Packaging Solutions Throughout The Supply Chain

Introduction

Manufacturers, retailers, and haulers must manage costs, operate at optimal efficiency, and meet environmental targets throughout the entire FMCG supply chain. Additionally, manufacturers and retailers are under pressure to market brands effectively and meet consumer expectations of product safety, convenience, and sustainability. Innovative packaging solutions are helping to fulfill these needs.

Features and benefits

• Understand the role packaging can play in optimizing efficiency throughout the consumer packaged goods supply chain.
• Evaluate new and emerging packaging technologies, materials, and solutions that enhance packaging functionality and efficiency.
• Gain insight into macro socio-economic factors driving consumption, innovation, and costs in the packaging market.
• Review and understand the future outlook for major trends, developments, and innovation in packaging solutions for efficient supply chains.
• Assess stages in the supply chain where packaging optimization could provide cost benefits for your business.

Highlights

There is a rising demand for companies to reduce their environmental impact at all stages of the supply chain, as consumers are increasingly enlightened about the ecological and ethical issues surrounding mass production. Independent studies suggest that firms can make costs savings by adopting sustainability measures.

Production, labor, and energy costs are rising. This having a significant impact on how companies view packaging: instead of focusing on the supply chain itself through measures such as reducing air freight or optimizing traffic routing, reviewing or innovating packaging can have a significant impact upon costs and efficiency.

Demands upon the packaging industry are becoming ever more sophisticated and require increasingly efficient and complex solutions. Nano-packaging offers an exciting area of new possibilities to transform packaging in terms of safety, preservation, tracking, and quality, and this market is growing rapidly.

Your key questions answered

• What are the latest innovations in nanotechnology and electronics in packaging and how can I use them to help optimize my supply chain?
• How can packaging solutions help my business to improve space utilization on pallets and throughout the distribution network?
• Can packaging innovation provide solutions to help make my companies supply chain operations more environmentally friendly?
• How can packaging enhance my brand and improve on-shelf presence in store?
• What are the solutions to reducing the packaging volumes that my company uses?

Table Of contents

About the author
Disclaimer

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
The functions of packaging
Using packaging to overcome cost and operational challenges throughout the supply chain
Trends, development, and innovation
Outlook for packaging solutions throughout the supply chain

Introduction
Summary
The purpose of packaging
Market outlook
Packaging materials outlook
The drive for sustainability in packaging
Packaging sustainability throughout the supply chain
Emerging packaging technologies
Macro socio-economic factors driving packaging consumption, innovation, and cost base

The functions of packaging
Summary
Functions
The principle functions of packaging
Barrier protection
Containment/agglomeration
Shipment and product security
Logistic and handling issues
Auxiliary packaging functions
Marketing and branding
Security
Convenience
Discretionary packaging functions
Portion control
Recycling and sustainability measures

Using packaging to overcome cost and operational challenges throughout the supply chain
Summary
Introduction
Rising industrial costs
Key packaging cost constraints
Lowering net packaging costs
Case study: Damco
Case study: Overwrapping vs. shrink wrapping
Energy costs
Case study: Shields Bag and Printing
Case study: Pakit
Cubic efficiency
Case study: SCO
Strength and resilience
Material designs
Pallet design
Storage time and humidity
Case study: Nanobricks
Bespoke functionality
Efficiency in distribution
Traceability
Recent developments
On-shelf efficiency
Volume reduction
Waste reduction and use of alternative packaging materials
Sustainability
Case study: Boots

Trends, developments, innovation
Summary
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)
Making labels interactive
Case study: Coca-Cola
Case study: Heinen
Packaging with wireless data transmission capability
Case study: Stora Enso in collaboration with Cypak
The potential of nanotechnology in packaging
Scavenging and absorbing nanotechnology applications
Nanocomposites
Electric tongues
Nano barcodes
Smart colors
Bioswitches
Less can be more
Buy local
Shelf-ready
Next generation lightweighting
Active packaging
Time/Temperature indicators (TTI)
Case study: Freshpoint
Case study: Avery Dennison
Case study: EVAP
Other active packaging applications
E-Packaging

Outlook for packaging solutions throughout the supply chain
Summary
Sustainability impacting the supply chain
Intensifying competition enhances packaging’s role in brand differentiation
Reduced packaging demands enhanced performance
Sustainable packaging making efficiency savings
Retail-ready packaging cuts labor costs
Trend to smaller pack sizes
Nanotechnology enhances ‘freshness’ and cuts wastage
RFID offers better traceability and stock control
Economic pressures work against increased costs
Rising transport costs and consumer demand drive localized logistics networks
Rising raw materials and energy prices constrain the market
Conclusions

Appendix
Glossary/Abbreviations
Bibliography/References

List Of Tables

Table: EU food packaging requirements
Table: Pallet design
Table: Storage effect on carton strength, normal ambient temperature warehouse
Table: Humidity effect on carton strength, normal ambient temperature warehouse
Table: Nano-enabled Packaging in the food and beverage market, 2008-2014
Table: Average price of passive RFID tags, 2010

List of Figures

Figure: Tropicana orange juice
Figure: Consumer packaging market 2006-2011, (US$bn)
Figure: Consumer packaging market by region, (%)
Figure: Consumer packaging market by material (%)
Figure: Supply Chain diagram
Figure: Nano-enhanced plastic film
Figure: The basic functions of packaging
Figure: Considerations when designing packaging
Figure: Potential threats to product integrity in the packaging supply chain
Figure: Granola packaged in stand up pouches
Figure: Palletized products
Figure: Heinz Ketchup sachets
Figure: Insulated coffee cup
Figure: Green Box pizza box
Figure: Benefits of improved strength packaging case
Figure: Ragu in Tetra-Pak pouch
Figure: Unilever detergent packaging
Figure: RFID tag
Figure: Scanlife mobile barcode
Figure: Heinen’s “Where Food Comes From†branded label
Figure: DDSi wireless package
Figure: FresherLonger Storage Containers
Figure: OnVu time temperature indicator
Figure: TT Sensor Active labels
Figure: Jersey Royals with EVAP technology
Figure: Kellogg’s Corn Flakes traditional and space saving packaging designs
Figure: Kenco Re-fill pack vs. Kenco jar
Figure: Cadbury’s RRP packaging
Figure: Coke pocket size