Cardboard instead of foam - Knüppel develops transport packaging with elastic cardboard cushions

Polyethylene foam is actually an ideal material for internal packaging for the transport of sensitive components. It optimally absorbs shocks that occur during parcel shipping, as the material then straightens up again and takes on its original shape. At the same time, it fixes the packaged goods in the outer carton. However, there is one catch: foam is not sustainable. But this is increasingly being demanded by customers - in both the B2C and B2B sectors. So the manufacturer of a product is increasingly faced with the challenge of switching to sustainable materials when choosing packaging for shipping its goods. This challenge was also faced by ADVA, a provider of telecommunications equipment for fiber-based mobile data transmission technology. For its desire for sustainable and thoroughly recyclable packaging as an alternative to the previous foam solution for its sensitive equipment, it turned to the packaging specialists at Knüppel Verpackung. Experienced in solving tricky cases, the in-house packaging development team developed a folding package made of corrugated cardboard with multilayer elastic pads made of cardboard glued to the inside to hold the device. The challenge was to find a cellulose-based solution that had the same recovery forces as foam. This was achieved through a structural design using multi-layered cardboard. To gain approval for package shipping, Knüppel conducted numerous standardized load and drop tests with various drop sequences for the new packaging - and it passed. "We are very satisfied with this sustainable solution. Our sensitive devices are optimally protected during transport, and at the same time we reduce our plastic consumption," says Mathias Schumann, Director Operations - Global Logistics at ADVA Optical Networking SE in Meiningen, Germany. In the meantime, the packaging solution with the cellulose-based elastic pads is ready for the market and is expected to go into series production in five-digit annual quantities in three to four module sizes.

This single-substance solution is ideal for disposable transport in particular, as it reduces or avoids the consumption and thus disposal of plastic. This is not only good for the environment, but also saves costs. At the same time, the packaging solution from Knüppel ensures optimum product protection and safety on the way from the manufacturer to the customer.