The optimisation of shipping processes is at the heart of a new collaboration between the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) and the Igepa Group. Both partners are relying on the AI-supported CASTN (Carton Set Optimization) software to make carton sets more efficient and sustainable. Igepa is the first third-party provider to offer the software as a service to its customers in Germany and Europe.
E-commerce faces growing challenges: oversized boxes, unnecessary filling material and rising shipping costs burden both the environment and budgets. At the same time, the new EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) will mandate a maximum empty space quota of 50 per cent in cartons from 2030. CASTN provides the answer: the software helps companies find a suitable set of standard boxes to achieve maximum volume utilisation with as few different box sizes as possible. This significantly reduces over-packaging, material use and costs, and gives companies a transparent basis for complying with regulatory requirements.
The use of artificial intelligence in the packaging industry is not a new phenomenon, but its specific application for carton set optimisation offers new opportunities. CASTN analyses and optimises the selection and arrangement of cartonboard to reduce material consumption and increase efficiency in logistics.
Designing sustainable shipping processes
Over four years, Fraunhofer IML has developed CASTN with the aim of ending the use of oversized cardboard boxes, actively shaping the transition to sustainable shipping processes, and contributing to the reduction of resource consumption and emissions.
„With the Igepa Group, we are gaining a strong partner with comprehensive market knowledge and direct access to companies. The cooperation is an important step to make CASTN accessible to a broader user group with little effort.“
Lukas Lehmann, Project Manager at Fraunhofer IML
Igepa is taking a pioneering role by integrating Software as a Service into its service portfolio, guiding its customers from the initial analysis discussion through to the delivery of perfectly fitting packaging. This collaboration marks a paradigm shift: instead of purchasing cardboard boxes arbitrarily, Igepa and Fraunhofer IML jointly analyse for their customers which packaging is truly needed – thereby creating transparency and predictability in the shipping process.
Preparing for regulatory requirements
Following its product launch in February 2026, CASTN is establishing itself in the market, attracting interest from the logistics and trade sectors. The software equally impresses logistics service providers, online retailers, and suppliers of conveyor/storage technology and packaging machines. By analysing the actual demand for carton sizes early on, companies can specifically align their conveyor systems and packaging machines with the optimal standard carton set and plan investments efficiently. This enables direct cost savings, improves sustainability credentials, and creates a solid foundation for compliance with future regulatory requirements.
Source: Igepa Group
