New Rapitainer® returnable packaging system offers cost and environmental benefits
UK reusable packaging and materials handling specialist GWP Correx® have announced the launch of a new returnable packaging system, Rapitainer®.
The Rapitainer® system – manufactured from durable Correx® plastic – is aimed specifically at businesses that are currently using high volumes of standard corrugated cardboard packaging.
The returnable boxes can yield significant cost savings when compared with single-use cardboard boxes, with reductions of up to 75% possible.
Due to the significant opportunities, this could offer to a wide range of businesses, a dedicated website – found at www.rapitainer.co.uk – allows potential users to discover all the important information they require when considering switching to this new solution.
What is Rapitainer?
In essence, Rapitainer is a durable, corrugated plastic container that can be used to replace single trip cardboard boxes.
Developed in conjunction with Maxim products, Rapitainers can be manufactured to any size.
This allows them to be tailored to the specific requirements of the businesses using them – whether that be to fit existing pallets, maximize load space, or to better protect specific products.
They are also available in a range of colors and with external print to allow for branding and awareness throughout the user’s supply chains.
There were two guiding principles during the development of the product. Firstly, that reusability of the containers could – over the longer-term – help reduce a business’ packaging costs.
The second was that, by eliminating single-use packaging, even if it was recyclable, there would be a strong environmental advantage as well.
How it can reduce costs?
The inherent reusability of Rapitainer® allows for significant long term cost savings,” said Ian Cook, Managing Director at GWP Correx. “As a typical example, single-use cardboard boxes could cost around £1.50 per unit, depending on their specification. Whilst an equivalent Rapitainer could cost between £10 and £15 per unit, it can be used for well in excess of 200 trips.
“This means that the cost per trip per box could actually be as low as 7 pence – a huge saving compared with £1.50 for the single-use carton.”
While the upfront cost of the Rapitainer transit packaging boxes will be considerably more than using cardboard, most businesses could expect to see an ROI within 10 months.
Over the course of a 3 year period, one early adopter has calculated that their ROI will be as much as 16 times their original investment.
For businesses willing to treat their packaging as an investment, rather than a cost, the mid to long-term cost savings could prove significant.
Environmentally friendly
As mentioned previously, Rapitainer can also offer notable environmental benefits too.
“Most people think of plastic as the very opposite of environmentally friendly,” said Ian Heskins, Business Development Director at GWP Group. “But by reusing the cartons over hundreds of trips, the materials, and energy involved in manufacturing and then recycling single-use cardboard boxes are greatly reduced. Plus, Rapitainer is fully recyclable at the end of its’ useful life.”
Plastic is generally (and often correctly) viewed as having a negative environmental impact. But Rapitainer shows that taking a longer-term, holistic view on how packaging is used in a business, it can actually yield improvements in environmental performance.
Additional benefits
Rapitainer boasts a number of other benefits and innovative features too.
Its tapeless closure system allows for quicker assembly of boxes, while also eliminating the cost of the tape itself.
It folds flat for efficient return transit, and up to 10 Rapitainer® cartons can be collapsed and stored within a single assembled container.
This is an addition to the inherent benefits of the Correx® material – namely strength, durability, increased protection for contents during transit, plus easily cleaned surfaces.
Single trip or returnable?
While all of the above makes it seem as though everyone should switch to Rapitainer or some form of returnable packaging, the argument is actually a lot more nuanced than it may initially seem.
In fact, deciding on whether a business should use single trip vs returnable packaging can be a challenging decision.
“As a business, GWP manufacture both single trip cardboard packaging and returnable plastic solutions,” Heskins stated. “We understand that returnable packaging will not always be the most cost-effective or appropriate, depending on the application.
“GWP is in a unique position in that, by offering both single trip and returnable packaging options, we can provide businesses with truly impartial advice as to the best solution for them. Not only in terms of costs but their environmental impact too.”
Source: GWP