How can we make packaging for shipments better and smarter?

You have almost certainly experienced it yourself: you order a book, and the delivery guy hands you a huge cardboard box that could accommodate half a library. Why do such small things have to come in such big packages? There is a need for smarter, more sustainable and more customized solutions.

The boom in e-commerce and digital transformation means that the packaging used for shipments is taking on greater significance. Pouches and cardboard boxes are now seen as a key interface between the vendor and the consumer. For this reason, the makers of packaging and their industrial customers are now collaborating more closely to find better solutions. Above all, there is a re-think taking place when it comes to sustainability.

Nevertheless, “It is not necessarily a mistake when the logistics industry places small items in large boxes,” emphasizes Michael Böhmer, a researcher at the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics in Dortmund. The use of just a limited number of standard sizes saves money in terms of packaging machine configuration and sheer purchase volume. However, many recipients are displeased by the seemingly oversized container and excessive volume of filler material – so the pressure on the paper and cardboard industry is mounting.

Made in the UK

UK-based packaging player DS Smith has risen to the challenge, and is seeking to tailor the box to the exact dimensions of the product being shipped. The company has designed a special machine, Made2fit. It begins by scanning the product, and then creates the ideal packaging by means of three blank cardboard panels – manufacturing up to 1,000 boxes an hour. The company hopes this innovative system will raise awareness of material and space waste – and might just precipitate something of a revolution in logistics by introducing a “thinking machine”. 

In the future parcels will make their own way to their destination

The Fraunhofer institute also regards packaging as a dynamic carrier of information, capable of supporting seamless logistics processes. In the future, electronic sensors and RFID tags could guarantee end-to-end tracking and tracing, providing real-time data on the status of shipments, and allowing instant intervention when needed. Martin Stockmann, an expert for packaging and logistics at Fraunhofer IML, explains his vision for 2050: 

“Parcels will make their own way to the customer. They will communicate with each other, and make efficiency-driven decisions.”

All-round efficiency

In other words, future packaging will be tailored to the size of the product being shipped, and will autonomously identify the smartest path to their destination. But material handling equipment also has a role to play. The right solution can significantly streamline processes, for example by means of autonomous picking. Systems such as iGo neo CX 20 from STILL recognize their environment and can calculate the best route in real time, raising picking rates by as much as 30 percent.