The expression “Good things come in small packages” is holding true for the office supplies chain Staples. The company was recently awarded the
Gold Sustainability top honor from the World Packaging Organization for its innovative program to customize the size of the packages it ships to its customers.
The program, called Smart-Size Packaging, has resulted in a 15% reduction in corrugated packaging and about 60% less landfill void. Staples also showed a 20% improvement in less-than-full-case cube utilization. Packsize International, which developed the program for Staples, was a co-recipient of the award.
Top Global Award for Sustainability
The prize is the WPO’s top honor and is presented to entries that won recognition in an approved regional or national competition during the previous year. The award was presented during the 45th annual WorldStar Packaging Awards, which were presented during the Interpack trade fair in Dusseldorf, Germany, last month.
Staples had Packsize International develop the program after receiving numerous complaints from customers about excessive packaging. Smart-Size Packaging measurably improves customer satisfaction, as well as supply chain sustainability and efficiencies. By implementing Smart-Size Packaging, Staples has been able to reduce its carbon footprint by 25,000 metric tons annually, according to a company news release.
Smart-Size Packaging had previously won the AmeriStar award and a regional WorldStar award in 2013, which qualified it for the global prize.
Custom-Fitted Packaging
The program uses On Demand Packaging technology that creates delivery boxes that are customized for each order through a unique integration of technology, equipment and processes. By working in partnership with Packsize, Staples was able to create an efficient made-to-order process flow that optimizes order size, material requirements and packaging throughput.
This packaging solution allows Staples to automatically create a custom-sized carton for every less-than-full-case order it ships. These types of orders — which are known as break-pack orders — account for about 40% of the orders Staples ships.
These optimized box configurations that fit “just right” not only sooth customers’ concerns about excessive packaging and help improve customer satisfaction, but also align with Staples in-house sustainability goals.
Staples’ Sustainability Goals
But packaging isn’t the only way Staples is helping the environment. Staples Canada recently collected and diverted 13,770 pounds of batteries in the first quarter of 2013 through its partnership with Call2Recycle.
Staples Canada had set a goal to collect and divert 45,500 pounds of batteries from landfills during 2014. The company made battery and ink cartridge recycling programs the focus of its sustainability priorities for this year.
The office supplies retailer reported that it already has surpassed its goal of collecting 5 million ink cartridges between Earth Day 2012 and this year’s Earth Day, which is held annually on April 22. Now it has set a new goal: Collect 20 million ink cartridges by Earth Day 2016.
Staples, which is based in Boston, is the second largest online retailer, with $24 billion in annual sales. It ships millions of cartons each year to consumers and businesses through North America. It’s calling card is a highly responsive supply chain and distribution system that guarantees that any order placed before 5 p.m. will be delivered the next day to 98% of the population.,
It has built a network of state-of-the-art fulfillment centers in order to achieve this goal