Waste not want not

摘要

When some companies thought about improving their packaging process operations in the mid-to-late 1980s, they generally thought to eliminate the amount of materials going into the landfill. While that remains an important goal for companies today, smart firms are finding that they can eliminate other forms of waste, including handling costs, product damage, low productivity, and worker injury. They're doing it with the help of innovative packaging products and technologies that run the gamut from returnable container systems to palletizing machines and ergonomic aids to stretch wrapping equipment. In this special report on packaging, we talk to some of the leading suppliers of these technologies about the trends motivating industry today and look at some of the most exciting product innovations.