Ideas for Cutting Transport Costs and Reducing Emissions

For many businesses, creating a more environmentally friendly fulfilment operation has become a pivotal undertaking in recent years, with increasing government legislation serving to introduce cost implications for companies falling foul of benchmarks for reductions in carbon emissions. 

But transitioning to a more green business extends far beyond re-evaluating your material use and switching out plastic products for paper-based alternatives. There are now a range of innovative packaging solutions on the market that can both streamline labour for your workforce and cut your transport costs in the long-term, offering yet more incentives to make the switch to sustainable alternatives. 

Here are some key ideas for cutting costs and becoming a more environmentally sustainable operation moving forward.

Pack consistently 

While accurately measuring material use during busy periods can be a challenge, there are a range of options to help your workforce pack products with a greater degree of consistency. For packed goods that require void fill, systems such as AirWave™ dispense lightweight paper cushions that serve to increase measurability and help prevent overpacking. Similarly, paper bubble wrap sheets are quick, simple, and eco-friendly options to ensure consistent pack weights and volumes, allowing you to more accurately record pallet weights for bulk orders and avoid unnecessary item weight, leading to increased costs overall. 

Reduce consignment weight

While reducing unnecessary carton filler might seem like the most effective method of reducing overall shipment weights, there remains a range of additional steps your business can take to offset load weights.

Switching from double-wall cartons to robust, high-strength single-wall alternatives will  reduce load volumes but also serve to lessen your consignment weight--as well as save on storage requirements and overall material use, so 50% less material is required against conventional cartons. 

Cut packaging volumes

It goes without saying that reducing your packaging volumes will allow for larger stock quantities to be loaded on to delivery vehicles, thus reducing carrier and fleet transport requirements and reducing expenses in the long run. 

To make this possible, consider integrating packaging solutions that offer adequate protection without the need for added void fill. Doing so will prevent the use of oversized cartons, reducing your overall volumes and, in most cases, decreasing your overall material use. 

Quick, ultra-easy-to-use solutions like the Boxwrap™ book wrap are the ideal choice for postal packaging  applications, while systems like Inflatech offer maximum product protection without the need for void fill. 

Consider the dimensions of your products and how best to orient their packaging to maximise pallet spaces. Packaging solutions such as postal tubes for narrow goods and oblong goods to be housed with a minimal footprint, facilitating a more efficiency in the loading of products. 

To discuss ways of reducing your transport costs and emissions through innovative packaging, send us a message, or call us on 01543 396700 to speak to a packaging expert today.