Two companies in the DS Smith Plastics division have pooled their resources to offer a returnable packaging logistics solution aimed at high volume manufacturers requiring stringent hygiene standards.
Bag-in-box and filling system manufacturer Rapak and packaging logistics company Demes Logistics have developed the service around a pool of Uni-Pak crates.
The 3-piece sleeve-pack style containers, made by DS Smith subsidiary Kaysersberg Plastics, are filled with bags by Rapak and shipped to customers’ plants anywhere in Europe.
Once the bags have been fed onto the production line, the empty Uni-Paks are folded down, collected by Demes Logistics and transported to one of Demes’ three sites in the UK where they are washed to ADAS accredited standard.
The clean crates are then taken to Rapak where the cycle begins again. Each container is used in seven-trip cycles/year on average and should last years. Key benefits of the system are said to be reduced component and transit damage, along with an efficient solution for high volume, quick turnaround supply chain transportation loops. Says Jon Wragg sales and marketing director at Rapak: “The introduction of Uni-Paks has enabled us to move away from wood and corrugated packaging.
“This is particularly significant to our customers within the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries who require ever higher standards of hygiene.”