The Role of Packaging in

the Supply Chain:

The requirements of
packaging
Forces changing the
nature of packaging
from a South African
perspective
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1. Requirements of
packaging:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Protect
Identify
Keep Together (Unitize)
Enable handling
Marketing
Convey Information

Requirements of packaging: 1.
Protect

Requirements of packaging:
Identify

How does packaging contribute to product identification?

Answer:
The right packaging combines size, design,
and colour to attract
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potential consumers.

Requirements of packaging:
Identify

COLOR INDICATION
The package is designed with a number of indications
that ensure fast and reliable product identification:
1. Lid colour indication four colours represent different
diameters: red, blue, green, and gold.
2. The label on the tubes lid indicates the implants
diameter and length.
3. A product characterization label is positioned outside
the implants outer tube.
5
http://www.paltopdental.com/Products/Implant_Packaging

Requirements of packaging:
Identify

Requirements of packaging:
Unitize
Easier to handle and control.

Requirements of packaging:
Enable Handling

Requirements of packaging:
Enable Marketing

Requirements of packaging:
Convey Information

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2. Forces that are changing the

nature of packaging:
1. Technology
a.
b.

Materials
Manufacturing techniques

2. Marketing
a.
b.

Customisation
Drawing attention

3. Legislation
a.
b.
c.

Health concerns
Environmental concerns
Compulsory Information

4. Global movement and

regulation
5. Modes of transport
6. Market dynamics

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2. Forces that are changing the

nature of packaging:
1. Technology
a.

Materials and coatings

i.

Mycobond organic filler ( replaces foam)

(Mushroom)
ii
Cellulose Bamboo and Banana
iii Organic (compostable) plastics
Iv New polymers
v
Composites (Laminates and coated products)
vi Graphene molecular layer deposition
vii Atomic Layer Deposition Coating Technique
(Coating)
Coming soon watch12this space!

Atomic Layer deposition

(ALD)

Developed in Finland in the 1970s

Coating which has excellent gas permeation resistance and
is particularly suitable for treating packaging for food and
pharmaceutical products. Thus far it has been used mainly
in microelectronic applications. ALD leads to the
manufacture of packaging materials which are thinner,
lighter and better sealed than traditional barrier materials.

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Graphene
Potential Applications(according to Wikipedia)

Room temperature distillation of methanol for fuel and human use

Single molecule gas detection
Graphene nanoribbons
Graphene Quantum dots
Graphene transistors
Graphene optical modulators
Integrated circuits
Electrochromic devices (Smart glass)
Transparent conducting electrodes
Reference material for characterizing conductive and transparent
materials
Thermal Management Materials
Solar cells
Ultracapacitors
Engineered Piezoelectricity
Graphene Biodevices
Anti bacterial
Study of liquids
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Desalination

Cellulose

The packaging is made utilising two different certified

compostable films with a structure of one layer of
Innovia Films NatureFlex NE30 film laminated to
Novamonts Mater-Bi.
http://www.packaging-

int.com/article/innovative-cereal-pack-uses-natureflex-film.htm
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2. Forces that are changing the

nature of packaging
(continued)
1. Technology
b. Manufacturing techniques
i.

3-d printing

ii.

Print on demand e.g. Windows 7 launch

iii.

Digital printing vs. Lithographic plate (offset)

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Digital Printing: Print On

Demand
Benefits:
Transportation costs to send printed material in > eliminated
Warehousing costs to store printed material in inventory > greatly reduced
Inventory destruction costs to scrap outdated/excess inventory > greatly
reduced
Flexibility to update marketing materials on a regular basis at no additional
cost > enabled with POD
Fast turnaround times for print production > offered with POD
Custom/Variable data printing > offered with POD
Small volume / specialty print job capability that can be easily integrated
into existing fulfilment services for a customer > enabled with POD
Environmental sustainability - digital printing does not require film, platemaking chemicals, VOC-emitting and oil-based inks, synthetic proofing
materials, or large amounts of make-ready paper. Digital is a cleaner, greener
way to print.

http://www.fulfillmentamerica.com/pod/print-on-demand17
benefits.cfm

New products

Studies by the Plastics Federation of South Africa

found the carbon footprint of a 1 litre sachet of milk is
60% lower than that of equivalent PET bottle.
According to the latest figures by the Milk Producers
Organisation of South Africa, only 20% of the annual
production of 1,5 billion litres is packaged in sachets,
while 70% is packaged in plastic bottles.

It requires almost 2,5 times more energy to bottle

liquids than using sachets, - South African production
plants can save up to 60% of the energy consumption
by switching to milk sachet packaging.
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http://all4women.co.za/food-and-recipes/food-articles/competition-food-tapit-milk-dispensing-win.html

New Products (Continued)

But digital packaging isnt only for cereal. General

Mills is working on adding assets to their whole line
of products from cake mixes to snack bars. How
about a downloadable pedometer app
attached to a low calorie yogurt or an
interactive Olympic schedule on a box of
Wheaties?
http://www.marketingpilgrim.com/2012/02/the-future-of-cereal-packaging-includes-adigital-surprise.html
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New Products:
Paint-on Lithium-Ion Batteries

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iv.

Nanomaterials in Food Packaging

Food and food packaging have been at the forefront of nanotechnology

innovation. Nanotechnology advancements in food additives and
packaging are increasing shelf-life, improving flavour, and
detecting pathogens in a wide variety of foods.
Packaging enhancements are even extended to the marketability of
products through colour-changing inks, printable RFIDs and
printable active displays (http://www.khlaw.com)
Use of nanomaterials in food packaging:- examples:
bottles made with nanocomposites that minimize the leakage of
carbon dioxide out of the bottle; this increases the shelf life of
carbonated beverages without having to use heavier glass bottles
or more expensive cans.
Food storage bins with silver nanoparticles embedded in the
plastic. The silver nanoparticles kill bacteria from any food
previously stored in the bins, minimizing harmful bacteria.
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( http://www.understandingnano.com
)

2. Marketing
a.

Customisation:
Economic order quantity of one unit
Rapid prototyping and concurrent development
Short setup time
Intelligent use of Options
Mass customisation was defined by Tseng &
Jiao (2001, p. 685) as "producing goods and
services to meet individual customer's needs
with near mass production efficiency"

b.
Drawing attention
Bigger, louder, shinier, more
complex
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3. Legislation

a.
b.
c.

Health concerns
Environmental concerns
Compulsory information

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4. Global movement

Cost

Regulations

Linked to cost of fossil fuels will restrict air and road movement
Africa needs to invest in transport infrastructure especially
road and rail, then airports and ports
Restrictions on use of certain organic materials (wood and
foodstuff )

Border control

Should become less in Africa (free trade zone) Packaging to

allow for easy scanning and inspection to minimize delays.

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6. Modes of transport
a. Road

b.

Rail

c.

Air

d. Water

e.

Pipeline
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5 Market Dynamics

a. Demography
b. Purchasing behaviour
c. Social conscience

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5 Market Dynamics
A. Demography:
Age distribution, culture, education,
Urbanisation and income distribution
determines the type of product being bought.
B. Purchasing habits determine the quantities
and timing
of fmcg (and other) products
being bought:
America:
Philippines:

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c. Social Conscience:

Go Green
Avoid
Reduce
Re-use
Recycle
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8. Product (Specific) requirements

a. Fragility
b. Temperature control
c. Breathing Requirements
Organics and livestock

d. See requirements of packaging!

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In the line at the supermarket, the cashier told an older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because
plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized to him and explained, "We didn't have the
green thing back in my day." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care
enough to save our environment." He was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, lemonade bottles and beer bottles to the shop. The shop sent them back to the
plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were
recycled. But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the
grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right.
We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line,
not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 240 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry the clothes. Kids got
hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that old lady is right; we
didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of
a handkerchief. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do
everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used a wadded up old newspaper to
cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut
the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a
health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a tap when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of
water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades instead of
throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24hour taxi service. We had one electrical power point in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen
appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in
space in order to find the nearest pizza shop.
But isn't it sad the current generation laments how
30wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't
have the green thing back then?

Why Worry? Let us take it from

this

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To this!

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