Cabka Archives

Award for ZirConic Large Container

Posted on 1 July, 202429 July, 2025 by David Priestman

CHEP, a global leader in reusable pallets and containers, and Cabka, a leader in sustainable transport packaging, have won the Red Dot Product Design Award in the Industrial Packaging category for the CHEP ZirConic® foldable large container. Delivered on June 24th in Essen, Germany, this award recognizes the innovative design, functionality, and sustainability of the CHEP ZirConic® container.

A revolutionary solution to modern supply chain challenges

The CHEP ZirConic® foldable large container was developed in response to CHEP’s recognition of the need for superior reusable transport packaging (RTP) solutions that align with contemporary supply chain demands. Designed in collaboration with Cabka, a leading expert in product design and material engineering, the CHEP ZirConic® container represents a new generation of RTPs that excel in operational performance and environmental sustainability.

“As an industry leader, we recognise our unique position to go beyond sustainability and make our operations truly regenerative through product and commercial innovation”, said Daniel López, Product Management and Innovation Director at CHEP Europe. “The ZirConic container is the first of a series of new generation of packaging solutions designed from customer insights and intended to set the new industry standard for dry containment at the highest innovation and sustainability level. The Red Dot Award recognises the value delivered to our customers through the exceptional co-design work carried out with Cabka, our strategic partner.”

Unparalleled design and sustainability features

The CHEP ZirConic® container stands out for its circular design, being made of 97% post-consumer plastic and fully recyclable at the end of its lifespan. This focus on sustainability reduces waste and supports a circular economy model. Key features of the CHEP ZirConic® foldable large container include:
• Modular design for extended life: facilitates easy repair and component replacement, ensuring minimal downtime and maximizing usability.
• Supply chain optimisation: offers up to 15% increased internal volume and 33% extra load capacity, raising it from 500 kg to 750 kg, enabling efficient use of warehouse space and transportation resources.
• Enhanced foldability: Allows for compact storage and optimised truck capacity, thus reducing transportation costs and CO2 emissions. Additionally, the shelf’s innovative design enables it to be folded inside the container, further optimising space usage and improving internal processes.
• Content integrity: features a secure snap-on lid and tamper-evident designs to protect goods from contamination.
• IoT integration: each container is uniquely serialised for precise tracking and has a designated space for digital device integration, enabling a wealth of supply chain insights and enhanced visibility that allows customers to make informed decisions.

Development and implementation

The project began in September 2021, bringing together teams from CHEP and Cabka. At Cabka’s Innovation Center in Valencia, Spain, the CHEP ZirConic® container was developed using methods like Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and full-scale prototypes. Cabka’s state-of-the-art facility is dedicated to creating customized product solutions by leveraging advanced technologies, a deep understanding of material science, and comprehensive product testing. The product was further refined through technical validation and customer feedback.

Ignacio Castellano Montoro, Vice President Pooling and System Integrations at Cabka, added, “Working with CHEP to develop the CHEP ZirConic® container has been a rewarding experience. Receiving the Red Dot Award highlights our successful partnership and recognizes our commitment to creating innovative solutions for the circular economy.

Cabka to Demonstrate Unique Plastic Pallet at FachPack

Logistic Solutions for the Circular Economy

Posted on 20 February, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Breaking new ground by developing tailor-made products that meet the circular economy and customers’ individual requirements – that’s what drives Cabka. The market leader for reusable transport packaging made of recycled plastic will be presenting its broad portfolio of large load carriers and pallets at ProMAT in Chicago (March 20-23, 2023) at booth S4149.

ProMat is an ideal platform for Cabka’s large load carriers and pallets, which combine innovation and sustainability. Cabka’s vision is that logistics not only moves goods, but can fundamentally change storage and transport processes – with benefits for both customers and the environment. That’s why the company focuses on reusable and durable products made from recycled plastics. This not only saves the user energy, transport and storage costs, but also helps to address the growing need for companies to reduce their scope 3 emissions for Green House Gasses (GHG). To achieve this, Cabka’s development team is continuously working on intelligent product design with lightweight, resource-saving and volume-reduced solutions.

The company also focuses on individual product developments. “We are the contact for customers who want customized products made from recycled plastics,” reports Jean-Marc van Maren, Chief Product Development Officer at Cabka. “That’s why we are not only showing our broad standard portfolio at the trade fair, but also some customized solutions”, adds van Maren.

One highlight in Chicago is the Retail US5 order picking pallet, which makes the transfer of goods more cost-efficient, safer and more sustainable. It replaces the traditional wooden pallets for transporting goods between the distribution center and the sales floor. It is compatible with existing retail nestable pallets and available with special dog bone feet. The solution does not require the usual runners and therefore offers significant advantages.

As a nestable and thus volume-saving load carrier, this pallet reduces both warehouse and transport costs. The Retail US5 is robust, durable and significantly exceeds the usual service life of GMA-pallets. The pallets are also convincing in terms of occupational safety with their smooth and clean surface and beveled edges. The light-weight design facilitates manual lifting and stacking. It also avoids excessive strain on the backs of employees during lifting and carrying work.

In terms of environmental protection, the load carriers score with their resource-saving construction made of recycled plastic and the fact that the material cycle is closed at the end of their useful life. Other properties ensure that the commercial pallet offers a significantly lower carbon footprint in its application compared to a wooden pallet: low tare weight, volume-reduced return transport and long service life. The Retail US5 is available in GMA-pallet dimensions of 40 x 48 inch, weighs 23 lbs and can carry loads of up to 3,000 lbs.

Enabling the circular economy

Another novelty at the Cabka booth is the CabCube 4840. The superior product protection offered by the units results in lower product damage and waste. This large container features a two-piece sleeve for improved handling. The foldable case is simply stored between pallet and lid for the return of empties. The four-piece CabCube remains together as a closed packaging unit. With its high foldability ratio, it assures savings in space and freight costs and increases the efficiency in return logistics.

The two-piece C-folding sleeves are ideal for ergonomic loading. The four grips make it easy to lift the lid from all sides, the bottom support has eight feet. CabCube 4840 is designed for supplier industries in all sectors and is ideal for distributing and storing large and lightweight parts. The large container has dimensions of 48 x 40 x 48 inch and an internal volume of 247 gallons.

Users can reduce their logistics and warehousing costs with the clever Cabka solution and protect the environment at the same time: The CabCube 4840 is injection-moulded from 100% recyclable high-quality plastics and is designed for extreme reusability. This makes it durable, robust and sustainable at the same time.

For the first time Cabka will also show a CabCube on wheels at the fair. The wheels make it easy to move the CabCube around the warehouse, shop or production hall without using a forklift or hand pallet truck.

Foldable Pallet Box for Bigger Items

Posted on 10 January, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Goplasticpallets.com, a plastic pallet supplier, has expanded its portfolio of award-winning foldable pallet boxes to help businesses make significant time and cost savings when transporting bulkier items through their supply chains.

Incorporating an innovative design, the CabCube 1612 is the new SleevePack product from Cabka launched exclusively to the UK market by goplasticpallets.com. Measuring 1610mm x 1208mm x 750mm, the pallet box offers an increased base surface area for transporting, storing and picking bigger goods. The CabCube 1612 provides an environmentally friendly alternative to one-time use cardboard boxes and shrink wrap – whilst the robust sleeve pack and strong and secure lid reduces product damage and subsequent costs. All components are 100% recyclable at the end of their long service life.

This new pallet box – which has a load capacity of 350 kg – has been specifically designed for optimal stacking stability, both in the warehouse and during transit. When packed with products, the CabCube 1612 can be stacked four high in a standard 40 ft curtain side trailer, which means the vehicle can carry a total of 64 units. When emptied, it folds flat to a height of just 251mm, enabling 192 units to be loaded on the return leg. This provides a 69% volume reduction and a return ratio of 1:3.25, allowing businesses to significantly reduce the use of vehicles and make key savings on transportation costs.

The CabCube 1612 is quickly folded flat and is stored inside the base with the lid placed on top to ensure that the three components are transported together ready for re-use. The product can also be RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) and IoT (Internet of Things) enabled, for greater transparency and visibility, whilst customised sleeve heights and door configurations are available, to support simpler picking and packing.

In addition to the CabCube 1612, goplasticpallets.com has also added two new folding pallet collars to its product range, to guarantee increased levels of security and protection when unpacking and picking goods in warehouses. The CabFrame 1210 (which fits a UK standard pallet) and CabFrame 1208 (which attaches to a typical Euro sized pallet) can be stacked upon one another – normally up to five high – to create a reconfigurable “pallet box” that offers maximum product retention and protection to items as they move their way through the warehouse.

Jim Hardisty, Managing Director at goplasticpallets.com, said: “In the current climate, businesses must explore new ways to increase efficiencies and streamline operations. The CabCube 1612 is a fantastic product that businesses can use to optimise their supply chains and save on vital warehouse space and transportation costs.

“This strong and robust pallet box will not only reduce stock damages, but it also removes the need for one-time use cardboard boxes and shrink wrap, which benefits the environment. We are already seeing several of our existing customers – including pharmaceutical companies, fulfilment houses and leading supermarkets – embed this product across their supply chains with huge success, including within automated systems.

“We are pleased to further strengthen our long-standing relationship with Cabka by launching the CabCube 1612, plus the innovative CabFrame 1210 and CabFrame 1208, to the UK market.”

A revolutionary solution to modern supply chain challenges

Unparalleled design and sustainability features

Development and implementation

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