Packaging lightweighting can involve reducing material weight, modifying pack design or moving to lighter alternative materials and formats. These changes can support cost reduction, packaging minimisation and sustainability objectives, but need to be evaluated carefully to avoid unintended effects on product protection, processing or supply chain performance.
By considering the physical requirements of the product and packaging throughout its lifecycle, Smithers can help:
- Identify opportunities for packaging lightweighting and material reduction
- Evaluate alternative materials, pack formats and specifications
- Assess whether material reduction affects packaging or product performance
- Identify potential risks introduced elsewhere in the supply chain
- Generate performance data to support packaging optimisation decisions
Our specialists combine laboratory testing, distribution simulation and field measurement to compare existing and proposed packaging and provide evidence to support development decisions.
Packaging lightweighting projects
Lightweight beverage cans
Innovative measurement study to evaluate critical top-loading conditions on beverage cans during warehouse storage to define limits for individual can compressive strength - the project involved design and manufacture of dummy packages incorporating load cell devices for measure of top-load in real pallet configurations.
Aseptic carton material optimization
Development of assessment method for aseptic cartons to evaluate acceptability of damage versus weight of secondary packaging, under different global region transit and climatic conditions - the project involved detailed and tailored test development based on field research and data gathering, and subsequent analysis in the laboratory of primary/secondary pack combinations to identify optimal overall solutions.
Lightweight metal pail for liquids
Shipping performance assessment of current and revised light weight metal pail for liquids, involving accelerometer monitoring of response to varying vibration and shock conditions.
Revised cost effective plastic medical package
Validation of light weighted plastic medical device within over-the-counter (OTC) healthcare sector, focusing on drop impact performance and consumer acceptance during handling after point of purchase.
Lightweight detergent pack
Cost reduction validation for light weighted plastic bottles for household detergent products by tailored testing and focused distribution simulation comparing current with proposed through range of hazards and test intensities.
Automotive pack cost reduction
Cost reduction for a plastic tray pack used to ship transmission parts for an automotive supplier - by leveraging a scientific evaluation instead of a standard validation test, this supplier was able to re-design packaging and remove multiple expensive urethane grommets (which were being used to avoid plastic shavings resulting from part to tray contact).
Food manufacturer filling line optimisation
Study for a large food manufacturer on product settling as a result of distribution allowed them to fine tune their filling lines and avoid millions of dollars in cost due to overfilling packages.
Find out more about our distribution testing services.
Talk to an expert about your packaging optimisation project
Talk to our specialists about opportunities to reduce packaging material, weight or cost while maintaining the performance required by your product and supply chain.
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