Follow
Follow
LinkedIn Facebook X Youtube e-mail
LinkedIn Facebook X Youtube e-mail

Packaging for wind turbine parts

Mondi Grünburg and NKE have developed corrugated cardboard packaging for the safe transport of components for wind turbines.

Mondi and NKE, a manufacturer of roller bearings for wind power, railway and industrial applications, have joined forces to ensure the safe transport of components for wind turbines. The companies have developed transport packaging made of corrugated cardboard. 

With premium class bearings sold in over 80 countries, including the booming wind farm market in the USA, NKE faced increasing number of complaints due to transport damage confronted. Hybrid bearings, such as those installed in wind turbines, are worth several thousand euros and weigh more than 20kg, as they consist of inner and outer rings made of high-quality steel and ceramic balls. Unfortunately, transport damage to these bearings has often gone unnoticed until installation, resulting in costly delays in the construction of wind turbines led.

The team of packaging consultants and product development specialists from Mondi Grünburg recognised the urgency and set about developing an innovative to design a packaging solution that provides optimum transport protection for the warehouse guaranteed by NKE. The smart design includes one-way shock sensors that now provide real-time feedback on the status of the warehouse upon arrival at the assembly site.

Mondi and NKE safely package components for wind turbines
(Image: Mondi)

A special feature of this project is that it was completed in just three weeks. Mondi Grünburg demonstrated its flexibility with this packaging solution for the heavy-duty sector. In developing this industrial packaging, the team put its expertise in visually appealing, intelligent shelf-ready packaging to new product development, and also integrated its printing expertise into the design.

Display

"This remarkable achievement is a testament to the exceptional collaboration between NKE and Mondi. Our joint expertise has resulted in a state-of-the-art packaging solution tailored to our customer's exact requirements. It demonstrates Mondi's unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of innovation in the packaging industry and creating lasting value for our partners.“

Tarik Aniba, Sales & Marketing Director of Mondi Corrugated Solutions

The result is a Offset-printed packaging for the wind turbine components with additional flexographic printing on the inside, which serves as instructions for use and simplifies handling, as accompanying documents are no longer necessary. Mondi Grünburg has thus designed premium packaging for industrial goods that optimally protects their contents and prevents transport damage to the hybrid bearings. The design has already undergone rigorous testing and certification in the Mondi laboratory, a performance laboratory certified by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA), to ensure that the packaging is suitable for use and protects the product in its specific supply chain.

„This collaboration means not only improving the bearing itself, but also its protection during transport and, above all, until it is installed in the wind turbine tower. The packaging incorporates several technological advances. Not only does it perfectly fulfil our stringent requirements for unparalleled protection and efficiency, but it also demonstrates an ongoing commitment to sustainability.“

Victor Zaera, Head of Operation & Quality at NKE

The performance of the packaging design was also recognised by external experts and honoured with the Forum Corrugated Board Awards on 5 October in the ‚Corrugated board constructive‘ category. This means that Mondi's innovative industrial packaging for wind turbine components now also qualifies for the international WorldStar competition organised by the World Packaging Organisation.

Source: Mondi

More news on transport packaging