tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18269703125201462622024-03-16T02:22:37.668-05:00Packaging MattersPackaging Matters blog is a compilation of articles, excerpts, & opinion pieces on general packaging topics brought to you by a group of packaging consultants and engineers. HellaBasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06982873353962642595noreply@blogger.comBlogger123125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-31592991325111581002018-04-02T11:08:00.001-05:002020-11-25T14:46:32.107-06:00Bigger and Better Things<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">While this has been in the works for quite some time, it is now official, all the authors of this blog will now only be publishing new content on the <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/category/supply-chain-consulting/packaging-optimization/" target="_blank">Packaging Section of the Chainalytics Blog</a>. Follow <a href="https://www.chainalytics.com/knowledge-center/blog/" target="_blank">this link</a> for all our latest packaging and supply chain industry content you have enjoyed here.</span><br />
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-53252021174571414412016-11-16T11:53:00.000-06:002016-11-16T11:53:42.430-06:003 Takeaways from IoPP's Packaging Machinery Course<div class="MsoNormal">
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By Sam Huppert, Packaging Consultant, <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/">CHAINalytics</a><br />Connect with Sam on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/samuel-huppert-cpit-12b53376">LinkedIn</a></div>
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I recently completed the IOPP Packaging Machinery Basics course at Frain Industries in Chicago, a “survey course” that introduced attendees to a wide range of types of packaging machinery. The course is designed for engineers who work on the design side of packaging, as many packaging professionals have minimal experience working with packaging machinery. This is in large part due to machinery is marginally covered or not taught in many packaging engineer degree programs.</div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><b>Three Course Highlights/Takeaways</b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>Now that I’m a course graduate, I can see three course highlights/takeaways that will be valuable assets as I go about designing <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/supply-chain-packaging-optimization/">packaging solutions</a> for Chainalytics’ clients:<br />
<br /><b>1. Videos & Hands-On & On-Site Frain Experience Made for a “Learning Lab” </b><br />The course instructor (CEO at Changeover Wizard, John Henry) has vast experience with packaging machinery in many manufacturing plants across North America. His client engagements, has enabled him to collect videos of different packaging machinery and packaging lines. He has integrated many of these videos into his presentation, which helps support the educational content.An addition to the videos, the class was able to go out in the warehouse at Frain Industries (a used packaging machinery vendor), providing a chance to see the vast amount of inventory and packaging machinery running first hand at Frain Industries. John Henry was able to walk us through the warehouse and show examples of machinery covered in the lecture; we also viewed Frain Industries employees working on a variety of up-and-running packaging machinery for their customers. This approach enabled the class to almost immediately apply their in-class learning to live operating packaging machinery.<br /><br /><br /><b>2. It's Important to Develop a Keen Understanding of How Packaging Design Changes Can Impact Line Production.</b><br />One of the biggest takeaways from the course was understanding how a seemingly simple or minor package design change can affect a manufacturing line. John Henry provided many examples of how poorly planned package design changes at several companies impacted manufacturing line <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
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productivity—like changeover downtime, damage issues, production speed, etc. which can all have a big impact on packaging and supply chain costs. We learned that it is essential for packaging engineers to meet with stakeholders on the manufacturing line to make sure the package design change can run efficiently on the line. Iterative changes and adjustments to any packaging change implementation at the beginning of a project can save a lot of money literally down the line and prevent major problems in the future. We also learned how important it is for designers and equipment operators to communicate at all stages of a project effectively.</div>
<br /><b>3. The Importance of Determining Requirements When Designing a New Packaging Line</b><br />Just as communication between operations and package designers is crucial when implementing package design changes, communication when designing a new packaging line is as important. <div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8c6HGE2L9Vc/WCxoThrqIRI/AAAAAAAAb6Q/zpClaVS9hpAgQOVKHCGPQevho9O_oUCCQCEw/s1600/packaging%2Bacceptance%2Bcriteria.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="packaging checklist" border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8c6HGE2L9Vc/WCxoThrqIRI/AAAAAAAAb6Q/zpClaVS9hpAgQOVKHCGPQevho9O_oUCCQCEw/s200/packaging%2Bacceptance%2Bcriteria.jpg" title="packaging acceptance criteria" width="200" /></a></div>
The success of the new line depends on gathering as much detailed information across departments as possible before line design begins (for example, line capacity, production speed requirements, product info, the final package’s complete bill of materials (BOM) (get samples), etc. It is also vital to make this information gathering a continuous process, since more information will become available throughout the project.<br /><br />Lastly, it is extremely important that there is at bare minimum a verbal agreement, or better a written and signed packaging success criteria document, that contains the information gathered to help ensure all stakeholders are on board. This formal step will prevent any potential disagreements, if something fails on the line, since all parties are accountable.<br /><br />I recommend in completing IOPP’s Packaging Machinery Basics course if you want to learn more about packaging machinery at a high level. I definitely look at machinery differently now, and with more curiosity. The class is relatively small (15-20 people) and is taught twice a year. Please visit iopp.org for more information on this course and what it has to offer.<div class="MsoNormal">
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<i>Sam Huppert is a
packaging consultant at Chainalytics, where he supports senior engineers with
value engineering and damage reduction projects from project launch through
final implementation. <o:p></o:p></i></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-49828675138215615062016-10-04T08:50:00.000-05:002016-10-07T13:40:53.012-05:00How Will New Transportation Technology Impact Packaging Damage?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By: Eric Carlson, Sr. Packaging Consultant, <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/">Chainalytics</a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcarlsonpkg">Connect with Eric on LinkedIn</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I am often involved in the replication of packaging damage
due to transportation hazards; frequently there is a new or surprising dynamic between
the trailer, the route and the products inside the trailer. It is important to know the dynamics of the
distribution route, which, with today’s technology and instrumentation, is
pretty routinely and easily accomplished.
Usually, we can utilize standard test methods for truck vibration, but
sometimes there is something in the specific route that may lie outside the
standard random vibration sequence. Just
recently, one of the commonly used testing standards ASTM D4169 went through a
change in vibration profile based on data gathered over the last few years; the
ASTM profile is now similar to the ISTA vibration profile. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">With the advent of lower cost sensors, increased computer
power, Internet of Things (IoT), Physical Internet, ‘chronic’ driver shortages,
increased regulation on drivers and equipment, higher efficiency transmissions,
Google & Uber’s driver-less cars and the ever increasing pressure to reduce
operating costs, it seems trucking is on the verge of going through some pretty
radical transformations. A few technologies
currently in trial include platooning, driver assist and driver-less tractors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What is Platooning?</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Platooning is when two or more trucks travel in close
proximity to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency for <i><u>both trucks</u></i>. This is
enabled by linking the driving and safety systems of the trucks together via
wifi. Some have likened platooning to be
a highly advanced form of cruise control; the trucks maintain an optimum, but
close distance. The lead truck uses long
distance sensors to look for ‘obstacles’ for collision avoidance. Further, the braking systems are linked together
for safety because the distance between the trucks is so small that the human
response may be too slow. The trailing
vehicle gets the greater fuel efficiency benefit. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOD-XqFmJ2Y/V-2CAkWxR6I/AAAAAAAAbf4/vMUm6jIVIUYwtEbQiztH4416a-mm2cuNACEw/s1600/truck%2Bplatooning%2Bimpacts%2Bpackaging%2Bdamage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="distribution vibration profiles" border="0" height="225" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FOD-XqFmJ2Y/V-2CAkWxR6I/AAAAAAAAbf4/vMUm6jIVIUYwtEbQiztH4416a-mm2cuNACEw/s400/truck%2Bplatooning%2Bimpacts%2Bpackaging%2Bdamage.jpg" title="truck platooning and package testing" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Truck Platooning could create new dynamics for packaging and vibration frequencies</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Platooning is envisioned to extend to having a single driver
lead a series of autonomous vehicles; this would be most effective high volume
and hub to hub routes. This would be the
incremental step toward completely driver-less trucks. Many prognosticators suggest that driver-less trucks are still 10 years away, but platooning will be here as soon as next
year. Early adopters are favored to be
the biggest winners. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Additionally, auto makers are experimenting with platooning
for passenger cars. In my misspent
youth, many of us believed that if you would ‘platoon’ behind a big rig and you
were all speeding you would save gas and the police could not figure out a way
to pull you over; I can say with some authority that this was a youthful
misconception. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What could this new technology mean to me as a packaging
engineer sleuth?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Usually, a known lane or route from a manufacturing facility
to a distribution warehouse will result in a fairly predictable rate of damage. Typically little or no damage is observed on
these routes, but depending on load configuration, mis-application blocking and
bracing dunnage or other factors will produce occasional but usually a small
amount of damage. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I was recently involved in the evaluation of a very substantial
amount of damage to one load. This one load had highly atypical damage to the packaging
and the product; severity of the damage was excessive. This single load was just one of many the
company ships from its factory to one of many of their distribution centers. As with any conscientious company, they
launched an investigation into the cause(s) and this is when I was called
in. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When evaluating the output of a system it is important to
know whether the cause is the fault of the design of the system. The system in this case is the packaging
design, handling, load configuration & use/mis-use dunnage and the external
forces due to trailer/road interaction.
The protective packaging, if it performs as intended is designed to keep damages to
a minimum. The packaging is often tested
to ascertain its performance and ability to protect in the supply chain. If the variation of a system is out of the
normal range, such as greatly increased damage, it is important to determine if
the system variables have changed. If
the basic system inputs have not changed, the issue could be considered special
cause – special cause being a non-repeatable random input that causes the
variation in results or output. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fortunately, in this case, we already had some good
transportation vibration data as well as some unique tests we developed to
tease out some of the unique dynamics of their products. In this case, we applied all the applicable tests
without matching the damage observed. We
also applied additional tests and test
thresholds to replicate of the severity of the damage. No matter how hard we tried to cause this
damage level (and we tried pretty hard), we could not come close to replicating
the damage observed by this one load. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In this case, we determined this particular damage occurrence was ‘special cause’. The leading
hypothesis was the driver left his intended route onto some pretty hellacious
dirt roads to visit his ailing grandmother; others suggested a less virtuous off-road
destination. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It will be some years before the self-driving technology,
ubiquitous GPS and electronic logging is all in place, but each new technology will
reduce the incidences of these ‘special cause’ events. I know that by the time these technologies
are available, I’ll likely be long retired and will gladly adopt driverless
vehicles to keep one more old man out of the driver’s seat. </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px;"><b><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericcarlsonpkg">Eric Carlson, CPP</a></b><span id="goog_1970157513"></span><span id="goog_1970157514"></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/"></a> is a Senior Packaging Engineer for <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/">Chainalytics</a>. <span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">With a thorough understanding of the forces involved in distribution and ASTM / ISTA test methods, combined with extensive understanding of dynamic attenuation, Eric’s design and engineering work focuses on damage prevention and protective packaging. Eric has been involved with a wide range of highly technical designs in applications such as; <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/complex-package-engineering/" style="color: #348ef4; text-decoration: none;">medical device packaging</a>, military and space, electronics, test equipment, industrial equipment, recreational equipment & vehicles.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Image source: </span></span>http://www.pcrevue.sk/files/photo/2016-04/13027/fc5e12/scania-trucks.jpg</span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-60285624675135170602016-09-01T13:41:00.000-05:002016-09-30T13:43:16.246-05:00UW STOUT Pack Expo Happy Hour - Save the Date!<table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px; width: 550px;"><tbody>
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<strong><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Pack Expo Alumni Social Happy Hour</span></strong><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">Metropolitan Club of Chicago</span></em><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;">67th Floor of the Willis Tower</span></em><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 15pt;"><u></u><u></u></span></div>
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Date: <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1448711112" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">November 7, 2016</span></span><u></u><u></u></div>
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Time: <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_1448711113" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(204, 204, 204); position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">5:00-7:00 pm</span></span><u></u><u></u></div>
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Place: The Metropolitan Club of Chicago<u></u><u></u></div>
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Address: Willis Tower 233 S. Wacker Drive, 67th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606<u></u><u></u></div>
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<span style="background: white;">Price: $20</span><u></u><u></u></div>
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<a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://foundation.uwstout.edu/pages/events/2016-pack-expo?srctid%3D1%26erid%3D2431658%26trid%3D5b82c040-e4bc-4715-abd5-0ace2157b189&source=gmail&ust=1472841215354000&usg=AFQjCNEVBd-1g4ui5ZQ_0SpWU32Nm4oJLw" href="https://foundation.uwstout.edu/pages/events/2016-pack-expo?srctid=1&erid=2431658&trid=5b82c040-e4bc-4715-abd5-0ace2157b189" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" class="CToWUd" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEi7dGS0u38eKStH7nr8U6z9HDbbQzshvrCKUeg4Q5mT5ZLr4hjxkK4qE3u_LGc2ORg4iW3rmUz5zMuXdk_avtnhRReOlHQcRWWOddzutHpzhZsKpMlwOI8HI4kJNmGuKfzLF1_CNGkAzYI0vZ9_BPtU-bIMaKizORcKiitixUrmmYobO7zilzDcUwvugYmY=s0-d-e1-ft" style="width: 1.5312in;" width="147" /></span></a><u></u><u></u></div>
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<tr><td style="margin: 0px; padding: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "lucida sans unicode" , sans-serif;">Save the date for the UW-Stout Happy Hour after Pack Expo! This is a great opportunity to see Stout Packaging grads, network and enjoy the view from the 67th floor.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgu8PTkxdCLXyo0vYImzveTINloJawbOo-p_AxRIUMBMGu4_oFphQl7biuOW-LZu1Olhp0ltni9jfacACFlAae_qxCND4YTHSNa2H5qdmRoDeKi33PeQ8Uy_MG6LMYcJ1yIAifXCxX6qhsgf0d5wFu1dMMi-yTxCiyMbV8o0YeVziBW968Hl5fmXbS0NsCeHvHRi8Fw3jVR6rU9sBxRLRx_ue0=s0-d-e1-ft" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEgu8PTkxdCLXyo0vYImzveTINloJawbOo-p_AxRIUMBMGu4_oFphQl7biuOW-LZu1Olhp0ltni9jfacACFlAae_qxCND4YTHSNa2H5qdmRoDeKi33PeQ8Uy_MG6LMYcJ1yIAifXCxX6qhsgf0d5wFu1dMMi-yTxCiyMbV8o0YeVziBW968Hl5fmXbS0NsCeHvHRi8Fw3jVR6rU9sBxRLRx_ue0=s0-d-e1-ft" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "lucida sans unicode" , sans-serif;">This event is hosted by Alumnus Rick Kroner '91. Take the Pack Expo shuttle on Route 5 to join the fun.</span><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><u></u><u></u></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "lucida sans unicode" , sans-serif;">As always - there will be great door prizes and mouthwatering appetizers.</span><span style="color: #004990; font-family: "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><u></u><u></u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "lucida sans unicode" , sans-serif;">We hope to see you there!</span></td></tr>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-84554296248181181032016-07-05T13:09:00.000-05:002016-07-12T10:48:14.291-05:00Small Changes Can Bring Big Supply Chain Savings<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HzZn_IuWsUE/U0Vvqekg9pI/AAAAAAAAAWo/23G0PBzLek8Pofy7NOq3JqxpOqNB3Jm5QCKgB/s1600/IMG_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Packaging Consultant" border="0" height="133" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HzZn_IuWsUE/U0Vvqekg9pI/AAAAAAAAAWo/23G0PBzLek8Pofy7NOq3JqxpOqNB3Jm5QCKgB/s200/IMG_0157.JPG" title="Rich Lindgren, Lifetime CPP" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">by</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"> </span><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Rich%20Lindgren" style="color: #348ef4; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;">Rich Lindgren, CPP</a><br />
<a href="http://chainalytics.com/" style="color: #348ef4; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;">Chainalytics</a><br />
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In the world of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) there is an eternal struggle between the demands of marketing, operations and <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/supply-chain-packaging-optimization/" target="_blank">optimizing your packaging for the supply chain</a>. As an everyday consumer, you probably see packages all over the grocery store where you wonder why there is so much air around the product or food in the packages you purchase. For the most part, air is waste and below you will read why!<br />
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There are a few reasons for this air. The first is driven by operations and that is the functional air space so they can run their automated filling equipment at speeds which maximize efficiency and profitability. For the most part this is a good thing, this ultimately contributes to you getting the products you want at your local stores at a fair price. Secondly and usually the larger driver for the size of the packaging is due to marketing billboard space. When you walk down the aisle at Target or Walmart, almost every package is a mini billboard of sorts trying to call your attention much like driving down the interstate in your car.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQ5fX-SV6l8/Uvj0Q-I0QLI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/E81OYO_S6y4XnBj5jcAVaVNQWQS2RKAjQCKgB/s1600/retail%2Bshelf%2Bspace.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Packaging on the shelf" border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQ5fX-SV6l8/Uvj0Q-I0QLI/AAAAAAAAAQ0/E81OYO_S6y4XnBj5jcAVaVNQWQS2RKAjQCKgB/s320/retail%2Bshelf%2Bspace.jpg" title="retail store packaging" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aisle of "Packaging Billboards"</td></tr>
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The bigger the packaging face the larger the product image or area that can be used by marketing and graphics teams to inform you and entice you to put it in your cart. Packaging size also has an inherit suggestion to the amount of product inside said package. Consciously or subconsciously if you see two pizza boxes next to each other for the same price, you may select the larger one without actually reading the ounces labeled in small print at the bottom of the carton, thinking you are getting a better value. Sadly, not very often is a larger package an indication of amount of product or food inside and even can be consider <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/slack-fill-reducing-risks-improving-bottom-line-profits/" target="_blank">non-functional slack fill</a>, which can lead to fines on companies.<br />
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Typically the process works as follows, a leading brand owner will launch a product into the market with a large billboard area so they can "be heard" on the shelf to tell you what is new and great about the new product. If the product is successful, it is natural for competing brands to launch their "me too" versions into the market to grab a share of the new market. When those "me too" products launch they often copy the size of the current market leader for that product category whether they need the space or not, so they can look the same size wise on the shelf.<br />
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As a packaging engineer the trick is to balance the concerns of marketing and operations while delivering an optimized packaging system that will serve the company's bottom line. Below I will outline a case study for a project our team delivered for a past frozen foods customer. This particular frozen pizza item was the follower or the "me too" in the market. Even though the product was a different shape and size then competitor, they launched product in a paperboard carton the exact dimension of the competitor.<br />
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We proposed a sensitivity analysis showcasing the range in cost savings, while maintaining a similar size graphic facing. The key was finding the sweet spot for this packaging system while meeting the needs of the marketing team. Even though there were other options with larger supply chain savings, marketing would not support the billboard reduction. The selected option is what we labeled as "Visual Indifference". Basically it was the smallest change I could find that would still make a big impact. Such a small change, that it would be impossible to perceive it in a freezer case.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7tSwslmXUJk/V3at4Z6GbnI/AAAAAAAABlo/6Aiqx0scOlMYvMROGqh0XoEWCVsyp-wZQCLcB/s1600/Frozen_Pizza_Packaging_Carton_Size_Comparison.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Paperboard Carton Packaging" border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7tSwslmXUJk/V3at4Z6GbnI/AAAAAAAABlo/6Aiqx0scOlMYvMROGqh0XoEWCVsyp-wZQCLcB/s400/Frozen_Pizza_Packaging_Carton_Size_Comparison.png" title="Frozen Pizza Packaging" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Small changes to the retail carton leading to big savings!</td></tr>
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By reducing the length and width of the carton by just an 1/8" in each direction and reducing height or riser panel by a 1/16" we made a huge impact. The 1/8" reduction allowed us to add a whole row of cases along a 53" Dry Van trailer as well as one additional row at the back of the trailers. The 1/16" reduction allowed for pack out ratio change on the freezer shelf. Getting more pizzas in a freezer leading to less out of stock. This also helped propel a change going to 14 count shipping case from 12 count. In the end, this also allowed one additional row of pizza cases along the top of the trailer as well, in the end the customer got an additional 6,848 pizzas on each truck shipped.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lf3EaRjSB6Y/V3au8_ssgXI/AAAAAAAABls/kbmhXsshn4kD0d9AO4BDKqen9KJzL52cACLcB/s1600/Chainalytics-Packaging-Optimization-Infographic%2B-%2BPizza%2BCase%2BStudy%2BNumbers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Packaging Case Study" border="0" height="365" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lf3EaRjSB6Y/V3au8_ssgXI/AAAAAAAABls/kbmhXsshn4kD0d9AO4BDKqen9KJzL52cACLcB/s400/Chainalytics-Packaging-Optimization-Infographic%2B-%2BPizza%2BCase%2BStudy%2BNumbers.jpg" title="Packaging Infographic" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click Images to Enlarge</td></tr>
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In the end, with an annualized savings of $600K, the time to payback was only 7 days. Adding on top of that, there was a great sustainable story to tell as well. On top of the hard savings, the reduced out of stocks, reduced touches and many other soft benefits throughout the supply chain.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iBYbV61BwOc/V3azT5XPrII/AAAAAAAABmE/xUR06_rDjEwYal52M3tPj6Kbs8I9s-q7QCLcB/s1600/Frozen_Pizza_Suppy_Chain_Case_Study.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Packaging and Operations Map" border="0" height="197" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iBYbV61BwOc/V3azT5XPrII/AAAAAAAABmE/xUR06_rDjEwYal52M3tPj6Kbs8I9s-q7QCLcB/s400/Frozen_Pizza_Suppy_Chain_Case_Study.png" title="Packaging Supply Chain Man" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Total Supply Chain Impacts</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">Does it make you wonder what products in your company's portfolio could have a similar opportunity</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"> for greater efficiency and supply chain savings?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/" style="color: #348ef4; text-decoration: none;">packaging team</a> at Chainalytics focuses on packaging cost reduction efforts that lead to a chain reaction of savings across the entire supply chain for their customers.</span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-9292324180218648072016-06-16T10:50:00.002-05:002016-06-16T10:50:49.125-05:00The Most Valuable Ziplock Bag of Air Ever?<div style="background-color: #fbfbfb; box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 25.7143px; margin-bottom: 10px;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This packaging case study involves a lot of hoopla and several diverse inputs: Kobe’s last game, an air-filled ziplock bag and oxygen transmission rates.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 25.7143px;">There had been much hoopla over the course of NBA great Kobe Bryant’s final year with the Los Angeles Lakers, which only grew exponentially for his last game at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on April 13. The game itself had a storybook ending, with Kobe totaling 60 points.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Given the hype around the event, one could argue that this was a peak moment to cash in on selling Kobe gear and memorabilia. One of the items found listed for sale on eBay included a “bag of air from Kobe’s final game.” The bids shot up to a high of $17,500 before it and a number of such bags that had turned up were removed by Ebay. Meantime, dozens of media outlets reported on the frenzy, including <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/kobe-bryant-game-bag-air-ebay_us_5714da62e4b0060ccda3a1c2" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0px 0px; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">The Huffington Post</a>.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img alt="OTR, shelf life" border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oazm5SyU_aU/V2LIC6u6zQI/AAAAAAAAaFk/w-j0mh3QqgElIZ8CLSxHRQf2i_FV4JujACLcB/s400/Most%2BValuable%2BZiplock%2BBag-Permability-Oxygen%2BTransmission%2BRates%2B%2528OTR%2529.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Bag permeability, oxygen transmission rates" width="400" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A ziplock bag of air from Kobe Bryant's last game <br />showed up on Ebay with bids reaching as high as $17,500</span></td></tr>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oazm5SyU_aU/V2LIC6u6zQI/AAAAAAAAaFk/w-j0mh3QqgElIZ8CLSxHRQf2i_FV4JujACLcB/s1600/Most%2BValuable%2BZiplock%2BBag-Permability-Oxygen%2BTransmission%2BRates%2B%2528OTR%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: 700; line-height: 25.7143px;">But what about the permeability?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A colleague and I were enjoying a water cooler discussion on the game and this highly valuable bag, when our packaging engineer light bulb flipped on and we thought aloud: <em style="box-sizing: border-box;">“But what about the bag permeability?” “How well could this inexpensive packaging vessel contain this precious investment?”</em></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.packagingdigest.com/bags/most-valuable-ziplock-bag-of-air-ever1606">Read on here</a> at Packaging Digest to see what we found when we put on our <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/complex-package-engineering/">packaging engineer</a> hats and delved deeper into this topic.</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f6cMW6latVE/V2LIk-4hVpI/AAAAAAAAaFs/4D6PUSWM_UkvSNexFOT673EsaBlAp93XwCLcB/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2Bcost%2Bsavings%2Bspecialist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-f6cMW6latVE/V2LIk-4hVpI/AAAAAAAAaFs/4D6PUSWM_UkvSNexFOT673EsaBlAp93XwCLcB/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2Bcost%2Bsavings%2Bspecialist.JPG" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By: Rob Kaszubowski, Packaging Engineering Manager, <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/supply-chain-packaging-optimization/">Chainalytics</a></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0Minneapolis, MN, USA44.977753 -93.26501080000002744.797043 -93.589107300000023 45.158463 -92.940914300000031tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-57840269052221286722016-04-27T08:28:00.001-05:002016-04-27T08:37:07.815-05:00GMO Labeling Law to Stress Packaging Departments<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Rob Kaszubowski: Packaging Engineering Manager, Chainalytics</span><br />
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlZV9BcL_ss/Vx_TxFroYbI/AAAAAAAAZ_0/3ILY3W0OAtwp7V1SdOPovOduV74lMk8GQCLcB/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UlZV9BcL_ss/Vx_TxFroYbI/AAAAAAAAZ_0/3ILY3W0OAtwp7V1SdOPovOduV74lMk8GQCLcB/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> In case you had missed it, the latest verdict in the Vermont genetically modified organisms (GMO) labeling saga is in: Food manufacturers have until July 1<sup>st</sup> to update their package labeling to include GMO information.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--cJ4GCCfoDA/Vx_UNCuVnlI/AAAAAAAAZ_4/6wPFrO51AHsgWqU6INZWj_cBj1s5RM_kwCLcB/s1600/Post-CARTON%2B-%2BWITH%2BGMO%2BLOGO_color2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img alt="print plates, new product development" border="0" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--cJ4GCCfoDA/Vx_UNCuVnlI/AAAAAAAAZ_4/6wPFrO51AHsgWqU6INZWj_cBj1s5RM_kwCLcB/s400/Post-CARTON%2B-%2BWITH%2BGMO%2BLOGO_color2.jpg" title="Vermont GMO law requires new package labeling" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Before and After: Food manufacturers across the country will be required to update their package labeling to communicate if their products use <span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">genetically modified organisms</span></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: 700;">As a recap: </span>Back in 2014, Vermont initiated a law to require all foods containing GMOs to be clearly labeled on all food packaging.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Congress had established a committee to block the labeling change. However, the Senate failed to advance a bill that would ban states from requiring food packaging to disclose the presence of GMOs. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar helped lead efforts to stomp this one down, likely thinking of the holistic impact this change would have on Minnesota-based food producers General Mills, Land O’Lakes and Hormel. This puts the GMO law back in motion and will go into effect in July 2016—in barely more than two months!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.packagingdigest.com/labeling/gmo-labeling-law-to-stress-packaging-engineers1604">Click here to read more</a> at Packaging Digest on how this new labeling requirement will stress packaging engineering departments.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 25.7143px;">Rob Kaszubowski is the Engineering Manager at </span><span style="background-position: 0px 0px; box-sizing: border-box; color: #660000; line-height: 25.7143px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/supply-chain-packaging-optimization/">Chainalytics</a></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 25.7143px;">, where he is focused on reducing product damage and implementing packaging cost savings while leading a team of packaging consultants in Design for Distribution initiatives.</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 25.7143px;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; line-height: 25.7143px;">Connect with Rob on <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robkaszubowski">LinkedIn </a></span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 25.7143px;"><span style="color: #333333;">and on Twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/KazPack1">@KazPack1</a></span></span></i></span></span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-25602198722881938842016-04-20T08:29:00.000-05:002016-04-20T08:29:22.470-05:00A First-Timer's Insights from 2016 ISTA TransPack Forum<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">by Samuel Huppert, Packaging Engineer, Packaging Optimization, Chainalytics</span><br />
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QTyWhgaNYtc/VxVRLP9ssaI/AAAAAAAAZ9w/jL-wQtsS2KgBmTwRzo0770Ez3qG24YdIACLcB/s1600/Sam%2BHuppert%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QTyWhgaNYtc/VxVRLP9ssaI/AAAAAAAAZ9w/jL-wQtsS2KgBmTwRzo0770Ez3qG24YdIACLcB/s1600/Sam%2BHuppert%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">I am a young packaging professional and always looking for opportunities to learn and grow as an engineer. I was pleased to find that the 2016 </span><a href="http://www.transportpackagingforum.com/" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #1155cc;">ISTA TransPack Forum</span></a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> provided ample opportunity for me to further my professional development:</span><br />
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Networking opportunities, from the welcome and exhibitor reception, volleyball tournament, to meals, allowed me to meet a broad range of people in the packaging industry. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Attendees ranged from packaging lab technicians to packaging consultants and global packaging leaders (I had in-depth discussions with professionals whose experience ranged from 1-30+ years and learned how packaging strategically fits within different companies’ supply chain strategies, as well as the diversity of packaging careers).<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost 30 speaker presentations often incorporated case studies and new information/technology relating to the packaging industry--a great way to learn.</span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Many speakers shared technical insights and tips and tricks for package development and testing.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>My Most Important Takeaways</b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Pallets are part of packaging too! </b>Three presentations dedicated to pallets were a great awakening for me, as I learned how the size, quality and type of a pallet can impact the supply chains through packaging performance, damage and related costs and logistics outcomes. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pallets can be part of your damage reduction solution</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Cross-functional communication across silos is key. </b>Another common event theme was the need for better intra-organizational communication. Often, it seems, packaging designers are designing around cost in their own department, a current problem. For more successful supply chain outcomes, packaging, pallet, and unit load handling equipment designers all need to work cross-functionally to come up with the best packaging system for their respective organization. Numerous speakers concurred that a holistic approach to packaging is key; looking at every aspect of the <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2016/02/smart-packaging-leads-to-supply-chain.html">supply chain</a> and the packaging requirements at those various stages in the distribution network.<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Technical package testing gets everybody excited. </b>Obviously, there were a lot of other informative presentations--think harvesting triboelectric energy, intermodal transportation dynamics (with video in a railcar), etc., along with case studies that tracked a packaging solution from the initial problem to the final solution and results. As <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/packaging-consulting-improvement-programs/">packaging consultants</a>, we work with a wide variety of products, packaging materials and transportation and handling methods, so I’m sure I’ll be able to leverage bits and pieces from all speakers to solve a unique packaging challenge down the road!<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Overall, ISTA TransPack Forum was a great learning experience. Many of the professionals are returning attendees, but I strongly recommend in attending the conference if you have not before. It is well worth the value especially if you are looking to learn and grow as a packaging professional. </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , "serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/p/authors.html">Samuel Huppert</a> is a packaging consultant with Chainalytics where he supports engineering efforts on cost take-out and damage reduction initiatives. </i></span></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-27565776455705376992016-02-17T08:57:00.001-06:002020-11-25T14:55:31.081-06:00Smart Packaging Leads to Supply Chain Savings<br />
<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;">by Rob Kaszubowski, Packaging Engineering Manager, Chainalytics</span></span></h2>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v1NIrGxeRl0/VlOW02EMcoI/AAAAAAAAVn4/j8D6zrdOcDU/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2Bcost%2Bsavings%2Bspecialist.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="packaging consultant" border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-v1NIrGxeRl0/VlOW02EMcoI/AAAAAAAAVn4/j8D6zrdOcDU/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2Bcost%2Bsavings%2Bspecialist.JPG" title="Rob Kaszubowski packaging engineer" /></a></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Packaging is a unique beast. Every product you use, touch and consume requires some amount of packaging at some point in the supply chain. It’s so easy to take packaging for granted and forget that every packaging component has a specific purpose and can provide value to your product's total cost of ownership. This seems especially true in food packaging, where the consumer's main focus is to purchase, consume the product and toss (or recycle) the packaging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">However, as a <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/p/about-us.html">packaging engineer</a>, it’s the little things that stand out for me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">For instance, I recently purchased a case of mandarin oranges from Costco. OK, my kids love mandarin oranges, so I actually purchased two cases. When I opened the case I noticed that the manufacturer had nested the cups to improve the overall efficiency of the secondary packaging. It’s not overly flashy or innovative…just smart packaging! Ahhh! A packaging engineer’s dream!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgzkCqnZwu8/VlOFjI6r4kI/AAAAAAAAVmo/Ge9oD7w-x0g/s1600/20150121_202029.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><img alt="" border="0" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SgzkCqnZwu8/VlOFjI6r4kI/AAAAAAAAVmo/Ge9oD7w-x0g/s320/20150121_202029.jpg" title="nested fruit cups save transportation costs" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--8GaN9W8Ymk/VlOFoNyFFUI/AAAAAAAAVmU/JJMMfgA1L6Y/s1600/20151123_143129.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="143" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--8GaN9W8Ymk/VlOFoNyFFUI/AAAAAAAAVmU/JJMMfgA1L6Y/s320/20151123_143129.jpg" title="smart packaging: nested fruit cups" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WmuKrrSFIXo/VlOFo5bpf6I/AAAAAAAAVmQ/Fcb9lU5IujQ/s1600/20151123_143145.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="121" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WmuKrrSFIXo/VlOFo5bpf6I/AAAAAAAAVmQ/Fcb9lU5IujQ/s320/20151123_143145.jpg" title="non-nested fruit cups packaging fail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The high-level takeaways from this? A seemingly minor package orientation can lead directly to multiple savings across the supply chain through:</span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b><u>1. Less corrugated material</u></b></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aAahc8RGR8/VlOHADiTE4I/AAAAAAAAVm4/lVzuzDwq-tg/s1600/NESTED%2BVS%2BNOT%2BNESTED%2BBOX%2BCOMPARISON%2BMANDARIN%2BORANGES.bmp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><img alt="corrugated cost savings" border="0" height="267" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0aAahc8RGR8/VlOHADiTE4I/AAAAAAAAVm4/lVzuzDwq-tg/s400/NESTED%2BVS%2BNOT%2BNESTED%2BBOX%2BCOMPARISON%2BMANDARIN%2BORANGES.bmp" title="corrugated cost savings reduction with nested fruit cups" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Corrugated shipper material comparison - Nested fruit cups vs. Non-nested</span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2012/07/corrugated-vs-cardboard.html">corrugated </a>shipper with the nested fruit cups utilizes 386 square inches material.</span></blockquote>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">The not-nested case uses 411 square inches of material. <u><span style="color: red;">Or a 6.5% increase in material!</span></u></span></blockquote>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mpOTwjdaRuI/VlONUV8uXoI/AAAAAAAAVnY/mMZ0ycTKdvU/s1600/NESTED%2BVS%2BNOT%2BNESTED%2BBOX%2BPALLET%2BCOMPARISON2.bmp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="307" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mpOTwjdaRuI/VlONUV8uXoI/AAAAAAAAVnY/mMZ0ycTKdvU/s640/NESTED%2BVS%2BNOT%2BNESTED%2BBOX%2BPALLET%2BCOMPARISON2.bmp" title="pallet load count improvement with nested cups" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;">Nested cups shipper vs. non-nested cups shipper</span></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Nesting the fruit cups allows for an extra 20 cases per pallet (or 8.6% improvement in pallet efficiencies). This translates to fewer pallets in the system, fewer trailers and less handling labor.</span></blockquote>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><u><b>3. Fewer trailers in transit</b></u></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_YAbnVg3b1c/VlOTDk6aZBI/AAAAAAAAVno/4aUXw3jaYUM/s1600/smart%2Bpackaging%2Bleads%2Bto%2Bfewer%2Btrailers%2Bcost%2Bsavings.bmp" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="171" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_YAbnVg3b1c/VlOTDk6aZBI/AAAAAAAAVno/4aUXw3jaYUM/s400/smart%2Bpackaging%2Bleads%2Bto%2Bfewer%2Btrailers%2Bcost%2Bsavings.bmp" title="nested cups lead to logistics & transportation cost savings" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Fewer trailers provide cost savings and sustainability gains from less diesel usage and lower carbon emissions. Plus, the need for fewer trailers on the road also helps alleviate <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2015/12/combating-driver-shortage-through.html">driver shortage constraints</a>. Again, it's the simple things that can lead to big time savings for consumer packaged goods companies.</span></blockquote>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><u><b>4. More product on the pallet at Costco</b></u></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">This one is pretty obvious, but having more product on the pallet at the stores leads to less handling and fewer touches throughout the supply chain - even at the store level. </span></blockquote>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">What other simple changes in everyday packaging could lead to greater efficiency and supply chain savings?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif">The <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/">packaging team</a> at Chainalytics focuses on packaging cost reduction efforts that lead to a chain reaction of savings across the entire supply chain.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20.02px;"><i><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Rob%20Kaszubowski" style="color: #348ef4; text-decoration: none;">Rob Kaszubowski</a> is a Packaging Engineering Manager at Chainalytics Packaging Engineering practice. </i><i><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 15.3333px;">His</span> </i></span><i style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20.02px;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif"><span style="color: #333333; line-height: 15.3333px;">track record of success ranges from delivering packaging cost savings and damage reduction projects to optimizing packaging throughout clients’ entire supply chains including retail, DIY, and big-box channels</span>.</span></i></span></span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4Minneapolis, MN, USA44.977753 -93.26501080000002744.797043 -93.589107300000023 45.158463 -92.940914300000031tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-7633387300289632812015-12-30T16:19:00.001-06:002020-11-25T14:38:09.713-06:00Combating Driver Shortage Through Packaging<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZT7_Knm-U8/ViAQs2szqeI/AAAAAAAAUgk/pQvf-3gpV-I/s1600/Rich%2BLindgren%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bdamage%2Breduction%2Bspecialist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #348ef4; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="cost savings specialist" border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZT7_Knm-U8/ViAQs2szqeI/AAAAAAAAUgk/pQvf-3gpV-I/s200/Rich%2BLindgren%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bdamage%2Breduction%2Bspecialist.JPG" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" title="Rich Lindgren packaging consultant" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.02px;">by</span><span style="line-height: 20.02px;"> </span><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Rich%20Lindgren" style="color: #348ef4; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;">Rich Lindgren, CPP</a></span><br /><span style="color: #348ef4; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://chainalytics.com/" style="color: #348ef4; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;">Chainalytics</a></span></div>
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If you pay attention to transportation and long haul trucking rates, you know that the current driver shortage is a real problem and is causing increased rates and reduced load acceptance ratios. For more details on the driver shortage and how it effects transportation costs, <a href="http://ww2.cfo.com/supply-chain/2014/09/perfect-storm-supply-chain-costs/" target="_blank">check out this article by Michael Kilgore</a>.<br />
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The most widely accepted solution to the driver shortage is to increase compensation for over the road truck drivers so that the profession remains competitive against other appealing semi-skilled construction jobs that are on the rise. That will definitely help with the supply end of the equation and probably deserved for quality drivers, but at the same time those wage increases will just transfer through to your company in the way of rate increases across lanes. <br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wvSX2mX01U0/VoRWJdZyf0I/AAAAAAAABaY/MVFYnaLRZWc/s1600/line-of-trucks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="139" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wvSX2mX01U0/VoRWJdZyf0I/AAAAAAAABaY/MVFYnaLRZWc/s320/line-of-trucks.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Here is an alternative way of thinking about this problem from the the demand side of the equation. Shipping less product is obviously not a solution to reduce demand and unless you own your fleet, you can't really hire or pay drivers more, you rely on your carriers for that. So lets look at something you do have control of. Believe it or not, it starts with your packaging, specifically your distribution and unit load packaging.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YR3lVIg1uw/VoRUk_VsiuI/AAAAAAAABaM/W6jdfJtxBmI/s1600/Trailer%2BLoad.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="271" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1YR3lVIg1uw/VoRUk_VsiuI/AAAAAAAABaM/W6jdfJtxBmI/s320/Trailer%2BLoad.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Do the Back of your Trailers resemble this?</td></tr>
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By optimizing your packaging and increasing the density of your unit loads and thus leading to more goods shipped per trailer, you reduce your demand on your carriers and the over all system. Kind of like adjusting your thermostat in the heat of the summer when you are not home, you are reducing impact on the grid and waste. Empty cube space in trailer is probably the worst and most expensive kind of waste there is.</div>
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Many customers we help achieve 5-15% improvements in full truck load densities, which usually translates 10-15% less truck load shipments. This improvement obviously generates immediate transportation savings but also reduces the demand on their carriers and improved load acceptance ratios. Now while one company reducing a few truck load shipments a week is not going to solve the driver shortage by itself, but a small percentage shift across the market would. Not to mention, this would result in significant savings for companies and a large reduction in truck emissions from a sustainability standpoint.<br />
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To learn more about <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/" target="_blank">Packaging Optimization, follow the link</a>.</div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-66194879964502805222015-10-14T15:04:00.003-05:002015-10-15T15:49:27.180-05:002015 Pack Expo Las Vegas Recap<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.02px; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZT7_Knm-U8/ViAQs2szqeI/AAAAAAAAUgk/pQvf-3gpV-I/s1600/Rich%2BLindgren%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bdamage%2Breduction%2Bspecialist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="cost savings specialist" border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ZT7_Knm-U8/ViAQs2szqeI/AAAAAAAAUgk/pQvf-3gpV-I/s200/Rich%2BLindgren%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bdamage%2Breduction%2Bspecialist.JPG" title="Rich Lindgren packaging consultant" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 20.02px;">by</span><span style="line-height: 20.02px;"> </span><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Rich%20Lindgren" style="color: #348ef4; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;">Rich Lindgren, CPP</a></span><br />
<a href="http://chainalytics.com/" style="color: #348ef4; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chainalytics</span></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">Recently Chainalytics' </span><a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/complex-package-engineering/" style="background-color: white; color: #348ef4; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px; text-decoration: none;">packaging engineering team</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"> attended the PACK EXPO trade show in Las Vegas. This year's show featured more than 1,800 exhibitors and 30,000+ attendees. Our team of packaging consultants canvased the floor for the better part of three days to find all things new and cutting edge in packaging industry.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pp0QsGRY9dBtmD4R94GIkwSjyAAik85h9gYZt6-fxIK6Hk0LPLIsjGulACmLatrKPzeIUicwyi0hEsYqFsx_LZ6qU9lTKj0Lk7zsK1aFfvIUsmDAcOTDGbkduw5gHUMCoaW4WC0nFio/s1600/PACK_EXPO_banner.jpg" style="color: #348ef4; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4Pp0QsGRY9dBtmD4R94GIkwSjyAAik85h9gYZt6-fxIK6Hk0LPLIsjGulACmLatrKPzeIUicwyi0hEsYqFsx_LZ6qU9lTKj0Lk7zsK1aFfvIUsmDAcOTDGbkduw5gHUMCoaW4WC0nFio/s1600/PACK_EXPO_banner.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 1px solid rgb(238, 238, 238); box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.0980392) 1px 1px 5px; padding: 5px; position: relative;" title="Pack Expo Las Vegas tradeshow for packaging engineers" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">While I've attend several Pack Expo shows in Chicago, this was actually my first year attending the packaging industry’s west coast version. General impressions on Las Vegas vs. Chicago are the following:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">1. Still a huge show, but much more manageable then Chicago, you can cover in 2 full days without sprinting the aisles.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">2. Vegas is definitely a little less equipment and machinery intensive. You get a better mix of materials, new technologies and material handling supplies. So if Chicago turned you off in the past because of being overwhelmed with giants exhibits of fillers, wrappers, and conveyors, give Las Vegas a try.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">3. In my opinion, September in Las Vegas is so much nicer weather wise then the Windy City in October or November!</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">Lastly I leave you with our three top finds from this year's expo:</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">1. <a href="http://www.cogitocan.com/" target="_blank">CogitoCan</a> - One of the few short comings of the long-standing aluminum can is the lack of resealability. Seeing the CogitoCan at the show was very unique and an exciting proposition for the beverage markets, especially if it as cost effective as they claim it to be.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__f9zOZTcl4/Vh29ia5mUVI/AAAAAAAABVU/czruWvR6wf8/s1600/COGITOcan.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="85" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__f9zOZTcl4/Vh29ia5mUVI/AAAAAAAABVU/czruWvR6wf8/s320/COGITOcan.png" title="new can packaging innovations" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New Resealable Aluminum Can Technology</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">2. <a href="http://www.easyfoldfixtures.com/" target="_blank">Easy Fold Fixtures</a> - In our line of work as packaging consultants, we see tons of labor and time spent folding up two sided rollover corrugated cartons, a.k.a. Pizza Boxes. Walking down one of the last aisles of the show for me, this immediately caught my attention. Based on a few minutes in the booth, this seems like a great and affordable way to reduce labor and repetitive motion injuries as well asimprove productivity and tact time for many companies. To see how it works, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adxkwMs56pI" target="_blank">check out this 20 second video</a>.</span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hCGAReThBGs/Vh2_y6NGDdI/AAAAAAAABVg/STMaEgU4dIk/s1600/EasyfoldFixture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hCGAReThBGs/Vh2_y6NGDdI/AAAAAAAABVg/STMaEgU4dIk/s1600/EasyfoldFixture.jpg" title="EZ fold fixture for die-cut box setup reduce packaging labor costs" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">EZ fold fixtures</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;"><br /></span></span></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">3. <a href="http://www.rocktenn.com/products/corrugated-packaging/ProductsAutoMeta.htm" target="_blank">WestRock Meta</a> E - The newly formed WestRock had very large and impressive exhibit showing off their newest auto case and tray erecting Meta series. For me the coolest offering they had was their Meta E which is focused on the E-commerce sector. They have a unique system that auto erects an RSC corrugated case that is lined with cohesive paper. You load the box upside down and place your product inside the top sealed lid of the case. An operator then folds over the cohesive paper onto itself that creates a false bottom of sorts that cradles the product and holds firm to top of box. When the consumer receives their shipment and opens the top, the product is justified to the top and creates a clean out of box experience with no loose fill, air pillows or shipping dunnage. While this technology does nothing to solve for shipping air or reducing dimensional weight, it does potential reduce labor and packaging materials used.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K9WSBwBRSEQ/Vh3C6Ye2dII/AAAAAAAABVs/MUYzP9FBfms/s1600/WestRock%2Bmeta%2BE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" border="0" height="187" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-K9WSBwBRSEQ/Vh3C6Ye2dII/AAAAAAAABVs/MUYzP9FBfms/s320/WestRock%2Bmeta%2BE.jpg" title="Meta E creates improved out of box experience for e-commerce" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Example of the customer "Out of Box Experience" with Meta E</td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14.3px; line-height: 20.02px;">Hopefully you have found this info helpful and you feel inspired to check out a future Pack Expo show. If you have questions about something you want to know more about or something you found at Pack Expo, leave a comment below!</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-317779158918639282015-09-30T10:47:00.000-05:002015-10-15T15:49:13.665-05:00How Innovative Product Packaging Solutions Can Save Money<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Rob Kaszubowski, Packaging Engineering Manager</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who knew you could actually damage a product while placing it into its protective packaging? But that’s the exact problem Chainalytics packaging engineers recently tackled for a construction materials client. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The company’s heavy vinyl lined products were being scuffed and scratched when slid into their secondary packaging for shipment—creating significant costs from damage returns, warranty repairs, and service calls. But abrasion during loading wasn’t the only problem: Products were often damaged during unloading from sliding the product back out of the box. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UZ-LPYzCZI8/VgrVgY4kYBI/AAAAAAAAUB4/Iau0pWq2dy8/s1600/Horizontal%2BProduct%2BLoading%2Babrasion%2Bdamage.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="abrasion damage" border="0" height="152" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UZ-LPYzCZI8/VgrVgY4kYBI/AAAAAAAAUB4/Iau0pWq2dy8/s320/Horizontal%2BProduct%2BLoading%2Babrasion%2Bdamage.gif" title="packaging engineers solve for abrasion and transport damage" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Abrasion damage created from sliding product into box</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To add to the packaging failure complexity, the product came in multiple sizes and weights and was manufactured on multiple lines. The tact time for the packaging operation was less than 20 seconds, leaving little time to physically add any extra protection components. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A streamlined solution to a multi-layered packaging problem<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Chainalytics’ packaging team developed a unique testing method to replicate the vinyl product sliding into a box using a variable speed conveyor-like system (think of a treadmill). Only in this case the process was reversed: The vinyl was placed in a fixed position with a determined weight applied and a strip of corrugated material was run across the vinyl at a speed that matched loading speeds on the line. <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VZowEcXiSnY/VgRgX9D2L6I/AAAAAAAAT4M/01uPB88GxJE/s1600/Chainalytics%2Bcustom%2Bpackaging%2Babrasion%2Btest%2Bon%2Bcorrugated.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="corrugated damage reduction" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-VZowEcXiSnY/VgRgX9D2L6I/AAAAAAAAT4M/01uPB88GxJE/s1600/Chainalytics%2Bcustom%2Bpackaging%2Babrasion%2Btest%2Bon%2Bcorrugated.gif" title="Chainalytics packaging engineering custom corrugated abrasion test" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Customized abrasion test created to solve for multiple damage solutions.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The test enabled the team to establish baseline damage that was replicable to typical damage seen at the packing line. From there, they were able to test multiple packaging attributes to determine the severity levels of any single variable including:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">packaging substrates</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">materials from multiple corrugated vendors</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">various board weights</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">liner board combinations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">environmental conditions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">corrugation direction</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">vinyl colors</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">abrasion reducing coatings for corrugated</span></li>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Solutions testing helps us create the optimal packaging system<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">After establishing the baseline damage of the current state, engineers ran the same test looking at possible concept solutions. Again, the unique test setup enabled testing multiple possible solution variations in a short amount of time while using minimal sample product for testing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Following the solutions testing the team identified multiple solutions and was able to obtain quotes and perform costing analysis to determine the most feasible solution that would balance reducing the damage while not increasing packaging costs significantly. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-akV_gsskXb0/VgQ17s3fHgI/AAAAAAAAT3o/Q3RWuAH9IqI/s1600/CHAINalytics%2Bpackaging--damage%2Bvs.%2Bpackaging%2Bcosts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="packaging costs vs. supply chain damage" border="0" height="237" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-akV_gsskXb0/VgQ17s3fHgI/AAAAAAAAT3o/Q3RWuAH9IqI/s320/CHAINalytics%2Bpackaging--damage%2Bvs.%2Bpackaging%2Bcosts.jpg" title="Packaging consultants balance product packaging costs vs. transport damage" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Ultimately, the innovative test setup and customized test protocol expedited the time it took to solve for damage, balanced extensive damage/returns costs with new packaging costs and created a net savings benefit. The packaging team was able to identify a cost effective solution that was able to significantly reduce the abrasion damage from loading the product into the secondary packaging and was a transparent change for the operators at the manufacturing line.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If your team is struggling with a packaging issue and in search of a customized solution to help solve a customized problem, contact Chainalytics’ packaging professionals at <a href="mailto:Packaging@chainalytics.com">Packaging@chainalytics.com</a> or give us a call at +1 612 260 7845</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b><o:p></o:p></b>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0Minneapolis, MN, USA44.977753 -93.26501080000002744.797043 -93.589107300000023 45.158463 -92.940914300000031tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-84320354514867656732015-08-11T11:12:00.000-05:002015-10-16T12:20:18.292-05:00How McDonald’s Rides Package Design into New Market<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZbdSeHRUJKY/Vb-BnrTCT6I/AAAAAAAAAGc/xMZ_AA1HLQM/s1600/kjgb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZbdSeHRUJKY/Vb-BnrTCT6I/AAAAAAAAAGc/xMZ_AA1HLQM/s320/kjgb.jpg" title="McDonald's innovative package design" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently, McDonald’s announced a new McBike packaging initiative, aimed at making bike-thru traffic possible at their 36,258 restaurants worldwide (Statista). Launched in Copenhagen, Denmark—one of the most cyclist-dense cities in the world—McBike is also scheduled for launch other global cities known for their cycling populations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The McBike package is relatively simple; a little folder with two pockets for a meal, a hole in the bottom for a drink, and a looped hook at the top to go over handlebars. What the package has created is a bit more complex - an entire new market for the fast food chain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A quick look at commuter biking <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">According to <a href="http://bikeleague.org/">The League of American Bicyclists</a>, biking to work in the United States has grown 62% from 2000 to 2013. Although a mere .25% of the U.S. population bikes to work, the McBike program might be introduced to active, bike-friendly cities like Portland, Oregon where upwards of 6% of the population bikes to work, or in small cities, like Davis, California, where 24.5% of commuters bike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the United States, Millennials increasingly live in urban locations; are “multi-modal,” choosing the best transit mode (driving, public transit, bike or walk) to reach their location; and are a likely demographic for the McBike initiative. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Even if the new packages don’t make it to the states, they could still have a substantial impact elsewhere. Take Copenhagen, Denmark for example, where over 30% of the population bikes to work. If this package succeeds in countries with large cycling communities, then McDonald’s stands to gain quite a lot of business volume.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><span style="background: white; color: #548dd4; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;">Source: Average 2008-2010 TU Data, Danish Annual National Transport Survey</span></i><span style="color: #548dd4; font-size: 8.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themetint: 153;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It all comes down to knowing your demographics and experimenting with ways to capture a broader array of clientele. A bicyclist demographic could include active and health conscious adults, adults that don’t have a car, children, and people in communities where biking is the norm. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The McBike is certainly an interesting packaging concept and a great attempt to bring cyclists to McDonald’s. However, I’m not completely sold on the new McBike package. I have a hard time believing that the package actually makes for an easy ride. My primary concern is with how deep the carton is: It appears the bottom of the beverage container hangs well below the top of the front tire. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you’ve ever ridden a bike while attempting to carry packages on your handlebars—and instead chosen a bike basket or panniers to carry groceries or other items—you know that anything that interferes with your front tire’s turning radius can create a handling problem. In the case of the McBike package, there is nothing within the package to keep it from swaying, which could potentially create problems with the beverage container striking the wheel, possibly making a mess or instigating a crash. It also looks like the package might sit a little too close to the center of bike depending on the cyclist’s handlebars. Overall, it is a unique branding and packaging idea, and if it works, the McBike program could potentially bring in a lot of drive-in business in places where bikes are the primary vehicles on the road. As someone who lives in a urban area, this seems like a realistic idea for my shorter rides, but it seems like a bit a hassle if you want to go a few miles or more with.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">McDonald’s is proving that innovation is key to meeting your customers’ needs. More business is good business and an innovative packaging program can be an important part of broadening your company's reach and creating growth. But on first glance, a bit more package engineering may make sense.</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dXlNKJnTbYs/ViExODxhwhI/AAAAAAAAUjk/kzMzjTIGREs/s1600/Noah%2BRabinowitz%2Bpackaging%2Bdesigner%2BChainalytics%2B-%2BMinnesota.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-dXlNKJnTbYs/ViExODxhwhI/AAAAAAAAUjk/kzMzjTIGREs/s1600/Noah%2BRabinowitz%2Bpackaging%2Bdesigner%2BChainalytics%2B-%2BMinnesota.jpg" title="Noah Rabinowitz packaging designer consulant" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By Noah Rabinowitz | Packaging Designer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sources: Statisa.com; bikeleague.org, transportpolicy2014.blogspot.com, youtube.com</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-14979292486840461852015-08-05T10:08:00.000-05:002015-10-16T21:58:01.063-05:00Not Enough Product in that Package? Blame It On Slack Fill <div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By: Rob Kaszubowski, Sr. Packaging Engineer</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Food manufacturer, <b>Perfetti Van Melle, was recently handed<span style="color: blue;"> </span></b><b><a href="http://www.confectionerynews.com/Manufacturers/Mentos-maker-Perfetti-Van-Melle-faces-packaging-deception-lawsuit?utm_source=Chainalytics&utm_medium=Blog&utm_campaign=Packaging%20Matters">a hefty $5 Million law suit for a slack fill violation</a> </b>on their Mentos gum (50 count container). </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Essentially, the firm was accused of committing <b>slack fill deception</b>--putting a small product, inside a much larger container to make the product packaging look much bigger and ensure it takes up a bigger spatial/visual footprint on a shelf. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What Exactly is Slack Fill?</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/slack-fill-reducing-risks-improving-bottom-line-profits/" target="_blank">Slack fill</a> is the difference between the actual capacity of a container and the volume of product contained within the enclosed container. While federal laws administered by the FDA regulate slack fill on behalf of consumers, states also weigh in on the issue. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />In California, a slack fill violator is a package that is filled to “substantially less” than its capacity for other than any one or more than the applicable exceptions (California Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 12606(c) (1-15)). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Wherever they originate, slack fill laws are aimed at protecting consumers from being duped into buying a packaged product that is misleading. A container that does not allow the consumer to fully view the fill levels is deemed deceptive and misleading unless it contains “functional” slack fill, there are six exceptions which are <a href="http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=100.100" target="_blank">outlined here.</a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A Closer Look at the Mentos Slack Fill in Action</span></b></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oftentimes, articles in the business and trade press mention the offending product packaging and the amount the company was penalized or fined, but fail to show exactly “how bad” the slack fill was or exactly what the ratio of product vs. packaging was in these law-breaking products. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We were curious ourselves, so we bought a few containers of this Mentos gum to take a deeper dive. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Take a look at what we found. <b><i>Does this packaging deceive you?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Upon opening the container, it looks to be approximately 2/3 full.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Further analysis shows this container to be 72% full by weight <i>(28% empty or non-functional slack fill). </i></span>This is gathered from the ratio of product currently in the container compared to the maximum weight it can hold of the same product.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b> <b>How You Can Measure the Immeasurable</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">These images above might make the everyday consumer feel deceived upon opening their new purchase and lead them to think “I can’t believe there isn’t more product in this package.” </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The lack of a hard and fast number as to what fill ratio qualifies as “substantially less” than full obviously makes California’s slack fill standard a difficult one to follow. Consumer goods manufacturers must make the judgement call on exactly <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/slack-fill-reducing-risks-improving-bottom-line-profits/">how much product is enough to meet the minimum requirements—and avoid being penalized.</a> One could argue that the lack of any parameters to define fill levels in a package is similar to driving down the highway with no speed limits posted--only a sign that simply warns “<i>Just Don’t Go Too Fast</i>.” </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />As a team of packaging engineers, we are focused on optimizing packaging and improving cube efficiencies throughout all supply chain distribution channels—from manufacturing all the way to the retail shelf. We couldn't help ourselves... </span><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EajuU29JVx8/VcDF5gElwyI/AAAAAAAAAGw/gPudmsFV5YY/s1600/gjh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></a><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EajuU29JVx8/VcDF5gElwyI/AAAAAAAAAGw/gPudmsFV5YY/s1600/gjh.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Slack-Fill-Mentos" border="0" height="161" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EajuU29JVx8/VcDF5gElwyI/AAAAAAAAAGw/gPudmsFV5YY/s200/gjh.jpg" title="Slack fill container comparison" width="200" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We shortened the Mentos Gum container by 1/2" inch. The original pallet could only hold 3,120 containers. The newly optimized, shortened container allows for a total of 3,744, or 624 more units per pallet - a 20% improvement in pallet utilization! </span></b></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hEb75Gwyp8o/VcDGGvpcaEI/AAAAAAAAAHA/2VZ0xbKs0CI/s1600/jk.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Optimized Pallet Packaging Slack Fill Mentos" border="0" height="193" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hEb75Gwyp8o/VcDGGvpcaEI/AAAAAAAAAHA/2VZ0xbKs0CI/s200/jk.png" title="Slack Fill pallet after - optimized packaging minimize risk" width="200" /></span></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMgWA9DtTMo/VcDGF9Bln0I/AAAAAAAAAG8/1640uS-1Yhs/s1600/hi.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Before Packaging Pallet Slack Fill Mentos" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NMgWA9DtTMo/VcDGF9Bln0I/AAAAAAAAAG8/1640uS-1Yhs/s200/hi.png" title="Slack Fill pallet before" width="193" /></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <br />With proper packaging, the amount of air space in these individual canisters could be reduced to allow for greater than <b>20% improvement in pallet counts simply by adding an extra layer </b>of product to the pallet. An incremental change in a package this small can lead to a cascading effect of material savings, logistics savings, warehousing improvements, less out of stocks at retailers, and so on and so forth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />So after reviewing the Mentos packaging dilemma and how much product is actually in the packaging, <b><i>would you consider 72% full to be bad? What about 28% empty? </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you feel your products may be a<b> slack fill risk</b>, it’s often a good approach to perform an internal audit and slack fill review. Aside from taking a preventative step to avoid any slack fill penalties, there may be additional cost savings tied to some of those incremental packaging savings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />The <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/" target="_blank">Chainalytics Packaging Optimization</a> practice is a seasoned team of packaging engineers, dedicated to addressing risks and opportunities end-to-end throughout the supply chain.<br /><br />Questions? Contact us at <a href="mailto:packaging@chainalytics.com">Packaging@chainalytics.com </a>or give us a call at +1 612.260.7845.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Rob%20Kaszubowski">Rob Kaszubowski</a> is a Manager in Chainalytics Packaging Engineering practice. </i><i><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">His</span> </i></span><i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">track record of success ranges from delivering packaging cost savings and damage reduction projects to optimizing packaging throughout clients’ entire supply chains</span>.</span></i><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-14527578055975020272015-07-28T09:06:00.000-05:002015-10-16T22:06:20.398-05:00Do You Need More Warehouse Space? Think Packaging!<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was recently reading an article on how to optimize your warehouse without increasing space. It got me thinking that most people see a warehouse space as a constraint, having limited options. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <b>The warehouse optimization options in this article I read were to broken down into 3 basic features;</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <b>1) Inventory/sales information;</b> know what you have (take inventory), know what you need (revise re-supply / safety stock quantity), know what you don't need and get rid of it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <b>2) Inventory management; </b>basically implement WMS (and connect to pick & put-away operations) and then run a slotting exercise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <b>3) Expand the warehouse</b>; after implementing 1 & 2 from above (this one is not very helpful).</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iNU9Fu79bOo/VbeK-LEorVI/AAAAAAAAAFM/gzPR3MF8TGA/s1600/forklift-835340_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Expanding Warehouse Space" border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iNU9Fu79bOo/VbeK-LEorVI/AAAAAAAAAFM/gzPR3MF8TGA/s320/forklift-835340_1280.jpg" title="reduce warehouse space with optimized packaging" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Most of the operations I have observed (primarily for packaging assessments) have done a pretty good job of tracking inventory, understanding stock quantities and are usually running one of the very good WMS systems available. Slotting exercises are only slightly less common. Assuming your operation has completed the above two options listed above, does this mean that <b>expansion is the next logical option?</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't think so.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Making the Most of Your Existing Warehouse Space </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many options for the constrained warehouse environment not listed in the article I read, but almost all of them require some type of fiscal outlay and operational disruption; detailed justification is required and capital budgets need to be allocated. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are s<b>ome of the other options for maximizing your constrained </b><b>warehouse space</b>:</span></h4>
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Reset the steel for narrow aisles</b> (typically requires different lift trucks). This can be done in stages and can result in a lot more rack spaces.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Use vertical landscape</b>; many warehouses are not using all the vertical space possible. This also means you may need new lift trucks and you may need to replace some steel, but this can also be done in stages and or combined with the reset for narrow aisles. You may not need to buy all new uprights - some rack manufacturers can provide extensions to increase upright height.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Implement a high density storage area</b> for smaller products and or non full-pallet quantities; another option for these products is a high density vertical carousel.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Change the layout of the space</b> for better utilization (usually less common and less effective).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Install mezzanines</b>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: right;"><b>Track guided very narrow aisles</b>; again this will require new lift truck equipment.</span></li>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IcY_qFW5w4c/VbeLS5I2nUI/AAAAAAAAAFU/zuRM6QFLo3g/s1600/logistics-852939_1280.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Maximizing-warehouse-space" border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IcY_qFW5w4c/VbeLS5I2nUI/AAAAAAAAAFU/zuRM6QFLo3g/s320/logistics-852939_1280.jpg" title="packaging sorting and fulfillment lines" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However, the real game changer which is often overlooked and often can make the BIGGEST impact is to optimize packaging and palletizing for maximum density. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Optimizing Your Packaging </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The result of a packaging optimization project is not only that the packaging is right-sized, but packaging costs generally go down overall, warehouse space allocation is reduced, better trailer utilization is achieved, resulting in lower logistics costs, and a boost to your sustainable metrics. The ripple effects of these cost impacts are especially high if you are manufacturing in Asia and shipping to the Americas or Europe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Packaging Optimization Case Study </span></h4>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Below is a packaging optimization example from a client that was importing telecom equipment from Asia into a warehouse in the central USA for shipments all over North America. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />This particular example accounted for only a few SKUs as a part of a larger annual cost reduction initiative outlined for the business. When we started the project, we conservatively estimated a savings of $2MM in logistics and materials costs. When all was said and done, the cost savings and material reductions actually ended up totaling almost $4MM in efficiencies gained.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <span id="docs-internal-guid-c09da52b-d4ed-8201-add1-094bb0b00c0a"><span style="vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><img alt="packaging optimization case study" height="319px;" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/ZKyizWYB020__OsxrWiQpl0RVa35Ks4Z5oOwzd9lB-yKlF0a67f7s6LcBdK72ReGZWnmi7i9IiLw0gt-xRXcg47Pm_q9tqA-rCdzX0SlGf6j_GuNKRJiwlC0jmB_59P0gK_ucMEXDmMyOKXY" style="-webkit-transform: rotate(0.00rad); border: none; transform: rotate(0.00rad);" title="Optimized packaging reduces warehouse space and handling" width="624px;" /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />This Packaging Optimization project's cost savings calculations didn't include the cost savings from their 3rd party warehousing partners by way of the reduction in the number of rack spaces needed, trailer unloading times, and pallet handling charges. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br /></b> <b>These simple packaging changes effectively reduced warehouse space</b><b> by 2/3 for these SKUs</b>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />It cost virtually nothing to implement from a capital investment standpoint, and the best part, this caused no disruption to the business or daily warehouse operations! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Just think of what a packaging optimization program could do for your constrained warehouse space problems, AND your all-in packaging & logistics costs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Have more questions? <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/" target="_blank">Chainalytics' Packaging Consultants</a> can help. Simply email us at <a href="mailto:packaging@chainalytics.com" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #35a6e3; line-height: inherit; text-align: center;">packaging@chainalytics.com</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /> <img alt="Eric Carlson Chainalytics" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEh2Ahcr6lTTxBWSJuW0r5O-aQFWCLM26AzD6etVD0v7rWPKxRqSHXVctH0EaEdF3T0myULmBb3y1SbhWSCIBFF9uTc_yQPs6N0QJwSJStxZqgcZTcH2QzxS6lREPl1CG5xSDxPe8ppIBv1BRfS9He7jJZOKnGgqO7G1wHZ5JGMSRXqisM2VwmAQxw=" title="Eric Carlson packaging consultant expert" width="200" />By <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Eric%20Carlson">Eric Carlson</a>, CPP</span>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XLJxKbOOoQ/ViG7v_FQqzI/AAAAAAAAUkY/TyIn8WPaUtM/s1600/reduce%2Btransportation%2Bcosts.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7XLJxKbOOoQ/ViG7v_FQqzI/AAAAAAAAUkY/TyIn8WPaUtM/s200/reduce%2Btransportation%2Bcosts.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Is your boss looking to cut costs? Or are you in charge of some packaging changes? You’ve probably touched more than 20 packaged items today without even knowing it. What you should notice is packaging optimization. Optimizing your packaging can drastically improve your business. If your business ships anything at all packaging optimization is worth looking into, and here is why:</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#1 Change Your Packaging Design</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Your package is the first thing your customer sees. It needs to be attractive enough to be picked off of the shelf instead of your competitors. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Packaging optimization can completely redesign your package. </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So if you need a change in your marketing, packaging redesign is an ingenious way to re-market your product. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Need a handle for easy carrying? Done. Are your wanting to fit more of your product into a truck or box? That can be done too. What is fantastic about packaging optimization is the flexibility. Tasks can range from a small adjustment to a whole new design. </span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XhxXQOzQTu4/ViG744RtTNI/AAAAAAAAUkg/P-3za6nlrcI/s1600/packaging%2Bcost%2Bsavings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XhxXQOzQTu4/ViG744RtTNI/AAAAAAAAUkg/P-3za6nlrcI/s200/packaging%2Bcost%2Bsavings.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#2 Look at Cost Reduction</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Are you spending too much? Packaging optimization can help you </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reduce the amount of money you spend on packaging.</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> Companies often have “slack”, or extra space, in their packaging that results in them spending extra money to ship empty space. There are many factors that can be changed in the packaging process. Some of the smallest changes can add up, saving you a lot of money in the long run.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#3 Address Damage Reduction</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Damage is a huge problem in the shipping industry! Angry customers are no fun. Packaging optimization uses an array of tests to make sure </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">your product arrives to your customers in perfect condition</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. The strength of the box, the tools that handle your packages, and what type of cushion you are using are all important factors that are considered.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">#4 Create Some Sustainability</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Packing optimization can help you put </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">more product on your truck, which means you need less trucks to ship</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This is a win-win option for your wallet and the environment. You can also chose the “green” option for your packaging by making your packaging from recyclable or degradable materials. Lastly, you can invest in return packaging so you can ship your products in the same container time after time. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5n7JHNU5KuM/ViG8iqy6RUI/AAAAAAAAUko/khFDqgRYTW8/s1600/packaging%2Bsustainability%2Bsavings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5n7JHNU5KuM/ViG8iqy6RUI/AAAAAAAAUko/khFDqgRYTW8/s200/packaging%2Bsustainability%2Bsavings.jpg" title="packaging sustainability savings" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/E4HiyVtZ92S_NOFgvbhOSqKISzTH8v6zBgUau58r66-i8w-Wy49V95mBFxsEqShJXT_3rkzE2UtoUML1H3ewngbJkQRGufcwXNuOZV8p7kJYKnWqxuAfjNpHcMaCzuIy3iiZ8AE" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Consider bringing up packaging optimization at your next business meeting, it is often an option that companies overlook. A small change in your packaging can save your comp</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">any thousands of dollars. Want to know more about what packaging optimization can do for your company? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 1.38;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 1.38;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Check us <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/">out</a> </span></span><span style="line-height: 22.0799999237061px; white-space: pre-wrap;">or c</span><span style="line-height: 1.38; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ontact our packaging consultants at </span><a data-bitly-type="bitly_hover_card" href="mailto:packaging@chainalytics.com" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #004b96; line-height: inherit;">packaging@chainalytics.com</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #616e78; line-height: 1.3;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 1.3;">or +1 (612) 252-1830. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> By Chelsea Hennen </span></div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-55991030175856537342015-07-14T08:47:00.001-05:002015-10-16T22:13:51.133-05:00Packaging Airline Passengers for Safety<br />
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<span style="line-height: 1.38; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I would like to start off with a shout out to 17-year-old Raymond Wang of Vancouver for winning the top prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the Gordon E. Moore Award plus $75,000. Normally, I would just read the accomplishments of the youth science fair with passing interest, but this year, I fervently hope that Wang's winning entry will be adopted and implemented soon. Wang won the top prize by redesigning the airflow of passenger aircraft cabins, specifically to redirect airflow from top to bottom that will help drive airborne contaminants away from fellow passengers. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">According to the June 13, 2015 </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Science News</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (SN) article "Teen wins big for pollution control at Intel ISEF"; "His adaption would send the air downward, reducing the number of germs inhaled by passengers by 98 percent, according to Wang's calculations. Also, the deflector should almost triple the amount of fresh air available to passengers."</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">HUZZAH!</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Airbus_A-350_XWB_F-WWYB_Economy_Class.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" class="irc_mi" height="212" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2b/Airbus_A-350_XWB_F-WWYB_Economy_Class.jpg" style="margin-top: 21px;" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I hope this highly practical engineering solution will soon improve my traveling experience. It has also gotten me thinking about airline travel as a packaging issue. Considering my profession, I'm surprised that I had not thought of the issue of airline passengers through my packaging lens. I am sure most of us that fly regularly (especially my big and tall friends) are very aware that seat spacing in coach has been compressed over the years which allow planes to carry more seats and thus more passengers. However, there is much more to consider when packaging passengers in an aircraft. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 22.0799999237061px;">The first hurdle, not yet addressed or resolved, is that the seats are not sized for the passengers in neither first class nor coach; every seat space is the same regardless of the size of the passenger. In my profession, that is like asking Amazon to ship you a refrigerator or a coffee mug in a box sized for a microwave. This doesn't make sense from a packaging or logistics perspective. This single size constraint is not good for either the comfort or safety of the passengers who fall outside the fairly narrow space allotted. To drive greater space efficiency, I have recently seen an idea floated about the potential for stand-up 'seating' on some shorter haul aircraft. Unless they drastically redesign the shape of the plane from a slight oval to a much exaggerated oval, the airline will be just exchanging inadequate legroom for inadequate headroom. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Wang's design solution got me thinking about other aspects of packaging our fellow passengers. The aircraft is a classic modified atmosphere package (MAP); in this case controlling pressure and gas mix. Modified atmospheres are often employed to increase food safety (inhibit bacterial or fungal growth) and prolong shelf life (control water vapor). Depending on the product being packaged, the contents may be susceptible to various airborne constituents; oxygen is often purged, nitrogen is often flushed in. To continue the parallel and relevance of food safety, a food manufacturer would not and could not knowingly allow a contaminated product to be packaged alongside like items for fear of contaminating the entire package, but except in the case of the recent Ebola outbreak, this has been a non-issue for airlines. </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">With the advent of Wang's new airflow redirection and the impact on passenger cross contamination safety, I encourage all airlines to retrofit current aircraft to include Wang's air deflector. In light of some of the recent worldwide virus outbreaks (the cover story in the same issue of SN is the new threat of chikungunya virus), this invention should serve as a minimum standard for passenger safety and serve as a wake-up call to Boeing, Airbus and others to address passenger cross contamination in new and even more effective ways.</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span id="docs-internal-guid-aeda709b-738b-839f-8878-2f947b0f23bd"></span></span><img alt="FMIC Premium Analytics" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEh2Ahcr6lTTxBWSJuW0r5O-aQFWCLM26AzD6etVD0v7rWPKxRqSHXVctH0EaEdF3T0myULmBb3y1SbhWSCIBFF9uTc_yQPs6N0QJwSJStxZqgcZTcH2QzxS6lREPl1CG5xSDxPe8ppIBv1BRfS9He7jJZOKnGgqO7G1wHZ5JGMSRXqisM2VwmAQxw=" title="Eric Carlson packaging expert" width="200" /> By <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Eric%20Carlson">Eric Carlson</a>, CPP<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">www.sciencenews.org || https://www.societyforscience.org || Twitter: @ericpkg</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recently, I reread a story discussing a technology in which lasers are used to mark produce with the goal of eliminating those little labels on everything from apples to zucchini. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As with most disruptive technologies, there are often unforeseen hurdles; consumer acceptance, immature technology, integration into business processes, etc. The laser marking technology was getting a lot of press a few years ago and it was projected to replace the produce stickers; aka Price Look-Up code (PLU) labels. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What is a PLU Code?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The PLU code is a 4 or 5 digit human readable number that represents any of about 1400 unique produce varieties. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NAw5APV2_5c/VZVPyp1MIKI/AAAAAAAAACc/zn5tC36m1NQ/s1600/%2527.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="product packaging" border="0" height="225" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NAw5APV2_5c/VZVPyp1MIKI/AAAAAAAAACc/zn5tC36m1NQ/s400/%2527.jpg" title="modernfarmer.com" width="400" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Examples of Fruit Labeled with Laser Technology</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The History of PLU’s</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many of you reading this will remember that for most of your life (prior to 1990) there were no PLU stickers on fruits & vegetables. To add slightly more perspective, it wasn’t until the 1980s that it was common for grocery stores to have barcode check out systems. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, the two obvious questions are:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">What changed in the grocery industry just prior to 1990 that would have created the demand to add what seems to be an overly obvious label?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Why do we need a label on a banana or for that matter an apple?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It turns out there are very good reasons for a PLU code label. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What Changed in the Grocery Industry?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1826970312520146262" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Target announced in 2010 that it planned to add fresh food to half of its stores by the end of 2011. However, Target is really the upstart big box store in the grocery industry, but growing fast. Walmart has been into the grocery business a little longer; they started adding grocery sections to their stores in 1988 and boosted their presence in the grocery market with the launch of Neighborhood Market in 1998. I honestly don’t know the back story, but hmm … that starting date is very coincidental. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The fresh produce section of your local grocery store has gone through a pretty incredible transformation in the past 25 years. In the old days the most exotic thing we could get were bananas, and sometimes supply was a little sketchy. Sure, seasonal fruits and vegetables were available, but the seasons were very short. Today, we have fruits and vegetables from all over the world with the biggest transformation in a supply chain of produce from Latin America and South America. We can now get grapes and berries any time of the year, with very extended seasons for almost everything else along with a vast array of other regional and ethnic specialties. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What Makes the PLU Label so Important? <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_acec2Nq5Vc/ViG9Txzvb8I/AAAAAAAAUkw/wYjzGLlCB5Q/s1600/produce%2Bpackaging%2Blabels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="pineapple packaging" border="0" height="150" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_acec2Nq5Vc/ViG9Txzvb8I/AAAAAAAAUkw/wYjzGLlCB5Q/s200/produce%2Bpackaging%2Blabels.jpg" title="produce needs packaging too!" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The PLU not only exactly identifies the produce with a human readable number, but there is a special barcode and a lot of information on the label. Sure, the number identifies the specific type of apple (in case you’re wondering, there are 208 individual PLU code numbers for apples alone), but if the number is 5 digits and starts with ‘9’, then it is an organic apple and an ‘8’ indicates genetically modified produce … who knew? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So how does all this tie together? The short answer is that the PLU code label provides granular and timely information to the grocer that drives <u>supply chain efficiencies</u>. The simplest benefit for the grocer is accurately charging the consumer. There is now so much efficiency and information in the system that the grocer can offer a huge variety of products and bring them in just-in-time (JIT); they know what sells and what doesn’t. The grocery check-out system provides pull through information to the supply chain to generate automated JIT re-supply from a central warehouse with minimal loss to ensure my local market will have <i>fresh</i> stock. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The PLU code label is just the visible component of this huge change in supply chain prowess; increases in computer processing power, broadband connectivity and let’s not forget to give a nod to the chemists. Scientists have been tinkering for years with the chemical cues that ripen and delay ripening using ethylene gas and other molecules. The modern day supply chain consists of many impressive elements, especially the packing & ripening warehouses that tailor the exact amount of ripening agent to certain varieties of produce just prior to shipping to the grocer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="Image result for plu code" 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" /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am not entirely sure how those labels are applied, but that is an operation I would very much like to tour. Although I don’t like the inconvenience of peeling the PLU label off prior to use, I most definitely like the variety in my local grocery store. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what is hampering the laser etching technology from being implemented in some categories of the produce marketplace? I imagine thin skinned products like plums or nectarines might be an issue, but think what about bananas and melons? Perhaps this laser technology can even add local grower information alongside the standard PLU data to influence consumers to pick a farmer branded produce</span><br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P1MvYnjAZYE/VlTtgqhiEnI/AAAAAAAAVpk/rk-rsRbw_CA/s1600/Eric%2BCarlson%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bexpert.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="packaging consultant" border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P1MvYnjAZYE/VlTtgqhiEnI/AAAAAAAAVpk/rk-rsRbw_CA/s200/Eric%2BCarlson%2Bpackaging%2Bconsultant%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bexpert.jpg" title="Eric Carlson - complex package engineering" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-size: 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">.</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">By <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Eric%20Carlson">Eric Carlson, CPP</a> - </span><a href="https://twitter.com/ericpkg" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;" target="_blank">@EricPkg</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Pic from http://modernfarmer.com/2013/06/will-laser-tattoos-replace-sticky-labels/</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Eric Carlson is a Senior Packaging Engineer on the Chainalytics Packaging Optimization team. His track record of success ranges from developing packaging solutions for high cost and complex systems to implementing net cost savings through supply chain damage reduction. </i></span><br />
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-7569163010422913422015-06-24T11:47:00.000-05:002015-10-16T22:21:44.856-05:00What’s New with Dimensional Weight?<div class="separator" style="background-color: white; clear: both; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.0200004577637px; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NArHtvrbY1M/ViG9-2_HpuI/AAAAAAAAUk4/jBl2doXeAfc/s1600/Rich%2BLindgren%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bdamage%2Breduction%2Bspecialist.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NArHtvrbY1M/ViG9-2_HpuI/AAAAAAAAUk4/jBl2doXeAfc/s200/Rich%2BLindgren%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bdamage%2Breduction%2Bspecialist.JPG" title="Rich Lindgren packaging expert - dim weight packaging" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20.0200004577637px;">by</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; line-height: 20.0200004577637px;"> </span><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Rich%20Lindgren" style="background-color: white; color: #348ef4; line-height: 20.0200004577637px; text-decoration: none;">Rich Lindgren, CPP</a></span><br />
<a href="http://chainalytics.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #348ef4; line-height: 20.0200004577637px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chainalytics</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are about half way into 2015 and the new Dimensional Weight pricing model issued by UPS and FedEx earlier this year. Fortunately, many shippers and 3PLs have been able to avoid the price increases taking immediate effect thanks to negotiation or multi-year contracts that haven't yet expired. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />(If dimension weight charge is news to you, <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2014/08/get-your-millions-back.html" target="_blank">check back on this previous blog entry</a>.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">Rumblings and rumors from the packaging and supply chain industries suggest that the carriers are forming contractual partnerships with companies like Pack Size not only to secure business for each other, but ultimately appear to relieve the sting felt by shippers with the price increase. Naturally, the details of these dealings have been kept hush-hush. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 16.1000003814697px;">There would have to be a pretty compelling financial savings for a company to lock into long term exclusivity for both packaging and single parcel carrier arrangements. In my opinion, if you already have a relationship with one or the other, why would you want to bring another company into the mix? Sounds messy. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">How much air are you shipping from you distribution centers?</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="h.m1iu766m18na"></a>If your company was not so fortunate at the negotiation table, and your plan A was to wait and see if the changes affected your ground pricing, now would be a good time to start reviewing your FedEx and UPS invoices against past quarters to see what the ultimate cost impact has been to your business and profit margins. Chances are after seeing the delta you will have to go to Plan B, and try and salvage some money to not blow this year's budget. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Admittedly, sometimes Plan B's can be better than Plan A's in the long run. An exceptional Plan B in my opinion is to <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Supply%20Chain%20Synergies">redesign the packaging</a> for your high volume products, or implement a simple <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/"><span style="color: blue;">box sizing optimization exercise</span></a> for your distribution centers.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pTYaT8gF9kk/VYrernQeTNI/AAAAAAAABH4/L1mtiP-QbEQ/s1600/BoxesOfMoney.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="dim weight packaging" border="0" height="210" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-pTYaT8gF9kk/VYrernQeTNI/AAAAAAAABH4/L1mtiP-QbEQ/s320/BoxesOfMoney.png" title="How much is dimensional weight packaging penalties costing you?" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Shipping air is almost like using dollar bills as void fill!</span></b></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />Either way, with dim weights in the mix, there is a lot of jockeying for market share by both carriers or packaging suppliers in the parcel game as "grace periods" expire for companies currently phasing in the dim weight pricing changes immediately. And frankly, there's a lot of money to be made (or lost) depending on the packing strategy you take. It's important to be aware of this the next time your contracts are up. Go line by line and review them carefully.</span></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-49952943343349175422015-05-14T14:39:00.002-05:002020-11-25T14:50:57.440-06:00Edge Crush Test vs. Box Compression Test <h2 style="text-align: left;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial;"><b>Edge Crush Test vs. Box Compression Test (aka ECT vs. BCT): New Performance Metrics for Corrugated Square Off</b></span></h2>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-me0I19C-W0o/ViG3pVQK8VI/AAAAAAAAUkQ/q3Cn-uH7DVs/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-me0I19C-W0o/ViG3pVQK8VI/AAAAAAAAUkQ/q3Cn-uH7DVs/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" title="Rob Kaszubowski packaging expert" /></a></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb1M_B0it8NG96k5CN6D2iY2VQG7qbC-EQTwcPIKdxKoG5O_PaSVl-pu-jQXSI87TlPfDlM6QhV0Na-l6evPTcLLF5GLQpqb9FWIyDUV2rN-cfKMcDgUphEB1DLzUVlULFIlr_sM7oS9eS/s1600/Profile+Pictures+018-+for+blog.jpg" style="clear: left; color: #008599; float: left; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"></span></a><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="color: #444444; font-family: arial; font-size: medium; line-height: 19px;">by Rob Kaszubowski, CPP</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/" style="color: #008599; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Chainalytics</span></a></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">As packaging consultants we are constantly faced with the challenge of learning a client’s vernacular and acronyms – as well as common acronyms within the packaging industry. For years the standard for corrugated packaging has been the ECT or Edge Crush Test. Edge crush slowly surpassed Mullen burst as the standard metric for corrugated strength<span style="color: red;">. (<a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2009/04/difference-between-ect-burst-grade.html" target="_blank">Read more about ECT vs. Mullen Burst Here</a>). </span>The ECT value is then utilized to help calculate the “theoretical box compression strength” which is derived from the McKee formula which dates back to the 1960s.<span style="color: red;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Lately, the more common term around the industry is now the BCT value or Box Compression Test. This value is often tied to a company’s packaging specification as part of their performance spec requirements. That means that depending on a number of factors (the weight of the box contents, stacking pattern, safety factor, length of storage, storage conditions, etc.) a company may call out a target compression value that their secondary packaging must meet as a minimum threshold for performance. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>So for example, a very simple requirement in the past may have been:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Box style = RSC<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Size = 15 x 12 x 10<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Material = 44# C ECT Kraft<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Now that same company may specify the BCT (Box Compression Test) value:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Box style = RSC<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->Size = 15 x 12 x 10<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->BCT = 940 lbs<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">At the end of the day the customer doesn’t care what makes up this box, or what the paper combinations are. They just want to be sure that it can hold 940 pounds and make it through their supply chain with their products unscathed.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">To perform the ECT test, a 2” x 2” swatch of corrugated is cut from a sample sheet stock. It is placed in an edge crush tester machine and thus the ECT value is obtained. </span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><b>Common ECT target values include:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->26 (B or C flute) <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->55 C flute<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->42 BC flute<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->48 BC flute<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->51 BC flute<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->61 BC flute<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;"><!--[if !supportLists]--><span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><!--[endif]-->71 BC flute<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">Corrugated board consists of three combined layers of paper: a single face liner, medium, and double face liner. Just as there are multiple ways to slice up a pizza, there are also multiple combinations of paper that can equal a certain ECT value. The weight of the paper liners used typically depends on what paper weights the supplying paper mills typically carry and source to the corrugators. The amount of recycled content or virgin fiber can also be a factor in the final ECT value.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">So as companies look to standardize their packaging and consolidate sourcing they are looking towards a much more simplified corrugated box specification: one that no longer calls out the ECT value, but rather the BCT value. Packaging engineers and procurement teams are stating: I don’t care what you make the box out of, as long it meets my minimum strength thresholds. This shift in the market should ultimately make it easier for suppliers to focus on running paper combinations that they run well and run fast and deliver an optimized product.</span></div>
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<span face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-family: arial; font-size: medium;">If you have questions about what your minimum BCT values or stacking safety factors should be for your secondary or tertiary packaging, <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/" target="_blank">contact the packaging engineering team at Chainalytics</a>.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-44774770106359203262015-05-04T16:35:00.001-05:002015-10-16T22:32:37.240-05:00Product Packaging Strategies to Maximize Profitability<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KkBySnLEyz8/VUfkw2-q8QI/AAAAAAAAA_k/9El-Vu7TUQI/s1600/Kyle%2BOus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="100" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KkBySnLEyz8/VUfkw2-q8QI/AAAAAAAAA_k/9El-Vu7TUQI/s200/Kyle%2BOus.jpg" title="Kyle Ous packaging expert" width="100" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;">by <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/search/label/Kyle%20Ous">Kyle Ous</a><br /><a href="https://twitter.com/PKGPlaymaker" target="_blank">@PKGPlaymaker</a></span><br />
<a href="http://chainalytics.com/" style="background-color: white; color: #008599; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chainalytics</span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When it comes to designing products for the marketplace, it seems there are countless tasks to complete before products are introduced and available on the retail shelves. While speed to market is important, packaging design is a critical component to the overall profitability of the product and is important to evaluate before entering the marketplace. Does this mean companies need to follow a rigorous packaging engineering design process and justify each added cost?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Companies that are best in class are doing iterative package design analysis and testing before phasing in new packaging. Although this is an involved process, this task prepares the packaged product for distribution year-over-year and enables companies for future growth within their categories.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Profit margin is a key metric for success. As it relates to packaging, there are a handful of ways to maximize this metric. It is important to understand the supply chain channels that your customers are using to buy their new products. Online retail sales are a growing channel and seem to be a popular buying experience across many demographics.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LOurvg4aoeI/VUfizEyKYnI/AAAAAAAAA_E/ZNEONOdFbbc/s1600/kuerig%2B2.0%2BRetail%2Bpackage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LOurvg4aoeI/VUfizEyKYnI/AAAAAAAAA_E/ZNEONOdFbbc/s320/kuerig%2B2.0%2BRetail%2Bpackage.JPG" title="Keurig retail packaging - Green Mountain Coffee" width="308" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keurig 2.0 On Shelf Retail Package for Consumers</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keurig 2.0 coffee maker systems are using customized packaging strategies for different supply chain channels through to the customer. Out of the box, Keurig utilizes high-end lithographic labels with an integrated carrying handle for sales at the retail shelf. Although the packaging is more expensive, it tends to differentiate from other products on shelf and offers enhanced customer experience in the final mile. Contrary to popular belief, the same packaging does not need to be used for online sales or replacement parts that are sent directly to the consumer. Kraft corrugated with direct print on the outside of the shipper box is a cost effective alternative to retail packaging. Typically a 15-30% cost-take-out can be achieved in this simple, yet operationally challenging opportunity.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXuSsJCHaMs/VUfizE5QylI/AAAAAAAAA_I/9WcsyXRkSFs/s1600/kuerig%2B2.0%2Bonline%2Bpackage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yXuSsJCHaMs/VUfizE5QylI/AAAAAAAAA_I/9WcsyXRkSFs/s320/kuerig%2B2.0%2Bonline%2Bpackage.JPG" title="Keurig e-commerce omnichannel packaging molded pulp" width="315" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Companies that utilize best-in-class packaging strategies are continuously analyzing different ways to maximize profit margin. One simple truth behind packaging is the most successful design concepts plan for transportation efficiency and minimize the amount of packaging related damage through package testing. Inside the box, Keurig uses an engineered cushioning design made out of molded pulp for the Keurig 2.0 system. In this example, retail sales and online sales use the same style and type of cushioning to protect the product. While the supply chains are different, the performance of the cushion was likely tested for both shipping environments. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are looking to become ‘best-in-class’ in your category, packaging strategy and alternatives are a ‘must-have’ on your packaging design check sheet. Feel free to reach out to <a href="mailto:kyle.ous@chainalytics.com">kyle.ous@chainalytics.com</a> if you’d like to sound out alternatives and logical steps in your design process with our <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/" target="_blank">Packaging Consulting Services at Chainalytics</a>.</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-47430948889379984962015-01-21T11:55:00.000-06:002015-10-16T22:37:23.493-05:00Blog: A Look back at 2014 Packaging Predictions<div class="O1" style="direction: ltr; line-height: 85%; margin-bottom: 6pt; margin-left: 0.63in; margin-top: 6pt; text-indent: -0.26in; unicode-bidi: embed; word-break: normal;">
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-me0I19C-W0o/ViG3pVQK8VI/AAAAAAAAUkQ/q3Cn-uH7DVs/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-me0I19C-W0o/ViG3pVQK8VI/AAAAAAAAUkQ/q3Cn-uH7DVs/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" title="Rob Kaszubowski packaging expert" /></a><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">By: Rob Kaszubowski<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The turn of the New Year means a few things: goals, resolutions and planning for the year ahead; and reflections and evaluation on the year that was. <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2014/02/5-packaging-predictions-for-2014.html" target="_blank">Early in 2014 I made a few predictions on packaging trendsfor the year</a>. Let’s take a look at how those predictions shook out over the course of the year:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">1)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Cartonization:</u></b> While I can’t say the term “cartonization” specifically took off last year, the general theme sure did. We had defined cartonization as the process or tool used to select the best shipper case to transport products. The general idea behind the concept is to have an optimized selection of shipping cases to transport a wide variety or mix of products. FedEx and UPS definitely had the same concept in mind as they looked to optimize the cube utilization within their trailers and delivery trucks when they <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2014/05/no-time-like-present-to-start-right.html" target="_blank">changed their pricing structure from straight weight to dimensional weight starting January 1, 2015</a>. </span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">2)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Slack Fill Packaging:</u></b> As most consumers are painfully aware, slack fill is evident in many of the food and consumer goods products we purchase. However, it’s the non-functional slack fill that will get you in trouble with the attorney general – specifically the empty space in a package that is filled to substantially less than its capacity. Slack fill started to make more of a splash late in the year when multi-national consumer goods companies <a href="http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/Packaging-Design/Unilever-and-P-G-both-hit-by-US-lawsuits-alleging-deceptive-deodorant-packaging" target="_blank">Unilever and P&G</a> and pharmacy chain <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Business/beware-big-packages-small-products-inside/story?id=26108313" target="_blank">CVS </a> were all hit with hefty fines for using oversized packaging that deceived consumers to think they were getting more product than was actually inside the package they purchased.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uchifcNz5ek/VL_kZ6I8fuI/AAAAAAAAAwI/rNS9Z-gO8nA/s1600/cvs_drug_fill_line_Slack_fill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img alt="" border="0" height="183" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uchifcNz5ek/VL_kZ6I8fuI/AAAAAAAAAwI/rNS9Z-gO8nA/s1600/cvs_drug_fill_line_Slack_fill.jpg" title="slack fill package container CVS" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Big package for small product? This illustration shows the fill line for a popular CVS drug store product.</span></div>
<span class="caption_credit" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Courtesy ConsumerWorld.org</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 85%; text-indent: -0.25in;">3)</span><span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><b style="line-height: 85%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><u>Harmonization:</u></b><span style="line-height: 85%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> Once again, this appears to be a practice that hasn’t quite taken off – at least publically. The theme around harmonization revolves around standardizing and consolidating packaging – where applicable – to increase volumes and leverage buying power. There is often a fine line between standardizing and customizing, as each comes with its own pros and cons. While harmonization wasn’t a headlining theme, it is still a good analysis to perform as companies turn over all the stones searching for packaging cost savings opportunities.</span></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">4)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Shelf Space Optimization:</u></b> This is also a term as consumers you may not hear broadcast from the mountaintops – and that’s just the point! CPG’s are constantly looking for ways to make changes that are visually indifferent to the naked eye, yet allow them to fit one extra box of crackers on the shelf – and also improve their transportation cube efficiencies. Take a look at a few of the changes in packaging sizes that weren’t able to slip past consumers’ attention: <a href="http://consumerist.com/tag/grocery-shrink-ray-2/">http://consumerist.com/tag/grocery-shrink-ray-2</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Also a good link:</u></b> <a href="http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2014/02/11/the-incredible-shrinking-package/Ti6VwQCCcg0whLdr8bHnyJ/story.html">http://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/food-dining/2014/02/11/the-incredible-shrinking-package/Ti6VwQCCcg0whLdr8bHnyJ/story.html</a></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Many packages are shrinking on shelf, is it just the package or sometimes the product too...</span></td></tr>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">5)<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span><!--[endif]--><b><u>Plant-Based Packaging:</u></b> Last year we lauded companies like Dell and Coca-Cola for leading the charge on sustainable, plant-based packaging. As with any new material or technology there can often be a reluctance for larger companies to take the plunge and put forth the resources required to execute a potentially risky endeavor. However, late in 2014, <a href="http://www.tetrapak.com/about-tetra-pak/press-room/news/first-package-made-from-plant-based-renewable-packaging-materials" target="_blank">TetraPak announced the launch of its first package madefrom plant based materials</a>. As the technology behind the materials and manufacturing becomes more sophisticated and increased volumes drive down the price I’m sure we’ll here more stories of other CPG’s launching new plant-based packaging.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I didn't exactly knock it out of the park in 2014, but then again that’s why they call them predictions. Besides, if I was awesome at predictions I would have made some great stock picks, cashed out and would be sitting on a beach in Cancun! </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-16237650302127345932014-12-12T13:39:00.003-06:002015-10-16T22:36:38.475-05:00Packaging Fail - How not to unload a Truck<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Packaging and material handling are everyday activities when they go as planned, but there are always special occurrences and variances to normal processes and events in your supply chain.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Check out the <a href="https://youtu.be/e3n7ydQt140" target="_blank">following video</a> of pallet jack material handling dock truck unloading gone amiss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">That is quite the pallet jack fail, hopefully the operator was not harmed too much. Most certainly the impacts on the product and packaging in that stretch wrapped unit load saw forces above and beyond that in your normal ISTA or ASTM test protocol.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Just proves that you probably can't ever afford "Zero Damage" in your supply chain, but <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/packaging-consulting-improvement-programs/" target="_blank">finding that balance</a> is still the biggest trick. We can help! <a href="http://www.chainalytics.com/what-we-do/supply-chain-analytics-and-advisory/packaging-optimization/">Contact</a> our packaging consultants today.</span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/9Ncgz5twzKw" width="560"></iframe>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-53758416563073755082014-10-09T11:36:00.000-05:002015-10-16T22:38:39.970-05:00You're Invited: UW-Stout Packaging Alumni Social @ Pack Expo 2014<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.0200004577637px;">Please join us at the UW-Stout Packaging Alumni Reception being held during Pack Expo International 2014! The event will be a great opportunity for you to reconnect with classmates, network with your fellow alumni in the packaging industry, and meet some of the current program faculty and students. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://foundation.uwstout.edu/pages/events/2014-pack-expo-social" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img alt="" border="0" height="640" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bEZTqK2R5IA/VDa4OVzckmI/AAAAAAAAAlo/talDfrZ4Gq8/s1600/PackExpo2014%2B(3).jpg" title="UW-Stout Pack Expo social" width="436" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://foundation.uwstout.edu/pages/events/2014-pack-expo-social" target="_blank">CLICK TO REGISTER</a></td></tr>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.0200004577637px;"><span style="color: #0066cc; font-family: inherit; line-height: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 13pt;">UW-Stout Packaging Alumni Social</span><br /><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 10pt;">Tuesday, November 4th @ 6:30PM</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #073763;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 10pt; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://www.hub51chicago.com/" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.0200004577637px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">T</a>he Metropolitan Club</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 10pt; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/YdBQV" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.0200004577637px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">2</a>23 South Wacker Drive</span></span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Willis Tower, 67th Floor</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 10pt; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://goo.gl/maps/YdBQV" style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.0200004577637px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Chicago, IL 6060</a>6</span></span></span></h3>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.0200004577637px;">Get it on your calendar and register in advance at </span><a href="https://foundation.uwstout.edu/pages/events/2014-pack-expo-social" style="background-color: white; color: #348ef4; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.0200004577637px; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">www.uwstout.edu/alumni</a><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20.0200004577637px;">The cost is $20 per alumni or $10 for Students!</span></span></span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1826970312520146262.post-83802863227902195072014-09-18T10:11:00.000-05:002016-06-29T10:29:46.552-05:00Reader Mailbag: ECT vs Burst, where is the data?<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Reader Mailbag: Chainalytics Packaging Engineers Answer Your Questions!</b><o:p></o:p></div>
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Dan writes: <o:p></o:p></div>
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We came across your <a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2009/04/difference-between-ect-burst-grade.html" target="_blank">previous </a><span style="color: red;"><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2009/04/difference-between-ect-burst-grade.html" target="_blank">blog article</a> </span>and hoped that you might be able to help us out with a data question. Our product is shipped in a double-wall, corrugated box for the secondary protective packaging. We’ve seen a hundred versions of the following table comparing the bursting test and edge crush test standards:<br />
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We’re familiar with the two types of testing, and we’re sure that the table is accurate. What we can’t seem to find is the data behind the table, or even a national regulation or standard that supports it. Can you help explain?</div>
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Dan, great question! We established some basics on this a few years ago when we explained the difference between Mullen grade (burst) and ECT board in this <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://packaging-matters.blogspot.com/2009/04/difference-between-ect-burst-grade.html" target="_blank">blog entry</a></span>. We did some additional digging in attempt to tackle Dan’s question head on, and find that data source he was searching for. However, all references we identified only had the comparative table noted as an approximation. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The paper combinations for both board types are driven by the paper weights available from the corrugator’s own mills or through purchasing from a third party. Most corrugators utilize their own special blend of paper combinations to meet ECT requirements, and can vary by region or even by plant. This allows the corrugators flexibility to use a wide variety of paper combinations to achieve the minimum ECT requirements, while minimizing costs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mullen grade board however requires a more exact combination of papers with one or two heavier weight liners to meet the burst strength requirements. <o:p></o:p></div>
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In general, ECT and Burst are not an apples to apples to comparison, and are not intended to be. Both utilize different grades of paper and different combinations for their own unique purposes. There is a reason ECT boards are less expensive, because there is less paper there. So in a true static compression test, this table reflects their approximated equivalents based on compression, but that may not reflect your package’s performance in your supply chain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2F-q3zTxhgY/VBr14YBMV9I/AAAAAAAAAkA/Fw6mtcZvUqs/s1600/box%2Bstack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2F-q3zTxhgY/VBr14YBMV9I/AAAAAAAAAkA/Fw6mtcZvUqs/s1600/box%2Bstack.jpg" title="ECT Boxes are best for stacking strength" /></a></div>
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The one steadfast answer to get to the bottom of it all is to test your boxes and determine their burst and ECT characteristics as well as simulated lab distribution testing. Mullen board can often have similar or better performance that it’s comparative ECT counterpart, but the only way to truly know is to test it!</div>
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Thanks for your question!</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-me0I19C-W0o/ViG3pVQK8VI/AAAAAAAAUkQ/q3Cn-uH7DVs/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-me0I19C-W0o/ViG3pVQK8VI/AAAAAAAAUkQ/q3Cn-uH7DVs/s1600/Rob%2BKaszubowski%2Bpackaging%2Bengineer%2Bconsultant%2BMinnesota%2B%25282%2529.JPG" title="Rob Kaszubowski corrugated expert guru" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #444444; line-height: 19px;">by Rob Kaszubowski, CPP</span></div>
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