Smurfit Kappa has opened a network of five e-commerce hubs in Germany and offers agile packaging development, packaging tests and simulations as well as laboratory tests from a single source at these locations.
With locations in Hamburg, Waren an der Müritz, Neuss, St. Leon-Rot and Plattling, the network of e-commerce hubs spans the whole of Germany. Regional connection to large business centres of the country.
The hubs from Smurfit Kappa are specially designed for this purpose, to support online retailers in designing their optimal packaging. The opening of these platforms is a result of the increasing demand for high-quality and sustainable shipping packaging that functionally fulfils the requirements of the entire supply chain.
Smurfit Kappa is able to do this thanks to the combined expertise of the e-commerce hubs, simulate complex load chains using high-performance systems and incorporate the respective results directly into packaging development. For example, the company uses vibrating plates that simulate transport in postal vans or carries out drop tests that put the stability and product protection of packaging and packaged goods to the test.
Through the existing ISTA certification of the Smurfit Kappa laboratories the new packaging solutions can be comprehensively tested and fully fulfil the high packaging requirements of well-known online platforms such as Amazon, eBay or Alibaba. The licensing of the sales and service packaging can also be directly via the connection to Recycling Dual can be made.
"The opening of the e-commerce hubs, with all the technical tools and systems, is a result of the high demand in this area. We use our platforms to cover the entire spectrum of customer requirements. These range from increasing logistics efficiency and achieving cost savings through targeted packaging optimisation to perfecting the unpacking experience for the end customer. Online retail works differently to analogue business in many areas - and we have systematically adapted to this."
Nico Heitmann, Head of Marketing & Business Development
Source: Smurfit Kappa