IEM MDP: Colloquium, Joris Degenaar

Title

A sustainability assessment on automatic fit-to-size packaging solutions using a Life Cycle Assessment approach

Panel

1st supervisor: Dr. G.H. (Gerald) Jonker

2nd supervisor: Prof. F. (Francesco) Picchioni

Company supervisor: K. (Kasper) Jansen (Sparck Technologies)

Abstract

This project aimed to develop a preliminary strategy on sustainability for Sparck Technologies to capitalize on the sustainable characteristics of their fit-to-size packaging machines. Sparck Technologies is a company based in Drachten that develops and manufactures automated packaging solutions for the e-commerce industry. By scanning orders, the machine can cut a fit-to-size template that is thereafter automatically folded around the product, taped and labeled. This is not only more cost efficient than manual packaging, but is also expected to lead to the reduction of environmental impacts in the e-commerce packaging and delivery process. The potential of fit-to-size packaging comes to life considering that 50% of the volume of parcels that are shipped consists out of air or void filling materials. Due to their fit-to-size approach, the CVP machines can lead to up to 30% corrugated cardboard reduction and up to 50% volume reduction.

Automatic fit-to-size packaging proves to be more cost-efficient than manual packaging, but customers are becoming increasingly interested in the sustainable benefits of this packaging solution. Through a comparative LCA study this claim could be validated. Production of the packaging machine was found to be insignificant (<1%) in CO2-eq emissions of the parcels it produces over its estimated 10-year lifetime. The LCA study thereafter focused on three elements: corrugated cardboard consumption, void fill consumption and the effect of parcel volume on the delivery phase. Efficiency improvements in parcel delivery were found to be responsible for gross of the CO2-eq emission reductions in the packaging and delivery process, followed by mitigated emissions resulting from reduced corrugated cardboard and void fill consumption. It was found that fit-to-size packaging with could to an overall reduction of 23% to 28% of the CO2-eq emissions compared to manual packaging.

Based upon this validated claim on sustainability, a preliminary strategy on sustainability could be developed. It was found that by connecting to trends such as sustainability reporting (for example according to the GHG Protocol) and the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) the value proposition of the CVP machines could be improved. A framework was developed through which the currently available material and volume reductions can be translated into CO2-eq emission reductions. By extending the currently used prediction tool, this can be offered as a service to (potential) customers on a customer-specific basis to capitalize on the sustainable characteristics of fit-to-size packaging. By this, Sparck Technologies can build long-term relationships with customers to provide transparency about and offer improvement of their packaging process, while contributing to environmental impact reductions in the e-commerce industry.

Additional Info.

Please confirm your participation to Betsy van Rooij-Oldenboom (j.e.van.rooij-oldenboom@rug.nl). She will put your name on the attendance list (RED BOOK) after the colloquium is finished.