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. 

Combating Driver Shortage Through Packaging

by Rich Lindgren, CPP
Chainalytics

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, check out this article by Michael Kilgore.

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.

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.

Do the Back of your Trailers resemble this?

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.

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.

To learn more about Packaging Optimization, follow the link.