From time to time, Supply Chain Matters highlights for our readers examples of the latest innovations in product and supply chain packaging, labeling and transit. In prior postings we featured the early examples of RFID enabled devices, smart labeling with embedded electronic sensors related to the condition of the product.
Electronic manufacturing services (EMS) provider Jabil recently made us aware of a new innovation, one that has both many uses within households, but at the same time addresses transportation, logistics and business sustainability needs.
Jabil Packaging Solutions, a division of Jabil, has come up with the reincarnation of the wipe’s container.
What is termed FusePack wipes packaging combines the features of multiple different packaging substrates, leveraging the best elements of rigid and flexible components. This lightweight but strong package is more sustainable and eCommerce-friendly than legacy alternatives.
According to Jabil Packaging Solutions Vice President of Technology Ayana Johnson:
“While wipes have become an essential part of our lives, traditional wipes canisters are incredibly bulky, using an excessive amount of plastic while tending to lose moisture, causing decreased shelf life. As home delivery has taken off, we’ve seen traditional canisters struggle with the bumps, shocks and vibrations of shipping directly to consumers. These factors drove us to reinvent the wipes container with FusePack packaging.”
Upon viewing the visuals of this innovative container, we were struck by design elegance, assembly flexibility and product benefits. Notice that the components have a design for supply chain approach with modularity of assembly.
The container is reportedly 30 percent smaller than comparable rigid alternatives but can hold the same amount of product. That reportedly reduces the need for secondary packaging and allows more units per case.
The nested packaging design provides what is described as a 68 percent weight reduction over comparable packs allowing means for efficient transit, the ability to withstand the shocks and vibrations of online shopping fulfillment logistics while allowing more units per shelf in physical store and stocking environments. Many readers may recall last year, when families were restricted to our personal residences and the need for sanitary and disinfecting wipes was most extreme and having those large bulky multi-packs of wipes taking up shipping box and bathroom pantry space. After all, some of us could confess to a bit of hoarding mentality.
However, what really caught our attention is that this new FusePack container is hermetically sealed, extending the usefulness of all of those pantry wipes that we hoarded.
Cannot wait for these new packs to be utilized by various wipe providers.
Bob Ferrari
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