A global manufacturer of continuous inkjet printers
Customer
A major international manufacturer of product ID systems, offering a range of printing technologies for food, drink, pharmaceutical and packaged goods suppliers.
Application
Protective packaging was required for a best-selling range of continuous inkjet printers, shipped all over the world by air and sea freight. Inkjet printers contain vulnerable components and the units themselves are top-heavy, so it was important that they remain upright in transit, and protected against impact damage. In addition, a number of components needed to be accommodated, along with cabling etc.
As a one-trip pack, cost and recyclability needed to be considered. The packaged product was required to pass the transit tests specified by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA)
Solution
The shock absorption, stacking performance and external dimensions of the package were calculated to meet the requirement and minimise overall shipping costs. The solution comprises of a printed outer sleeve made from heavy duty corrugated board which is secured to a corrugated base tray/ 2-way entry heat-treated timber pallet. Polyethylene foam is utilised for locating and cushioning the printer’s ancillary parts.
Results
- All parts securely located in a single pack, simplifying unpacking and installation.
- Superior levels of protection from high performance materials, which has been validated by transit testing.
- Lightweight pack design and optimum external dimensions helps minimise freight costs.
- Materials are readily recycled.
In the competitive inkjet printer market – serving multi-national manufacturing sites – reliability is a key factor. Using Macfarlane’s expertise, this customer found that its products arrived in perfect order, ready for installation on high speed packaging lines around the world.
