Innovate export packing
A key driver of sustainable production and consumption are the underlying supply chains, the flow of goods and therefore also the way those goods are packed. Address the problem that traditional materials do not necessarily have a positive sustainability footprint! Work together with the logistic-hub duisport and develop alternative approaches for timber-based export packings to align ecological and economic targets.
To support you in your idea and team generation process, you have the opportunity to participate in one of our digital Design Thinking Workshop - register here or find more information here.
✅ Challenge completed 🏁 Winner Congrats to the UK-Poland Group!🏆 Rewards 20,000 € prize pool prize pool in the Innovate2030 project + joint publication with all stakeholders + chance for further cooperation with duisport
This use case is part of the Innovate2030 Challenge
Status Quo
Export packing relies on timber or derived timber products like oriented strand boards (OSB) and plywood to ensure asset protection along the transportation chain.
There is industry-wide consensus that these timber packings represent the most suitable materials today. As a result, there is little initiative to challenge the status quo, making export packing a discipline to which supply chain participants tend to pay little to no intention to.
The problem is: There are crucial challenges that need to be tackled.
Eco-footprint
While timber itself is a natural resource, when used for export packing in Europe it is usually imported from countries of the southern hemisphere, where the production process is both non-ecological and non-sustainable, and little is known about modern production standards.
Supply-Chain risks
Like all raw materials, timber and derived timber products are exposed to the market mechanisms of global supply and demand, which impacts the traditional costing and demand planning, posing considerable risks to global supply chains when disturbances arise. Examples of such supply chain interferences can be found in the impact of the current Corona pandemic.
Key question
It is insinuated that the eco-footprint of export packing made of timber from traditional sources has a negative impact relative to possible alternative products. Based on an analysis of the export packaging market, and associated processes and needs, this use case seeks to identify both new materials and already existing substitute materials to innovate on export packing. Ideally, these will stem from local sources to reduce the ecological footprint of export packing, while aligning ecological and economic targets.
While doing so, it is crucial to understand the requirements in terms of safety standards, technical standards for export packing, material characteristics, transport routing, transport means and legal framework conditions in the field of export packaging (see section “Criteria that need to be followed”).
The key question for this Use Case is therefore the following:
Which - ideally local - alternatives for timber packing can be derived from this to optimize both ecological and economic goals?
More information and guiding questions can be found via the tab “Important Details” and “Submission”.
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