The first impression counts

"When we meet new people, we make an impression of these people based on their appearance and their signals given by their body language. This is also the case when a product is being introduced. Here the packaging often has an essential meaning at the evaluation of the quality of the product.

We often find that the customers want to differentiate their products by the choice of packaging solution", says Alice Thuesen, sales manager of Styropack A/S.

Styropack’s connection with the parent company Synbra means a position among the leading companies of Europe within development and production of packaging solutions made of EPS, EPP, and EPE.

Today the packaging must not only be functional and secure a safe transport. It must also reflect the characteristics of the product, which is protected by the packaging, for example through choice of colour. Thus most customers ask for an individual solution, and at Styropack we experience that the customers want to pay a little extra in order to get a perfect match between product and packaging.

Danfoss is using EPP
The interest of alternative foam materials as EPP (expanded polypropylene) is increasing. Compared with EPS (expanded polystyrene) EPP is more elastic and can stand most impacts during handling and transport. Danfoss’ Burner Division has chosen to use EPP at packing. Every year the division forwards about 50.000 oil burner pumps to a central customer in France, and this customer returns the transport trays to Danfoss at each delivery.

"By using an insert of EPP we are able to pack 20 pumps in a box. Previously we used a solution made of foam rubber, and this left place for only 10 pumps per box", production engineer Jørgen Kraft says. He also underlines the fact that EPP is water resistant, and this has solved a corrosion problem, which was found earlier, when the boxes were stored outside.

Thanks to the fixed shape the EPP insert can be easily handled by the employees, who are packing the pumps. The material does not get worn out and damaged during the transport, and thus the life of the EPP is very long", Jørgen Kraft explains.

Early technical cooperation
"When we develop a packaging solution it is essential to us not only to believe but to know the exact needs, which the customer wants fulfilled. Thus a close cooperation between the customer and our development department has a very high priority". This Alice Thuesen explains about Styropack’s working methods and she continues:

"Among other things we have experienced that the early involvement of our technicians is positive. The technicians of the development department and the customer’s own technicians in cooperation can decode precisely the demands and wishes, which the packaging must fulfil. By involving a team, which has technical knowledge, very early at the development work, we can in short time create a prototype of the solution, which must result in the optimum packaging solution."

Related and yet different
One thing is the appearance, and something else is characteristics. Here the customers can chose among several foamed types of material. All types of foam have a low weight and can be removed in an environmentally friendly way. EPP and EPE (expanded polyethylene) have a silky surface and are resistant to chemicals. The viscosity and the elasticity secure a very long lifetime, making the materials suitable for internal and external transport solutions. The more well-known EPS is known for its characteristics such as high compressive strength and fine insolating power, protecting even against great temperature fluctuations.

"Through a dialogue with the customers we always find the correct packaging, which at the same time gives the product the optimum protection and exposure", Alice Thuesen states.

Juni 2004