Packaging Corner: Buckle up pallet loads

When an automotive manufacturer asked Creative Techniques to develop a new way to secure pallet loads of tray-, tote- and dunnage-packed components without stretchwrap or banding, the company saw an opportunity to introduce a new standard product: the enviroLid.

Made of structural foam plastic, the heavy-duty, 45 x 48-inch lid sits atop a pallet load of totes or trays. The lid’s recessed, seatbelt-style mechanisms—each with a metal hook to grip the pallet’s edge—incorporate a positive engaging ratchet mechanism. The device creates tension that securely sandwiches the load between the pallet and the lid; when removed, the spring-loaded belts retract automatically.

“The hooks can be custom designed to match any pallet, including injection molded, structural foam, thermoformed, metal or wood,” says Rick Parker, Creative Techniques’ vice president of business development.

Known for designing and manufacturing custom-engineered, reusable packaging for closed-loop supply chains (typically between manufacturers and components suppliers), Parker and his team knew the enviroLid had the potential for broader applications.
“Benefits include better sustainability by eliminating stretchwrap or banding—plus improved safety for both personnel and product by eliminating razor knives,” Parker says. In addition to being watertight, the lid’s underside can be outfitted with a custom-molded insert that perfectly aligns to the parts, totes or trays directly beneath it to secure the contents.

The original lid, introduced four years ago, was engineered to secure heavy components like transmission and engine parts, says Parker. “Because those pallets can contain 3,000-pound loads stacked up to four-high, the lid had to be extra robust.”

Because not every application calls for such sturdiness, the company recently unveiled an injection-molded plastic enviroLid for 2,500-pound loads. “It has the same dimension and features, but weighs 22 pounds, so a single person can handle it,” he says.

The company also offers an injection-molded enviroLid and pallet combination with a 32 x 36-inch footprint. “It’s a unique size that works well for smaller batch component deliveries to assembly lines by tuggers pulling carts,” Parker says. “With more operations looking to eliminate forklifts, this was the best size to interface with carts and pallet jacks.”