Priory Direct claims to have optimized material usage and halved both weight and costs with a ‘100%’ recycled and recyclable cardboard pack for STG Aerospace’s emergency exit marking product.
The ‘world’s first sustainable’ emergency floor path marking system from STG is dispatched internationally, so its packaging must protect large quantities of the product in transit and long-term storage – all while being held to local regulations and standards, alongside those of the aerospace sector.
The floor path marking itself is shipped in two metre lengths at 11mm in width, which is described as ‘an awkward shape for packaging’. Oversized packaging requires more filler materials, takes up more space in transportation, and increases the shipment’s overall weight, all of which drive up costs and the pack’s environmental footprint.
“We had a packaging solution for our existing floor path marking range, which are the same dimensions,” explains Ryan Vincent, production design engineer at STG and leader of the packaging redesign project. “A review highlighted the need to improve its environmental impact, which didn’t align with the purpose of our new eco product.
“The packaging came in long, heavy, cylindrical tubes made of cardboard reinforced with a layer of plastic and with plastic end caps. The tubes, which were more than an inch thick, had a large diameter and, when empty, weighed around 7kg or 8kg.
“It was clear that we needed to find a more sustainable packaging solution for our new eco product, however, it still needed to be robust enough to keep our product safe and secure.”
“Our first solution was a flat cardboard wrap that is folded around the product to make it robust and also prevent it from rolling,” continues Gordon Leer, sustainable packaging consultant at Priory Direct. “We also proposed a telescopic box option, for which two separate parts fit snugly together.
“However, due to the unique requirements of STG neither was suitable, so we reverted to the cylindrical tube shape and substantially reduced the volume and environmental footprint of the materials used.
“It was a useful reminder that sometimes it’s not about reinventing the wheel but working to optimize the existing solution as much as possible. Whilst from a business perspective this means we are ‘selling’ less material, we are supporting our client to reduce their packaging impact on the environment, which is our underlying mission as an organization.
“Working with STG was refreshing because where often we work with limited information to design our solutions, STG sent us detailed drawings and specifications that needed to be met, which made it much easier for us to be precise.”
After testing out various solutions, most of them cardboard-based, STG and Priory Direct unveiled the current solution, which has reportedly lowered the packaging weight from 8kg to 4kg. Said to be plastic-free, it is designed to align with the environmental standard ISO 14001 and lessen the administrative burden of international packaging regulations.
“Recyclability was important to us, because we cannot control what happens to the packaging once it leaves our warehouse,” Ryan adds. “By ensuring it is 100% recyclable we know that wherever it ends up, even in landfill, it will ultimately break down, just like the eco product it was designed to protect.
“Because this packaging is so much better for the planet and our budget, we’ve moved our entire floor path marking range into the sustainable packaging.”
Priory Direct is continuing to collaborate with STG on an alternative packaging solution for its LED cabin lighting systems range.
Other cardboard packaging redesigns include Akarton’s cardboard Hexpand packaging, which is designed to protect fragile goods like electronics, lighting fixtures, and spare parts in transit while remaining easy to recycle; and Mondi’s bespoke fibre-based box for mouth-blown glassware from Zwiesel Glas, set to keep the product intact while creating a ‘premium’ unboxing experience.
In an alternative solution, Tri-Wall Circular previously unveiled a modular, foldable plastic container for reuse in the automotive and industrial supply chains. They are expected to negate the need to package different part sizes in multiple packaging types, reduce single-use packaging waste, and minimize inventory and handling requirements across the supply chain.
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