Reduce Vitreous China packaging materials while still protecting the product.
- Filed in:
- Source reduction,
- Non-food
Jeff Klosterman
I have been asked to review how we can pack our Vitreous China products; think toilets and lavatories, in less packaging material and still protect the products. Kohler Co. is the largest full line plumbingware manufacturer in North America and one of the last Vitreous China producers in NA. We produce Vitreous China products in Wisconsin, South Carolina, Texas and Monterrey, Mexico. These heavy, fragile products can be shipped direct to our customers distributions centers or back to our Wisconsin distribution center. Our current solution is corrugate packaging, fully wrapped. My question is;
Is there any other packaging solution that requires less material (smaller carbon footprint) and still protect the products to the ultimate customer's destination?
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Reduce Vitreous China packaging materials while still protecting
Scott Dyvig
Jeff, great question, I’m sure the members hear will be able to help you. In some ways you are fortunate, at least your product has a higher value that can help justify the packaging costs. Try solving packaging issues for heavy, fragile and CHEAP products!
In my experience, the first step in reducing packaging materials is to accurately identify the potential hazards along the distribution system. For example, at Sears I know my products will get “touched” a certain number of times at certain locations. I also know from warehouse visits that each touch includes a clamp truck with a certain pressure setting. Monitoring vibrations profiles from truck routes is important to develop an accurate vibration profile. Reviewing stack height requirements will determine if containers are over engineered.
By reviewing the distribution system, potential cost savings can be identified. Would reducing the stack height requirement from 8 toilets to 6 toilets reduce the amount of corrugate material needed? Would using a more accurate vibration profile or drop height allow for materials like molded pulp to replace EPS? Would using a slip-sheet attachment instead of clamping reduce the damage of products and reduce the need for some protective packaging? Has the packaging been right-sized to maximize trailer capacities?
Accurately defining the system is a crucial first step in finding waste and identifying areas of opportunity. Reusable containers may not be feasible considering your products are generally taken home by the customer, but reusable master packs or rugged pallets may help reduce the need of the primary packaging to withstand many hazards.
As for packaging materials, I have heard green packaging success stories where double-wall containers were redesigned using “better” grade single-wall containers, with no impact to strength but a considerable dimensional/weight/cost savings. Greener dunnage materials certainly exist, check out companies like Ranpack for recycled dunnage paper or look for vendors with green bubble wrap. You may also want to consider molded pulp trays to hold your products.
Good luck!
Scott Dyvig
Bountiful and Free
Dean Bellefleur
How to cushion the fragile china’s and porcelains? AIR leaps to mind displacing any and all alternatives as the number one choice. Pillow packaging, inflate at time of use and deflate the pillow at destination. Air is free, bountiful and available to all. The only item to be concerned about would be the choice of plastic to contain the air. Not really a problem since the selection will be made to accommodate a closed recyclable lifecycle. The secondary packaging, the crates, would be custom made collapsible to facilitate return to the vendor. This solution is viable for immediate deployment.
But since I have your attention think about this. A glue that once cured will lock an item rigid to a base but introduce a low current to the glue and it releases its bond leaving zero residue on the object. This means there would be no need for protective wrappings. The objects being transported are fully restrained from movement hence they arrive damage free without any braces, clamps or frames to be disassembled. What a way to go, is this reality or not? Actually it is and the technology has been in use for sometime but not in the packaging industry but rather with the military. The glue was used to bond aerial cameras to the exterior skin of an aircraft and removed at will. The applications are as bountiful as designers are creative. The reference to Google for additional information is “ CDM – Controlled Delamination Materials”.
The first thing that comes to
carl krivutza
The first thing that comes to mind is foam - probably PE. However I think the use of some strategically placed molded pulp "endcaps" and then wrap the whole unit in an "engineered" highly puncture resistant shrink film may do the trick. We are looking to convert a less fragile item from a full unit carton to just this type of film. The cube savings alone is attractive. The best part is that the film will keep the molded pulp dry during transit.
Green packages
Johnny Panic
Jeff, good question!...
You must consider molded pulp green pieces (like egg boxes) that give you the correct protection from cushion forces and touches between them.
But you must pay attention to other issues that also increase the cost of the product: bio-ink on artwork, stickers if you have them, and systems of joint.
Regards from here!
Johnny
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