Industrial transport packaging has an important job: protecting products throughout storage, handling and transportation.
However, using more packaging does not automatically mean better protection.
A more effective approach is to use the right amount of material in the right areas of the packaging system.
Eltete Malaysia follows the Replace, Reduce and Recycle philosophy when developing transport packaging solutions. The objective is to provide suitable product protection while minimising unnecessary packaging material and supporting recycling after use.
For manufacturers, exporters and logistics operations, reducing packaging waste can therefore begin with improving the design of the complete transport packaging system.
1. Start by Reviewing the Existing Packaging
Before reducing packaging material, companies should first understand how the existing packaging system works.
Review components such as:
– Pallets
– Outer boxes
– Internal supports
– Corner protection
– Separators
– Cushioning
– Stretch film
– Strapping
– Void-filling material
The objective should not simply be to remove materials.
Instead, businesses should identify which components are necessary for product protection and which may be reduced, redesigned or replaced.
Eltete recommends selecting transport packaging according to factors including the product, handling requirements, destination, strength requirements, available space and material expectations.
2. Reduce Packaging Without Reducing Protection
One of the most important principles of packaging optimisation is avoiding unnecessary material while still maintaining sufficient protection.
Poorly protected goods can create another form of waste when products become damaged and require replacement, repacking or additional transportation.
Eltete Malaysia’s environmental policy therefore connects product protection with environmental responsibility. The company aims to protect goods during storage and transport while finding packaging solutions that provide maximum protection with minimal packaging material.
The goal should be:
Use enough packaging to protect the product — but avoid material that does not provide a necessary function.
3. Replace Suitable Conventional Materials with Paper-Based Alternatives
Another approach is to examine whether selected packaging components can be replaced with recyclable paper-based alternatives.
Depending on the application, Eltete Malaysia offers transport packaging products including:
– Edgeboard
– Solid Slip Sheets
– Paper Pallets
– PallRun®
– EdgeRunner®
– Honeycomb Board
– Wrap Around Edgeboard
– Protective profiles
– The Box
These products can be used individually or combined as part of a complete Transport Packaging Solutions system.
The correct alternative depends on the transported product and complete logistics process.
4. Use Customised Packaging Instead of Excess Material
Standard packaging dimensions do not always match the product being transported.
When packaging is significantly larger than necessary, businesses may require additional void filling, supports or protective material.
Customisation can help place material exactly where protection is needed.
For example, Eltete Honeycomb Board can be cut and shaped into specialised elements such as:
– Product dividers
– Cushioning components
– Product beds
– Corner protection
– Void fillers
– Weight spreaders
– Structural supports
Eltete also provides packaging profiles and pallet solutions that can be adapted according to application requirements.
This allows packaging engineers to design around the product rather than simply adding more material around it.
5. Consider Palletless Handling Where Suitable
Traditional pallets occupy space and add packaging material to every shipment.
For compatible handling systems, Slip Sheets provide another approach.
Eltete Slip Sheets are thin laminated kraftliner load-support sheets designed for palletless handling. Because they require significantly less physical volume than a raised pallet structure, they can help optimise space throughout the logistics chain.
Palletless handling may therefore reduce:
– Packaging material
– Empty pallet storage
– Load-unit volume
– Unnecessary transport weight
However, the warehouse and receiving destination must have suitable handling equipment and processes before changing to a Slip Sheet system.
6. Optimise Packaging Volume
Reducing packaging waste is not only about material weight.
Volume also matters.
Packaging that occupies unnecessary space can increase warehouse requirements and reduce the amount of product that can be loaded into available transport space.
Eltete states that reducing packaging material can reduce warehouse space requirements and allow more products to be loaded. The company also identifies potential savings involving materials, transportation, warehousing, recycling, labour and time.
Businesses should therefore evaluate:
– Packaging dimensions
– Empty space
– Pallet height
– Load configuration
– Product arrangement
– Storage volume
– Container utilisation
The objective is to dedicate as much of the logistics space as practical to the product rather than unnecessary packaging.
7. Protect Corners and Edges Instead of Overpacking the Entire Product
Products are not always equally vulnerable across every surface.
Corners, edges and load-contact areas may experience greater stress during handling and transportation.
Instead of reinforcing an entire package, targeted protective components can be placed where additional strength is required.
Eltete Edgeboard, for example, can support corner protection, palletisation, stabilisation and unitisation. It can also be combined with Paper Pallets, Slip Sheets, stretch film and strapping as part of a complete transport packaging system.
Targeted protection can help businesses achieve the required packaging performance without simply increasing material everywhere.
8. Design Packaging as a Complete System
Packaging waste can also occur when every component is selected independently.
A pallet, carton, cushioning material, corner protector and wrapping system may individually work well but still create unnecessary duplication when combined.
A better approach is to evaluate the shipment as one transport packaging system.
Eltete’s Transport Packaging Solutions concept combines different components according to the application.
For example, a palletised carton solution may combine:
– A Paper Pallet or EdgeRunner®
– Edgeboard
– A suitable top board
– Stretch film
– Plastic or steel strapping
Heavy-duty applications may instead combine Honeycomb Board, protective profiles, PallRun®, The Box and custom-cut supports.
Selecting components together makes it easier to understand the purpose of every material used.
9. Make Recycling Part of the Packaging Design
Packaging waste management should also consider what happens after the shipment reaches the customer.
Eltete Malaysia’s environmental approach focuses on Replace, Reduce and Recycle.
The company states that its transport packaging products are designed around recyclability and that process waste from production is recycled.
When designing transport packaging, manufacturers should therefore consider not only how the packaging performs during shipment but also how it can be handled after unpacking.
A practical transport package should make it easier for the receiving customer to identify, separate and dispose of packaging materials through appropriate recycling channels.
10. Test the Packaging Before Large-Scale Implementation
Reducing material should always be supported by performance evaluation.
Eltete Malaysia identifies several quality-control capabilities for paper-based transport packaging, including:
– Compression testing
– Bending testing
– Strapping testing
– Tensile testing
– Moisture-content testing
– Thickness testing
– Angularity testing
– GSM testing
Testing helps determine whether an optimised packaging configuration can provide the required strength and protection before it is implemented across larger shipment volumes.
Reduce, Replace and Recycle
Reducing packaging waste does not mean simply using the smallest possible amount of packaging.
The better objective is to create a packaging system that provides the required product protection while eliminating materials that do not contribute to the performance of the shipment.
Eltete Malaysia approaches this through three principles:
– Reduce unnecessary packaging material.
– Replace suitable conventional materials with more environmentally considerate alternatives.
– Recycle packaging materials through appropriate recycling processes after use.
By combining these principles with product-specific packaging design, businesses can work towards a transport packaging system that balances protection, material efficiency and logistics performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q – How can businesses reduce packaging waste?
A – Businesses can start by reviewing their existing packaging, eliminating unnecessary layers, optimising dimensions, using targeted protection, considering recyclable paper-based alternatives and testing the redesigned packaging before implementation.
Q – Does using less packaging always make packaging more sustainable?
A – No. Packaging must still provide sufficient protection. Removing too much material may increase the risk of damaged goods and create additional waste through repacking or replacement shipments. Eltete’s approach focuses on achieving the required protection with minimal necessary packaging material.
Q – What paper-based packaging solutions does Eltete Malaysia offer?
A – Eltete Malaysia provides products including Edgeboard, Solid Slip Sheets, Paper Pallets, PallRun®, EdgeRunner®, Honeycomb Board, Wrap Around profiles, The Box and other protective packaging profiles.
Q – Can customised packaging reduce material use?
A – Customisation allows packaging components to be designed according to the product dimensions, handling method, strength requirements and application. This can help avoid using more packaging material than necessary.
Q – Can packaging waste reduction also improve warehouse efficiency?
A – Eltete states that reducing packaging material can reduce warehouse space requirements and allow more goods to be loaded. The actual benefit depends on the packaging configuration and logistics operation.
Q – Looking for a More Efficient Transport Packaging Solution?
A – Every product has different requirements for protection, handling, storage and transportation.
Eltete Malaysia can combine recyclable paper-based packaging components into customised Transport Packaging Solutions according to the requirements of the application.
Contact Eltete Malaysia to discuss a transport packaging solution designed around your product and supply chain.
