Each day, Sony plants around the world receive shipments of many parts and products. Distribution is one of the areas where innovation helps it to reduce resource consumption. Case in point it the example of returnable containers.
To ship parts and products, Sony has adopted reusable, returnable containers, which has reduced packaging material consumption considerably. In Japan, Sony introduced returnable containers for distribution in 2005. As manufacturing started shifting from Japan to overseas sites around 2009, Sony has expanded this approach throughout Asia. As of fiscal 2011, nearly 31,000 sets of returnable containers were in use globally, saving some 312 tons of packaging material annually that would otherwise be used with conventional, one-way pallets.
Convenient, reusable Sony containers are also designed to make the most of the space in sea freight containers. Modular boxes in standard sizes are loaded in returnable containers. More efficient loading is possible with modular boxes that match the size of the parts shipped, which enables an optimal shipping volume per container.
Reproduced by permission of Sony
Driven by rapid advancements in time-temperature indicators (TTI), intelligent packaging is anticipated to witness a strong growth. Smart packaging systems are offering product differentiation at lower prices. This system could be able to detect food contamination and change of color incase the food is not fit for consumption by the consumer.
As companies in North America strive to become more sustainable sleeves packs will continue to grow more and more popular. As in Europe we will see the use of injection molded bulk containers rapidly decline with the introduction of high quality sleeve pack systems that are a fraction of the weight and offer a much better return ration without sacrificing strength and durability. For sleeve packs produced in North America a sleeve pack made from CON-Pearl is far superior to any other sleeve system, featuring a living hinge that can far exceed 200,000 uses. Also the strength and capacity out perform any other sleeves on the market.