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Think Outside the Box. Reusable Transport Packaging: Benefits to Business & Communities. Justin Lehrer CRRA Annual Conference August 5, 2008. Origin of Campaign. Top 5 Materials From Businesses Going To Landfills Food waste Other paper Uncoated Cardboard Unpainted wood
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Think Outside the Box Reusable Transport Packaging: Benefits to Business & Communities Justin Lehrer CRRA Annual Conference August 5, 2008
Origin of Campaign • Top 5 Materials From Businesses Going To Landfills • Food waste • Other paper • Uncoated Cardboard • Unpainted wood • Film plastics
Reusable Packaging: Defined • Products: Reusable pallets, hand-held containers, bulk containers, racks • Made of: Plastic, wood, metal and others • Services: Pooling, logistics, cleaning and asset tracking Bulk Containers Reusable Pallets Hand-Held Containers
Benefits to Customers • Reduce costs (waste & materials) • Improve efficiency • Improve worker safety/ergonomics • Improve Product protection • Longer useful life of packaging • Lasting operational change • Corporate citizenship & sustainability
Environmental Benefits • Life Cycle Study* validates environmental impact of reusables: • Require 39% less energy • Produce 95% less total solid waste • Generate 29% less total GHG emissions • *Franklin October 2004 study: life cycle inventory of Reusable Plastic Container and Display-ready Corrugated Containers used for Fresh Produce Applications.
Use Reusables Campaign Increase business adoption: • The value of switching to reusable pallets and containers • Provide technical assistance • Drive Bay Area businesses to suppliers of these products • Partner/alliance with RPA
Reusable Packaging Association A collaboration between supply chain partners who promote the value of reusable transport packaging across all industries as the preferred packaging solution. • Advocates the growth of reusable pallets and containers, regardless of material, in North America • Promotes the economic, environmental and safety benefits created by re-use; • Initiatives include legislative and regulatory actions; strategic alliances; standards, guidelines, and best practices; education and public awareness
Our Opportunity & Challenge • Reusables are in early stages of adoption in many US industries • Potential impact is large and lasting • But complex system change requires time • Deciding factor is usually cost
When Should Reusable Packaging Be Considered? A systematic, well-planned reusable packaging program makes sense for many types of applications, particularly those with the following: • High volumes of solid waste • Recurring product damage or risk of damage • Expensive expendable packaging or recurring single-use packaging costs • Under-utilized trailer space in transportation • Inefficient storage/warehouse space • Worker safety or ergonomic issues • Significant need for cleanliness/hygiene • Need for unitization • Multiple component parts or complicated assembly operations • Frequent trips
Target Industries Alameda County - greatest opportunities: • Wholesale/Retail (non food) • Manufacturing & Assembly (non food) • Food Production • Food Delivery • Scientific/Technical/Education • Medical Care • Public Agencies
Outreach Activities InterestedProspects Outreach Activities: Printed Collateral Presentations Website PR Efforts Direct Mail Print Ads eNewsletter Local Awards Partnerships Target Audience: Wholesale/Retail (non food) Manufacturing & Assembly (non food) Food Production Food Delivery Scientific/Technical/Education Medical Care StopWastePartnership Viable Prospects RPA Appropriate “Resuables” suppliers and vendors
Reusables 101 and 102 Redesigned, with revised content for our audience:
www.UseReusables.com • Reusables Basics • Interactive Cost Comparison Calculator • Workshop Calendar • Additional Resources
Workshops • 4 completed >75 organizations participated • Upcoming – September 9th, 2008 • Hosted by the City of Fremont • High level of interest from businesses as well as public agencies • Are “reusables” right for your organization? • Analyze the ROI – does it save money? • Benefits for making the switch • Case Studies (including local)
Advertising East Bay Business Times SF Business Times San Jose Business Times Newsletters Local Papers
Case Study: Greenville Utilities Application: Storage of nuts, bolts, regulators and meters • Results: • Substantial time & money savings • No interruption of operations or product damage during natural disasters • Material protection • Secure stackability
Gatorade Bottling PlantOakland, CA • 1 bottling line converted from wood to reusable, plastic pallets 8 months ago and began feasibility trial • After successful feasibility trial, both production lines switched permanently to reusable, plastic pallets • Pallet Selected – plastic pallet with RFID • Key Driver – Customer refusal of finished product due to poor wood pallet quality: • Missing boards • Wood debris • Inconsistent pallet dimensions • 45 – 55 truckloads moved every 24 hours (up to 1,320 pallets)
Gatorade Bottling PlantOakland, CA Documented Benefits • Customer Service – NO loads refused due to poor pallet quality • Production – Eliminated damage to product from pallets • Production - Reduced palletizer and conveyor down time • Safety - Less potential for injury; less slip & trip hazards • Logistics – Over 37% lighter than wood pallets • Use less fuel; potentially ship more product • Quality – Less potential for product contamination • Labor - Reduced handling required • Environmental Sustainability – 100% Recyclable; Plastic promotes forest conservation; Reduced CO2 emissions • Material Improvement - Increased durability, consistency and quality
Case Study: StopWaste.Org Office Move Application: Move into newly renovated 14,000 sq. ft. building • Results: • Prevented cardboard waste • Eliminated heavy lifting • Reduced plastic film waste • Increased moving truck capacity by 40%-50% • Cut greenhouse gas emissions • Cost competitive
What’s Next • Increase Reusables adoption • Extend the campaign regionally • EPA Funding • Partner with municipalities • Host a workshop / Suggest a venue • Promote to local businesses • RPA Education Forum • - Sept 24 - 25, Oakland
Questions? Reusables@StopWaste.Org
Marketing Tactics Role of the StopWaste Partnership: • Serve as an initial, neutral contact for companies (prospects) trying to learn more about their options. • Assist all prospects with a preliminary (simple) evaluation. • Provide selective, targeted technical assistance to potential StopWaste Partnership clients, that might include: • Lead referrals. • Limited financial incentives. • Case study development. • Cost benefit analysis in some cases • Conducting onsite workshops and meetings.
Marketing Tactics Role of the StopWaste Partnership • Refer the prospects to appropriate reusable manufacturers, consultants, etc. • Follow-up over the subsequent 24 months to monitor the progress and give further assistance if they are stuck.
Understanding the Opportunity Closed Loop Systems Open Loop Systems
Challenges with Returnables • Potential challenges to open pool RPC use: • Limited network of participating retailers • Product rejections at retail level – asset tracking • Pool management • Inventory turns • Pool accountability • Cooperating network • Freight cost implications, especially on asset collection • Seasonality of industry (e.g. Produce)
RPCC Corporate Members • Avery Dennison User Advisors • Bruel * DUDA Farm Fresh Foods • CHEP * East Coast Seafood • Georgia-Pacific * John Deere • IFCO Systems * NACCO Material Handling • iGPS * Nestle Waters • IPL Products Ltd. * Seald Sweet • Kennedy Group * Tanimura & Antle • MACRO Plastics * Virginia Tech • Norseman Plastics * Wal*Mart Stores, Inc. • Numafa • ORBIS Corporation Cumulative Revenue (est.) • Otto Environmental Systems > $2 billion - RPCC-related • Polymer Logistics > $5 billion – N. American • Rehrig Pacific Company > $25 billion – global sales • Schoeller Arca Systems • TOSCA Ltd. • TriEnda
What to Look For • Velocity: How many uses will one container make each year • More uses, the cost per use for the capital goes down • Consistency: The more steady the shipment pattern, the easier and cheaper to set up a reusable pool • How controlled is the supply chain: • How many different supply chain partners able to use returnable • Where are they located • Will they cooperate • How are you getting them back: What are the reverse logistics costs • Volume: Is there sufficient volume to make it worthwhile