Archives for February 2013

By Nazia Parveen,

For the first time, scientists have developed environmentally friendly bunches of roses which are transported without any water at the bottom of the packaging.

It’s thanks to a pioneering airtight design which takes up less space and weight in lorries – saving on fuel – as well as saving on water.

With no air, the flowers are effectively put to sleep. The blooms then wake up once the packaging is removed and they are placed in water at their destination.

Marks and Spencer, which is using the technology this Valentine’s to deliver their £22 bouquet of Fairtrade red roses, said they will save 10,000 litres of water on the day – enough for 40,000 cups of tea.

M&S already uses Modified Atmosphere Packaging to transport fruit and veg but this is the first time it has been adapted for flowers.

Flower expert Charlotte Curtis said it will help to lower the retailer’s carbon footprint. ‘It means that 25 per cent less lorries will be needed to deliver these bouquets,’ she said.

The blood-red Fairtrade roses costing £22 will be moved from depot to door with the ‘ground-breaking’ new packaging design.

To see the full article from Daily Mail, click here.

By Rick LeBlanc,

Goplasticpallets.com has announced the addition of a new lightweight modular container to its range – one it calls a cost effective alternative to existing sleeve packs. It is easy to assemble, secure and offers customers the potential to reduce their carbon footprint.

Goplasticpallets.com, the UK’s leading independent supplier of plastic pallets and containers, now stocks the Modular Pak: a lightweight sleeve pack with three components – a nestable pallet base with secure catches, a plastic sleeve and a lid. When flat packed, the container takes up minimal space and the lid fits perfectly over the pallet, protecting the sleeve from dirt and water and promoting long term reuse.

Its low tare weight is up to 15kg less than comparable containers, making high volume distribution of goods such as lightweight packaging – for food, pharmaceuticals and automotive parts, for example  –  more economically and environmentally efficient. The space saving of its flat-pack design when empty means collection and redeployment is also made easier than with comparable boxes.

Available in 1200mm x 1000mm, the Modular Pak has four simple slide catches to secure the plastic sealed sleeve to the pallet and two deep drop-down doors which have Velcro attached to keep them closed, but when open, provide easy access to goods. Special “grab” handles in the lid allow it to be easily and quickly lifted off. It’s also possible to stand one Modular Pak on top of another – ideal for where storage space is limited. They have a low operation cost and are impact resistant, capable of carrying a 500kg dynamic load or 1000kg static load.

To see the full article from Packaging Revolution, click here.