Bespoke sized poly-crates

The company had previously used cardboard crates to ship their products, but the extra weight after a change in load specification meant the crates could no longer withstand the rigours of the shipping process. This was causing ConvaTec several problems. There was costly damage to the products being shipped, products had to be replaced due to the cardboard crates failing, and time was wasted sorting out and arranging the return of damaged crates. Ultimately, the overall efficiency of the shipping process was affected.

Product and industry expert from Exporta, Damian White started out by shortlisting a few options for ConvaTec to consider. Several products with potential suitability for the job were assessed, these included Collapsible Pallet Boxes, Rigid Pallet Boxes, Pallet Collars and Poly-Crates.

After much consideration, it was decided that Poly-Crates were the right product to solve the issues ConvaTec were having. These crates are lightweight, but they can also take a far greater weight than cardboard. They fold down to 20% of their original height when not in use and this helps to save a lot of money on return carriage costs. There was a problem though: Exporta did not have the size required available as a stock item, so the company had to get creative.

Exporta can provide bespoke sized products tailored specifically to a customer’s needs, and so the exact solution chosen for ConvaTec on this occasion was bespoke. Damian worked closely with ConvaTec to choose an ideal size, before arranging the manufacture of the bespoke Poly-Crate. As well as the selection of a bespoke size, the ConvaTec logo was added to the Poly-Crates for increased brand exposure and to reduce the risk of lost crates.

In less than two months, Exporta had resolved ConvaTec’s shipping issues. By working collaboratively, a tailored solution was designed and the Poly-Crates manufactured and delivered.

These changes have had a positive impact on ConvaTec’s supply chain. The shipping process is now far more efficient, manufacturing and production support costs have been diluted, and the company is now able to send increased batch sizes thanks to the new Poly-Crates. The Set-Up and Set-Down time has also been reduced due to the 3-part design of the Poly-Crate. And crucially, these Poly-Crates are reusable. This is something that was not previously possible with the cardboard crates. ConvaTec no longer faces costly and time-consuming replacements to damaged products due to the sturdy and protective material used to make the Poly-Crates now in use.