logistic Archives - 360ecopackaging

Transport and logistics

What types of packaging does the food industry use?

Post by 360 Ecopackaging On 27 de February de 2023 0 Comments

From the time they leave the factory until they reach the consumer, products in the food industry use different types of packaging. All of them are an essential part in the process of transporting, distributing and selling the product to ensure its safety and quality.

We can classify three types of packaging:

Primary Packaging

It is the one that is in direct contact with the product. Its main function is to protect it from external agents and keep its properties intact. But it is not the only one. In the food sector, the primary packaging is the first thing the consumer will see on the supermarket shelves.

It must therefore be presented in such a way that it stands out from its competitors and is attractive for purchase. In addition, the primary packaging should provide all the information that the product should include as a matter of course.

Today, there are many examples of product packaging that combine functionality, design and sustainability.

Secondary Packaging

It is the one that contains several primary packages, grouping the product to transport several units of the same product or to facilitate the consumer the purchase of several units at the same time.

Tertiary packaging

Tertiary packaging, or packaging proper, is the one that encompasses the two previous ones, protecting both primary and secondary packaging during transportation and storage. For this reason, it is often said that packaging is “the packaging of packaging”. An example of tertiary packaging would be a pallet with 10 cartons containing bottles of wine.

Tertiary packaging includes wooden, cardboard and plastic pallets, as well as large-volume cardboard boxes with or without lids, or corrugated cardboard boxes on wooden or cardboard pallets.

Protective elements in food containers

There are also elements that stabilize the packaged products, facilitating their movement without risk of loss or breakage.

In primary and secondary packaging, adhesive tapes, glues or seals are usually used to ensure their closure. Stretch film is the most widespread option for grouping smaller packaging units.

As a summary of this post, the following is an image of a product that does not belong to the food industry, but as in most products, it is also used with the three types of packaging that we have seen above.

Circular packaging, Ecology, Industrial packaging

What will be new in Packaging in 2023?

Post by 360 Ecopackaging On 6 de February de 2023 0 Comments

The way companies distribute their products is constantly evolving. Aspects as diverse as legislation, profitability, innovation and consumer preferences condition the changes to which logistics processes are subjected in order to meet quality, safety and efficiency requirements.

As far as packaging design is concerned, everything indicates that packaging in the year 2023 will continue to follow the path of sustainability it has taken in recent years, albeit under the imperative of regulations that will entail new fiscal obligations.

As manufacturers of packaging solutions, we review the main innovations that 2023 will bring to the packaging sector.

Plastic tax

The Law on Waste and Contaminated Soils for a Circular Economy, which was passed last year, aims to improve the management of waste generated in Spain. Among other measures, it has established a “green tax” on plastic, in force since January 1.

According to this, all non-reusable primary, secondary or tertiary packaging containing plastic will be subject to a charge of €0.45/kg. This amount may be reduced if part of the product comes from recycled material.

Ecodesign

Spanish companies have been working for years to incorporate sustainability into their production processes in order to reduce their environmental footprint.

In fact, last year more than 2,000 Spanish companies implemented 4,632 sustainable design measures to reduce the environmental impact of their packaging.

Achieving the EU’s reduction, reuse and recyclability objectives means knowing the principles of ecopackaging and knowing how to apply them to the design and development of sustainable packaging.

The trend will continue to be to opt for packaging that, with the minimum amount of material possible, guarantees product protection throughout the distribution chain, reducing environmental impact and the economic cost associated with transportation, while meeting consumer expectations.

Growth of online commerce

Online commerce will continue to grow, which will have an impact on packaging and logistics. Demand for packaging solutions such as corrugated boxes and products for protecting and cushioning goods will increase, and new specialty packaging and customized shipping options will emerge.

Smart packaging

The use of technology applied to the field of packaging is driving a new generation of packaging. We are talking about smart packaging, which is increasingly being applied in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries.

Packaging that will change color if the product is about to expire, or that emits particles for preservation, will see the light of day throughout the year.

It is becoming increasingly common to integrate smart labels, RFID, QR codes and NFC chips into packaging. These devices provide more and better information on product quality, storage conditions and traceability.

Automation with “Pick and Place” robots will also be extended to more industries in order to bring more efficiency and flexibility to packaging processes.

What do you think of these changes, and would you add any more to the list?

Circular packaging, Industrial packaging, Transport and logistics

Pallets, Regulatory Requirements

Post by 360 Ecopackaging On 10 de November de 2022 0 Comments

We begin today’s post with one of the most used elements in the packaging sector: the pallet. In this post we are going to detail the different regulatory requirements depending on the packaging needs that we can find.

In the logistics – transport – packaging sector it is common to request “certified pallets”, what does this certificate refer to?

Well, this certificate usually refers to the phytosanitary certificate unless otherwise specified, this certificate as we have seen in previous posts is required in the field of international transport and must incorporate a marking on the pallet itself. This marking certifies that this pallet has received the required treatment and is suitable to be imported by a third country according to the international treaty ISPM Nº15.

An example of this marking is shown below.

As for the standardization according to ISO/UNE/EN, we list below the most important ones, which define geometries, materials, dimensions,… and other important aspects of the pallet:

Finally, there is another widespread certification for pallets, in this case the 1200x800mm, this certification is managed by EPAL, the European pallet association and defines the construction form of the pallets. They must be properly marked and the manufacturer must be licensed to manufacture this type of pallets.

As we have seen, this widely used packaging system is regulated by different regulations, we must identify which one is required and then select the right pallet for our needs.

Maritime packaging, Protection-and-padding, Transport and logistics

Maritime packaging and its characteristics

Post by 360 Ecopackaging On 21 de July de 2021 0 Comments

After more than 80 years of experience in the sector, we have assisted our clients in the great controversy and confusion generated by this term.

So, maritime packaging and its characteristics is the main topic of today’s post. What essential elements are need to be used to comply with the regulations

To talk about maritime packaging we must take into account two parameters: oxidation-corrosion and the geographical situation.

1 OXIDATION – CORROSION

If the material of the load to be transported is sensitive to corrosion and oxidation, such as metal parts without surface treatment or electronic equipment (among the most common), we have to pay attention to the type of packaging that we will use to prevent the deterioration of the merchandise.

Discover our anti-corrosion products here.

The high concentration of water, steam and saline compounds make it necessary to design a protection system that maintains a neutral atmosphere and isolates the burden of these external factors.

Among the elements that we can use for this purpose, we can highlight the insulating systems such as aluminum bags, shrink wrapping or VCI and environmental dehydration systems such as moisture absorbing salts.

It is essential to select the best insulating system, which will depend on the load we transport. They can be combined with those of environmental dehydration, always having to assess in the latter what will be the correct material and quantity for the complete elimination of excess water vapor inside the packaging, since not all dehydrating salts have the same percentage absorption.

In addition, there are different ways to measure this ratio depending on the area in which we are. Here are some examples of the most standardized measures with their respective equivalences.

2 GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION

Due to the international nature of transport and provided that the packaging has wood as a raw material, it is necessary to comply with the International Standard on Phytosanitary Measures ISPM 15, only to export to countries outside the European Union. For this it is necessary that all packaging bears its corresponding marking and certificate (the latter when required by the phytosanitary protection agencies of the countries of destination. The standard does not make it mandatory, but in some cases they request it due to ignorance).

ISPM 15 processed wood requirements — ISPM15 processed wood

Therefore, in most cases the wooden packaging must be marked with the ISPM15 of the supplier, but this is not always the case. For example, if we take a cargo to Denmark by ship, we will need anti-oxidation protection for the merchandise, but we will not need the ISPM15 marking as it is an EU member country. On the contrary, if we export to Russia and do it by road, we will need another type of cargo protection that does not necessarily have to be anti-oxidation, although we must comply with the international standard ISPM 15.

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Tag Archives: logistic