hey circle, provider of reusable shipping solutions, has had the robustness and durability of reusable packaging tested in new, independent tests. For conveyor belt tests, stack pressure tests and drop tests, hey circle teamed up with the Gebhardt Intralogistics Group and the Leipzig University of Applied Sciences (HTWK). Depending on the test, the shipping boxes and shipping bags on the test stand withstood over 400 kilograms of stacking pressure when empty and circulated on the conveyor belt for 24 hours when loaded. The load capacity of the boxes is significantly higher than previously assumed.
Doris Diebold, CEO of hey circle: "We are proving that reusable packaging is not only well-intentioned, but also really suitable for everyday use - on conveyor belts, in the warehouse and in the parcel center. These tests show: Our packaging is robust enough for the reality of e-commerce. This gives our customers peace of mind - and brings us closer to our goal of making reusable packaging the new standard."
Reusable packaging is suitable for conveyor technology in warehouses and for parcel service providers
hey circle's reusable packaging has to withstand a lot in e-commerce and intralogistics - and survives the tests virtually unscathed. Together with Gebhardt Fördertechnik, hey circle simulated real logistics processes to test the packaging's suitability for everyday use. To do this, hey circle bags and boxes were transported on conveyor belts for 24 hours at the Weiden test site and remained fully functional. The tests included all the chicanes of conveyor belt technology - with corners, changes of direction and angles of inclination.
Parcel service provider DHL also tested the boxes again - and once again gave them a positive rating for handling.
Shipping boxes designed for normal loading and handling
At the same time, the HTWK Leipzig, Institute for Printing, Processing and Packaging, tested the new generation of boxes under realistic conditions: They survived drop tests from a height of 80 cm, even loads of up to 20kg, almost always without damage - 90% of the boxes showed no damage whatsoever when dropped onto the base, corner and edge, while the other boxes mostly showed only slight deformation, but no fundamental defect. The stacking pressure test also showed a high value: the boxes of all sizes withstood a vertical load of over 400 kilograms.
Load capacity increased several times over
Due to the positive test results, the recommended maximum load per package has been significantly increased. Individual differences may arise due to handling during transportation.
- hey circle Box XXL: up to 20 kilograms1
- hey circle Box XL: up to 20 kilograms1
- hey circle Box L: up to 20 kilograms1
- hey circle Box M: up to 10 kilograms
- hey circle Box S: up to 7.5 kilograms
What makes hey circle packaging special
Compared to disposable cardboard boxes or simple reusable solutions, hey circle boxes and bags are not only foldable, lightweight and durable, but also offer great product protection, are brandable and can be equipped with IT-supported tracking on request. Unlike with reusable hard plastic containers, parcel service providers do not charge a handling surcharge for bulky goods when transporting hey circle boxes. Companies save an average of 53% on packaging costs and reduce waste by up to 94% compared to the use of disposable boxes. Boxes are CO2-advantageous after just 10 rounds and bags after six rounds.2
1 In the scenario for the drop test by HTWK Leipzig of the hey circle reusable boxes, the maximum load was limited to 20 kg in order to comply with occupational health and safety regulations. Higher values are theoretically possible.
2 Source: Ecological assessment by the Ökopol Institute (April 2023) based on the hey circle predecessor products. Due to the relocation of the production site, the use of recycled plastic in the material and the extended service life of the boxes produced in 2025, the values can be assumed to be at least equivalent. A new life cycle assessment will be prepared in the course of 2025.