packaging Archives

EPAL pallet production reaches record levels in 2021

Posted on 4 May, 202229 July, 2025 by David Priestman

The European Pallet Association e.V. (EPAL) maintained the continuous growth of the EPAL Euro pallet pool in 2021. More than 100 million new EPAL Euro pallets were produced for the first time in a calendar year in 2021.

The record result of 101.3 million new EPAL Euro pallets represents a year-on-year growth of 5.5 % (96.1 million EPAL Euro pallets were produced in 2020). There was also significant growth of 7.6 % in repairs. The production of EPAL Box pallets, which grew by 66.7 % to 288,149 box pallets, is worth highlighting here. The total production and repair volume in 2021 for all EPAL load carriers grew by +6 % to a total of 130.8 million pallets.

Robert Holliger, President of EPAL: “2021 was a year of profound challenges. On the one hand, the economic upturn following the anticipated easing of the COVID-19 pandemic generated a substantial demand for EPAL load carriers. On the other, the shortage of and considerable increase in the price of wood made the situation very difficult for producers and repairers of EPAL Euro pallets. We are therefore particularly proud that it was possible to increase production of EPAL Euro pallets, despite the shortage of wood. We would like to thank EPAL licensees and users of EPAL Euro pallets for this exceptional result.”

Maintaining industrial and retail supply chains

Concerns that it would not be possible to supply industrial and retail users with sufficient numbers of EPAL Euro pallets as a result of the shortage of and increase in the price of wood in spring 2021 proved, in hindsight, to be unwarranted. The EPAL Euro pallet pool continued to be a reliable partner in 2021 for industry and retail, and their supply chains, and ensured the on-going availability of EPAL Euro pallets.

Bernd Dörre, EPAL CEO: “The high levels of trust users have for the open EPAL Euro pallet pool also proves how important EPAL Euro pallets are for the international logistics sector. In addition to guaranteeing the efficiency and safety of logistics processes, using EPAL Euro pallets also helps users achieve their sustainability goals. The reuse of EPAL Euro pallets protects wood resources and reduces CO2 emissions from production and transportation. The EPAL Euro pallet pool is an exemplar for a sustainable circular economy. It is therefore no surprise that the number of participants in open pallet exchange is continuing to grow and that this has led to the record number of EPAL Euro pallets produced.”

It is currently difficult to know whether this record result can be repeated in 2022 due to the significant impacts of the war in Ukraine. However, the growth in the production of EPAL Euro pallets continued in the first quarter of 2022. Secure supply of EPAL Euro pallets is therefore guaranteed.

Bekuplast presents special solutions for intralogistics

Posted on 3 May, 202229 July, 2025 by David Priestman

At LogiMAT in Stuttgart, bekuplast will be presenting containers, pallets, trays and special solutions for intralogistics at its stand. The focus will be on new models in the “contecline” intralogistics series.

The contecline series will be supplemented by an oversize container and a tray. The new oversize containers are available in heights of 270, 320 and 400mm. With a basic dimension of 650 x 450mm, they are suitable for storing cardboard boxes in the standard format of 600 x 400mm. For the storage and transport of smaller goods, the contecline oversize containers are equipped with an integrated partition system. The sturdy injection-moulded dividers allow 1/2 to 1/12 subdivision as required.

The tray has a basic dimension of 638 x 424mm. It is optionally available with water drainage holes in the base and can be fitted with four in-mould labels if required.

All products in the contecline series have been specially developed for use in miniload and shuttle systems. The contecline is characterised by low weight and high performance. The containers and the tray have the characteristic, circumferentially closed miniload base, which convinces with ideal running properties.

The manufacturer of reusable plastic solutions will not only be presenting a wide range of solutions on its stand (Hall 6, Stand C05) at LogiMAT, but will also be advising on the use of the recycled material BQC (bekuplast Quality Compound). The BQC compound is a high-quality secondary raw material with documented and tested properties and an environmentally friendly alternative to virgin material.

Print pre-sized labels from your phone

Posted on 27 April, 202229 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Brady Corporation describes its new M211 Label Printer as a lightweight, sturdy and wearable device that prints both pre-sized and continuous labels to identify cables and components. It can create even complex labels that can all be designed, printed and previewed from your phone.

The new M211 Label Printer can easily be clipped to any belt. It connects seamlessly to smartphones via Bluetooth and is driven by Brady’s Express Labels App. The app allows to quickly design, preview and print labels and to integrate data from spreadsheets. According to Brady, no other phone driven label printer today matches the label design possibilities of the M211. In addition, designs can be saved and shared between colleagues, either in the field or at the office.

Tested, quality labels

Quite unique for an entry-level portable label printer, is the M211’s ability to print on both continuous and pre-sized labels. Brady offers M211 users 90+ different label cartridges to choose from. These include general purpose and dedicated labels, designed for reliability in specific applications.

Brady has technical data sheets with label test results that evaluate adhesion to various types of flat and curved surfaces, and label print resistance to humidity, abrasion, heat, cold, weathering and other influences.

The new M211 Label Printer prints up to 300 labels on a single battery charge. Yet the system weighs only 0.5kg, and has a compact design to make it extremely wearable. At the same time, the M211 is a tough device. Tests indicate the tiny printer survives 1.8m falls, 110kg crushes and military specification shocks. Next to its ability to survive almost any job site, the M211 features ‘drop-lock-print’ label cartridges designed for swift ‘on-the-job’ consumable switching.

Pregis opens European packaging innovation centre

Posted on 26 April, 2022 by Keith McKinley

Pregis, a leading global manufacturer of protective packaging, has invested in a new 1,960 sq m (21,000 sq ft) customer experience facility in Europe designed to provide a holistic solutions approach to protective packaging challenges and reduce costly waste incurred by damaged products.

The new Pregis innovation headquarters, called the Pregis IQ, is located in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. It will open in April as a customer demonstration and training facility designed to optimise packaging methods.

“Our objective is to provide value-added services to assist brand owners in selecting protective packaging materials and systems that will reduce total cost, achieve sustainability goals and improve packing efficiency to help address labour challenges,” said Paul van Dijk, Marketing & IQ Director, Pregis Europe. “Pregis has always prided itself in being a material-neutral supplier focused on protecting what’s important to our customers. Our broad material and equipment expertise puts us in an ideal position to recommend a solution that is truly in the brand owner’s best interest.”

As companies and brand owners are faced with challenges that range from limited space, labour constraints, increased demand and desire to package with sustainable materials, Pregis says it is able to demonstrate and offer customer centric system-based solutions approach. At the Pregis IQ, visitors can see how protecting products from damage, minimising material usage, improving operational efficiency, creating a positive ergonomic environment for workers and joyful unboxing experience for customers is all possible with the right partner.

“The shift toward e-commerce growth means expanding order mix, greater complexity and more packaging diversity,” van Dijk said. “Labour and seasonality also impact fulfilment operations’ ability to meet orders, complicating packaging and leading to increased damages. Further, network shipping constraints, coupled with increasing costs, are expected to continue. This means to achieve customer loyalty more customisation and unique solutions will be required to adequately compete.

“By engaging the Pregis IQ services, we can take all of these factors into account and recommend the most environmentally preferred option that integrates into a customer’s operations while delivering measurable benefits.”

The European Pregis IQ is in addition to Pregis’ US-based IQ which has been operational since 2019. The expansion will help Pregis unify its consultative approach across North America and Europe.

eCommerce packaging with the ‘wow’ factor

Posted on 25 April, 2022 by Keith McKinley

Smurfit Kappa says it aims to find the perfect packaging solutions for all kinds of businesses, no matter how big or small. From major brands to innovative start-ups, it offers customers support, creativity, and inventiveness to help create a packaging solution that meets their every need, which was the case when MESSIAH and EVE came to Smurfit Kappa Beacon for help with its DTC shipping packaging.

MESSIAH and EVE is a new multi-award winning vegan body care brand specialising in elevated fine fragrance body care essentials. It sells a range of body-dedicated creams and cleansers, hand wash and bath oil. As an eCommerce retailer, packaging is one of the most important parts of its product range.

Its products are purposefully and intentionally crafted to have a positive impact on the skin, the planet, and the communities within it. MESSIAH and EVE says it is committed to a journey of consideration in everything it does, and its packaging is no exception. It approached the Smurfit Kappa Beacon team hoping to find a supplier who could assist it in creating packaging which could safely ship its eCommerce orders and speed up its fulfilment production line, while also fitting with its company ethos.

Smurfit Kappa took on the challenge of producing the perfect packaging solutions for MESSIAH and EVE products, with the goal of creating sustainable eCommerce packaging which would ‘wow’ its customers and create a memorable unboxing experience. Not only that, but it was conscious of the speed of packing and ease of opening for their consumers. It needed packaging which would be super-easy to seal during the packing process and double as suitable gift packaging should its customers be gifting orders.

One of the biggest challenges Smurfit Kappa faced when it started working on this project for MESSIAH and EVE was the sustainability element of the packaging. It knew this was a key focus for the brand, so it just had to get it right, but in a way that would not compromise on quality or customer experience. Smurfit Kappa considered the option of using 100% recycled board, but soon realised this would not be suitable with the high-end print design and self-seal tape to speed up the packing process.

Smurfit Kappa opted for a more premium board grade which was still sustainable while also offering a super high-print finish. The end packaging solution looked the part while also being FSC Mix and 100% recyclable: fitting hand -in-hand with its brand ethos. As well as being easily recyclable through household recycling channels, the MESSIAH and EVE packaging delivered the ‘wow’ factor during unboxing and perfectly encapsulated the luxury of the products inside.

As fast fulfilment packing was a priority for MESSIAH and EVE, Smurfit Kappa incorporated self-seal tape which allowed for a quick production line and created a secure postal solution for its products. The tape and rippa opening design offers a more modern experience than some of the other considered options, and creates an unboxing experience similar to other high-end eCommerce packs from worldwide brands. Self-seal tape is very simple for customers to open when their new items arrive on their doorstep and makes it easier for consumers to return products using the existing packaging. This reduces the amount of waste material, giving the packaging another purpose.

The finished product ticked all of MESSIAH and EVE’s boxes, and Smurfit Kappa says it delivered packaging which was not only a functional option but also a key marketing tool for the eCommerce brand.

Utz Group celebrates diamond anniversary

Posted on 25 April, 202225 July, 2025 by David Priestman

The Utz Group, a global market leader for returnable packaging, is marking its 75th anniversary this year. With a special 75-year logo, the company is celebrating its growth from humble beginnings in Switzerland into a thriving, international business that manufactures over 20 million products a year.

“Our 75th anniversary is a great time to indulge in a little nostalgia,” commented Russell Evans, General Manager of Georg Utz Ltd, “and also to look forward to the future. Along with the whole team at our UK facility in Alfreton, Derbyshire, I’m very proud to be a part of such a dynamic and growing company.”

Production of the zigzag device for sewing machines, circa 1955

At this major milestone, the Utz group continues to demonstrate the spirit of innovation instilled by its founder. Even with the foresight and determination that helped him to found the company, Georg Utz could not have predicted that, 75 years later, some 1,500 people would be employed by a company bearing his name.

Founded as a toolmaking firm called ‘Georg Utz Werkzeug- und Apparatebau’ in Zurich in May 1947, the company began to focus on manufacturing a zigzag device for sewing machines that Georg had developed himself. This patented product enabled the fledgling business to flourish, with well-known sewing machine manufacturers, including Singer, among its customers. In 1953 Georg moved the company – now named Georg Utz AG and with 16 employees – to larger premises in Bremgarten.

It is often in challenging times that true character is revealed. In 1958, demand for the Utz zigzag device collapsed abruptly when sewing machines with integrated zigzag stitching came onto the market. Fortunately, Georg had installed an injection-moulding machine to produce the packaging for the zigzag apparatus and he could see its potential to transform the packaging market. With his entrepreneurial drive, he was able to turn his vision into reality, producing plastic products for both household and industrial use.

The RAKO: a game changer in logistics

Using the largest injection-moulding machine in Switzerland, Georg Utz AG began to focus its business on storage and transport containers produced from plastic instead of the traditional metal. The RAKO container – short for its innovative RAhmenKOnstruktion (frame construction) – was launched in 1965 and the product range continued to expand.

In the early 1970s, the development of customer-specific containers was added – the foundation stone for the current core business. Today, close co-operation with customers results in a constant stream of new products to meet their varied logistics requirements.

Another innovation for Utz came when its plastics recycling plant was put into operation in the late 1970s. Sustainability, reusable solutions and recycling at the end of the product life cycle are part of the DNA for Utz. As the company expanded, subsidiaries were established abroad. The first was in Germany in 1971, followed by Great Britain (1990 – pictured), France (1992), Poland (1997), USA (2003), China (2005) and Mexico (2017).

Today, Utz employs almost a hundred times more people than the 16 who worked in the Zurich workshop all those years ago. Despite huge growth, the past and present companies have many similarities: the spirit of innovation, the commitment to supplying the highest quality products and the culture of a family business.

Focus on people drives success for Utz Group

Sitma’s e-commerce wrapper for different materials

Posted on 25 April, 202225 July, 2025 by David Priestman

E-Wrap, Sitma‘s new e-commerce wrapper, will be on display at Ipack-IMA, from 3rd to 6th May 2022, in Hall 6P – Stand B01 C02. The machine in question will be the “paper wrapping” version, specifically designed for the world of e-commerce and logistics. It was developed by Sitma Machinery, an Italian company with over 50 years’ experience in the field, and now a leading producer of automated equipment for logistics and packaging.

Paper E-Wrap fits perfectly within Sitma’s range of automatic and semi-automatic paper packaging machines. These include the Fast Pack machine, a workhorse for high-speed packaging in the e-commerce sector, and the 8002 model, specially designed for Frozen Food. The new Paper E-Wrap machine has all the typical features of Sitma solutions in terms of compactness, ease of use, flexibility and reliability.

E-Wrap is designed to meet the need for speedy and efficient management that the logistics sector for e-commerce demands. The unit can be easily integrated into different production settings and combined with units for labelling and weighing, as well as an advanced tracking system.

E-Wrap can also be used for the automatic management of printing systems, and for inserting documents into the package. Indeed, the machine has been specifically designed to meet the needs of the e-commerce sector in terms of documents and promotional material (invoices, delivery notes, return labels, coupons, leaflets, etc.).

The machine can both be physically integrated into hubs with different layouts, and also connected up in terms of software. Indeed, E-Wrap can coordinate with the complex IT systems that control modern logistics centres, which need to manage huge amounts of data in relation to tracking products in the supply chain. E-Wrap is especially flexible in terms of packaging: it is in fact the first machine able to create either envelopes or packs to fit the three-dimensional form of the object(s) being packaged.

The unit on display in Milan has two winning features: not only can it “read” three-dimensional objects and create customised packaging, it can also make use of heat-sealable paper, a feature that makes it a truly green machine.

“Paper wrapping” is one of the most important frontiers for sustainable packaging; because if paper is produced in specific ways, it can be repeatedly recycled, reducing the environmental impact of the system. However, E-Wrap goes even further, as it can make use of heat-sealing paper that does not require an extra adhesive system: an aspect that helps simplify not only the management of the process but also the maintenance of the machine.

Recyclable tube packaging for premium drinks

Posted on 14 April, 2022 by Keith McKinley

The demand for sustainable and 100% recyclable packaging is growing like never before, and this includes in the premium spirits market. Smurfit Kappa is striving to meet customers’ changing demands, and says its new 100% recyclable drinks packaging solution, the Smurfit Kappa Eco-Tube, is a perfect example. It recently developed this revolutionary product, providing a more sustainable paper tube packaging solution and which allows the traditional paper tube to be 100% recyclable within normal consumer recycling schemes.

The Eco-Tube means that premium spirit packaging can now be fully recyclable, so companies don’t have to choose between quality and sustainability. It is widely recognised that paper tube packaging, particularly in the drinks industry, offers many benefits such as on-shelf disruption. Now, this can all be achieved with recyclable packaging. The Smurfit Kappa Composites team recently completed a project for The Clydeside Distillery, which was the first ever fully branded, 100% recyclable drinks packaging solution it has launched for the whisky market.

Working with Clydeside Distillery

The Clydeside Distillery was the first dedicated Single Malt Whisky distillery in the city of Glasgow, for over 100 years. Smurfit Kappa worked closely with its sister company, A Dewar Rattray, on many previous packaging projects, so welcomed the opportunity to work with The Clydeside Distillery.

The distillery was in the process of launching its first single-malt whisky, Stobcross, and needed the perfect premium drinks packaging solution. As the inaugural Single Malt from The Clydeside Distillery, Stobcross needed packaging which was high-quality, luxurious, and showcased its uniqueness. At the same time, The Clydeside Distillery wanted to ensure its packaging was sustainable, so the Eco-Tube was the perfect fit.

When The Clydeside team first approached Smurfit Kappa, it wanted the traditional values of tube packaging including strength and shelf presence. The opportunity to have all this as a fully recyclable option was exactly what it was looking for.

The packaging for Stobcross was Smurfit Kappa’s first branded Eco-Tube launched to market. The finished result is a stylish tube which carefully protects the product and stands out on shelves and in stores. The Clydeside Distillery opted for a design that represents the maritime history of Glasgow, which truly reflects its brand and product. Stobcross is currently sold in The Clydeside Distillery shop and on its website, and the company is planning an international rollout over the coming months.

100% recyclable paper tube packaging

Smurfit Kappa Composites devised the Eco-Tube under its ‘Smurfit Kappa Better Planet Packaging’ initiative. It recognised the increased pressure that drinks manufacturers are under to adopt recyclable packaging solutions. Previously, these manufacturers had to choose between the benefits that tube packaging can deliver or providing a sustainable solution. The Eco-Tube solves this dilemma, enabling the traditional composite tube to be 100% recyclable. This kind of packaging can be easily recycled using readily available consumer recycling schemes, such as local curb side pick-ups.

Its paper-based tube performs in exactly the same way as traditional premium packaging solutions, with no compromising on strength or aesthetics. Smurfit Kappa believes the Eco-Tube is the answer to meeting the ever-changing buying behaviours of consumers. Not only that, but it can assist businesses in meeting their sustainability goals and initiatives.

Smurfit Kappa Composites offers scalable solutions for the paper-based tube packaging solutions for the whisky market and beyond. Current users of paper tube packaging for whisky, spirits or any other products no longer need to lose consumer brand recognition when switching to a more sustainable packaging solution, as additional finishes and full print options are still available.

Sitma returns to live events at Ipack Ima

Posted on 7 April, 2022 by Keith McKinley

Four years since the last edition and after two years with no live shows, Sitma is back at Ipack Ima 2022, focusing on e-commerce packaging and introducing its latest innovation, e-Wrap Paper.

Ipack Ima, a partner of Intralogistica Italia, is the starting point in the road map of in-person events confirmed for 2022 by Sitma. This will be followed by LogiMAT in Germany and Logis Tech in Japan. The theme of the shows will be automatic e-commerce packaging solutions, which have become a crucial asset for increasing not only efficiency, but also the sustainability of managing online orders.

Paper wrapping

Sitma, an international company that is completely made in Italy and a leader in the design and production of automation systems for packaging and logistics, presents an exclusive preview of the latest evolution of e-Wrap at the main Italian event entirely dedicated to packaging, with an all-round approach that ranges from logistics to printing, from technology to materials.

E-Wrap paper is specifically designed for the e-commerce sector, combining efficiency and ease of use, flexibility and sustainability. Customisable to different production requirements, the features of E-wrap paper enable it to be used for packaging goods in sectors as diverse as fashion and footwear, books and media, and consumer electronics, while fulfilling the eco-sustainable requirements that this world increasingly demands.

Customer-orientated portfolio

Operating in the e-commerce logistics sector for several years now, Sitma boasts numerous public and private companies in Europe and overseas that use the packaging and sorting solutions included in its product portfolio. The key to designing new solutions is to listen carefully to the needs of the end users and to diversify one’s own product range according to the requirements of the various logistics operators active in this constantly evolving market.

All the packaging solutions engineered by Sitma stand out mainly for their flexibility and reliability, being able to work at different speeds and allowing packages of variable formats and sizes to be packaged to suit the contents. The range is comprehensive and includes both stand-alone solutions and complete lines with automatic product feeding: a full portfolio of machines of different levels of complexity and cost, all supported by an advanced software component.

Sitma will be present at Ipack-IMA, from 3rd to 6th May 2022, in Hall 6P – Stand B01 C02

Tag: packaging

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