Antalis, a paper and industrial packaging company, has reengineered a customer's shipping cartons, achieving a significant reduction in both packaging materials used and carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions.

Specifically, the initiative led to a 33% decrease in materials used and a 21-tonne (t) reduction in CO₂ emissions annually.

The client's original shipping cartons, which comprised a double-wall flute material, used 61t of board each year.

Antalis' Smart Packaging Centre (SPC) aimed to reduce the corrugated board in the cartons, which came in two sizes, without sacrificing performance.

Packaging technologists conducted tests to determine the performance capabilities and composition of the existing cartons.

Utilising the test results, Antalis developed theoretical parameters for replacement boxes manufactured using single-wall C-flute board.

This alternative was projected to deliver comparable performance using less cardboard per box.

The transition to the new cartons also optimised logistics efficiency. It increased the number of cartons per pallet from 140 to 180, reducing the number of pallet movements required.

Antalis Sustainability, Innovation and Design head John Garner said: "We knew in theory that a single-walled carton in a heavier flute should match the performance, but we couldn't be sure until we'd carried out the tests.

"The results show how clever cardboard engineering can make significant improvements in sustainability. Plus, we did it quickly: the whole process from taking the brief to delivering the first batch of new cartons took less than two months."