Supplier Turns Waste into Plastic Beverage Crates

Less waste, lower CO2 emissions, economical use of resources – there are many arguments in favour of reusable transport packaging, including plastic beverage crates. Using recyclable and returnable beverage crates is even more sustainable. At Stand 121 in Hall 4A at the Brau Beviale (26 to 28 November 2024, Nuremberg) Schoeller Allibert will be showcasing the unstoppable synergy of circularity, design, and innovation.

Sustainability, efficiency, and customizability are key issues for the beverage industry. Costs can be reduced and production processes organized more efficiently, in addition to the benefits for people and the environment. Plastic packaging experts Schoeller Allibert have been leading the way for over 65 years, pioneering efficient and sustainable supply chains.

One current example is the crate developed with Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, which is made from 97 per cent recycled plastic. Compared to crates made from new material, this innovation saves around 64 per cent of CO2 emissions during crate production compared to crates made from virgin plastic. The 97 per cent recycled plastic used by Schoeller Allibert is composed of 85 per cent grinded old crates and 15 per cent recycled plastic nets.

Plastic Beverage Crates

These come from Dutch tulip production and are processed into granulate by partner Healix. The experts in design and sustainability created a crate with a patented swirl technique in masterbatch that helps reduce scrap during production. Schoeller Allibert subjected the new crates to extensive testing at its test center in Hardenberg. The result: the new crates are just as resistant as the previous ones.

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4 Steps to a Sustainable Transport Packaging Solution

In order to make their supply chains more resilient, companies invested more in sustainability in 2023. According to a global survey of 600 supply chain management executives conducted by Blue Yonder, almost half of the participants (48 percent) invested capital in this area. “New pressure is also coming from legal regulations such as the European Packaging Regulation which requires sustainable and recyclable packaging,” says Jürgen Krahé (pictured), Senior Commercial Director EMEA at ORBIS Europe. “Companies have many options for making their logistics processes greener. Switching to sustainable transport packaging is one of them.”

Under the right conditions, reusable plastic containers can help to make supply chains more environmentally friendly. With a service life of over ten years and a high proportion of recycled material, they reduce resource consumption and the need for new transport solutions. These four steps should be followed when making a switch:

1. Analysis of the supply chain
The first step is to assess whether it makes sense to switch to reusable plastic packaging for your own application. Using software-based life cycle assessments, companies can determine the environmental impact of different types of packaging over their entire life cycle – from raw material extraction to production, transport and use to disposal. Based on information on transport routes and means, the Packaging Lifecycle Assessment Tool from ORBIS analyses whether CO2 emissions, energy and water consumption and waste can be reduced by switching to plastic packaging. “Only when the environmental impacts have been translated into concrete figures can companies make well-founded investment decisions,” says Krahé.

2. Concept development and success measurement
Once all the requirements are known, companies need a concept to integrate the new transport solution into the existing supply chain. To switch to plastic, they must first determine whether a customized solution is required or whether a standard product is sufficient. Then they have to decide: Is a test phase with prototypes required and, if so, for how long? Should the solution be rolled out completely or in stages?

What legal requirements must be observed with regard to transport and storage (for example in terms of fire protection concept)? Suitable key performance indicators help to make added value such as cost savings, reduced CO2 emissions or energy consumption measurable.

3. Implementation and optimization
During the roll-out phase, feedback from customers and suppliers is incorporated into the optimization process. If companies then implement the finished transport box throughout the supply chain, the solution must be continuously adapted to changing circumstances: For example, if there is a new production process, a new work procedure or the company is introducing another product with a new design or size, it must be checked how this affects the transport packaging and what adjustments may be necessary.

4. Disposal/buyback
At the end of their lifespan, plastic packaging can be recycled up to 100 percent and reused for new packaging. This reduces greenhouse gas emissions and conserves valuable natural resources. In addition, companies can offset the initial higher costs and save disposal costs. “So that companies don’t have to deal with this themselves, ORBIS Europe buys back obsolete or irreparably damaged plastic packaging at the material price,” says Krahé. “In this way, the organizations contribute to an almost closed raw material cycle and benefit from economic advantages.”

Reusable plastic packaging represents an ecological and economical alternative to materials such as wood, steel or cardboard. They can help to meet legal requirements and the increasing sustainability expectations of other stakeholders.

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Logistic Solutions for the Circular Economy

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.

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