How Will New Transportation Technology Impact Packaging Damage?

By: Eric Carlson, Sr. Packaging Consultant, Chainalytics

Connect with Eric on LinkedIn

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. 

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. 

What is Platooning?

Platooning is when two or more trucks travel in close proximity to reduce drag and increase fuel efficiency for both trucks.  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.    

Truck Platooning could create new dynamics for packaging and vibration frequencies

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. 

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. 

What could this new technology mean to me as a packaging engineer sleuth?

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. 

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. 

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.   

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. 

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. 

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.  

Eric Carlson, CPP is a Senior Packaging Engineer for Chainalytics.  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; medical device packaging, military and space, electronics, test equipment, industrial equipment, recreational equipment & vehicles.

Image source: http://www.pcrevue.sk/files/photo/2016-04/13027/fc5e12/scania-trucks.jpg

The Most Valuable Ziplock Bag of Air Ever?

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.

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.

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 The Huffington Post.

A ziplock bag of air from Kobe Bryant's last game
showed up on Ebay with bids reaching as high as $17,500

But what about the permeability?

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: “But what about the bag permeability?” “How well could this inexpensive packaging vessel contain this precious investment?”

Read on here at Packaging Digest to see what we found when we put on our packaging engineer hats and delved deeper into this topic.

By: Rob Kaszubowski, Packaging Engineering Manager, Chainalytics

GMO Labeling Law to Stress Packaging Departments

by Rob Kaszubowski: Packaging Engineering Manager, Chainalytics

 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^st to update their package labeling to include GMO information.

Before and After: Food manufacturers across the country will be required to update their package labeling to communicate if their products use genetically modified organisms

As a recap: Back in 2014, Vermont initiated a law to require all foods containing GMOs to be clearly labeled on all food packaging.

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!

Click here to read more at Packaging Digest on how this new labeling requirement will stress packaging engineering departments.

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Rob Kaszubowski is the Engineering Manager at Chainalytics, 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.

Connect with Rob on LinkedIn and on Twitter @KazPack1

A First-Timer's Insights from 2016 ISTA TransPack Forum

by Samuel Huppert, Packaging Engineer, Packaging Optimization, Chainalytics

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 ISTA TransPack Forum provided ample opportunity for me to further my professional development:

1. 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.
2. 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).
3. Almost 30 speaker presentations often incorporated case studies and new information/technology relating to the packaging industry--a great way to learn.
   
   

   

   Many speakers shared technical insights and tips and tricks for package development and testing.

My Most Important Takeaways

Pallets are part of packaging too! 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. 

Pallets can be part of your damage reduction solution

Cross-functional communication across silos is key. 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 supply chain and the packaging requirements at those various stages in the distribution network.

Technical package testing gets everybody excited. 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 packaging consultants, 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!

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.  

Samuel Huppert is a packaging consultant with Chainalytics where he supports engineering efforts on cost take-out and damage reduction initiatives. 

Smart Packaging Leads to Supply Chain Savings

by Rob Kaszubowski, Packaging Engineering Manager, Chainalytics

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.

However, as a packaging engineer, it’s the little things that stand out for me.

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!

Nested oranges inside corrugated shipper

Nested fruit cups

Non-nested fruit cups are inefficient

The high-level takeaways from this? A seemingly minor package orientation can lead directly to multiple savings across the supply chain through:

1. Less corrugated material

Corrugated shipper material comparison - Nested fruit cups vs. Non-nested

The corrugated shipper with the nested fruit cups utilizes 386 square inches material.

The not-nested case uses 411 square inches of material. Or a 6.5% increase in material!

2. Improved pallet cube efficiencies

Nested cups shipper vs. non-nested cups shipper

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.

3. Fewer trailers in transit

Improved pallet utilization leads to fewer trailers on the roads

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 driver shortage constraints.  Again, it's the simple things that can lead to big time savings for consumer packaged goods companies.

4. More product on the pallet at Costco

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. 

What other simple changes in everyday packaging could lead to greater efficiency and supply chain savings?

The packaging team at Chainalytics focuses on packaging cost reduction efforts that lead to a chain reaction of savings across the entire supply chain.

Rob Kaszubowski is a Packaging Engineering Manager at Chainalytics Packaging Engineering practice. His 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.

Chainalytics Selected for 2014 Supply & Demand Chain Executive Top 100

Supply Chain Improvements with Avaya Yields Savings, Sustainability Worthy of “100 Great Supply Chain Projects”

Atlanta, GA – May 28, 2014 - Chainalytics, a global leader in supply chain consulting, packaging consulting, analytics, and market intelligence, has been selected by Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine for inclusion into the “100 Great Supply Chain Projects” for 2014.

Chainalytics is recognized in this year's “100 Great Supply Chain Projects” for its supply chain planning and packaging optimization leadership from an engagement with Avaya, a multinational billion-dollar leading global provider of next-generation business collaboration and communications solutions.  

The winning supply chain initiative originated with an initial goal to identify strategies and options for reducing dimensional weight penalties for signal parcel customer shipments. What began as a simple cost reduction project to reduce dimensional weight penalties, quickly evolved into a holistic packaging optimization project focused on sustainability and systemic cost reductions.

“Chainalyitcs’ tools were used to clarify the business case and illustrate - for example - moving from 80 to 150 units per pallet; seeing that causes light bulbs to go on. People get it. The team created enterprise leadership buy-in, momentum, and rapid advancement of the project,” said Lance Casler, senior manager of global transportation with Avaya.

"The Chainalytics team, lead by Eric Carlson and Rich Lindgren, was able to bring strategic leadership to help transform packaging vision at Avaya and gain key stakeholder buy in at multiple levels in the packaging design and distribution & transport packaging testing stages. "

Indicative of the capabilities of the supply chain and packaging experts at Chainalytics, this winning project involved packaging redesign, cube utilization, customized cost modeling, product portfolio subdivision, optimization for transoceanic freight lanes with an emphasis placed on packaging sustainability and quantifiable metrics.

“Avaya required expert resources for packaging engineering, system-wide process improvements and significant reductions in packaging materials and shipping costs. Chainalytics made the most of available resources providing expertise where needed, leveraging Avaya data, quickly identify packaging optimization opportunities and executing action steps,” continued Casler.

The Chainalytics team helped ensure that the total system had a strong fit to meet the needs of the business, working closely with the Avaya team, to design and build a custom savings and justifications “calculator”, integrating freight rates & new container loading densities with considerations to new packaging designs.

Tom Blanck, Practice Leader for the Packaging Optimization team noted: "We had a huge challenge ahead of us, but were able to make a major impact, thanks in part to the collaborative effort of the Avaya's core stakeholder team and their internal packaging resources."

Avaya’s team was then able to take these process improvements and continue to realize tangible savings on their own. Chainalytics’ recommendations and processes remain in place generating lasting project and enterprise value year after year. 

“Avaya’s partnership with Chainalytics created processes improvements with lasting, quantifiable, high-value effects for the enterprise,” stated Casler.

"Initial results achieved through the custom packaging optimization techniques developed by Chainalytics directly resulted in annual savings of 320 tons of corrugated, 16.5 tons of packaging foam, 4000 pallets, 19% fewer ocean containers shipped, and 200 tons of CO2 emissions eliminated."

“Avaya now owns sustainable processes and quality packaging specification development tools for our products. Ocean freight mix has since increased from 20 percent to 80 percent allowing us to realize far greater savings than when project was completed,” concluded Casler.

"Our goal with this year's '100' is to put the spotlight on successful and innovative transformation projects that are delivering bottom-line value to small, medium and large enterprises across the different functions that comprise the supply chain," said Barry Hochfelder, Supply & Demand Chain editor. "The projects featured in the '100' article can serve as a roadmap for supply chain executives looking for new opportunities to drive improvement in their own operations."

The magazine received hundreds of applications and chose the top 100 based on the scope of the project, creative application of technologies and services and the business results achieved.

All 100 winning supply chain projects will be featured in the cover story of the June 2014 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive to be released in June, as well as online at www.SDCExec.com.

About Chainalytics

Chainalytics is a recognized global leader in supply chain consulting, analytics, and market intelligence. Through a unique combination of best practice knowledge, exclusive benchmarking research, and advanced decision sciences tools and techniques, Chainalytics empowers fact-based decision making in the areas of Supply Chain Design, S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning), Logistics Operations, Transportation, Service Supply Chain, and Packaging Optimization. Chainalytics targets enterprises with a high degree of complexity created by their unique combination of scale, variability, and geography. With locations in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia, Chainalytics serves companies globally in a borderless fashion. To learn more, visit www.chainalytics.com

About Avaya

Avaya is a global provider of business collaboration and communications solutions, providing unified communications, contact centers, networking and related services to companies of all sizes around the world. www.avaya.com

Top 3 Reasons you WANT an Audit… A packaging audit

by Rob Kaszubowski, CPP

Chainalytics

The annual tax deadline is just around the corner, which means if you haven’t already filed your tax return you are probably scrambling to get your papers in order and digging through your shoe box full of receipts. Of course the one word that makes people cringe around tax season is “audit”. However, this year the packaging consultants at Chainalytics are putting a fresh twist on the old fashion “audit”.

Here’s the top 3 reasons that this year you actually WANT a packaging audit of your products and their warehousing & distribution system:

1)      Uncovering potential savings you never knew existed: Just like your tax professional knows the ins and outs and loopholes of the tax system, the packaging engineers at Chainalytics know the ins and outs of packaging and supply chain and how you can maximize your returns while minimizing your spend. The key is understanding your product’s needs, from a packaging and customer experience perspective, while also being able to protect the product during distribution through your supply chain.

2)      Fresh set of eyes: Staring at the same problem (or tax forms) for a great length of time usually leads to frustration with minimal changes or progress being made. A fresh set of eyes can bring a new perspective to the same old problems and quickly move to make changes and implement. The Chainalytics engineering team as conducted numerous packaging audits & assessments and have seen many of the same problems, challenges and obstacles that may be stalling your progress.

3)      Cash back return: A traditional tax audit usually means that something in your tax filing didn’t quite add up, which in turn means you likely owe the government more money, tax audits don’t often go your way. On the other hand, the overwhelming majority of our clients typically see significant cash back return with high return on investment when they hire Chainalytics for a packaging assessment. The outcome of a packaging audit leaves our clients with a list of packaging cost savings opportunities – targeted to reduce materials, improve cube utilization, increase trailer load weights and improve efficiency.

Even though the clock is ticking on your tax return for the government, there is never a deadline to conduct a packaging audit or assessment. The only down side in delaying an assessment of your packaging systems is you would also be delaying your cost savings potential.  If your packaging hasn’t been reviewed for supply chain cost savings in a while, there’s no better time to start than today. The packaging consultants at Chainalytics are ready to help!

To learn more about our packaging assessments and start a dialogue, emailus!

Considering Product and Packaging Shipability

by Rich Lindgren, CPP
Chainalytics

I recently came across  “The real impact of high transportation costs” from CSCMP’s Supply Chain Quarterly. I found their three main drivers on how high transportation costs are affecting supply chain strategies were very accurate, with one critical packaging element absent.

The gist of the article suggests rising and volatile costs of fuel are causing U.S. companies to shift operations in the following key ways:

• A shift from offshoring to nearshoring
• A shift from product design for marketability and production to design for "shipability"
• A shift from lean inventory policies to hybrid lean transport/inventory policies

In my day-to-day work on Packaging Optimization for our customers, the first two drivers challenge our clients with increasing frequency and intensity. There is a trend towards less overseas manufacturing or at least postponed assembly.  There is also clearly a conscious effort for almost all companies to make their product and packaging more dense. This has a ripple effect of savings in their supply chain and logistics specifically in efficiency gained through packaging materials, handling and warehousing.

What stood out to me as missing from the article’s “Shipability point,” and what I often see overlooked by some of our clients, is that shipability goes beyond on the size and shape of packaging.  Shipability should also include the product’s ability to survive the supply chain.  No matter how dense a product packs and ships as it fills out the perfect cube for your pallet or trailer load, if it is damage during the final mile before your customer gets it, the process failed.

Your product and package must work in concert to survive the rigors of your ever-changing supply chain.  Here is a simple equation demonstrating this point. 

 “Product + Packaging = Distribution”

If your product plus the packaging are greater than the rigors of your supply chain you are probably over spending on your packaging. If less, then you are going to see higher than normal damage rates.  It is evident there is a shift towards more single parcel shipments to end customers, which is causing many companies’ supply chain equations to fall out of balance.

Most packaging is designed for palletized shipment and is being asked to survive single parcel challenges. You can change any of the three variables in the equation (product, package or environment), but the distribution piece is often the most difficult and costly to change.  Companies that rely solely on supplemental packaging as the solution to this problem overlook the possibility of simple improvements to make their products more robust that can be more cost effective than adding packaging.

We recently completed a project that is a classic example of this. A customer with a domestically sourced product shifted from palletized delivery to a single parcel environment.  The team created a solution that incorporated small product improvements with engineered packaging designs to meet all out-of-box customer requirements while reducing packaging and damage costs.   

Chainalytics will co-present this “Story of the Mojo” with Stratsys at the upcoming 2014 ISTA TransPack forum on April 23rd. Check back here for more details and follow up to this story after the conference concludes.

Back to the Basics: Case Efficiency & Dimensional Weight

By Sean Tansey

Chainalytics

Improving case efficiency – that is, the ratio of product volume to the volume of the shipping container – is one of the primary goals of a packaging engineer. We are always trying to find new and better ways to utilize space and the reason is simple: Wasted space is wasted money.

Recently, our team of packaging consultants in Minneapolis received a shipment of kitchen supplies from Staples and I couldn't help but notice how the package was wasteful and inefficient. Here, see for yourself...

It’s been more than a year since Staples and PackSize announced their partnership to deliver the “smallest possible box.” But, it looks like this one may have slipped through a crack. (For the record, I double checked our order, and we did not purchase the air pillows!)

To see how much this particular crack cost Staples, our team did a quick analysis. Here’s what we found:

• The RSC measured 18⅛ x 13⅛ x 12½ and weighed 7.25 lbs with the product. 
• Comparing the product’s volume to the volume of the RSC, it turns out the case efficiency is only 17%. 
• Using our dimensional weight calculator, we calculated the dimensional weight to be 21 lbs. That means if Staples had shipped the package via air, they would've paid about $14 to ship 13.75 lbs of non-existent product. (For a dim-weight overview, check out this quick read.)

We then wanted to see how much money Staples could have saved with a more efficient box. Our analysis found that the product fit best in a shipping container dimensioned 10¼ x 10¼ x 6½, making the dimensional weight only 5 lbs.

Using the smallest possible box, we estimate the savings to be about $1-2 in ground freight and materials. Considering Staples ships thousands of orders each day, you can see how the savings and sustainable impact quickly add up.

Do you think many packages slip through the cracks for the world’s largest office products company? Yeah, you’re probably right.

Staples, please drop us a line at +1 (612) 252-1830 if there is anything we can do to help.

5 Packaging Predictions for 2014

by Rob Kaszubowski, CPP

Chainalytics

I’m glad I didn’t bet anything on Sunday’s big game since no one could have predicted the lackluster performance of the Denver Broncos. If I were a betting man though, here are five issues that I think will have a big impact on packaging in 2014:

Packaging optimization adds value
to the e-commerce fulfillment process.

1. Cartonization:  According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, online sales have increased by more than 300% since 2004. And you and I both know that the variety of products one can buy online is virtually endless. (Case in point.) Now imagine trying to combine a handful of products (which come in all shapes, sizes, weights, and densities) into a single shipping container that is optimized to minimize material costs, avoid dim weight penalties, and ship without damaging the products. Cartonization is the process or tool used to select the best shipper case to transport products and it is constantly evolving as product mixes and distribution channels change. Retailers that get this right in 2014 will keep their material and shipping costs down and their customers happy.


2. Slack Fill:  For many companies, the issue of slack fill will be a top priority in 2014. Defined as the difference between the actual capacity of a container and the volume of the product it contains, slack fill becomes an issue when it is considered “non-functional.” In recent years, district attorneys in California have been preying on various CPG companies that sell their products in the state under the guise of false advertising. With fines ranging from $2,000 per product on the shelf up to $300,000 per retail SKU, there are serious financial implications for companies in violation of Title 21. Now is the time for companies to analyze their functional and non-functional slack fill to decide if the financial risks outweigh the operational benefits.

   

   A few examples of slack fill in consumer packaging.



3. Harmonization:  A merger or acquisition that combines the operations of two or more businesses requires careful planning and execution. Rightfully so, most companies tackle the big issues first like manufacturing and distribution locations, systems integration, etc. Too often though, packaging harmonization doesn't make the cut. Standardizing the types and amounts of packaging being used creates tremendous buying power and cost savings. Higher volume orders also means greater flexibility to source from multiple vendors and the ability to leverage more regional sourcing. This is this year to address this integration issue if you've recently undergone a merger, or one is on the horizon.
    
4. Shelf Space Optimization:  With minimal storage space in the back room and limited space on the shelf, CPGs find themselves in a constant battle with retailers and grocers. Not only are their profit margins paper thin, but manufacturers also face the ongoing challenge of balancing their demand forecasts with expected shelf life and space on the actual shelf. This is where shelf space optimization comes in. Think if you could optimize and reduce your primary packaging on the shelf to fit two more cartons in the same space. This would in turn reduce the number of stock rotations and costs associated with out of stock and out of date products. CPG companies shouldn't miss the opportunity to collaborate with their customers on shelf space optimization in 2014.
   
   


5. Plant-based Packaging:  Sustainability and environmentally-friendly packaging trends are not new. However, this year may be the banner year for plant-based packaging. Prominent companies like Coca-Cola and Dell have already made a splash with their sugar cane-based PET bottle and bamboo protective packaging, respectfully. Recent tradeshows have also buzzed about mushroom-based packaging and other agricultural-based materials. The price for these alternative materials will only continue to drop as the supporting technology and production processes improve.

What do you think will shake up the packaging world in 2014? Leave a comment below to keep the conversation going.

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.