Tag: logistics|packaging|sustainability

The external edges, corners and sides of items such as furniture or frames are at high risk of damage if not properly protected before shipping. These outer most areas are the most susceptible to impact, making edge protectors essential packaging equipment for businesses sending out potentially fragile objects.

Historically, polystyrene has been the only available cushioning product for sharp edges such as these, yet Kite Packaging has recently introduced a range of 100% recycled solid board alternatives that can also be recycled after use.

Each product is made from compressed, recycled cardboard to create a highly dense and durable material. Hence, these edge protectors are as effective as they are sustainable by adding reliable reinforcement to vulnerable areas.

Use the standard style for straight edges, the innovative yet simple locked corner design for pointed corners and the curved variety for rounded edges. Each style has unique features to adapt it to the varying properties of the object being packaged.

Tables, mirrors and large picture frames, for example, will all require one or a combination of these protectors. As they are typically high value products too, it is of even greater importance that they do not suffer and scratches or scrapes that could result in returns; damaging your business’s finances and carbon footprint.

When transporting temperature-sensitive items such as food or pharmaceuticals, insulating packaging is essential. Historically, environmentally damaging polystyrene has been the only option, but Kite Packaging has recently released an innovative corrugated box liner.

This thermal lining is 100% recyclable, low-cost and boasts the same temperature controlling qualities as polystyrene. The company conducted a series of externally verified tests to confirm this, revealing that at room temperature (23°C) the corrugated liners can keep the contents of a box below 0°C for 35 hours while being used in conjunction with our gel packs.

The BC flute corrugation also provides superb shock absorption alongside thermal regulation to protect products from both damage and changes in temperature that may affect their integrity. The liners comprise of two pads for the top and bottom box faces and different-sized packs for each side. When fitted to exactly match the interior of the corresponding sized carton, every surface area of the box is thermally lined with a material designed to resist the influence of external conditions.

Kite’s eco-friendly addition to the chilled packaging range works excellently in conjunction with its other products. It also supplies ice sheets, gel packs, thermal pallet covers, temperature-controlled pouches for smaller items and temperature indicators to gauge when a maximum threshold may have been breached.

By balancing environmental considerations with a focus on economic viability, the corrugated box liners identify themselves as a disruptive development with the potential to transform how items within the chilled food industry are packaged.

Kite Packaging has launched a new range of nestable and stackable bale arm crates. Essential equipment for supermarkets, the crates are expertly manufactured for ease of transportation and storage.

The bale arm extends to allow the user to hold and carry the box comfortably, a quality which is aided by the wide tray-like structure that evenly distributes the content’s weight. The box is constructed from lightweight yet durable regran polymer to ensure minimised strain when lifting in addition to withstanding heavy weights and water damage.

Simply retract the bale arm for the crates to become nestable when empty or keep it extended to stack the containers when full. The ridged design makes stacking smooth and the boxes suitable for conveniently storing a range of produce.

Although created for supermarkets, the potential applications of these crates are widespread due to the universal versatility of strong, practical and stackable containers. They would prove especially useful in warehouse environments where it is important to conserve space while having the necessary tools to safely move products across a pick and pack operation.

Kite Packaging now supplies two types of bale arm crates: a standard size and a deeper version with an impressive capacity of 20kg and 21kg respectively. A considerable volume of produce can be capably stored and transported within these boxes with the load being safely spread across the wide surface area to reliably protect both the contents and the user.

 

 

IFCO, a leading provider of Reusable Plastic Containers (RPCs) for fresh food packaging, has appointed Iñigo Canalejo as Vice President, ESG (Environmental, Social & Governance) as of 1st August 2021.

IFCO is strongly committed to its ESG strategy and to making the world’s fresh grocery supply chain sustainable. IFCO´s business model is built on the principles of the circular economy with a strong focus on sustainability and has recently had its European line of Lift Lock RPCs awarded Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Silver level.

By leveraging the environmental benefits of its business model, where RPCs are being re-used up to 120 times, washed, sanitised and then at the end of their life cycle, granulated in order to produce new crates, IFCO enables significant CO2, water and energy savings as well as reductions in solid and food waste when compared to single-use packaging.

Through a third-party Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) IFCO is able to scientifically quantify these savings and share them with its European and North American customers to demonstrate its commitment to sustainability.

“Over the past years we have achieved great progress in delivering against our sustainability agenda with one highlight being Cradle to Cradle Certified at the Silver level,” says Michael Pooley, CEO at IFCO. “This reinforces our leading role in the industry, successfully applying the model of the circular economy for many years.

“I am delighted to welcome Iñigo Canalejo in our team. He brings many years of experience in successfully leading ESG programmes in the industry and will help us to position IFCO at the forefront of supply chain sustainability.”

In his former role, Canalejo led the sustainability function in the EMEA region at Brambles, a global supply chain solutions company, whilst also contributing to the design of the Global Sustainability Strategy and its implementation. He also led Brambles’ strategy for negotiating the commercial and operational changes caused by Brexit and has extensive experience in managing government relations.

Canalejo will directly report to IFCO CEO Michael Pooley, reflecting the importance of the role. Achieving IFCO’s challenging ESG goals and making the fresh food supply chain sustainable requires focus and execution speed. He will also chair the IFCO ESG Committee, which includes members of IFCO’s advisory board, the CEO and CFO. This committee will oversee all ESG strategy and activities for the company.

“I am very much looking forward to joining IFCO, working together with my new team on the company’s growing ESG commitment and focus,” added Canalejo. “We have a very busy agenda ahead of us to reach our ambitious sustainable goals and make every step of our customers’ supply chains more sustainable.”

More and more Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies and retailers have made sustainable development a strategic priority and announced new commitments to address both climate change and plastic waste. Particularly, single-use packaging is in the spotlight. According to the third annual Checking Out On Plastics report, almost 900,000 tonnes of plastic packaging had passed through the tills of the 10 biggest UK retailers.

Producers, industrials, retailers rethink their packaging systems by removing single-use ones and know that in the longer run, a ‘closed loop’ recycling system is infinitely more environmentally sustainable than single-use alternatives. According to Lansink’s Ladder, reuse is the best option, after prevention. The future is in reuse and it needs to be a big part of how grocery retailers do business, experts say.

In this context, the players in the fruit and vegetable market are increasingly turning to Euro Pool System – from producers to distributors, to use of reusable folding trays for transporting fresh products – what is in line with companies’ sustainable development policies.

The figures speak for themselves. Euro Pool System has shown continuous growth in recent decades. In 2009, the number of rotations amounted to 600 million, rising to almost than 1.3 billion trays issued in 2020 . To manage with this growth, the Euro Pool Group has 71 service centres all over Europe, most recently, EPS opened the first UK washing site in Tamworth, West Midlands.

On average, trays last more than seven years and are reused fifty to one hundred times for the same purpose. The same cannot be said of cardboard, for example, which is only suitable for single use.

When Euro Pool System’s trays reach the end of their life, they are always recycled. Euro Pool System trays are made in HDPE that is 100% recyclable. The recycling process of trays is relatively simple compared with that of other waste streams as confirmed by Eric Morssinkhof of Morssinkhof of Rymoplast Group: “Recycling plastic trays is relatively easy, but this is certainly not the case for other flows.”

The recycling company first grinds the trays into granules. They are dusted, demineralised, rinsed, packed in bigbags and resold to injection moulding companies. They turn them into new trays but also big boxes or rubbish containers, for example. Recycling is done by colour: green, blue and black. “The lighter the colour, the better the sales possibilities.” Furthermore, the food safety of the material is also essential.

Sustainability isn’t only about reducing the burden on the environment; it also means reducing damage to the produce and less waste. According to a study by research institute Fraunhofer, with single-use packaging, about 4% of the produce gets damaged on the way to the consumer. Plastic transport packaging cuts this figure back to just 0.1% One of the main objectives is ‘reducing losses and waste in fruits and vegetables food systems’.

“We want to make sure that fruits and vegetables arrive at their destination safely and undamaged,” explained Alvaro Molina, UK Country Manager.

In addition, this standard packaging is also vital to optimise transport within the chain. The Foldable trays ensure maximum efficiency as they take up 86% less volume on return trips. The standard packaging makes it possible to automate logistics processes throughout the entire supply chain.

“In addition to lower CO2 emissions and less waste in the chain, the circular system also offers efficiency in the logistics process for producers and the supermarket sector. We share the same determination to act without delay in the preservation the natural resources, which is one of the biggest challenges of today. Use more sustainable solutions is more vital than ever and go further than simply meeting standards,” concludes Molina.