ISTA 2012 Transport Packaging Forum Focal Points

By Kyle Ous - Chainalytics

With more than 60 years in the package test method arena, International Safe Transit Association successfully hosted another Transport Packaging Forum in Orlando, FL. Again this year, the event brought insightful benefits ranging from success stories and networking to discovering alternative ways to design, test, and simulate field to lab testing.

Truly an international association, bringing attendees together from several companies representing 4 continent that share common bonds between packaging issues, insightful industry presentations and entertaining networking opportunities creates a remarkably powerful forum.

To summarize the top 5 challenges among attendees, the following were described as the highest ranked.

1. Doing more with less
2. Not letting packaging be an after thought
3. Reproducing damage from the field to qualify new designs
4. Sustainability metrics
5. Package testing for global markets

At times it seems like the globalization challenges that engineers are faced with seem somewhat native to the concept of packaging. Although, if you were asked by your manager to design packaging for a global market, where would you start?

The products packaging should always be designed for transportation all the way through the end user. Making certain your companies upstream and downstream partners are meeting testing requirements can be easily supported by a resource like the Chainalytics Packaging Optimization Practice. After all, having packaging resources engaged and familiar with your products supply chain allows for scalable support ranging from high to low amperage involvement. This partnership can make a difference at the forefront when your products are being thought about crossing borders.

As commerce continues to expand globally, standardized test methods related to environmental conditions, handling methods, and transportation modes tend to deviate away from the more common ways of doing business. Packaging Practice at Chainalytics has the expertise equipped to suit your Packaging and Supply Chain needs.

See you at the Transport Packaging Forum in 2013!