DS Smith and BSH Nazarje, a Slovenian company that is part of the BSH Home Appliances Group, have teamed up on a project to develop a corrugated cardboard packaging solution for Bosch hand mixers.
The solution, DS Smith Universal Protection for Household Blenders, replaces previous protective expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) inserts that were used for packaging the household blender products. BSH Nazarje produces up to 170,000 household blenders annually, with each requiring two EPS inserts for packaging. The new DS Smith solution is anticipated to eliminate up to 340,000 pieces of EPS.
The corrugated cardboard insert within the DS Smith Universal Protection for Household Blenders packaging solution is called ‘Safe Shell’ and designed to allow for the packaging and protection of three different hand mixer models. The solution is also said to enable BSH Nazarje to achieve a faster packing time on the production line and a greater flexibility within the production process. The packaging design is fully recyclable and does not require any changes to be made to Bosch’s existing boxes, pallets, or packaging processes.
Rok Štifter, director of shared development services for the small household appliances division, said, “Sustainability is more than just a goal for us, it is our direction for the future. That is why we need partners who understand the complexity of our business and are able to think strategically and innovatively at the same time.
“When we are looking for new packaging solutions, we do not compromise between efficiency and sustainability. With DS Smith, we have proven with Safe Shell that it is possible to combine both for a faster process, equal protection, and use of 100% corrugated cardboard.”
Jožica Hojnik, director of sales and innovation, DS Smith, Slovenia, added, “When a customer entrusts us with a challenge such as the reduction of Expanded Polystyrene Foam (EPS), we are excited to provide them with an innovative packaging product and to build a collaborative relationship at the same time. With BSH Nazarje, we have developed a packaging solution that is technically sophisticated, simple, and efficient, while utilising a minimum of materials and ensuring recyclability. We are dedicated to helping our customers to move towards the circular economy.”
