Faes about partnering with HSV to develop sustainable medical transport boxes
Have you considered particle foams for developing sustainable product solutions? Faes, expert in efficient packaging solutions and logistics partner in various sectors, has built up extensive experience in this area by now.
Reducing carbon footprint and focusing on circular production
Sustainability is a high priority for this organisation, which is constantly looking for new opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint and focus on circular production. ‘The expandable particle foam known as EPP, incorporated into transport boxes and carrying systems, is a valuable addition here’, says Carlo Leijten, Account Manager at Faes. ‘In this article, I will walk you through the development process for reusable medical transport boxes for transporting stents, as well as our partnership with the particle foam engineers at HSV.
Lightweight transport box and other criteria
One of the market segments served by Faes is Medical’, Carlo Leijten continues. ‘A customer in this sector wanted a transport box that had to meet specific criteria. The highest priority was weight: in order to facilitate easy transport within a hospital, it had to be as lightweight as possible. Other criteria: the material had to be hygienic and easy to clean. The case had to be suitable for use as returnable packaging, and above all it had to offer optimal protection for the medical products it contained. The customer specified that the transport boxes should be manufactured sustainably, and that it should be possible to recycle them at the end of their service life.
‘At Faes, we have seen first-hand that this expandable foam is the most sustainable solution for transporting fragile medical devices’
The results
The process resulted in this medical transport box made from EPP. The transport box is used as returnable packing for supplying stents in hospitals. A complete set of stents is supplied per patient, but not all the parts in the transport box are used every time. Unopened packages are returned to the customer, where the transport boxes are cleaned and redeployed in the logistics process. In addition, we shortened the packaging cycle time to five days, which offers even more logistical advantages for the customer.
Reasons to opt for EPP
EPP offers various benefits as an applied material. It can be shaped into any form, creating many options for designing a feasible product, but EPP also has material properties that offer many advantages during use and in the logistics process. At Faes, we have seen first-hand that this expandable foam is the most sustainable solution for transporting fragile medical devices, all the way into the operating theatre.
‘EPP meets all the criteria and is a priceless material’
Definitely the biggest advantage: the material is lightweight but strong. More than 95% air, EPP is still robust. The density of the material ensures optimal protection for fragile products – an absolute requirement for these medical supplies. This particle foam is also hygienic and easy to clean. Moreover, HSV uses renewable energy to manufacture the shaped components used in this transport box. And EPP is recyclable, as our customer had specifically mandated. As a result, EPP meets all the criteria and is a priceless material. Our partnership with the particle foam engineers was also beneficial to us.
Partnership
We see the collaboration with HSV as a kind of partnership. They respond quickly, and actively contribute to the design process towards creating a feasible product.
‘They respond quickly, and actively contribute to the design process towards creating a feasible product’
Making a feasible product
The engineers at HSV have specific expertise in designing injection moulds, supported by knowledge of expandable plastics and the technical know-how needed to make a feasible product. That range of knowledge results in slightly different designs than we would come up with at Faes, providing valuable input for our own engineers. By addressing the project together, we can combine the expertise of both organisations and find the ideal product solution – a very enjoyable experience.
The properties of EPP, including full freedom of design and impact resistance, are perfectly aligned with customer demand, and we are well aware of the sustainable benefits of this material. This case involved a product for a medical customer, but we also use HSV particle foams for logistical solutions in other sectors.
Building on our previous experiences with HSV, we recently referred a potential customer to them, because the project request was a better match for what HSV does. That customer also received the assistance they needed.
Carbon footprint and circular production
As stated, sustainability is a high priority for Faes. We are constantly looking for new opportunities to reduce the carbon footprint and focus on circular production. That is why we enjoy working with companies that share that priority and have a good track record of commitment to a better environment, and we found a sustainable partner in HSV.’
‘Sustainability is a high priority for us, and we enjoy working with companies that share that priority and have a good track record of commitment to a better environment’
About Faes
Faes delivers tailored solutions for efficient and targeted packaging for various sectors. These reusable, lightweight transport boxes were created in cooperation with the particle foam engineers at HSV.
Reducing carbon footprint with sustainable solutions
Designers and customers increasingly ask the engineers at HSV to contribute to the design process in developing sustainable product solutions. HSV particle foams can make a real difference and contribution to reducing the carbon footprint of your organisation. The injection-moulded products are manufactured using sustainable steam and green electricity. Particle foams are often easy to recycle, while retaining their properties.
Feasibility Study
Would you like to know if your product design is feasible to make using particle foams? And would you like to continue reducing your organisation’s carbon footprint? Click on the button below to request a Feasibility Study, or contact one of our engineers directly by calling +31 318648999.
