Fraunhofer IML and IGEPA Group Launch Collaboration on Carton Set Optimization with CASTN

The mail-order industry faces growing challenges: Oversized cartons, unnecessary filler material, and rising shipping costs are straining both the environment and budgets alike. At the same time, the new EU Packaging Regulation (PPWR) will mandate a maximum void ratio of 50 percent in cartons starting in 2030. CASTN provides the solution: The software helps companies find a suitable standard carton set to achieve maximum volume utilization with as few different carton sizes as possible. This significantly reduces overpackaging, material usage, and costs—and provides companies with a transparent basis for compliance with regulatory requirements.

“With CASTN, we are providing our customers for the first time with an intelligent solution that allows them to tailor their packaging strategy specifically to efficiency and sustainability,” said Bernd Loschelder, Head of the PACKAGING Business Unit at the IGEPA group. “Our goal is to offer our customers a sound basis for decision-making when selecting packaging and to support them in adapting to new regulatory requirements. In doing so, we combine data-driven analyses with our many years of packaging expertise and guide companies from strategy through to practical implementation.”

Fraunhofer IML developed CASTN over a period of four years—with the goal of ending the use of oversized boxes, actively shaping the transition to sustainable shipping processes, and contributing to the reduction of resource consumption and emissions.

The IGEPA group is taking on a pioneering role by integrating software-as-a-service into its service portfolio and supporting its customers from the initial consultation through to the delivery of custom-fit packaging. The partnership marks a paradigm shift: Instead of purchasing boxes at random, the IGEPA Group and Fraunhofer IML work together to analyze which packaging their customers actually need—thereby creating transparency and predictability in the shipping process.

Following its product launch in February 2026, CASTN is establishing itself in the market and generating interest in the logistics and retail sectors. The software is winning over logistics service providers, online retailers, and suppliers of conveyor and warehouse technology as well as packaging machinery alike. By analyzing the actual demand for carton sizes early on, companies can tailor their conveyor systems and packaging machines specifically to the optimal standard carton set and plan investments efficiently. This enables direct cost savings, improves sustainability performance, and creates a solid foundation for compliance with future regulatory requirements.