Smurfit-Stone Container, an industry leader in paper and paperboard-based packaging, premieres three new products at Pack Expo in Chicago this week.
The packaging solutions include corrugated thermoformed trays, the multi-purpose convertible box and PackeXpert strength-estimation software.
"The array and performance capabilities of the new products showcased at Pack Expo demonstrate our commitment to our customer's success," said Joe LeBlanc, vice-president of R&D for Smurfit Stone. "These innovative products have proven their strength, durability and speed-to-market characteristics demanded by our customers."
Thermoformed trays are made from corrugated packaging designed to increase the product strength, durability and insulation. Because of the product's insulation characteristics and ability to withstand oven heat of up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit, this packaging has a variety of applications, including deli trays, take-out containers, home meal replacements and oven-prepared snacks and dishes.
According to the company, a key benefit of these trays is that metal liners are not used; thus the trays can be passed through an x-ray machine without interruption, an issue for the airline industry, having implemented more rigorous safety standards in recent months. Thermoformed corrugated, developed to provide added benefits compared to other formed materials presently in the marketplace, is a new product that Smurfit-Stone has co-developed and marketed with Innovative Fibers.
The convertible box application is an example of Smurfit-Stone's proprietary design software that ties together the best features from multiple designs to produce an interchangeable end product, the company says. The convertible box eliminates storage space, can be identified with wireless applications using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) and has multiple applications across a variety of consumer goods.
PackeXpert can estimate the load carrying ability of shipping containers and pinpoint accurately and efficiently the appropriate paper usage for a customer's package. A container's stacking strength takes into account all the stresses exerted during transportation, storage and handling at various climatic conditions. This software makes it possible to specify package stacking strength in order to meet physical and mechanical stress requirements, the company says.
Smurfit-Stone Container Corporation is the industry's leading integrated manufacturer of paperboard- and paper-based packaging. Smurfit-Stone is a leading producer of containerboard, including white top linerboard and recycled medium, corrugated containers, multiwall bags, and clay-coated recycled boxboard, and is the world's largest paper recycler. The company operates approximately 300 facilities worldwide and employs approximately 38,500 people.