The Hungarian DS Smith won the Oscar of the packaging industry in two categories

(Photo: DS Smith)

The World Packaging Organization launched the WorldStar Awards in 1970, with which the most outstanding packaging solutions and innovations are rewarded on a global level. The work of DS Smith was recognized this year with four awards in three categories, two of the developments being the work of Hungarian designers. The solutions designed for the electric bicycle and industrial outdoor lamp were chosen as the best among e-commerce and shipping packaging. In the past period, market players have faced many challenges, so the optimization of logistics costs, the radical reduction of unfilled empty space during transport, maximum product protection, the unpacking experience, as well as criteria affecting complex supply chains must be taken into account when designing packaging. . Among other things, the packaging of the category-winning bicycle and outdoor lamp had to meet these conditions.

In the case of the electric bicycle, they created packaging that can raise the unpacking experience to a new level

Thanks to the tasteful instructions and practical design on the box, the package can be opened with one movement. By opening the front side, the bike can be easily rolled out, and the box can also be simply closed again in the event of a return. The weight of the bicycle was also an important factor during the design, the designers had to count on a load of at least 18.2 kg, depending on the model. A package passes through up to 25 touch points on the e-commerce delivery route, so it needs to be really durable. The area around the side doors is designed to be particularly strong – to withstand changing loads – the product is positioned by corrugated paper triangles, and the accessories are housed in a separate small box. For this, sustainability was treated as a key factor, and 100% recyclable paper was used as a raw material.

Among the transport packaging solutions, DS Smith stood out from the field with a logistics-optimized packaging for industrial lamps and impressed the professional panel

The traditional, so-called with the highly inventive transformation of a box that can be produced with in-line technology, a construction was created that fully matches the product and the shipping specifications, thus it is not necessary to purchase special tools for production, thereby avoiding possible additional costs. Thanks to the design of the special box that matches the shape of the product, the height of the package and the size of the pallet used for transportation have been greatly reduced, so that 33% more products can be placed on one pallet, which resulted in a 57% larger volume being transported at the same time by a truck.

(Photo: DS Smith)

“We work in close cooperation with our partners, assessing their needs and the specifics of the supply chains, thus creating our sustainable and innovative packaging solutions. These provide answers to customer expectations as well as logistical and optimization challenges. Our efforts are recognized by the two prizes awarded by the professional jury. It fills me with pride that we can help our customers with such skilled, creative and committed packaging strategists,” says Zsolt Fekete, managing director, sub-region manager of DS Smith Packaging Hungary.