Packaging Practices for a Greener Supply Chain

Studies have shown that 60% of e-commerce parcels contain up to 25% empty space. This means that a delivery truck, although packed to capacity, is still likely to transport 25% thin air. With this said, efficient packaging practices can make a significant difference for businesses looking to achieve a more environmentally friendly supply chain operation.

As the global leader in technology and supply chain services, Ingram Micro uses a lot of packaging material. This is primarily related to shipping packaging which includes corrugated cardboard, void fill, pallets, edge and corner protectors, mixed packaging media, film, and labels. While most of these supplies are sourced externally, we reuse some materials in operations, such as incoming cartons, pallets, or edge protectors applied to outgoing shipments.

Witre Manutan recently published a white paper on the subject “The challenges of packaging”

“Today packaging is at the heart of industrial, marketing, economic and environmental challenges. Essential for transporting products, it supports the exponential growth in e-commerce and is a fundamental aspect of supply chain resilience. A vital element of the entire food industry, it guarantees the safety of our foods. An indispensable marketing tool, it strengthens the bond between a brand and its customers.

But packaging also poses a real threat to our planet. Reducing packaging waste requires all of our efforts. Governments, companies, consumers – the urgent need to promote greater use of environmentally responsible, recyclable, and reusable packaging concerns all of us.

That’s why companies are joining together to achieve or even exceed the ambitious objectives set by national governments and European courts. There is a wealth of innovation in the area of packaging and new packaging solutions are becoming available every day. Packaging of the future will be communicative, intelligent and environmentally compatible.”

In the white paper a list of “Good packaging practices for a greener supply chain” is included and at the top of the list is “Reduce the packaging size”.

“According to a study conducted by DS Smith in 2019, 60% of e-commerce parcels contain at least 25% empty space. A delivery truck, even one that is full to capacity, is therefore also likely to transport 25% empty space! This means 25% unnecessary journeys and tours, which translates into an unnecessarily excessive energy consumption and carbon footprint. Each year, empty transport results in the emission of 122 million tonnes of carbon dioxide, which equates to the total emissions from a country such as Belgium.”

For Ingram Micro, shipping 1.5 billion units a year, the packaging size has a big impact. One of the improvements after implementing LEAN at our Nordic warehouse in Stockholm, is a new delivery option. We are now sending smaller products in padded envelopes instead of boxes which means less empty space in the packages and in the long run, fewer trucks needed for transportation.

Learn more about LEAN at Ingram Micro here https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/keeping-lean-ingram-micro-ingram-micro/