Bunzl provides various types of sustainable industrial packaging solutions that have been developed on the back of market and scientific research.
With a focus on innovation and meeting customer demands around industrial solutions, Bunzl Australia and New Zealand’s dedication to sustainability is evident across its product range, including with its Advantage pallet wrap.
“Pallet Wrap is a high focus area for us because it’s something that is always going to be used in the market,” said Bunzl ANZ national business development manager for Industrial Packaging & Machinery, James Beleno.
“And it’s an often-ignored area of plastic reduction for a lot of businesses.”
One key innovation of the wrap is its high stretch capability, allowing for more pallets to be wrapped with a single roll.
This not only reduces the amount of plastic used but also minimises the amount of wrap that needs to be disposed of.
In an effort for further innovation in industrial packaging, Bunzl ANZ explored the use of recycled, biodegradable, and compostable pallet wraps.
However, trials quickly showed that recycled pallet wrap can lead to increased plastic usage due to inconsistent quality and variability in the recycled materials.
“It’s incredibly difficult to pursue because of the inconsistency. You can’t control the quality of plastic that’s getting recycled and it often doesn’t hold up to the standards required,” said Beleno.
Despite the challenges, Bunzl remains dedicated to finding effective solutions that balance environmental benefits with practical performance, continuing to push the boundaries of sustainable industrial packaging.
“We use 100 per cent virgin material with about 8.9 per cent recycled resin in the actual formulation,” said Beleno.
“Our Innovation is the high grade resin and formulation used to develop Advantage pallet wrap, which gives our customers better efficiency improvements and load containment.”
An example of the benefits customers can expect from the wrap comes from a new 3PL Logistics Client here in Australia.
“For the last 10 years, this customer had used the same two suppliers, so they were somewhat apprehensive when it came to trying something new,” said Beleno.
“Using the latest Advantage pallet wrap and machinery innovation, we were able to reduce their plastic usage by 100 tonnes per years.”
Beleno explained that although it may seem counter intuitive, Advantage pallet wrap gives you better results with less material used.
“The resin formulation being part of our wrap also helps to create high clarity, along with its high strength, meaning you use a lot less plastic, and you get a better load containment.”
This is the reason Beleno says it’s important to meet clients in a face-to-face scenario as much as possible.
That way, he can best explain the benefits of the wrap and run physical trials so that customers can see the actual efficiency improvements, sustainability improvements and improved load containment.
“When we take this product out into the market, we make sure to put a big focus on the sustainability side and the impact on their environmental footprint and how it also impacts their own customers,” he said.
“Because at the end of the day, they’re the ones disposing of the plastic.”
Being able to demonstrate the advantages in person also helps clarify results for clients.
“Sometimes it’s hard for them to believe that we can take 100 tonnes of plastic out of the equation,” said Beleno.
“The 3PL client that I mentioned earlier were sceptical to begin with. But once we put the film in and set up the machines, we ran it and were able to demonstrate the numbers and show them what the significant sustainability and cost savings are.
“They immediately signed off and partnered with Bunzl for their pallet wrap and pallet wrappers.”
The importance of sustainability in the food and beverage manufacturing sector continues to only get more important, for both manufacturers and consumers.
“Sustainability is a massive talking point with any customer and any customer’s customers. The major supermarkets in particular are very big on sustainability,” said Beleno.
And with the number of pallets arriving at supermarkets across Australia, it means any reduction in pallet wrap use can have a beneficial flow-on effect.
“Our work with logistics companies’ adoption of our pallet wrap has had a huge impact, meaning a reduction of anywhere from 80 to 100 tonnes less plastic use per annum,” said Beleno.
Part of the close relationships between Bunzl and its clients is an emphasis on customer feedback and reviews to help inform development going forward.
For a long time, many companies relied on the same sources for their materials, resulting in products that were essentially the same but merely differed in branding.
“We were supplying what everybody else supplied and we all bought it from the same manufacturer,” said Beleno.
Recognising the need for change, the experts at Bunzl took steps to address the market’s stagnation.
“For us, we wanted something very different in the market. We focused on what could be improved upon in the sector and what the customer really wants,” said Beleno.
This approach involves directly engaging with customers to uncover gaps and unmet needs.
“It was about speaking to customers and understanding what they’re not getting in the market and what we can do differently,” Beleno added.
By aligning with a new supplier and emphasising innovation, the company aimed to bring a fresh perspective to
the industry.
“From my experience, when we went to market with thinner films of higher quality, with higher grade resins that we use to go down in thicknesses, I feel that we started leading the way,” said Beleno.
The company’s commitment to high quality products has helped it establish a strong reputation in the industry.
Looking forward, the drive for innovation is expected to continue shaping the sector and Bunzl continued research and development.
“With that said, I think the sector will always be driving forward and innovating,” said Beleno.
“As the industry progresses, it will undoubtedly see more companies challenging conventions and setting new standards for excellence.”
To learn more about Bunzl’s innovative packaging solutions, click here.