The Reusable Packaging Board — a packaging industry advisory council — announced recently that its 2014 executive committee and board of directors will be ist largest ever. The new RPB board has 15 members, including Phil Davis, senior perishables supply chain manager for The Kroger Company; Cindy Doman, senior packaging engineering executive at Herman Miller; … Read more
Goeman’s Wood Products — the Hartford, Wisconsin based manufacturer of wooden pallets, shipping crates and other wooden packaging — has been purchased by Pallets USA, of Lannon, Wisconsin, for an undisclosed price, according to news reports. Goeman’s controller, John Sonn, was named president of Pallet USA as part of the acquisition. The purchase includes Goeman’s … Read more
The way consumers are buying goods is changing due to the convenience and competitiveness of Internet shopping. Companies today need to find affordable ways to get their products to customers. But can these also be environmentally sustainable? According to a recent white paper entitled, “Packaging and the Internet” that was issued by the Industry Council … Read more
Despite their 19th Century technology, pallets remain one of the most important tools in the supply chain. Every year, billions of products are packed onto pallets and transported worldwide in trucks, trains, planes and barges. But what does the future hold for pallets? And will they continue to play such a central role in materials … Read more
In the 1967 film “The Graduate”, the lead character Benjamin, played by Dustin Hoffman, is given some memorable career advice by an older businessman. “I just want to say one word to you,” the man tells the confused Benjamin. “Plastics.” Perhaps the pallet industry is taking that advice to heart. Today, plastic pallets represent the … Read more
Styrofoam is commonly used as a packaging material because it’s a lightweight solution to providing added protection against damage during shipping. But a new form of Styrofoam — called Geofoam — is being used increasingly as a construction material. In Oregon, geofoam was recently used as a road foundation material in an area where the … Read more
Packaging hasn’t changed all that much in the past 50 years, with cardboard and plastic playing a central role in packaging materials. But over the course of the next few decades, at least one expert says there could be radical changes ahead. During a recent presentation at the Material Handling and Logistics Conference, in Park City, Utah, … Read more
Wrapping pallets and other materials in stretch film can save your company money, cut down on product loss and damage, and improve operational efficiencies. Stretch Film Saves Money Using stretch film is a great way to save money. It can be used to consolidate loads, making them less time intensive than handling loose boxes. This … Read more
Packaging students from six universities will participate in “The Amazing Packaging Race”, a takeoff on the popular CBS television series, “The Amazing Race”, during this year’s PACK EXPO, to be held September 23 to 25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Teams of students will compete for points by completing complicated packaging-related tasks at the booths or participating … Read more
When most people think about packaging tape, duct tape and other types of tapes, the first thing that typically comes to mind is a convenient and efficient way to cardboard boxes. But innovative artists and other creative people are doing extraordinarily uncommon things with this common item. For example, a team of Viennese and Croatian … Read more
