DS Smith has launched its global Research & Development (R&D) and innovation centre, known as ‘R8’.
The new facility is designed to allow DS Smith, its customers, and partners to accelerate the research and development of ‘radically’ new packaging fulfilment solutions.
Located near Birmingham, the R8 facility includes a pilot hall, four laboratories, conditioning chambers, an ideation and design studio, prototyping areas, and collaboration spaces.
As well as being the home of DS Smith’s group innovation and R&D teams, it is intended to spearhead research in manufacturing.
Stefano Rossi, CEO, packaging division, DS Smith, said, “Our customers are some of the world’s most iconic FMCG brands, online retailers, and industrial players, so innovation and sustainability are very high on their agenda. Our global R&D and Innovation Centre will facilitate the collaboration that we know is needed to solve some of the industry’s biggest challenges.
“We will be partnering with customers to help them transition to the circular economy by focusing on novel packaging solutions that deploy new materials and technologies. Nothing is off the table – we have designed the hub to encourage scrutiny of existing ways of working and explore all the possibilities, especially for service-based offerings in the packaging supply chain.”
With R8, DS Smith said it has created a collaboration space that allows it to cover the whole innovation spectrum under one roof: from early technology and material development, ideation, and concept development, testing and product development, through to prototyping and customer pilots.
Among the technologies at R8 is a modular pilot line, inspired by the automotive industry and developed in Italy, which uses robots to make boxes from multiple components, and fill them at high speed.
Stefano Rossi added, “We believe in sharing expertise to help customers reduce waste, streamline production, and increase sustainable productivity. At the heart of this is a solid commitment to reducing plastics, paving new pathways for alternative fibres, and designing out waste altogether.”
The R8 facility is carbon neutral and has been designed for both re-use and deconstruction. The site features reconditioned furniture, solar panels, and air-sourced heat pumps.
