BY BRAD SHORR
Packing peanuts may be the biggest
necessary evil in all of packaging. Distribution facilities have been
trying to do away with them for decades, but there always seems to be
a catch – alternatives are too expensive, too slow, too heavy, or
not versatile enough. Well, low cost has its advantages – but how
about no cost? Sealed Air Corporation, one of the most
innovative packaging companies in the world, has finally done it.
They’ve brought a packaging system to market that completely
eliminates the need for packing peanuts – or any other inner
packing material for that matter.
The
I-Pack Automated Void Reduction System, introduced
to the U.S. market in late 2008, offers a wide spectrum of benefits
to high volume pick and pack distribution operations. One of the most
dramatic benefits is a breakthrough in sustainable packaging. I-Pack
solves the peanut problem once and for all, though an engineering
concept Sealed Air refers to as “void reduction”.
Why Packing Peanuts Are Used
For most pick and pack operations,
efficiency is the art of compromise. Larger than necessary corrugated
boxes are used because finding the ideal size for each order would
require far too much time. Tamper evidence is limited or nonexistent
because the necessary corrugated designs and carton sealing systems
are too expensive and difficult to integrate. Undesirable void fill
materials are employed because they are cheap, fast, and versatile.
The result – A compromise box arrives
at the consumer’s doorstep looking less than professional. The box,
which contains a couple DVDs, is large enough to accommodate a laptop
computer. And adding insult to injury, the consumer must deal with
cleaning up and disposing of the polystyrene peanuts that s/he is
convinced shouldn’t have been in the box in the first place.
Justifiably indignant consumers should
keep in mind that these packaging shortcomings are no less
troublesome for the shipper. They translate into inflated packaging
material and transportation costs, damage and theft losses, and lost
customers. But even eco-sensitive shippers have run into brick walls
trying to eliminate packing peanuts, since competing void fill
materials all come with their own set of disadvantages.
I-Pack Void Reduction to the
Rescue
I-Pack automates the processes of
erecting the corrugated shipping container (in this case, a tray),
securing products within the tray after picking, and applying a lid
to the tray for shipment. I-Pack secures products by compressing
the top of the tray to the height of the tallest product inside,
producing shipping containers of the smallest possible size. The
I-Pack shipping container is extremely durable, looks great, and
has outstanding tamper evident characteristics. And, perhaps most
significantly from a sustainable packaging point of view, it
eliminates the need for void fill.
No More Excuses for Packing
Peanuts!
Until now, replacing peanuts has meant
increasing material costs, increasing operating costs, and/or
exchanging one set of negatives for another. But I-Pack changes the
equation. Thankfully, there is no longer an excuse for dragging one’s
sustainable feet -
Reliability. I-Pack, and
its sister system, Ultipack, have been sold in Europe over than a
decade. With more than 300 installations in large scale operations
such as Chanel (cosmetics) and Lyreco (office supplies), Sealed
Air’s technology is field tested and proven.
And consumers? They receive a stout,
professional looking package that protects their order with the least
amount of packaging possible. For today’s highly eco-conscious
market, what could be more appealing? In an economy where every
dollar counts, pleasing customers, making them eager to reorder refer
others, may be I-Pack’s greatest benefits of all.
Visit Sealed Air Automation for more information.
Brad Shorr has an extensive background in the packaging industry. He is Director of Marketing for Salazar Packaging, Inc a distribution firm dedicated to helping manufacturers, contract packagers, and distributors find the best sustainable packaging options. In addition, Brad owns his own sales and marketing consulting firm, Word Sell, Inc.