“The Bin of the future” - Dubois Agrinovation

From harvest, handling and storage in the field, warehouse and factory, the Macro Bin is exactly what Dubois Agrinovation have been looking for.

Dubois Agrinovation calls it “the bin of the future” because “quality products require quality containers”.  The bins are made of high resistant injection moulded plastic, meets all the modern requirements of food product handling.

1.       Food product handling

2.       Food quality preservation

3.       Environmental health

4.       Ease of handling

5.       Durability / impact resistance

6.       Work safety

The Macro Bin preserves quality during and after harvest which is something wood could offer but only to a certain standard. The quality requirements by customers and consumers of fresh produce are on a continuous rise, wooden bins can no longer fulfil these requirements.

A key point to make is that the top lip and corners are round which reduces bruising and damage to the produce compared to wood. With ventilation slots on 4 sides and base, cooling becomes more efficient with constant air flow and products will remain fresher longer.

It is easier to create more uniform stacks leaving gaps between each stack which increases air flow during storage helping to maintain an even temperature in all bins.

The cleaning process is a lot easier than wooden bins, disinfection is also made a lot simpler as the plastic is non-porous which is FDA approved. No chemicals or water are absorbed ensuring no organisms or pathogens can be carried like wood which reduces the risk of contamination of the produce.

Transportation & Storage of the Hybrid Bin

In our previous blogs on the Hybrid Bin we have looked at the benefits to the quality of the fresh produce.

The benefits that the Hybrid Bin delivers to the logistics and transportation of fresh produce as well as the storage are revolutionary to the market. The design process not only focused on the fresh produce but also the handling and usage of the returnable packaging solution.

Shipping and transportation costs are on the increase and there is a great need to reduce costs where possible and drive value for money.

The Hybrid Bin is the first product in the world to combine wood and plastic bins that can be safely nested on the return journey therefore reducing the space required. This method reduces the delivery costs, providing the cheapest plastic returnable compared to what is currently available on the market.

The interlocking design has improved the safety element when stacking with fresh produce in. The bins can be securely stacked ten bins high, ensuring the contents is safe with a bruise buffer and reducing the risk of toppling over and causing injury. With health and safety being a hot topic it has to be a fundamental area of the product.

The secure stack and nesting improvements in comparison to products already on the market are also focused on when the Hybrid Bin is not in use. Secure stacking allows growers to have higher stacks therefore reducing space required for storage. They are less susceptible to be damaged by the wintery conditions or blown over.  

Is Expendable Packaging too expensive?

In a recent article that I was quoted in Duncan Murcott, IPS Lando, claimed that expendable packaging is more than being a cheap solution which is a widely circulated point within the industry.

Duncan states in the article that the benefits include maximising cubic utilisation, minimising damage, minimising re-packing, choosing the right material then reducing production and handling costs.

There are other products on the market that do this, if not better. Ensuring that you are aware of all the information is key.

All of these benefits and efficiency improvements are delivered by the range of Macro Plastics’ products. They deliver on all of those mentioned above to their fullest potential making them a sensible returnable packaging solution.

In the article it states that Macro Plastics provide one-waytrip solutions. We supply the pooling and logistics companies who then offer one-way journeys. This is an additional reduction to the overall cost as the returnable packaging doesn’t require a returned cost.

Expendable packaging is not in line with the industry’s vision towards lean and low-cost. Cardboard does not only add handling procedures inbound as it cannot go straight to the assembly line. It incurs an additional cost & procedure as it is an extra outbound component when it is disposed.

Cardboard cannot go to line side as it creates dust and an unclean environment with the cars powertrain and electronics. So if you ship in expendable you have to ship via a transition warehouse who will unpack the parts from cardboard and into plastic before they go to the assembly line........so no 1TA (one touch assemble) as the parts are being handled twice and risk of damage. One touch assembly helps to reduce the risk associated with safety standards which is an important area. 

Yes, it is all in the design. Designing a product that reduces the carbon footprint, improves quality and efficiency, and reduces costs and the product can be used again. This comes in the form of ReturnablePackaging.

Can Packaging make your workplace a Safer Environment?

Health and safety is on the top of everyone’s list of priorities. When people talk about health and safety a number of areas spring to mind.

The question is, is packaging one of them?

The IsoBin, which has been designed by Macro Plastics, is for the automotive industry with safety at the forefront along with the crucial elements of weight and capacity.

The automotive industry has always been a leader when it comes to keeping high standards of safety throughout their lengthy manufacturing process.

Irrespective of how heavy something is components in the automotive industry pose some degree of risk to the safety of the handlers. This is where Macro Plastics have identified where they can help with a packaging solution that meets all of the industry’s requirements.

In recent years there has been a decline in the durability and safety of bins used in the manufacturing of automotive vehicles. This has been due to the cost pressures facing business, the price of virgin resin and the encouraging demand to recycle packaging.

Macro Plastics are now able to deliver the IsoBin which is stronger, more durable and lighter but more importantly safer than other designs already on the market. This delivers a cost effective package to transport components internationally which is integral in today’s market and ensures the safety of the contents and of the handlers involved in the process.

Automotive manufacturers are increasingly looking towards international business models which need to be effective at every stage. The IsoBin is exactly what they require in order to transport from continent to continent.

The IsoBin is a great alternative form of returnable packaging compared to cardboard and steel, the benefits include reduced noise pollution, contamination and damage to components arriving at the line.

A plastic IsoBin is able to go straight to the assembly line which improves time efficiency and reduces the cost as it reduces the processes required to handle other forms of packaging. Commonly when cardboard is used the components have to be unpacked before then being taken lineside.

The weights of the plastic bins add to the cost effectiveness as opposed to metal pallet boxes. Due to the weight of the metal boxes it reduces the amount of components you are able to transport in a sea container.

The Macro Plastics ISO Bin is also available as a “One Way Rental” option across all Deep and Short Sea Supply Chains. This means you can use a Returnable Packaging option but only pay for sending your goods one way. So for example an automotive part made in US to be put on a vehicle assembled in Europe can be sent from US to European assembly plant only paying for this one way passage. Compared to other methods where there is a cost for the package to be sent internationally and an addition cost for the package to be returned.

With the movement towards international models shipping requirements differ across continents. The IsoBin has been designed to meet US, European and Asian footprints. This is standard for use around the world, increasing safety, durability and capacity.

I find it crazy that up until now plastic has not been standardised for ISO sea containers. As a result of the IsoBin being the first use of plastic in this way we have had to put the design through rigorous testing to comply with all the regulations, this resulted in our testing budget being tripled.

The IsoBin will go a long way to improving the costs and effectiveness for returnable packaging for the global automotive industry.