DS Smith has developed a plastic-free packaging solution for a gas boiler from Bosch Home Comfort Group.
Whilst previous packaging solutions have required two EPS elements, the solution developed by DS Smith for Bosch Home Comfort Group has eliminated all plastic packaging parts.
This, DS Smith explained, has resulted in the removal of 100,000 plastic components and is saving a total of 310 tons of CO2 emissions per year. The new plastic-free product innovation is also in line with the sustainability goals of Bosch Home Comfort Group, who requested the design be fully recyclable.
The DS Smith team of designers used the DS Smith circular design metrics approach in combination with its value tool to demonstrate the full lifecycle benefits of its packaging. This involved using eight different metrics to create the various aspects of a packaging solution for sustainability and recyclability in a standardised and quantifiable way. For example, within five categories related to the plastic-free Bosch Home Comfort Group, an improvement could be determined, whereby in contrast a further two categories remained identical to the initial situation.
Stefan Endres, account manager at DS Smith Germany, said, “We are helping our industry clients to become plastic-free, protecting the product right across the supply cycle and are very pleased to be working with Bosch Home Comfort Group. After an extensive consultation with the customer, we decided that using our strong expertise in sustainable industrial packaging combined with our proven tools is a recipe for success.
“Our circular design metrics were utilised in combination with our Value Tool in order to transparently illustrate the benefits of this fully recyclable mono-material packaging to the customer. This project clearly shows that corrugated cardboard can score with ideal protective properties and at the same time create an improvement in sustainability, and this process can be applied to the most demanding of industrial packaging challenges.”
DS Smith explained the major advantage of the plastic-free packaging solution for Bosch Home Comfort Group is based in the replacement of the EPS parts with corrugated board. The fibres of the corrugated board materials can be recycled more than 20 times over and are anticipated to remain in the functioning recycling loop for a long time, it added.
Jingjing Huang, purchasing engineering combustion systems at Bosch Home Comfort Group, added, “We are delighted about the positive impact of this packaging optimisation by the DS Smith team and the value it brings to our businesses, but also to the environment with an improvement of more than 75% decreased CO2 impact which equals a reduction of 310 tonnes of CO2 every year. More than 2,350 fewer pallets have to be taken out each year, and this new approach significantly reduces the volume of trucks used for delivery logistics by almost 60%, resulting in more than 60 trucks being taken off the road each year.
“With the changeover to this sustainable and fully recyclable packaging solution made from corrugated cardboard, Bosch Home Comfort Group is now able to meet the versatile demand for sustainable solutions while maintaining product protection.”
