to continue focusing on Europe, the Americas and Asia. It expects to make further investments in plastics packaging, steel and fibre drums, intermediate bulk containers (IBC), and also in collection and reconditioning services provided by National Container Group (NCG), a Mauser subsidiary.

The industrial sector is as committed as other packaging producers to limiting the negative impact on the environment. Mauser’s Eco-Cycle strategy for product lifecycle management has been based on the five Rs - Renew, Reduce, Re-collect, Re-use and Recycle. And just as important for Mauser is the potential of Eco-Cycle to save costs and increase profit margins.

Collaboration with partners is bringing added benefits. For instance, Mauser worked with global plastics business Sabic to develop a high performance polyethylene for use in the manufacture of UN-approved industrial containers that are used to store and transport high-value and hazardous liquids. HDPE ICP 5602 resin has been approved for food contact applications, confirms Sabic.

When used in the blow moulding of tight-head drums with a capacity of 25 to 220 litres, the resin is said to combine ‘very high impact and rigidity with excellent processing performance and optimal resistance to stress cracks and chemicals’.

According to Sabic, an improved melt flow results in higher productivity and reduced energy usage; and its granular form prevents waste, increases machine efficiency, and leads to safer product handling.

According to Wim Bloks, Head of Global Procurement at Mauser, HDPE ICP 5602 is making a positive impact on the company’s manufacturing and sustainability performance, and meets the need for a reliable, long-term source of supply.

Another packaging producer, Schütz, helped Sabic develop HDPE ICP 4907S for blow moulding IBCs of 1,000 litres for high-value and hazardous liquids. This material is ultraviolet (UV) stabilised and approved for food contact uses, says Sabic.

Companies working together can improve end-of-line processes. Packaging consultancy Storopack helped a computer and video games wholesaler to increase the quality and efficiency of its packing process. AK Tronic is shipping 1,500 parcels/day using paper cushions automatically produced by two Paperplus Chevron systems.

The new configuration, which replaced 16 separately equipped workstations, now serves eight workplaces via a narrow conveyor belt, ensuring continuous replenishment supply. A reduced noise level in the workplace is a further key benefit from a worker health and safety point of view.

The Storopack equipment processes a paper tube using a pleating technology. The result is packaging material designed to fill a large volume with very little paper. The device can produce packaging material at up to 20m/min.

“It is a smart solution, which could only have been devised by someone who sees all the relevant factors and is able to evaluate them correctly,” says Dirk Look, Departmental Logistics Manager at AK Tronic.

A foldable transport and insulation box made from BASF's expanded polypropylene Neopolen P (EPP) walked away with the German Design Award 2011. According to BASF, the foam is notable primarily for its outstanding stability, low weight, great design versatility, and good insulation performance.

The Flip-Box from Overath is said to fill the gap between an insulation container and a plastics folding basket. The premium version of the box can carry up to 25kg and has a capacity of 25 litres.

Its impact resistance and good cushioning performance considerably increases the service life of the Flip-Box, says BASF.

The grey-black reusable box can be used to transport food, bottles and other objects and keep them cool, or warm if necessary. This is thanks to the metallic-gray Neopolen P 9335 mg: its thermal insulation is claimed to be 10% better than that of standard EPP. Walls and lid are connected with hinges, joints and latch elements, which makes the box particularly well sealed and stable. The BASF foam is resistant to chemicals, so the box can be easily cleaned using cleaning agents.

Viewpoint on protection fit for purpose

There is plenty to consider when seeking an appropriate protective packaging solution, says Tom Wetsch, Global Vice President of New Product Development at Pregis.

Every manufacturer wants to ensure that its products arrive at their destination in the same condition as when they left the factory or distribution centre. The wide variety of protective packaging alternatives now available mean that for practically every product there is a solution available – from simple padded mailers to hexagonal honeycomb structures to custom moulded foam or pulp.

The starting point for any selection process has to be the nature and specifics of the product and the shipping environment. Products that need to be wrapped will require solutions such as bubble or air cushioning. Custom fabricated foam, foam-in-place or moulded pulp are suitable protective formats for large, unusual or awkward shaped products and can be tailored to fit their precise dimensions.

Alternatively, the main requirement may be to provide void fill in order to create effective blocking and bracing, for which inflatable bags and air pillows or crumpled paper are some of the options.

The majority of protective packaging solutions tend to be either paper- or plastics-based, but customised solutions can also be developed using both materials. Examples include kraft paper mailers lined with bubble to create cushioning protection, and insulated shippers, used for niche applications such as medical products and seafood, which can combine EPS foams, aluminium foil or metalised film, gel packs, bubble cushioning and more.

Many solutions offer different levels of protection depending on product requirements. For example, bubble and air-cushioning can be specified with different bubble cell sizes (typically from 1/8 to ½ inch) and structural composition (monolayer film, co-extrusion or lamination), with the larger cells normally specified to protect bigger products.

One vital element in the devising of any protective packaging solution is an ongoing dialogue between customer and supplier. By fully understanding the particular needs of each application, the protective packaging supplier can suggest a format that delivers the correct amount of protection without using excessive material and is able to fully withstand the rigours of the product’s distribution chain. This type of customer feedback is also vital in the ongoing development and enhancement of standard products to meetever-changing market requirements.


Pregis produces protective systems such as EPFlex Renew. Pregis Dr Clemens Willee, Chief Executive Officer, Mauser Group. Dr Clemens Willee Two Paperplus Chevron systems from Storopack replaced 16 individual packing machines for customer AK Tronic. Paperplus The Flip Box won the German Design Award 2011. Flip Box

Flip Box Flip Box
Dr Clemens Willee Dr Clemens Willee
Paperplus Paperplus
Pregis Pregis


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