Reusable Packaging Association names Excellence in Reusable Packaging winners

The Reusable Packaging Association (RPA) is pleased to announce two winners in the 2018 Excellence in Reusable Packaging award program: Anheuser-Busch InBev and DS Smith Plastics.

Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev) won for their design and implementation of a comprehensive maintenance, reusable pallet, and logistics system that significantly reduced waste, increased reusable packaging lifespan, and reduced CO2 impact by 30%.

DS Smith Plastics is being recognized for their collaboration with a supplier to the automotive industry to create a customized reusable transport packaging solution that reduced the cost and environmental impact of transporting components between manufacturing facilities and assembly sites while improving overall material handling and installation labor efficiency.

“Participation in this annual award program continues to grow,” said Tim Debus, President & CEO of the RPA. “The innovation reflected in all the entries was outstanding and the field was very competitive. This year, two applications received the highest marks during the judging process, and we are pleased to announce that both Anheuser-Busch InBev and DS Smith Plastics have received the award for 2018.”

Comprehensive reusable packaging strategy at AB InBev cuts waste, cost, and CO2 footprint. Investment in a preventative maintenance program for reusable kegs coupled with pallet redesign allowed AB InBev to consolidate heat-treatment and palletization of ready-to-use kegs at a single location (vs. two previously) and increase pallets per load by 33%. Brewery efficiency increased 8%, transportation of rejected/returned kegs was eliminated, finished goods transportation costs were reduced by 54% and CO2 impact decreased by 30%. This comprehensive approach not only improved environmental and business performance, it also extended the lifespan of the reusable packaging components used by Anheuser-Busch.

“As the world’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch InBev is constantly working toward the highest level of quality and service to our customers, while doing so in the most efficient and cost-conscious manner possible,” commented Andrae Kirkland, who manages returnable packing materials for Anheuser-Busch InBev’s North American Zone. “This process change allowed us to more effectively manage a specific flow for our keg float and has impacted other areas of our supply chain as well. Innovative process implementations such as this will be key as we continue striving toward our 2025 Sustainability Goals. We are honored to be recognized by the Reusable Packaging Association for this initiative.”

Custom-designed transport packaging by DS Smith Plastics dramatically reduces truck journeys and CO2 emissions while optimizing operations. DS Smith helped their automotive supplier customer realize operational efficiencies and reduce environmental impact by designing a reusable transport packaging solution capable of accommodating multiple products while insuring product protection during transit, truck load optimization with both full and empty containers, easy and safe loading/unloading, compliance with local regulations, long useful life, end-of-life recyclability, and achievement of ROI hurdles. The DS Smith Plastics solution, the AkyPak 4You reusable sleeve pack, delivered on all design requirements. Implementation eliminated over 300 truck journeys and nearly 313,000 kg of CO2 annually, while improving labor ergonomics and efficiencies, material handling, and waste. The AkyPak 4You has a useful life of 7 years and is 100% recyclable when retired.

“We are pleased to receive this recognition from the Reusable Packaging Association, on behalf of one of our customers and our returnable packaging specialist team at DS Smith Plastics,” said John C. McCurdy, Vice President of Commercial Development at DS Smith Plastics. “The returnable and sustainable solution that received this recognition is an example of how we work together with customers to bring a different perspective to their challenges and provide cost-effective solutions that protect the environment.”

“The spirit of the Excellence in Reusable Packaging Award is to bring to light the performance of reusable transport packaging systems in real-world use environments by showing the economic and environmental benefits that can be realized through reuse,” said Debus. “Our judges cited the impressive impact demonstrated in multiple facets of both the AB InBev and DS Smith Plastics case studies, including labor ergonomics and assembly efficiencies, reduced transportation cost and environmental impact, reduced product damage and waste, and the long life and end-of-life recyclability of the transport solution as key factors in their selections. We congratulate Anheuser-Busch InBev and DS Smith Plastics on this well-deserved award. We also commend and thank all the companies that submitted entries this year for making reusable transport packaging a centerpiece of their sustainability programs.”

Anheuser-Busch InBev and DS Smith Plastics will present their award-winning entries at the RPA Reusable Packaging Learning Center (Upper Lakeside Center #6866) at Pack Expo in McCormick Place, Chicago, IL at 3:00 pm CDT on Tuesday, October 16, 2018.

About the Excellence in Reusable Packaging Award: The RPA Excellence in Reusable Packaging award recognizes companies and organizations that have developed and implemented innovative and measurable reusable packaging solutions in a business-to-business supply chain. 2018 marks the seventh year for this annual award program. Submissions are reviewed by an independent panel of judges who are not members of the Association. RPA would like to thank all this year’s judges:

Justin Lehrer, Senior Program Manager, and Michelle Fay, Program Manager, StopWaste
Ben Miyares, President, Packaging Management Institute
Laszlo Horvath, CPL, Assistant Professor and Director, Center for Packaging and Unit Load Design in the Department of Sustainable Biomaterials at Virginia Tech University
Rick LeBlanc, Editor, PackagingRevolution.net