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Newsletter 2004 issue 1 |
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Drums Ditched for Totes
Switching from 55-gallon, single use drums
to 250-gallon reusable totes for two of its most-used raw
materials saves Aveda $25,000 per year in disposal, labor
and testing costs.
Transport packaging cannot be eliminated.
It protects products during shipping and makes handling shipments
easier. Aveda Corporation, a manufacturer of plant-based hair,
skin, make up and perfume products in Blaine, received shipments
of its two most-used raw materials in 55-gallon drums.
The company has high quality standards,
according to Mark Friske, environmental, health and safety
compliance manager at Aveda. The company tests the quality
of every container of raw material that comes in. Keeping
in line with its environment-focused mission, Aveda paid to
have the empty drums picked up and recycled.
Cutting drums for
totes
Aveda worked with its suppliers to identify a solution to
reduce Aveda’s costs while also benefiting the suppliers.
A reusable packaging option was found, 250-gallon
plastic totes. The suppliers agreed to purchase the totes
for transporting Aveda’s raw materials.
When Aveda accumulates a trailer full of
empty totes, typically 52 totes, the suppliers pick them up
and back-haul them to their facilities. The suppliers then
clean, sanitize and refill the totes for the next shipment
to Aveda.
Totes touted
“The 250-gallon totes have dramatically lowered our volume
of waste drums, reduced time required for multiple quality
tests, and we have gained inventory space,” said Friske.
“The totes have cut the labor needed for quality testing
by one-fifth. We save $20,000 a year by processing the 250-gallon
totes instead of the 55-gallon drums,” said Friske.
Because the suppliers purchased the totes, Aveda saw immediate
savings. Aveda saves approximately $5,000 per year on recycling
fees.
One tote takes up the same amount of space
as one pallet holding four 55-gallon drums. One tote holds
almost as much as five drums. The totes have also improved
production flow at Aveda. “Now we bring one large tote
to the compounding area and don’t need to handle as many
containers,” said Friske.
Vendors win too
One plastic tote initially costs more than five 55-gallon
drums. But, the totes are reused. The suppliers continue to
charge Aveda a set fee for the raw materials, which had a
built-in cost for the drums. Once the suppliers recoup the
cost of the totes they will increase profits on each shipment
to Aveda.
For more information about reusable transport
packaging see
the following links:
Financial
Returns with Returnable Shipping Packaging This Source
article is about Tennant Company's move to reusable transport
packaging (1997).
Reusable
Transport Packaging Directory Developed by the Office
of Environmental Assistance, this directory lists manufacturers
and suppliers of many types of reusable transport packaging.
There's
a Better Way, Reusable Transport Packaging This Web site
offers "Reusables 101" as an introduction to reusable
transport packaging, and case studies highlight companies
that have made the switch to reusables. Sponsored by the Solid
Waste Management Coordinating Board in partnership with the
Reusable Pallet & Container Coalition.
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