Transit packaging specialist Loadhog has opened a joint venture with trading partner Carmo in Portugal, targeting Iberian markets with its Smartstak glass containment system.
Smartstak Iberia was set up in agreement with one of Portugal’s foremost glassmakers, Santos Barosa and latterly Verallia Portugal, following positive trials.
The site in Pegões, Portugal consists of a logistics operation and wash plant for the Smartpad component – an injection moulded layer pad with a unique wave profile edge that provides improved stability for glass containers in a shipment, preventing collapsed loads.
Based in Pegões, forestry products group Carmo has been instrumental in Loadhog making commercial inroads with the region’s major glassmakers and breweries, by facilitating Smartpads trials.
Smartsak sales manager Andrew Adams says: “The new Smartstak Iberia plant provides the benchmark for further growth of our export business and we look forward to expanding our customer base, not only in Iberia but also throughout Europe and beyond.”
Sheffield-based Loadhog recently celebrated passing its four-year target of cleaning 10 million Smartpads in its own hygienic and cost-saving wash plant.
The company’s principal UK customer Quinn Glass has utilized the Smartstak system since its inception in 2007, while Beatson Clark has also started using Smartpads for one of its key accounts, and the company expects other major UK glassmakers to follow in coming months.
“These are extremely exciting times for Smartstak and Smartpads as more potential users in many countries acknowledge the invaluable benefits they offer,” says Adams.
In the Smartstak system, the number of bottles per layer can be maximised, extra glass layers added safely, horizontal bands eliminated and shroud thickness reduced.
Smartstak Iberia - Loadhog's new joint venture with Carmo, Portugal Loadhog Smartstak
