2015 Pack Expo Las Vegas Recap

by Rich Lindgren, CPP
Chainalytics

Recently Chainalytics' packaging engineering team 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.

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:

1. Still a huge show, but much more manageable then Chicago, you can cover in 2 full days without sprinting the aisles.
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.
3.  In my opinion, September in Las Vegas is so much nicer weather wise then the Windy City in October or November!


Lastly I leave you with our three top finds from this year's expo:

1. CogitoCan - 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.

New Resealable Aluminum Can Technology

2.  Easy Fold Fixtures - 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, check out this 20 second video.

EZ fold fixtures

3.  WestRock Meta 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.

Example of the customer "Out of Box Experience" with Meta E

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!

A Breakdown of the Rapid Packing Container

by Rob Kaszubowski, CPP

Chainalytics

Two Cooper Union engineering students, Henry Wang and Chris Curro, have made a virtual splash in the packaging world talking about their Rapid Packing Container. (Click here to see the YouTube video that has gotten three million views in just two weeks.) They claim the new box design will “revolutionize the cardboard packing industry” as it is more environmentally-friendly, quicker to pack, and easier to open, store and recycle.

While the Rapid Packing Container certainly has some exciting features (and it is clear that Henry and Chris have bright futures ahead of them), this packaging engineer is not sold.

Here’s a few of my thoughts on the new design, and why it may fall short of revolutionary:

• Traditional corrugated boxes are extremely efficient. The student engineers claim that traditional “cardboard” boxes are wasteful, hard to open, and difficult to pack. (Read why the term “cardboard” makes me cringe here.) While the last two statements in their claim are fairly subjective and, if true, indicative a much bigger process problem, I disagree with the first assertion.
  
  From a material usage standpoint, there is hardly any waste in a Regular Slotted Container (RSC). To manufacture a RSC that is 12 inches by 8 inches by 6 inches, it requires 600 square inches of corrugated material. The final product contains 577 square inches of material, which means only 3.7% of the material is unused or wasted. In contrast, a Rapid Packing Container of the same size requires 1,133 square inches of corrugated material, and creates 47.9% waste.

Figure 1: Two-dimensional views of each layout make it
easy to see how much waste is produced.

• Scalability is a must for real world applications. The jig is a nice feature to speed up the set-up process. But, can you imagine how this would work in a facility that ships hundreds of SKUs in all different shapes and sizes? Each packing station or line would need at least a dozen jigs to accommodate every possible box size. This diminishes the practicality of the Rapid Packing Container for large operations.


• Distribution and Operations trumps design. The tapeless, easy-open features of the Rapid Packing Container are appealing, but if the box really is that easy to open, it may introduce a number of distribution challenges. How will the box perform when it travels through multiple conveyor systems or when it is manually handled, tossed, dropped, and stacked? It reminds me that ASTM D-1974 (Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes) exists for a reason. It is imperative that shipping cases remain closed during distribution and transport.  A cost effective packaging solution must also be able to run on high speed erecting and filling equipment, like an RSC!

That being said, the Rapid Packing Container may be a good fit for a small or niche business, such as a bakery or boutique. And, I am impressed by the efforts of Henry and Chris, and look forward to seeing more from the next generation of engineers.

What do you think of the Rapid Packing Container?  Leave a comment below to keep the conversation going.

Simple Green Gets Innovative

by Sam Huppert

Chainalytics

The U.S.-made all-purpose cleaner, Simple Green, recently came out with a new, improved, and more sustainable spray bottle. The bottle is completely plastic and 25% of the plastic is post-consumer recycled plastic.

The best feature of the new bottle is the trigger or nozzle system. The nozzle includes a door foamer option which allows the consumer to distribute the cleaner either as foam or the standard liquid spray. The system makes it simpler to use as well as more functional. Sustainability is included in the trigger system, too. Since the bottle is made completely of plastic, it eliminates the use of metal (i.e. a spring) in the bottle, saving 10 tons of steel annually and keeping the recycling stream simpler. 

The trigger also has less resin content compared to the previous version, which saves more than 19 tons of resin each year.  This likely translates into incremental freight savings as well.

Overall, the bottle was a great all around improvement and won the gold packaging award from the North American Retail Hardware Association at the National Hardware Show.

Check out this article from Packaging Digest to learn more.

Is natural rubber bouncing back?

by Eric Carlson, CPP
Chainalytics




In today’s age of plenty, there are many things that keep the world turning to which we give scant thought. Times have not always been so plentiful though. During World War II, for example, many materials became scarce; one of them was rubber. Fortunately, after many years of development, synthetic rubber started to become commercially viable and available during the early part of the war. (This was especially fortunate for the Allies, as the Axis powers controlled almost all of the world’s natural rubber plantations.) Synthetic rubber was and still is mostly synthesized from petroleum products.

As an avid fan of Science News magazine, I recently read their article on “new” potential sources of natural latex, the plant sap which is the basis for rubber. I learned that rubber tree plantations cannot be located in Central and South America because of a fungus that attacks dense stands of rubber trees. Only in Southeast Asia (where 90% of natural latex originates) are there rubber tree plantations capable of sufficient density to be commercially viable.

What would happen if the natural sources of latex were dramatically rationed? Why, you might ask, is there such a concern for natural sources of latex? Why have large governments around the world begun substantial funding for programs to identify new sources of latex?

The answer, in part, is that rubber from natural latex is critical to everyone’s supply chain. Apparently, the natural latex from rubber trees contains trace chemicals which make the resulting rubber more heat resistant. For this reason, it is preferred to synthetic rubber for many applications, including aircraft and truck tires. (Refer to the inset chart.)

With the cost of petroleum on the rise, and concerns about the sole sourcing of raw materials, companies and governments alike have their renewed interest in finding alternate natural rubber sources. While many plants produce small quantities of latex, two forms have gained recent popularity:

1. Kok-sagyz (pronounced “coke-suh-GEEZ”), a dandelion from Kazakhstan; and 
2. Guayule (pronounced “gway-OO-lay”), a shrub from the U.S. Southwest. 

Another option has been developed by DuPont. The company has developed a process for growing isoprene using E. coli bacteria. The E. coli are fed sugar, which has its own political drawbacks as a feedstock.

Until any of these options becomes commercially viable, you can bet that every time you ship a package using your favorite overnight carrier, the tires on their vehicles depend on the natural rubber latex from Pará rubber trees.

How innovative can the Beverage industry become?

by Fernando Viso
Chainalytics

Last month, Anheuser-Busch announced plans to pilot its new Bud Light Vented Can in and around Louisville, KY.  MillerCoors launched its own version, the Punch Top Can for Miller Lite, last year.  Both companies tout that the second tab improves the flow of air in and out of the can, providing a smoother pour and enhanced taste.  I can imagine several compelling reasons for this type of enhancement, but whatever the case, it's interesting to me that Food & Beverage leaders have once again turned to packaging for product innovation.

Whether your average consumer makes a buying decision because they can detect a difference or they just like the coolness factor, packaging innovations continue to be a large driver in consumer goods industry.   I’m excited to see what other great ideas will come up in the near future and where the beverage industry will be in 5 more years.

Will innovative ethylene process create a supply and value chain reaction?

by Eric Carlson, CPP
Chainalytics




Recent headlines about Honeywell’s new one-step conversion process from natural gas (methane) to the monomer ethylene (also known as ethene) may not grab your attention right away; but, don't be too quick to dismiss this recent innovation. This little, symmetrical molecule is more integral to your professional and personal supply chain than you may think.

Ethylene Molecule

Ethylene has many uses, both direct and indirect. For instance, ethylene gas is used to promote the ripening of fruits and vegetables during transport, storage, and distribution. Across the global food supply chain, ethylene ripening has become a standard protocol that is critical to the regular supply of fragile fruits and vegetables. Ethylene is also the precursor for a variety of other molecules, such as:

• Styrene which is most often used as polystyrene in packaging foam and insulation; 
• Ethylene oxide, a precursor for Ethylene Glycol (i.e. antifreeze); and 
• Ethylene Glycol, a precursor for polyethylene terephthalate (or PET) which is used extensively in beverage bottles and as "polyester" in fibers. 

For those of us in the packaging world, we are most familiar with ethylene as a base monomer for many polymers. Polyethylene (PE) is one of the most common polymers and it is used for making and packaging a wide variety of products.  PE has many different properties, so it comes in a number of forms and configurations.  The density-based categories range from ultra high to ultra low with about 8-10 categories in between. We often see low density PE (LDPE) and high density PE (HDPE) used in food and CPG packaging, such as bread bags and milk jugs.

Current ethylene processing is an energy-intensive and indirect method, requiring repeated heating and quenching steps that produce many chemical compounds. The new Honeywell process appears to use a more direct route from methane to ethylene using less energy. With the cost of natural gas at an all-time low and the U.S.’s abundant supply of this raw material, this is good news! The Honeywell process could hold the line on price increases related to packaging for many products that we make (and buy) every day.

Honeywell’s Gautam said, "The new technology would be cost effective even if natural gas prices rise much higher. It could become a polymer supply-and-value-chain-reaction."

So, not only does ethylene keep us clothed and fed, but it has the potential to significantly impact today's supply chains.  Pretty amazing for one simple molecule, huh?  What implications do you think this breakthrough process will have in your supply chain?

Packaging: Want vs. Need

by Kyle Ous
Chainalytics


As I put together my shopping checklist last Saturday, I realized most of the goods I was planning on buying were frequent repeats on my list. So I thought to myself: "What is it about these products that keeps driving me to known aisles of the store and why do I continuously find the same items in my cart?" My buying pattern became apparent soon enough; product packaging was playing a gigantic role in the balance between goods I wanted and those I needed.

Of the items that made it on my list, I was surprised to see how many had some sort of innovative primary package.  In most instances, it was an easy to open and close feature.  Such convenience features allow products to be reused without adding an extra step to the closure or refrigeration process. But, given my location, I shouldn't have been surprised; the food and beverage industry is a recognized leader for packaging reusability. 

Advancements in resealability for shredded cheese is a classic packaging innovation example.

More interesting, perhaps, is what I realized about the items that I purchased that were not on my list.  Normally, I do not wander the store, but not wanting to make an extra trip, I decided to browse a few aisles for anything I may have forgotten.  By the time I had reached the cashier station, several items that I didn't need had found their way into my cart.  Case in point... 

It is too early to tell whether the "Punch Top" is the future or a passing fad like the Vortex bottle.

Clearly, the packaging made me do it.  I can recall many instances, similar to Miller Coor's new Punch Top™ can, in which I have chosen merchandise over the competitive set simply because the packaging concept was interesting or worth experimenting with.

Every package at a retail store has a unique blend of characteristics, including functionality, realistic image, design aspect, and aesthetic look and feel. If you're anything like me, then the outlook for the packaging industry seems promising considering all the new innovations that have demonstrated success in the marketplace today!

Have any package innovations changed your buying patterns?  Leave a comment to tell us about it!

Can Technology Make Our Packaging Smaller?

by Rich Lindgren, CPP - Chainalytics

Recently, there has been a growing amount of mobile barcodes published everywhere people are looking for information. From magazines articles and store shelves to transportation signs, these Mobile Barcodes, which are often referred to as QR (Quick Response) Codes or Electronic Tags, are popping up all over. These barcodes are gaining popularity quickly because they allow print and visual media to connect with digital media easily with an embedded URL that links to a video, website, or any other online media.

Here are a few advantages:

•Call-to-action: Use Mobile Barcodes as a direct response marketing tool for print campaigns; Mobile Barcodes automatically integrate print advertising with mobile devices.

•Manage the customer experience: Use Mobile Barcodes to link to a mobile website or video, on a business card to instantly add someone to your address book, dial a phone number, or display a free message.

•Advanced analytics: Measure campaign effectiveness with enhanced reporting, such as the number of scans of a particular Mobile Barcode over time and by geographic location.

•Adaptable size: Mobile Barcode’s small size allows you to maximize the information delivered to customers without taking up a lot of real estate in your printed materials and packaging.

•Sustainability: Using Mobile Barcodes for product information and marketing collateral eliminates the need for physical handouts and multiple copies. Now customers can scan these Mobile Barcodes and access the information virtually.

Curious how it works? Simply download the FREE applications or “Apps” for QR Codes and Microsoft® Tag from your appropriate App Store or website. Then use the QR Code Reader to scan the black and white barcode on the top or use the Microsoft Tag Reader to scan the multicolored barcode on the bottom.

Here at Chainalytics Packaging Optimization Practice, our packaging engineers are excited about this new technology because it could mean an end to inflated packaging. Many companies often inflate the size of their consumer packaging to create a larger billboard space to attract customers and provide additional product information. As these mobile barcodes become more accepted, consumers will be able to scan these small barcodes off the package, download all the product information instead of reading it on the package. Therefore allowing companies to cut down on their packaging size, save money and have a positive impact on their sustainable footprint, leaving a better planet for everyone!

For fun, here is a link to a video that demonstrates using a smartphone to read an electronic tag in a periodical to access a website and a video on a product.

It’s Not Plastic, It’s a Plant!

By Rob Kaszubowski, CPP- Chainalytics

Chooo chooo! What’s that, you ask? That’s the great sound of another company boarding the green train. Just last month, the HJ Heinz company announced that it would partner with Coca-Cola to use their Plantbottle™ for 120 million bottles of Heinz ® Ketchup.

Back in 2009, Coca-Cola launched its PlantBottle: a fully recyclable bottle that uses an innovative process to turn sugar cane and molasses into a key component for PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) plastic. Coke initially introduced the bottle in its Dasani® water and sparkling water markets and later with Vitaminwater® in 2010. Coca-Cola’s goal is to eventually convert all of their bottles to the plant based plastic by 2020.

Heinz said that the new material will increase its packaging costs; however they hope that it will give them greater flexibility to move away from the volatile price fluctuations of petroleum based raw materials.

Since the release of the PlantBottle, PepsiCo Inc. has decided to also board the sustainability train as well. In March, PepsiCo inc. unveiled the first ever 100% plant based bottle for their products.

With any kind of packaging change, numerous steps and measures need to be taken to assure a winning solution emerges in the end, so I’m sure these changes had been in process at these companies for some time. Just think of all the design, verification and testing that had to be done to achieve their final goal: bottle design, distribution and package testing, bottling line changes, etc.

Even with all this hard work, it’s great to see companies taking that first step forward to become a leader in sustainable packaging! The packaging consultants at Chainalytics are committed to increasing sustainability in packaging through innovation so contact us to see how we help your company board the train!

Miller Lite Vortex Bottle: Gimmick or Packaging Innovation?

by Rob Kaszubowski, CPP - Chainalytics

Mega-brewer MillerCoors is preparing to launch their latest and greatest packaging innovation, the Miller Lite Vortex Bottle, in the hopes of boosting its sales which have slumped recently. The newly developed bottle design has specially designed grooves in the neck to “help create a vortex as you’re pouring beer”.

The thought is that the Vortex bottle neck will create an influx of oxygen and create a fresher, better tasting beer. Now I’ve had a beer or two in my day, but I’m not sure how realistic that will be. My belief though is that the new vortex design will allow consumers to pour (or chug) beer faster – although the new design is not marketed in this way.

Some are calling it another gimmick, similar to the Coors Lite cold activated bottle labels that are printed with a thermochromatic ink which allows the mountains to turn blue in color when the package is cold enough to drink.

Whether you call the new Miller Lite Vortex bottle a gimmick or packaging innovation, it’s bound to cause a stir in consumers….and beer!

I’m sure the packaging geek in me will be curious to see this new technology and I’ll have to try one….or two!

Dell Goes Green with Sustainable Bamboo Packaging

by Rob Kaszubowski, CPP - Chainalytics

In November, 2009, Dell unveiled its newest innovation into “green”, sustainable packaging: bamboo.

The packaging sustainability initiative has been growing exponentially over the past decade. More companies have started to migrate away from the use of environmental contaminants, like PVC, and have started to make the push into more environmentally friendly plastics.

From a protective packaging standpoint, foams and molded pulp have long been the traditional packaging material. With the green push, molded pulp has become more and more prevalent throughout electronic industries.

Bamboo has been deemed a highly sustainable resource due to its ability to re-grow to full term within 2-3 years, whereas trees generally take nearly 20 years to grow before they can be consumed for paper usage. As more companies turn to bamboo, I imagine it would help drive down the cost of molded inserts, which could then create a significant cost savings opportunity for multiple industries.

From a packaging engineer’s perspective, it will be interesting to watch and track the performance of this new protective packaging. The performances of foams and pulp have been known and tested for decades, but I would be curious to see how much, if any, testing has been done related to the performance of molded bamboo, especially with highly sensitive and expensive electronics.

Bamboo wood flooring has also been on the rise, due to its high sustainability rating and unique look, so it’s no wonder that the packaging industry has caught on to this exceptional plant as well!

See more about Dell’s sustainability push here: http://content.dell.com/us/en/corp/d/corp-comm/earth-products-packaging.aspx
*Photo courtesy of Dell

Breakthrough in Can Technology

by Eric Carlson, CPP - Chainalytics

Unfortunately, I’m one of those people who usually polish off my beverages from a can in pretty short order. I do know many who would like to take a few sips and then return it to the fridge. But until now, you would return to find your carbonated beverage flat and pretty lifeless.

The Canmaker Magazine from Great Britain has awarded their 2008 Cans of the Year Awards top prize to a Ball Packaging Europe innovation called “Ball Resealable End” (BRE). The first application was for a Coca-Cola energy drink from France called Burn. In a similar move, Monster is launching a North America import that incorporates the BRE fea

ture.

To view all the award winners from 2008
http://www.spgevents.com/PressRelease.htm

http://www.canmaker.com/main/index.php

Heritage meets Innovation

by Rich Lindgren, CPP - Chainalytics

The new Maestro closure for champagne has been introduced through a partnership between Alcan and Champagne Duval-Leroy. This unique closure keeps the tradition of “The Pop” without a cork of any kind. The two biggest benefits are the safety of no more flying projectiles and no more worries of corks affecting the delicate tastes of many types of champagne.

The following video clip gives some great detail and pictures of the inner workings of this innovative closure.

From the video, it appears they are combining the properties of a metal crown closure often associated with beer and the newer style plastic corks that many wines have shifted to. It’s also noted that this closure can be wrapped or decorated with foils and other materials to preserve the romantic feel of many current champagne bottles.

The other thing I find very cool, is that they chose a very established and traditional flavor of champagne to partner with this innovative new opening feature!