A majority of today’s consumers want businesses to adopt sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. In fact, “83% of consumers think companies should be actively shaping ESG [environmental, social, and governance] best practices,” according to a PwC survey. And as such, businesses are making sustainability a clear objective for this decade and beyond.
When it comes to packaging, sustainable practices are often easier to implement than in other parts of the supply chain. Whether investing in recycled packaging or going one step further in exploring compostable and reusable materials, the options for sustainable packaging are vast. This change in materials alone can help businesses reduce waste, decrease their carbon footprint, and minimize their overall impact on the environment.
Additionally, did you know that packaging automation can further contribute to a business’ sustainability goals? It’s true! A study performed by Cognizant, found, “79% of respondents who had deployed process automation rated it as effective or highly effective in advancing their sustainability strategy.” Here’s why.
How Does Automation Drive Packaging Sustainability Initiatives?
Packaging automation, such as filling and sealing bags, labelling boxes, weighing product, wrapping, capping, and more, increases operational efficiency. The more efficient a process is, the more sustainable it becomes. For instance, this type of automation optimizes the use of materials and energy, such as accurately measuring and cutting materials, reducing waste in the process.
This is simply one example of how packaging automation leads to better environmental outcomes. Below are additional ways in which automation can contribute to more sustainable packaging processes.
Automated Systems are Energy Efficient
Today, most automated packaging systems are built with energy savings in mind. That is to say, these machines typically have intelligent sensors and/or energy recovery systems to minimize power consumption. Each of these features helps businesses lower their carbon footprint by optimizing the amount of energy used throughout the packaging process.
Automated Packaging Systems Can Handle Recycled Materials at Scale
Automated packaging systems can take recycled packaging materials, such as biodegradable plastics, paper-based materials, and even hemp-derived materials, and use them to package goods rapidly. The best part? This can be done at scale. So businesses don’t have to sacrifice quality or quantity in the name of being sustainable. It’s a win-win.
Human Error is Eliminated with Automated Packaging
It’s no secret that automated packaging systems reduce, if not completely eliminate, human error. The question is, how does this drive sustainability? Well, over-packing, mislabeling, accidental spills, and the like, can result in an excess waste of materials. Automation minimizes this waste by consistently delivering precise packaging needs like weighing, cutting, and sealing, which also leads to fewer packaging defects.
Automation Calls for Standardized Packaging Designs
Packaging is a crucial aspect of branding that has the potential to become wildly creative—which is both good and bad. For example, creative packaging, such as unique gable boxes with complex openings, can be eye-catching and even fun to open for consumers. However, the extra materials needed to create a complex package increases waste and a company’s carbon footprint. Whereas, automated packaging calls for a standardization of packaging boxes and materials. This means bags and boxes of similar shape and size that limit the amount of materials used, thus reducing excess waste.
Automation Leads to Less Carbon Emissions & Transportation Waste
Automated packaging can reduce the need for transportation and handling, ultimately shrinking a business’ carbon footprint in the entire packaging process. Here’s how. Packaging automation ensures that products are placed in the most suitable boxes, bags, or jars—whatever best fits the product—while optimizing the available space. This compact packaging means more products can fit into shipping containers. Which means fewer trucks are needed for shipping and distribution. And thus, automated packaging helps reduce fuel consumption and lowers greenhouse gas emissions. This is what I’d call a win-win-win.
A Streamlined Supply Chain is a Sustainable Supply Chain
Overproduction, excess inventory, and wasted packaging materials are all issues that lead to a weak supply chain and a poor carbon footprint. Automation, especially for packaging, helps ensure companies align their inventory with customer demand so there is no surplus of goods or materials. Through faster and more efficient production processes, automated packaging enables businesses to create the product they need, when they need it—no more, no less.
Embracing packaging automation to contribute to sustainability efforts is not only a critical step towards environmental conservation, but also is vital for businesses wanting to appeal to eco-conscious consumers (which just so happens to be roughly 8 out of 10 consumers according to the first statistic cited in this article). The truth is, today’s brands can’t afford to not implement sustainable practices. When automation can be the catalyst in lessening a company’s carbon footprint while advancing the business scale, it’s a no-brainer to adopt automation throughout the supply chain.
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