A new breed of fresh produce carton from Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. uses 21 percent less fiber and has as good or better stacking strength than regular slotted cases, according to a press release.
Fresh produce cartons typically are stacked 10 or more units high on a pallet and must endure being jostled about in cross-country truck drives.
Smurfit-Stone's Meta Tray-8 case has up to 127 percent more stacking strength than a typical slotted case, according to the release.
When compared to what the company calls a BTB case, the Meta Tray-8 uses 18 percent less fiber and has up to 46 percent more stacking strength.
Using less fiber per box reduces a produce shipper's supply chain carbon footprint, Smurfit-Stone said.
Companies across various industries are attempting to reduce costs and environmental impact by using less packaging and related materials.
For instance, in its recent sustainability report, Apple touted how between 2006 and 2009 the packaging for 13-inch MacBooks has been cut 40 percent, meaning the company can fit 50 percent more boxes per airline shipping container.
Columbia Sportswear is taking a different route to reducing the impact of its packaging. It is encouraging consumers to ship back shoe cartons after they've made their purchase. When buying new shoes online, a consumer can specifiy that they want to receive their shoes in a previously used box.
