FCBM 42:10 In Retrospect For Private Circulation only

Proceedings of 38th FCBM Conference

IN PURSUIT OF QUALITY SHOP FLOOR SUGGESTIONS FOR QUALITY@COST WHAT’S NEW ? Quality – A Way of Life QUALITY IMPROVEMENT Producing Better Quality with No-crush Feeder for Converting Better Quality Costs More ! A Fact Quality depends on Kraft Reduced Wastage & Cost Machines or A Myth ? OR Conversion Method ? Reducing Cost without Sacrificing International Fibre Board Why some Corrugated Fail ? Hygiene Management Systems in Quality Code Corrugating Industry Improvements in Box Mango Export to USA – New Practical Tips for Quality Compression Strength Corrugated Box Improvements in Boxplant The Industry Event of the Year.

Manufacturers of Corrugated Packaging and others connected with the Industry gathered together at The 38th Conference of the Federation of Corrugated Box Manufacturers of India to exchange ideas and benefit from the deliberations.

The conference was planned to be a memorable event by the Host Association Eastern India Corrugated Box Manufacturers’ Association.

Everyone connected with the industry benefitted from participating in this industry event of the year.

Each Technical Session was loaded with rich content that was shared by experts in the field.

The sightseeing and cultural programmes reflected the art & culture of Bengal.

The fraternal feeling among the members of FCBM was further enhanced at the informal get togethers.

38th FCBM Conference was indeed a milestone event.

The Conference Theme Quality@Cost is more relevant today than ever before. Quality is the one feature that will put us ahead of others.

Delegates discussed, deliberated on the road map for time ahead.

4 Technical 12 25 AGM Sessions Speakers Exhibitors

Net Corrustar Shop working Contest Talk The Knowledge Package

630 + Buyer-Seller Informal New Corrugators Meets Interactions Ideas Foreword

14 years ago we at EICMA hosted the 24th FCBM Conference. Those times were different. EICMA was a small association with just a handful of committee members. And in 2009 again, we had the opportunity. The young and vibrant Team EICMA was bubbling with enthusiasm and I showered on them all the blessings for success. A. B. Ajmera Chairman Emeritus, Conference

This booklet is an attempt to recreate the wonderful time you all gave us during the four–day event. We had the opportunity to play host for such an august gathering. We have meticulously encaptured the presentations by the eminent speakers during the four technical sessions. The proceedings are loaded with a wealth of information. I am sure this will be a reference for all of us. B. D. Kothari Chairman, Conference

To lead an enthusiastic team and make the milestone event a success, is a task weighed with enormous responsibility. Looking back at those four days, there is a feeling of joy and a sense of satisfaction. The success of the conference has been due to your active participation. It is my pleasure and privilege to present this booklet. I do hope, you enjoy reading this. Hemant Saraogi President, EICMA

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 1 Conference Theme

The Conference Theme “quality@cost” is aptly relevant at all times, especially in the current market scenario.

With the opening of the Indian market & the presence of international ; quality packaging is a crucial prerequisite from consumers to the industry. With numerous brands vying for attention at the retail shelf; our consumers to day need packaging other than for safe movement of their products from the shop floor to the retail counter, also attractive packaging to catch the attention of the end user.

Packaging has the power to create a demand for new products by providing a marketing medium. Marketing of mineral water, butter milk, etc., has been made possible because of availability of proper packaging. Exports of fruits & vegetables have grown, thanks to increased shelf-life by inventive packaging.

Quality at present times does not only mean an excellent product but also signifies aesthetics & innovation.

Profitability of any business depends not only on the price the customer is willing to pay, more so on cutting corners on costs. The savings on our costs can be by shifting from the buyers’ specification based order to functional product mix. Cost curtailment by way of streamlining processes, waste reduction, right sourcing of raw materials, technology upgradation or by greater economies of scale.

The Conference logo with a “Q” in tandem with a “C” symbolised balancing quality & cost. The tussle between quality & cost was debated in the Conference. The Theme deliberated on how to meet the consumers’ need of world class packaging at efficient cost economisation. The theme not only advocated cost reduction, it also emphasised that–quality comes at a cost and created buyer awareness.

Thus, the theme “quality@cost” led to multi-faceted discussions, thought provoking views, at different stages of technology evolution and benefitted the delegates.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 2 38th FCBM Conference The four-day industry event revisited

Day 1 17 December 2009

ITC Sonar in Kolkata gets set to receive corrugated manufacturers and others connected with the industry from all over India and other countries.

The industry event of the year was on!

The pre-conference day witnessed hectic preparations. Team EICMA was on its toes to see that everything was in order. The stage… the seating… the exhibition… the works.

After the Press Meet in the afternoon and the FCBM Paper Mills Coordination Sub-committee Meeting, there was a Fellowship Dinner where the early comers experienced the unique fraternal feeling among them.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 3 Day 2 18 December 2009

Participants came… they saw… they registered. Over 700 of them!

Some members brought their entries for the prestigious Corrustar contest

The jury had a tough time selecting the best from the good.

Exhibitors from all over the world- 33 of them started giving final touches to their stalls, ready for the inauguration by noon.

The Exhibition was inaugurated by Mr. M. K. Ramasami – a senior most veteran of the Industry.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 4 Participants made a bee line to the PALA Hall for the Inauguration.

After the ceremonial welcome of dignitaries and President of Regional Associations, the hall reverberated to the vedic chants by priests and created an auspicious note for the inauguration. The traditional lighting of lamp by the Chief Guest and others on the dais was accompanied by the blowing of conch, which further enhanced the ambience of the ceremony.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 5 Mr. A. B. Ajmera, Chairman Emeritus - “The deliberations of 38 conference are comes up. We have to look for reduction Conference blessed the conference in expected to hold some such invisible of cost by maintaining the Quality. Even his brief address. things, which are critically important one paise cost reduction will lead to for the corrugated box industry. “what next” “What else”. For our own Mr. Hemant Saraogi, President, EICMA, survival one has to constantly look for in his welcome address said: Corrugated packaging is versatile. We the avenues to reduce costs. Obviously, pack from needles to machines and “I feel elated to stand before you all and this can not be done at the cost of the from fruits to explosives and what not!. welcome you to this Industry Event of quality and for which the buyer will the Year – which our Team EICMA has We are using paper made out of have to pay. agricultural residue and also recycled architectured and orchestrated during Packaging is not just wrapping. The and helping to protect ecology. the last over 12 months. We have been quality of the box speaks volumes waiting for 14 long years for this day to A sustainable growth is possible of its inner contents. As such the host this conference. only when changes, innovations and package should ensure – safety, eye As I see all of you here I feel our labour inventions are integrated with ethical catching look, attractive enough so as to facilitate its sale from the shelf. The is well rewarded. business practices, and also by taking care of environment. quality of the box should withstand In keeping with our conference theme, transportation, breakages, leakages I am confident that during deliberations Team EICMA has planned to give you and bulging to ensure that the packed of this conference all this and many ‘Quality’ time during your stay here”. material reaches its destination safely. other critical issues figure prominently He concluded saying, Maa Kali ke iss and out of the interaction and Thus the whole cycle created a change – Mahanagar mein aap sab ka Swagat. discussion in technical sessions, some to enter into uncomforted zone – make Aayiye hum sub milkar iss Conference ko vitally important suggestions will a box which can perform – balancing Safal Banaye. emerge which, were invisible earlier it at optimum cost – affordable to the and will be of great benefit now for customer and remunerative for us. Mr. B. D. Kothari, Conference the corrugated box manufacturing This cycle gave interesting results in Chairman, extended a warm welcome industry”. the past and whosoever has taken this to all and thanked Mr. Moinul Hassan challenge has achieved tremendous for gracing the occasion and said, that Mr. R. G. Agarwala, President Elect success. the members of EICMA were delighted delivered a thought provoking keynote The Theme of this 38th FCBM to host the 38th Conference, in Kolkata. address. conference, balance “Quality @ Cost” He emphasized on the need for change Excerpts: “The world is always changing for better realization is the most and said, “the world is passing through and this Continuous Cycle of Change appropriate issue to be discussed, new age which is witnessing profound has always been the driving force for elaborated and thrashed to arrive at changes in all the spheres, social, growth and development. One of desired results in the technical sessions.” political and particularly in economic the important qualities of great men is the willingness to change further Mr. Anil Kumar Reddy, FCBM arena. In this changing world, not only and thereby to achieve even greater President, delivered the Presidential a nation but also the industry should heights. They believe in transition Address have its vision to achieve a higher leaving comfort zones. goal. Vision is the art of seeing things Excerpts: “As we gather together in this invisible, as aptly said by Jonathan Once the determination to produce ‘City of Joy’, there is ‘Joy’ in my heart Swift. good quality is made, the COST factor looking at so many corrugators and

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 6 others who have come from all corners I urge upon other regional associations different types of industries. Your of India and other parts of the World; to keep this as the by line for future industry is a big one, with many small ‘Confidence’ in our ability - that we conferences. stake holders. We are in favour of them. together can take this industry forward; Looking at so many overseas speakers, In my industrial state, there are many ‘Determination’ in my mind that we delegates and exhibitors here, I think corrugated box manufacturers. I am as ONE national body, can make our our Annual FCBM Conferences have trying to do my best for the industry. Federation proud of our fraternity. attained international stature. We can I am sharing your concern. It has been a year of ups and downs. now call our conference ‘International People have been asking about GST. From recession, to positive growth Conference of FCBM India’. The future From April 2010, there is a possibility – the economy has bounced back host association can take a cue”. to introduce Goods & Service Tax. There with Industrial Production in India Mr. Moinul Hassan, Guest of is another question about Direct Tax scaling to 9%. Honour, began his inaugural address Code and Excise Duty. A global survey has predicted that congratulating FCBM for organizing In the next session we will be in a demand for corrugated packaging the conference. position to discuss GST and decide will rise by 4% annually through the Excerpts: “In the packaging industry, whether it is possible to introduce it next 4 years. all the developed countries except or not. India’s per capita consumption of India are going ahead. Per capita Packaging is a very important sector corrugated packaging is still below consumption of corrugated packaging in our public life. My native district 2 kg. compared to 68 kg in UK and in India is only 2% where as in other Mushirabad as well as Malda are about 20 kg in China. countries like UK it goes up to even to mango producing areas. Some of my 64% or 65%. So, we can understand This is rather astonishing when we friends since last two years were trying where we stand. We need to introspect consider that India ranks among the to export mangoes. But they failed. what we need to do for this industry. top nations in production of milk, fruits Why? We were in a meeting with the I firmly believe that thousands of people & vegetables and processed foods. Chief Minister and we had an expert depend on this industry as a supplier, brought in for the meeting. The Chief Corrugated boxes, answer the needs as a labourer and as a common man. Minister was very much in favour of of the manufacturers, better than any As this conference is going on, the the mango exports. The expert said other mode of packaging. Producers meeting at Copenhagen also is that it would not happen because the of fresh and processed foods have long happening. packaging was not up to the mark. The appreciated corrugated packaging for Chief Minister asked us if there was any its low cost, easy for usage, exceptional Environment and packaging are possibility to rectify this. The expert product protection, high shipping reciprocative. By – we can said that there was ample scope. So, density and color graphics used for keep our greenery, our environment they had to change the business policy branding. Its custom design allows in tact for our future generations. and improve the packaging system. optimal protection for each commodity Corrugated box manufacturing and improves operational and industry is very much related to this I am happy to inform you that the same merchandizing efficiency throughout Climate change. We have to gear up company is exporting mangoes today the entire supply chain. ourselves and we need to be in favour in a big way. Packaging & quality of the of this. product depends very much on your I am happy that EICMA has chosen to industry.” call this Annual Conference as ‘The As far as small industries are concerned, Industry Event of the Year.’ we are trying our best to facilitate

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 7 Mr. Chetan Shah – The Colourful Souvenir was released by the Chief Guest The Man behind the Super Souvenir Time for Awards and Mementoes

Smt. Madhu Harlalka (Daughter-in-law of late Shri S. N. Harlalka) presented the Prestigious S. N. Harlalka award to Mr. Satish Tyagi & Mr. Bharath Kedia. Mr. Satish Tyagi thanked FCBM for bestowing on him the prestigious award. Accepting the award Mr. Bharath Kedia said – “I am grateful to FCBM Committee Members – for nominating me for this award. Special thanks to Mr. Anil Kumar Reddy and Mr. Hemant Saraogi without whose support, I would not have been receiving this award. This award actually belongs to my mentors – Mr. R. G. Agarwala, Mr. A. B. Ajmera and Mr. M. L. Agarwal. I am simply accepting this award on their behalf”. B. K. Doshi Award was presented to Dolphin Inks Pvt. Ltd. Mr. Deshpande of Dolphin Inks speaking on the occasion, said he was grateful to FCBM for bestowing this award on his company and that they would try continuously to be worthy of it. He further said, “It is also remarkable that 15 years ago when water based ink was an untested technology, the corrugated box industry and Mr. Anil Reddy in particular was one of the first to try it out to at least give us a chance. It is a remarkable coincidence that in a year he is steering FCBM, we have won this award”. He dedicated the award to his colleagues in Dolphin Inks and all the customers. Corrustar Awards – Jury Panel: Mr. P. V. Narayanan Mr. Ludwig Anckaert & Mr. P. Dasgupta Mr. P. V. Narayanan said - “The judges felt that there have been an overall excellent and good efforts by all contestants and very equally and importantly, everyone of entrants seems to have given specific and precise concern about the growing environmental concern. What we have found was – there is an excellent attempt to shift from other materials to corrugated board and good use of corrugated board for the benefit of cost effectiveness and environmental effectiveness”. He appreciated overall excellent approach by everyone of the entrants. Corrustar Winners

1. Innovation – Packers Products 2. POP Display – Packers Products. 3. Best Consumer Package – Tulsyan Enterprise Pvt. Ltd. 4. Materials & Fitments – Latha Enterprises 5. Excellence in Transport Packaging – Pioneer Packaging Industries

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 8 Life Time Achievement Award

Mr. B. A. Shah in his prologue said, “It is an honour to introduce a person who does not need an introduction.

Annubhai - a legend of corrugated packaging industry, a humble man, always ready to help, gentleman to the core, encyclopedia of corrugated packaging industry. In the field of Excise nobody is greater than Mr. Ajmera. He can read which nobody can read, he can read between the lines, on Excise.

He is known to everybody as A. B. The Federation and the packaging industry are fortunate to have a person like Mr. A. B. Ajmera. His company was the first to start the Corrugated Packaging Industry in India which his father started.

EICMA has bestowed upon him the Life Time Achievement Award.

If FCBM thinks in the same terms, there will not be any better person than AB for this award”.

When the award was presented to Mr. A. B. Ajmera, there was chorus of AB, AB…, in the hall.

Accepting the Award Mr. A. B. Ajmera said, - “What do I say? What I believe and what I say is your day starts with corrugated box and ends with it”.

Special Appreciation Awards were presented to S. R. Ravinder, Managing Director, Sennar Group of Paper Mills & President of South Mills Association and also to Mr. Prakash Rathi, Managing Director, Kaygaon Paper Mills Ltd. & President of Maharashtra Paper and Board Association for their co-operation and implementation of quality requirements requested by FCBM.

Mementoes were presented to Platinum Sponsors.

Milan Kumar Dey proposed vote of thanks

The inaugural programme ended with the National Anthem

Veterans were felicitated in the evening. The ‘tabla’ beats by Pandit Shri. Tanmay Bose and the cultural programme by Miss. Jojo regaled the participants in the evening.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 9 Day 3 19, December 2009 Time to get Technical!

The day was loaded with technical presentations and discussions and so was the first half of 20th December.

Experts from India and abroad dwelt upon various issues related to Quality of Corrugated Boxes.

The presentations were punctuated with humourous anecdotes.

Agni, Fire & Dance Show

Day 4 Regional Presidents congratulated 20, December 2009 EICMA on the excellent manner they organized the conference. Technical session 4 highlighted “What’s Mr. G. B. Shenoy President APCBMA New,” the world over for the corrugated welcomed all to Hyderabad for the packaging industry. 39th Conference. The four day event came to a conclusion Mr. R. G. Agarwala, in his acceptance with the AGM on 20th afternoon. speech, emphasized the need for After the AGM, Mr. R. G. Agarwala strengthening the Federation and took over as President FCBM and was infusing more activities. He announced congratulated by all. the names of office bearers and subcommittee chairmen. The outgoing president Mr. Reddy, After the agenda, Mr. R. G. Agarwala- began the proceedings with a speech the incoming President was outlining the activities during the year garlanded and congratulated by 2009. After the AGM, Mr. Reddy was one and all. escorted from the stage by the galaxy of Past Presidents. So after four days of hectic activity, fellowship, net working etc., it was Mr. M. R. Gopalchary was nominated time to say good bye Kolkata and Vice President I. thank EICMA for the wonderful time Mr. Sunil Sethi, was nominated they gave to all of us. Vice President II.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 10 Technical Sessions Programme

Session 1 Session 3 Theme : IN PURSUIT OF QUALITY Theme : QUALITY@COST Session Chairman : Mr. Pankaj Shah, Managing Partner, Session Chairman : Mr. Satish Kapur, Director, Trident Mehta Paper Industries, Mumbai Trading Corporation, Kolkata Subject : Quality – A Way of Life Subject : Producing Better Quality with Speaker : Mr. R. H. G. Rau, President, National Reduced Wastage & Cost Center for Quality Management, Speaker : Mr. John Hamer, Consultant, Mumbai Marcarbox S.L.U., Spain. Subject : Better Quality Costs More ! A Fact Subject : Reducing Cost without Sacrificing or A Myth ? Quality Speaker : Mr. R. Srinivasan, ITC, Kolkata Speaker : Mr. Patrick Mafrici, BHS, Subject : Why some Corrugated Boxes Fail ? Shanghai, China Speaker : Mr. Arup Sengupta, Bangalore Subject : Improvements in Box Compression Strength Speaker : Mr. Ram Kumar Sunkara, Session 2 S. S. Consultants, Pune Theme : SHOP FLOOR SUGGESTIONS FOR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT Session 4 Theme : WHAT’S NEW ? Session Chairman : Mr. AL. Annamalai, Managing Director, India Packaging Products Session Chairman : Mr. Harish Madan, Director, Securipax Pvt. Ltd., Bangalore Packaging (P.) Ltd., Roorkee, India Subject : Box Quality depends on Kraft Subject : No-crush Feeder for Converting Paper OR Conversion Method ? Machines Speaker : Mr. Manish Patel , South India Paper Speaker : Mr. Weine Widar, EMBA, Sweden Mills, Mysore, Karnataka Subject : International Fibre Board Case Code Subject : Hygiene Management Systems in Speaker : Mr. Ludwig Anckaert, Packaging Corrugating Industry Expertise Center, Belgium Speaker : Mr. Ludwig Anckaert , Packaging Subject : Mango Export to USA – New Expertise Center, Belgium Corrugated Box Design Subject : Practical Tips for Quality Speaker : Dr. S. Paul Singh and Mr. K. Saha, Improvements in Boxplant School of Packaging, Speaker : Mr. Archie Brown, Consultant in Michigan State University, USA Corrugated, Thailand

Conference Technical Committee

Pankaj D. Shah Milan Kumar Dey Subrato Das Soumitra Chowdhury Chairman Co-Chairman Member Member

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 11 Opening Remarks

Welcome to the technical part of the The Session IV opens the door to Pankaj Shah conference. ‘What’s New’. In the globalised world we are in, it is vital for us to keep In the next two days we will have four Managing Partner, abreast with developments here and technical sessions. Mehta Paper Industries, elsewhere. In keeping with the Theme of the Managing Director, We have eminent speakers – telling us Conference, we have structured the Nova Machineries Limited. the innovations and developments in Sessions on ‘Quality and Costs’. Managing Director, the industry-world wide. The Session I “In Pursuit of Quality”, Supack International Pvt. Ltd. Our Technical Sessions have been has 3 eminent speakers highlighting Past Chairman of truly international during the last few Indian Institute of Packaging ‘Quality as a way of Life’, years. This year too, we have 7 out of 12 speakers from other countries! This Past President of ‘Breaking the myth of Better Quality helps us to maintain a global awareness Asian Packaging Federation, Costs More’ and about our businesses. Past-President of FCBM ‘Parameters that cause Box Failure’. Each one of the speakers is highly Chairman, knowledgeable in his area and is The Session II brings out ways and Conference Technical Committee endowed with rich experience. means of “Quality Improvement” Mechanical Engineer related to our industry. 3 experts throw Their presentations will surely be with Post-Graduate degree in light on this important subject. enlightening. Industrial from The Session III focusses on ‘Reducing Kansas State University, USA. Wish you a very enriching time at the cost without sacrificing Quality’. Here Well-known and respected for sessions. again 3 experts will enlighten you on technical innovativeness and various aspects of reducing costs. analytical approach.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 12 FCBM 42:10 | Page – 13 In Pursuit of Quality

INTRODUCTION STUDY FINDINGS

l I am here not to share with you any add-on l In the light of this conference, at my initiative, inputs to what you are already experiencing in a study was recently conducted during a 2- “packaging industry” month period on over 110 select participants l I have very little exposure to packaging. You are l 92 Percent responded to a set of questions the experts l The question of relevance to today’s topic, l What i will be sharing with you is how i have posed to them, was: been interpreting my life these long years – “How do you perceive quality of life?” both personal and professional - and my “tryst l 76 Percent of respondents said: “ by being nice with quality” and polite

LIFE STUDY FINDINGS l The most precious gift to us is our “life” l More importantly, a vast majority said: l The beauty is, during our life span, we continue to have several encounters – With individuals “By being nice to everyone , always” and events - till our last breath

OBVIOUSLY INTROSPECTION That is all we should attempt with everyone we If we honestly introspect, only a few fortunate transact, everytime we transact, and everything among us live our “lives” fruitfully, that too with we transact with true satisfaction and contentment

I am very pleased to be here this Let me start by making a confession, Dr. R. H. G. Rau morning and talk on a subject so close I am not here to share anything which Management Consultant to my heart for the past couple of is or could add value to Packaging promoting organizational decades. My professional experience Industry per se. Whatever I will be really excellence as a business strategy. is over 40 years and for the last 20 sharing with you, though it may have Expert Trainer - he facilitated years, I have been concentrating on very little on the technical aspects of over 3000 performance various initiatives which are really the industry, would have a significance enhancement teams. giving significant benefits to various on the performance of the industry as industries, educational institutions, a whole to become competitive and Over 40 years experience and and even health care units. Focus of continue to be competitive. served with distinction in the mine as a Management Consultant Before I proceed further, let us appreciate fields of quality, technology, has been in the past, related to how that we do a lot of transactions which research, manufacturing and quality and quality management could we do during our day-to-day activities. marketing. be used as a part of business strategy. We do all these transactions primarily My comments to you for the next 20 Member of many leading not only with our customers, but with minutes have this back drop. associations and institutions in our several contacts, several individuals the field of Quality Management The topic of my presentation- ‘Quality with whom we interact on a day-to- and currently President of – A Way of Life’ was given by the day basis. If we honestly introspect our National Centre for Quality organizers because of certain reasons. lives, we do recognize, do realize that Management, Mumbai. Firstly, it is in line with the theme of there are just a few among us who are this conference – Quality @ Cost and fortunate and would say that yes, our also since my management initiatives lives have been worth living and the and experience for the last 40 years has years have been really outstanding and been primarily in the area of enhancing we are exceedingly enjoying what we the performances through quality as a are doing. vehicle.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 14 CUSTOMER LIFE’S METAPHOR l Most of us have limited appreciation of the QUALITY word “customer” l “Like a rose put in our hands with all its tenderness l We tend to look at him purely from business SIMPLY PUT: point of view “Quality is affirming our l Full of beauty commitment to our customer” l Actually, only a part of our lives is twined with l Full of contours business PERSONAL QUALITY l Full of thorns l The fact is : anyone who is impacted by our Personal quality is not seperable from l Needs handling with care action in life is our customer professional quality l The more we handle with care, the more we can l Anyone who is impacted by our actions, both in experience its beauty personal and professional lives

LIFE IN PRACTICE

THE KEY l Full of transactions CUSTOMERS Every transaction is a potential source of l Make sure you know what you can deliver to happiness / unhappiness External customers: In a narrow business sense your customer Internal customers: In an organizational sense l Never go beyond what you can commit to your HUMAN BEINGS Personal customers: At individual customer l Deliver what you commit In all of us we see a quantum jump in awareness, an enormous increase in the ability to learn, imaginative and reasoning power

For the past about five years, I have life is directly related to how nice and our actions is our customer. If we extend been working on a research project polite are we to others, but also how this to our personal transactions, not related to studying in great detail nice and polite are others to us. More only professional, then we end up with global organizations, and the focus was importantly, the respondents said, be a situation whereby we are focusing on on the leadership excellence. At the nice to everyone around, be polite, the quality of every single transaction end of it, I am in a position to bring out be useful, be positive with everyone. in one’s life, both professional and a book titled ‘Leadership Excellence’ We transact and with every one we personal. That leads us to extend our which could see the light of the day in transact and every time we transact, thought process about the customers about 6 -12 months. As I am a professor that obviously leads to the importance as external customers as already in NIMMS, a leading MBA school in the of the customer and in business how explained, who take our services and country, with the help of some MBA do we ensure that quality of life, is pay us, with an organization focus and students, we are extending our research focussed on customers. also more importantly the personal work in the area of performance customers. Any individual with whom Most of us have a general feeling the excellence in individuals. What is it that we interact is a personal customer. moment we talk about customer, the is making some individuals’ perform person that comes to mind is someone When this thought process was being outstandingly and what is it that is who takes our products, who takes our evolved about a decade back, several responsible for some of them not services, who takes our deliverables of my contacts started asking me making so outstanding performances. and then who pays us. A well-known how I interpret an internal customer. When this invitation came to me to be external customer concept! A simple example I had given was, if I tell with you this morning and the theme my grandson I will get him a chocolate As you are aware, the type of quality of this conference we conducted a by that evening and if I forget and do improvement, the structured quality survey. During the past couple of not get, he will remind you the next improvement that have come up over months, we are in a position to get a morning, and again I forget. Assume the last decade or two, the customer fairly decent feedback from several that this happens two-three times, concept is considerably internalized respondents, educated and several not and the fourth day, the relationship and we do have now, the internal so well educated people. A very lengthy between my grandson and me will customer and supplier relationship, questionnaire with several questions not be same as on the first day. In this which have really given a strong feeling was prepared. I just picked up one example, my grandson is my customer, that take care of your process and then question. How would you perceive my forgetfulness is a defect. automatically the product quality is quality of life? taken care of. The moment we have that The moment we extend this thought Amazingly, a fairly large percentage type of approach, what therefore works process to our spouses, our neighbours of the respondents said that quality of out is, that anyone who is impacted by and to everyone we interact, then

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 15 HONESTY AND TRUTHFULNESS HUMAN VALUES l By being truthful and honest, we are not CHARISMA l Are unconsciously picked up from the obliging the society. In fact we are doing a environment, by looking at role models, how service to ourselves since these values greatly The impact of the sheer charisma rarely lasts they behave and what values they cherish enhance the quality of our lives beyond the personality, as we have seen in our own country, with the illustrious example of Gandhiji l Values are picked up from several sources: THE GOLDEN RULE such as family, parents, teachers, opinion – makers and society “DO UNTO OTHERS AS YOU WISH OTHERS TO DO UNTO YOU”

CORE VALUES Q @ C Most enlightened organizations have “declared” values such as: VALUE-CENTRIC PREDICAMENT l For a deeper appreciation of this conference theme, we may like to add Two more c’s: - Honesty l Man inevitably finds himself in the value- - Integrity centric predicaments because the very - COMMITMENT - CUSTOMERS - Commitment rejection of value statements is itself a value - Passion judgement - Speed PERSONAL QUALITY FOCUS l What is important is the intellectual honesty Adresses several aspects, such as: It is time that each of us, as individuals, imbibe * Abilities * Attitudes * Softer skills them in our personal lives too the focus will be absolutely on the I just brought in a metaphor here. It is Gandhi- oh, what a great man he was! transaction, and the focus will be not like a rose. It is beautiful, it has several What a charismatic leader he was! only on the professional transactions ups and downs, but it is same at several No doubt about it. We think of him but also on the personal transactions. contours. But, at the same time it has only on his birthday. So, therefore the Simply therefore, against this particular thorns. The way we handle the rose is charismatic component of it, we found example, the quality is confirming our exactly the way we handle our lives. has a relatively shorter life. It has to be commitment to our customers in a very The moment we take care of that with managed in a very systematic manner. broad sense. That is how the personal considerable amount of attention, An extension of this thought process quality cannot be separated from obviously, we enjoy what we are doing is the importance of core values. The professional quality. We have several in life. Therefore, in a nutshell, the life idea of bringing up value statements research works in which we have in practice is full of transactions. Every among the Indian organizations or practical examples of industries. day we sit on, possibly at the end of for that matter even globally, to come the day, we would have gone through There was one organization, I may not out with a vision statement, a mission thousands of transactions. Every single name, they approached me and said statement, core values, quality policy, transaction is a potential source for that they have a problem of very high H. R. policy, safety policy- they have all happiness or unhappiness. absenteeism. We looked into that. come about in the last decade or so. We made a detailed study and it We tried to look into this in great detail Why is it so? It is specially, because the was found that the vast majority of by bringing in the thought process of organizations have started believing workmen had their own personal how the behaviour of human beings that, it is beneficial for them to have problems at home. The moment have been. One of our team members core values, and the declared values. we addressed those, their own has been an expert, a professor in Declared, that the organization is professional performances have gone behavioural sciences. We looked into aiming for honesty, aiming for integrity, up significantly. The key therefore is, and we recognized that particularly aiming for commitment etc. we must know what we can deliver, to in the last decade or so there has been I had the privilege of assessing Aditya our customers and we should never a quantum jump in the awareness Birla Group Companies. Last month go beyond what we can commit and ability to learn. We tend to be I assessed five companies. Some of to our customers, and once we commit, far more imaginative and have more them are abroad. It is amazing to see deliver what we commit. That in reasoning powers. how those organizations have become all, seems to be the Quality component We also thought about to what extent global with this kind of focus. of it. the charisma makes a difference in I am not telling for a moment, once you When we come to the application of the the quality of life. We felt that it is declare the value statement, it is the Quality to life, again, lot of application usually very-very short lived. We have end of it. No. It gets deployed down the has been done already. examples. We talk about Mahatma

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 16 INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON EDUCATION

INDIAN EDUCATION SYSTEM l Learning to know: QUALITY OF LIFE Gathering intellectual knowledge and At a holistic level: Can be enhanced only when we Information exceed meeting every single It is completely sidestepping the whole question of l Learning to do: commitment to our customers human values and goals Occupational skills and competence to – both stated and implied Handle situations, both complex and routine Here, our focus is conspicuous

THE FIVE KEY ELEMENTS INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON l Learn to live together EDUCATION EDUCATION l Attention to personal values l Be a role model to family l Learning to live together: For the 21st century, identified four pillars of l Avoid confusion in both ends and means education for a happy life and sustained growth Respect, understanding others, Synergizing l Add value in every transaction l Learning to be: l Learning to know LASTLY l Learning to do Developing all the potentials for self- l Learning to live together Actualization Quality is like religion……it has to be l Learning to be Here, we have a lot to do believed and practiced every day. When done, it will, surely become a way of life. line. Enough examples of outstanding The golden rule therefore is: do to but we are not really giving that much companies are available in our own others as you wish the others to do it to attention to what we want to get. country, which have come up to global you. It is as simple as that when it comes Like Albert Einstein said, perfection levels and it is time for us to inculcate to personal quality. Quality@Cost, of means is what we are aiming - with this type of value component among which is the theme of this conference, tremendous amount of confusion at the individuals. for a deeper appreciation of the theme, the end. But, why is this is coming up? I may add two more ‘C’s here. That At the top is human values, and it is By and large we are working in our is- Commitment and Commitment to very clear to us that they are to be education system on the quantification, Customer. picked up from various sources, such more interested in knowing how many as family, parents, teachers, society, Lots of personal quality focus- how MBAs have come out, how many of so on and so forth. So, therefore we do we go about it? We not only talk them are in the first class or how many have all got tremendous amount of about in terms of abilities, we talk in of them are placed in MNCs and what responsibility in order to create a value terms of softer skills. One of the things are their annual salaries etc., etc. That at the personal levels. All of us have which I would also like to bring to your seems to be the focus. But, we are really got it. And the moment we extend that attention is, again based on the study losing the important aspect of human particular and large core values, which we have conducted. We seem to be values. We are not inculcating those are being followed by the leading by and large tremendously focusing values in our children. It has become organizations, to individuals, we will on perfecting the means. Some of a matter of major discussion - even be then, driving a powerful quality you who are the quality experts, those to day it is going on, in the Board of movement of individuals. who have experience in the quality Studies, in the Universities. Here, a couple of things are worth mentioning Value-centric. A lot of predicaments are management, you must have heard of before I close. there, whether it is useful or not useful. Dr. Joseph Juran, Dr. Deming. I had the I don’t know how to do it... all such pleasure of meeting Juran a couple of I am referring to the International sort of things. But what is important years back when he was 103 and at 103 Commission of Education’s Report. They is intellectual honesty on our side to he was editing… editing his hand book, brought out that to have a happy and ensure that the values are deployed the day before he died. He was still very sustainable growth, it is very essential down the line. Bring in the thought sharp. I met him four or five times … for us to focus on our education system, process of honesty, truthfulness. The lot of inputs from him. Once I asked learning to know, learning to be. What moment we have that, take it from him- Joseph, tell me what made you it means is the first two- learning to me, we are helping ourselves. It is not to be the Guru... The point I am trying know – that is gathering the intellectual helping others. We will help ourselves to say,is that by and large, we seem to information, knowledge etc., learning significantly being honest, being be giving tremendous importance to to do is essentially on the operational truthful, having core values within us. the methodologies, the processes etc, skills- skill development essentially on

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 17 the occupational skills, while on the of quality. Here, there is a point to go the personal or professional life, it does other two, that is to live together, like home- to excel ourselves, so we hope not matter, the moment we do it with a respecting, understanding the others, to excel in products that we make. tremendous amount of commitment, a appreciating etc. and also learning to tremendous amount of confidence that be, leading yourself to a high level of we would succeed, that is perhaps the self actualization. In this regard we Questions & Answers shortest method I can think of. seem to be not doing that well. Q: Like we are in the corrugated box Q: Arunachallam: Finally, the quality of life- when we take industry, we do not have caliber to all these aspects into consideration, What ever is the process, it is tedious. manage our people. they can be enhanced only when we Is there any shortcut to achieve our A: There is a theory which is called X exceed and at the same time exceed goals? theory and Y theory. Basically what it to meet every single commitment to means, in a nutshell is, there are some customers – customers in our personal A: Rau: As far as quality processes people in an organization, who want life as well as in business. are concerned, there are probably hundred ways. You add up Juran on to perform and at the same time, there In order to enhance our quality, quality quality improvement, Business Process are also a section of people, who don’t in the personal life, we should learn to Engineering so on and so forth. These want to perform, I strongly disagree live together, develop personal values, are methods. Pick up the method with that. In my judgment every live up to that. A role model to family, a which you feel is comfortable for you. single individual has the capacity to role model to industry, avoid confusion Implement that particular method perform, every single individual wants in both ends and means, address to in the organization where you are to perform, enjoys performing. There both of them, and more importantly, working. When you do that, the way is nothing like this person is not willing add value to every transaction of ours. you get involved, becomes a very to perform. All that is necessary is to Lastly, let me conclude by stating that important component of it. Here what find, ensure that our own employees, Quality is like a Religion. It has to be it means is that we continuously learn, our own colleagues will need a believed and it has to be practiced, we get involved totally, and we do with situation where they ride on their every single day, every single moment. a tremendous amount of commitment. strengths. At the same time we create When it is done, it will surely become a situation whereby they overcome A Way of Life. As Mr. Pankaj Shah mentioned, I have their weaknesses. I have handled 3000 facilitated 3000 to 4000 Projects. There employees at Mukand, This has been was not a single project which was a the guiding thought in my mind. There failure. Only thing is we thought such Comment by P. D. Shah: is no doubt that there may be a few and such a improvement project will black sheep. Don’t very much bother Like they say charity begins at home, save us a crore of rupees, probably on that. A very large percentage of so what better way to start the whole saved 10 lakhs of rupees. So only employees can be enthused to perform. day of discussions on quality, than talk the shortcut method is, whatever about our own selves, personal level methodology we accept, whether in

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 18 Better Quality Costs More!- A Fact or a Myth?

On a lighter side, I do not know why is our 75th wedding anniversary”. R. Srinivasan Mr. Pankaj Shah invited me apart I thought that was touching. from being a good friend. Especially He says ‘I have conveyed the context Joined ITC’s Tobacco Division in considering that my hair is already and contents of the concepts of my 1974 after receiving a B.Tech. graying but I thought to myself Hand Book to my young son who from IIT, Kharagpur. there seems to be a silver lining. is above 70 and should anything Old corrugated have their own He has overall responsibilities for happen, he will ensure that the book is usage and they can always be recycled ITC’s and Specialty completed.’ That was a fantastic tribute and they improve the environmental Papers, Packaging & , to the kind of things Dr. Rau spoke foot print especially in the context of Education & Stationery Products, about, which is quality as a way of life. what is happening on global warming Safety Matches and Agarbattis Like he mentioned he used to use a issues. businesses. felt pen and put it on the eggs before So, I am here to talk to you a little bit putting in the refrigerator. The children Director of about quality & costs and to talk to used to eat them first –in and first–out, ITC Infotech India Limited you a little bit about recycling as it Let us spend a little bit of time with and its subsidiaries, applies to the corrugated industry. these gurus. ITC Infotech Limited, UK & But I thought it would be more ITC Infotech (USA) Inc., My attempt here is to link some of appropriate to talk a little bit about who Asia Tobacco Company Limited the concepts that we are familiar with the gurus of quality are and what they and Wimco Ltd. and put it here hopefully in a very have to teach us. It is very heartening simple . Member Governing Body of the to hear Dr. Rau speak about Dr. Joseph Indian Institute of Packaging, Juran who was 103 year old and still Here, we are highlighting what would Mumbai. writing and updating his Hand Book. be 3 comparative factors: Product, I have this prized letter of Dr. Juran Superiority, Operational Excellence and Member of the Chamber which he wrote to many of his friends Customer Intimacy. But the important Committee of The Bengal where he says “I am 102 and my wife is point is that they require threshold Chamber of Commerce and 101 and we are soon going to celebrate competencies in three factors. Industry. what might be a record of sorts, which If one draws a triangle across product

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 19 Superiority, Operational Excellence and the way to be able to do it, which is We should be able to have a system of Customer Intimacy all of that should discipline. regular measurements and checks. finally lead to more and more customer We respond to a drop or a drip or a That will be a fairly good model of what intimacy for orders and hopefully complaint- a typical response that we we talk about. I used the words ‘SCADA’ better profits. are all familiar with. We ask people there, borrowed from the industry The theme is quality @ cost. To draw how is quality going? ‘Ab tak to koi terminology- stands for Supervisory your attention to one of these simple shikayat nahi!’ So it must be okay and Control and Data Acquisition. It sounds fundamentals – we all give importance this is referring perhaps to the reactive a very ominous term, but de facto all of to financial planning, financial control phase Dr. Juran spoke about, which us do it all the time. We use our eyes, and financial improvement. What is, you respond after something has ears, mobile phones, computers for about Quality? The Juran trilogy happened. And he drew attention to help but still we are doing supervisory talks about giving equal importance the person with the magnifying control and data acquisition. and looking at the recent episode to quality planning, quality control, The data acquisition and supervisory which has caused problem. And use quality improvement. control and sensing of those signals this opportunity to actually expand may not be as accurate and as reliable By and large, when we speak about the horizon. If you see the one which as the computer. But we are doing it. quality, we are referring to quality is the hidden factor which Dr. Juran control. People talk about that little talks about, I deliberately confused The purpose of saying this is to bring in complaint when something went it by adding health parameters and the value of measurements. wrong, that particular supply, which health incentives because they are also I want to be on athletics team. I go to ran into trouble, the particular event defects in the quality. the chairman of the selection body, and that caused a delay in the launch. But So as long as nothing is wrong with say Sir, my B. P. is 125-80, my sugar is what we need to bear in mind is that the human body - all of us are least within control etc. etc. What will be his he spoke simultaneously about quality bothered about how kidneys work etc. reaction? He will say, are you sure you planning, quality control, quality When some thing goes wrong we land landed up at the right place? Why are improvement and said that you have up at the doctor, take the medicine and you giving me so much of unnecessary to give the same kind of discipline you be back at work. information! So the supervisory control are giving to financial planning and and data acquisition is constantly financial control. And the key point, Dr. Juran says filtering out, to what we think is look at the underlying factors and unnecessary data, things that are not on We are all in business to make money. move from quality control to quality of priority. What we need to do is to bring We are talking about quality and costs. life that makes us sound and fit in the in planning regarding what are those And here was Dr. Juran spelling out body and able to perform.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 20 that are not causing problem today These words are very important the management actually sit once but likely to cause problem tomorrow. because we are saying if you are holding a month and spend the entire day So, we need to pay attention to those. and maintaining, that is not same as looking at quality not as a distraction, You have a current level of performance, improvement, you are preventing not as reaction but with the same which is shown there on the left hand deterioration. Therefore you need an discipline that you apply to finance. So side of the graph, then a green bar improvement in performance by a is there a plan for quality? Is it reviewed which shows a transformation effort, large margin or by a large factor, but as intensely and as regularly as the and individual level of performance above all, you need determination, financial plan? you can’t do if you continue exactly resolve - how to make that happen. the way you are today. So you need a We have an industry which is transformational effort. And I would like to come back to product transforming itself and within that, a superiority, operational excellence, certain intensity of rivalry. But, that Juran says it happens project by customer intimacy. Look at those and competitiveness is as important as project and in no other way. And that see what you need to maintain, and international comparativeness to of the is a significant statement. I would like how you need to maintain and with industry from where it is and where it to use health analogy and look back at what determination and resolve you needs to be. it. Are you able to lose weight easily? need to maintain. Are you able to bring down the sugar Let us spend some time on variation. easily? The doctor puts you on the And the words of Roger Federer at the And you can see from that graph, I have project and he tells you, cut the oil, cut end of the match was - ‘he (opponent) again used a health example. I was at the fat, cut the ghee, cut the puree and played a fantastic game but some body that level, I moved to a new level after come back and see me after I give you has to win. I thought I must try and do the effort, but importantly, I brought in some medication, start walking if you and therefore I won’. That sets the sense mine in the standard deviation. I not haven’t already doing so. Take a look of competition very clearly that you only want lower blood pressure, but at it. At the end of 8 weeks, you come need physical fitness, you need good less fluctuation. back and tell your friends – I am much technology, you need good materials, You not only want to score good runs better, do you think we could have but you also need determination in cricket but make sure that you the whiskey you promised me? Weeks and resolve to win and to continue are scoring them consistently. Not back, we had to balance the advantage improving. a hundred one day and zero for the of that occasional indulgence with the So I get back to quality planning. If I next 10 times. Dr. Deming abhorred advice given by the doctor. am mountaineering it is quite different variations, so if you don’t have So how does financial investment from playing tennis. If I am playing constancy of purpose, you can’t ensure give you gains. You have various tennis, it is quite different from playing there is less variation. measurements – pay backs, interest, basket ball. Therefore, what target to So, this is a normal distribution present value, also risk capital. You choose? I need to have a bench mark. graph which says reduce variation in want quick money, very fast, you may Today we are in a far better position. We performance. also run high risk, then everything may have instruments to measure and give go down the drain. Likewise in respect us information, that can tell me where I The customer wants goods when he of health you have those weight am. If I have right information in timely needs it. lifters there, who take steroids and get manner, I am more likely to be in control into the right class and will take the So, Just-In-Time system is the right thing than if I did not have it. Dr. Juran said risk thinking that I may not get detected. or if you need an Indian equivalent, through Juran trilogy, putting quality And repent later. Or do I make sure that this is the factor for us to consider. planning, quality control, quality I train properly and go for the long run. The important thing is - there is less improvement, on the same footing, as waste if it is Just-In-Time. So the risk capital defines, you want financial planning, financial control and short term or long term gains. financial improvement. We have a problem in industry. So far we have been talking at an individual So from quality control we move to We often talk to industries – do you level. But we deal with groups. So how quality improvement. Are you restoring have a financial planning? They say do we put it together as industrialists. current performance which is invariably –of course. Then I ask , Do you have a the focus on control, or are you holding quality plan? Yes the quality chap does We are no longer talking about a single and maintaining current performance? it. How often do you discuss it? Does chap phenomenon. Single chap may

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 21 be good, but the group may not be. line or on my corrugation line working finally leadership to bring some fire. So industry has additional challenge with complete clarity on quality. I need Determination, to make the whole of being able to link up group efforts him to be smiling and working with thing happen because we are mirroring into one and that is not as simple as his colleagues rather than being angry an organization like Federer does putting gears, axles, connecting rods and taking out his anger at the most as an individual or what Amitabh into place and making sure that they fit inappropriate time. How do I do that? Bachhan does as an individual. That is a in an engineering manner. But human powerful challenge before the industry. So we come back to the mother of beings are not made that way. They You need to keep improving at the Quality Systems. What do we want? exhibit great variability, outstanding individual level, and also continue The results. Don’t we all want them? personalities, outstanding differences to improve at the group level. We There are lot of stakeholders. Obviously in creativity and innovation and not actually need project by project we need to please customers. subject to the same kind of efforts as improvement to make group Otherwise there is nothing to sell. waving a magnet and making sure phenomenon work consistently, work Obviously our employees, need to be that all filings are aligned towards a regularly in a manner about which kept aligned and happy. Otherwise we common goal. That requires special Juran and Deming talked about. don’t get the best out of them. Same effort. No matter what the industry thing with the suppliers, Government You have understood what the costs is – printing, corrugating, , to whom we pay taxes. of poor quality are. To the staunch folding and gluing - all have to work loyalists of this industry and ladies and together. Obviously we have processes in place gentleman who are with the industry to keep fit except that we don’t deal for longer time, I would say that all the And on the left, there is a little example with individuals, we deal with several modern slogans and new catch words of various hands at different angles, individuals. The more diverse they are, you have talked about are fine, but and industrialist says thank you. But the more valuable they are, the more what you really need, is values. you know that was sky jumping and difficult the challenge becomes. And that was rowing and those were for Comment by Pankaj Shah you need some strategy and structure short durations. You put a burst of to put in place and therefore the Very nicely you have said project speed, you do an excellent job and Quality Systems. by project. Very nice analogy drawn you get out of the way. And I have between the health charts and got to run it day in and day out. I have You need some resources when you the industry charts and very aptly got people who come in and say – I come to human responses, there are you said Kuch Kuch Hota Hai. have not slept the whole of last night, no departments - It cuts across all. Hopefully at the end of the day, we because there was power failure. I still And it is absolutely critical to make will also say Kuch Kuch Hota Hai on the need him motivated on my assembly that group phenomenon work. And Quality Front.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 22 WHY SOME CORRUGATED BOXES FAIL?

I acknowledge with deep gratitude the works of Packaging MUST be seen as a System Famous Individual and Internationally reputed Packaging is a system of interdependent elements organizations – Unilever and International Trade Centre Geneva, Amcor Fiber Packaging Australia,

Klabin Packaging Brazil. Primary package

In particular the Unilever Asia Countries and Secondary package Companies and their Corrugated Box suppliers In referring them in this presentation and

Stealing with pride a few examples, statements and Shipper Photographs of value added and failed packaging CFC not only adds value. to emphasize this presentation on Its Primary role is toconserve value. 01 03

Background RE-LEARNING PACKAGING VA l Corrugated Fiber Board is a modern product even today In spite of its over 100 year old history Packaging cost should match the value l Continuously capturing new application areas in packaging perceived by the Consumer l CFC was being used in transportation of various goods long before Automobiles or the Airplanes were invented l Widely used as an outer packaging more than 80% F l While packaging is the integral part of product, being an outer V = packaging CFC plays the role as the integral part of all primary packs C l It protects, preserves & facilitate efficient handling during This calls for audit of each and every storage & transportation through out the supply chain & deliver Packaging Component for its cost Vs function equation like the packed stocks to the consumer as factory fresh auditing companies own account 02 04

Corrugated box industry is a 100 year When I think of recycling, I always get Arup K. Sengupta old industry. They were being used for amused by this incident. Here, the boss transportation even before air planes calls me and says- from this month, Fellow of Institute of started flying. (2) your pay cheque will be based on your Packaging, UK. old salary. Why? We are stressing on As packaging is an integral part of the recycled materials. Consultant, Corporate Packaging product, corrugated box is an integral Development of & part of primary pack, to carry to My boss called me one day and asked MNCs in India & Europe. customers in a factory-fresh condition. me, have you visited our ware house recently? I said- ‘no’. He said- go there International Packaging Packaging must be seen as a system and your corrugated boxes are saying Consultant, and in this system, corrugated box adds ‘good morning sir’. That means leaning, International Trade Centre – value. It has got a better role. It also stacks are all leaning. He also said – Geneva, conserves value. (3) ‘if it is your fault, rectify it. But if it is Project Adviser, Why Corrugated Boxes? supply chain fault, give ma a strong Packaging Association, Brazil. letter, I want to take action on all supply The main features are versatility, high chain people’. (7&8) Technical Reviewer, strength and low weight characteristics, Packaging Technology & Science ready adoption, product containment I went to the ware house… oh my god! Journal, USA in collaboration and protection features, low storage All the boxes were prostrating before with Michigan School of and handling costs, contribution to me. In horror, I started analyzing and Packaging, USA. the effectiveness of all handling and found out that it was mainly the supply storage operations, low set up and chain fault. tooling costs, quick changeover, facility Failure of CFCs occurs for various and suitability for , use reasons. When analysed, it was of renewal resources and suitable for discovered that the basics are often recycling. (6) forgotten. Why? (9&10)

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 23 RE-LEARNING PACKAGING VA What is wrong CASE HISTORY PRODUCT RISK ANALYSIS On Working Sessions

The approach should be … STORAGE HANDLING TRANSPORT Good morning Sir

MECHANICAL CLIMATIC BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS HAZARDS HAZARDS

IMPACT HEAT MICRO ORGANISMS VIBRATION LIGHT INSECTS COMPRESSION PRESSURE MITES OTHERS MOISTURE RODENTS WATER SALT SPRAY SAND & DUST ADDED VALUE 05 07 10

Why Corrugated ? Failure of CFC Knowledge required for successful CFC design Main Features l Load content & the type of load – the product knowledge l Failure of CFC occurs due to various reasons l Versatility l Product requirement - product relate characteristics l When analyzed it is discovered that basics are often forgotten l High Strength and Low Weight Characteristics l Shape & size of the CFC l Product risk analysis is not at all considered at the design stage l Ready adoption l Geometry of the CFC l What will happen during storage, handling & transportation l Product containment and Protection features l Thickness of the board throughout the entire supply chain – unknown l Low Storage and handling cost l Manufactures joint l Compromise l Contribution to the Effectiveness of all handling and storage l Material of construction – paper, , pins operations By entire supply chain, means the supply chain of l Type of flutes l Low set up and tooling costs l Raw material suppliers l Closing of the CFC l Quick change characteristics l Convertors l Reinforcement partitions l Strength requirements – bursting, compression l Suitable for graphic design l User company l Use of renewable resources l Type of stacking – the stack height l Distribution chain of user companies stockiest & distributors l Suitable for recycling l Effect of stacking 06 09 11

Designing: product risk analysis is not What to do? We have to have the Here it is a stack of products. There is at all considered at the design stage knowledge. About load containing bulging, buckling.(15) because we are always in a hurry. We in the box, the type of load i.e., the Here you see a centre partition, but are always told 24 kilo corrugated product, product requirement and there is bulge. Here, again there is box only will work, otherwise cost will related characteristics. The corrugated the same kind of problem. Why is go up. Don’t make it 12 kilo, you take box for a laminated tea pouch will it happening? Because this type of 5 ply, 7 ply… or whatever, but you do be different from a corrugated box packing in pouches for soft products, 24 kilo, forgetting the fact that 24 kilo containing or tin containers. there develops a bulge because when is very difficult to stack and unstack (12). you pack, air goes inside, and then manually and then we don’t know what it diffuses and creates a void. The will happen during transportation You all know that shape and size of moment there is void, the compression throughout the entire supply chain. CFC, thickness of board, manufacturer’s force will start and the pack will fail. joint. But, often at design stage, we It is completely unknown. Many So, this is a design fault.(16) occasions, we compromise. The entire forget these things in a hurry and supply chain has a definition. It means compromise. Material of construction, You have to design the box. If you the raw material supply chain. How the paper, , pins, types of flutes, want a corrugated box, a rigid box paper rolls are being received? Are they closing of CFC, reinforcement partition or you have to make a 10 or 12 kilo damaged? Then the converters supply strength requirement, bursting pack always, a multi-pack to put in a chain and the user companies supply strength, compression strength, types corrugated box–instead of 7 ply you can use 3 ply and save money. That is chain and the distribution chain of our of stacking, effect of compression the beauty of re-designing. entire stockists and distributors. during storage, effect of transportation, Product Risk Analysis: effect of transshipment, climate, Here whole layers have come protection during rainy season, supply apart. They have been separated. This is the most important thing. When chain stores and the rest of them have It has delaminated. So it is either a you design any corrugated box, you to be considered. (13) manufacturer’s fault, or somebody has need to know that our packages will not used the laminate properly. (17) undergo handling while in storage What happened to this pack? This and transportation. There will be is a typical example of package- a In this picture, all boxes are damaged mechanical hazards, climatic hazards, corrugated box which is designed as in the container while in transit from Pune to Dubai - for the factory in biological hazards. These have to be a 24 kilo box and it is very heavy. So, Jabelali. This complaint was going tested before we send our stock out. during loading and unloading, it gets on since many-many times and we (11) completely damaged. (14) have been told that your packaging

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 24 What is the issue here? Stacking Strength Factors: Humidity Knowledge required for successful CFC design Relative Compression Loss Multiplier humidity l Reinforcement partitions 50% 0% loss 1 l Strength requirements – bursting, compression l Type of stacking – the stack height 60% 10% loss 0.90 l Effect of stacking 70% 20% loss 0.80 l Effect of storage – duration & compression 80% 32% loss 0.68 l Effect of transpiration – vibration, compression, drop 90% 52% loss 0.48 l Effect of transshipment l Climate 100% 85% loss 0.15 l Protection during rainy seasons l Supply chain tragedies 12 15 19

What is the issue here? Which one is better? Why? Stacking Strength Factors: Storage Time

Days storage Compression Loss Multiplier Up to 10 days 37% loss 0.63 30 days 40% loss 0.60 90 days 45% loss 0.55 180 days 50% loss 0.50

Column stacking Interlock stacking 14 18 20 development is very poor. You have not This free storage is sure to damage. your company, they will say, again designed it properly. When it came to a Free is not good always as you know. extra cost? Are you not happy that we big fight, we considered visiting Dubai. It is stacking strength factor, storage are spending 15 rupees per box for The first thing we found out was these time results in compression strength the container and you want to spend container loads were stored under loss. After 10 days 37%,, after 30 days another 50 paise for stretch wrapping? the sun for 180 days. Free storing. But, 40% after 90 days 45% and after But, one has to understand that by the people do not understand that 180 days 50%. So, boxes were losing spending this additional money you free storing will damage the boxes, strength continuously and coupled can save lot of misery. because you keep a eight high boxes with that there is humidity, there may Palletizing. If you do not palletize for 180 days in the container which be loss of 52% and even 90%. There are properly, you will lose lot of strength is closed, the temperature inside multiplying factors. reaches to 90 degrees and in the night properties. it condensates- the result will be this. This work, I have done with a Brazilian Aligned and misaligned interlocked The boxes get damaged. (18) company. Puffed up boxes. They had columns overhang and the gets a fantastic calculation device- you can gagged. Excessive handling should It was a supply chain problem and calculate and predict the compression not happen. These things have to be somebody was not able to understand strength. But the conditions have to remembered very well. that inside, there were no steel boxes, be sustained. That means, I must see but boxes made of paper. So, whatever that my boxes are not exposed to high Sharing Load: Some of the products design you do here, we used to get humidity. Otherwise boxes will fail. like tin containers, glass bottles, plastic letters from the receiving country, bottles- they share loads- compression saying that use 7 ply or 9 ply, do What is happening here? Which one is load. I showed you the tea pouches something and deliver proper boxes. better? Why? This is column stacking or detergent pouches. What happens It never helped, but one visit solved the and the other one is an interlock. (20) here? This is a tooth paste in whole problem. And moreover, what This kind of stacking is always defective. china. There is a tooth paste and used to happen was that the order was You have loss of strength in this type of a strong carton. Even if it is interlock for 600 boxes and the container takes stacking. I will come to the point. How stacking, there is no deformation. 720 boxes to get filled. The dispatch Because they are sharing the load, but people used to send as per the order much strength you lose? Which one is keeping almost half the container better? Obviously column stacking is the earlier packs I showed you, there vacant. better. But in column stacking, it tries are no load supports. So, they collapse. to split. It tries to fall out. So, you have So, each product demands a definite So, it is planning, and visiting supply to use a stretch or shrink wrapping. specification for the corrugated box, chain can only solve the problem. But the moment you recommend which has to be understood. (22)

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 25 Secure loads & prevent damage Any issue ? Stacking Strength Factors: Palletizing No bulging why ?

Compression Multiplier Pallet pattern loss Best case Worst case Aligned columns Negligible 1 0.85 Misaligned columns 10-15% 0.9 0.4 Interlocked columns 40-60% 0.6 0.6 Overhang 20-40% 0.8 0.6 Deck-board gap 10-25% 0.9 0.6 Excessive handling 10-40% 0.9 0.6

21 23 25

Secure loads & prevent damage Any issue ? Sharing load Standing, walking and inspection Thailand

Can the primary container share the load or not?

NO SHARE:

Headspace = deflection of box at failure

22 24 31

Here, as you see, secured loads prevent rectangular slotted containers and He is walking. What happened? Some damage. (23-25) have 8 high stacking. boxes are missing? (31)

Any issue here? We have done properly, It is a wrong stack. Very high stacking This is prostrating. The great fall down. but the tape has been run through the which has gone up to the ceiling. A transhipment damage. corners, cutting, the boxes. If you go What is the reason? Slotted angles up If you go to the loading and unloading to your transport department or the to the sealing. Palletisation has not department, you can see that, this kind truck which has come from one factory been done. of things still happen. to another factory, you will find rope This is walking, standing and unloading. tying damage is enormous. There is My quality control manager was very What an idea Sirji? I was a consultant to no support so, there is a problem. You upset. He said- my boxes are broken, give a stinker, but it will come back to a company. Some thing happened here so every thing has come out. He asked the same position. What has to be done too. They used to make a staircase and me what paper it is. I said 20 BF. He said by the industry? There needs to be a climb to the top. Man has to reach there no, no it must be 18. But after checking dictum. The factory manager has to and then unload. Where is mechanical further he said it must be 14 or 16. very personally check that proper norms are handling? This is in 2009! (28) economical and very cost effective packaging. Then what happens? Too followed. There should be a guideline Here, gone with the wind is the much economization is very wrong. We document. ‘Do this & don’t do this’. It is compression strength. How can I another issue that the communication have to test few things before use. (33) calculate the compression strength? instructions are missing and the boxes He is standing here on the package in Two in a rack is not are still failing. the centre where it is really very weak. recommended. They should have only What is wrong here? The recommended And then, you call the packaging one. What happens? stacking is 8 high. This is 12-15 high, development manager and tell him These two columns sit here and exert because they don’t have slotted that you don’t know your job! (29) no load distribution. angle racks. This is in Dubai- a very Now here, standing and walking test, sophisticated place, where, each But when there are bottles inside. You I have to recommend BIS, the stalwarts needs to be dent free. How can can use two stack and you can transport present here, next time you review your you keep dent free? them anywhere. But you see here the corrugated box specifications, please pallet runners act here in corners and include standing and walking test. (30) When stack height is double. What did also in the centre and damage the box we do there? The company was told Here, this is in Thailand. This fellow if it is a unsupported load. that if you want the damage, continue is standing on a box and inspecting. in the same fashion, otherwise get the

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 26 What is the issue here? A really bad idea! Why?

Top pallet largely rests on 2 edges of bottom load

=> bad to no load distribution

34 36 38

Stacking Endurance And the issue here? Packaging 2 withstands a greater 2 load then packaging 1

1

Overloaded areas 35 37 39

This is soap powder, two pallet high. All of strength. If it is two inch- 30% to Nicely organized. It has the proper size. damaged. So again, when you design 40% loss of strength occurs. This has It is a good packaging. CFC, when you palletize, you have to be borne in mind when we design. Here, are you able to see the bending to think – what is the product, how I Supply chain has to be visited. You can stiffness. The boxes are falling should pack, stock etc? not design the corrugated box sitting backwards. in the corporate office or R&D centre This pallet has gone dis-aligned and or air conditioned laboratory. Supply CFC closing: this is a really interesting hanging here. Very dangerous for your chain has to be visited and a right subject. If you go to the of FEFCO boxes because the corner strength specification has to be established. and other pundits in the world, they say will completely go and stack will be Don’t do this- Do this- this detailing has that you have got two types of closing- completely damaged. to be done. by TAPPI. One is ‘C’ manner and the This is a real bad idea. Why? Over What is wrong here? Somebody has other is ‘H’ manner. In this world only hanging is so much and I have given you designed the box and there is almost one country follows it- that is Japan. charts how much strength properties a three inch gap in the side. This will All others follow ‘C’ manner only. Why? will go down in the long run if you fail. fail. This will not be successful. What BOPP tape is very costly. Forget about the product which is good and is costly, Can any body tell me what can be the might have happened – these might forget about the image of the company problem here? The pallet is broken. (39) be old stock of CFCs and the bottles are redesigned, shrink wrapped and put in and use a ‘C’ type of closing. In China, Thailand they have this kind of the box. Nobody was supervising. So Once I asked one of my bosses, how problem more often. The reason is no there should be a checklist. Packaging much is the percentage of the cost supervision. You purchase the pallets of all pharmaceutical companies of CFC, which is the most important paying less money and the supplier is excellent, because they follow a component in the supply chain, in will supply you the wrong pallets. They checklist. The production manager, the system. But it is not given its due have to be repaired very regularly. the quality manager and packaging importance. You continue in the same There is a manual which says –pallet development manager have to start manner. When we started we started should be good, it should be repaired the production every day with set up 75mm, then we go to 62.5 mm, then regularly. Fortunately these days we do control. They will produce the target the cost reduction at the factory is done not use these wooden pallets, we use number of boxes and check and sign. at 50mm and one day a letter comes plastic pallets. You will be caught, if you are using old saying that 48 mm is now available, CFCs instead of destroying them. Here over hanging is so much I have can we use it? Afterwards… there is no given the charts here showing degree What is wrong here? Nothing is wrong BOPP tape. This type of innovation is of overhanging and percentage of loss here because it is an excellent pack. penny-wise, pound foolish! (46)

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 27 CFC closing – what is wrong Compression Loss and Overhang Which one is better? Why?

Degree of Overhang % Loss 1 inch one side 14 - 34 2 inch one side 22 - 43 1 inch one end 4 - 28 2 inch one end 9 - 46 1 inch side & end 27 - 43 2 inch side & end 34 - 46 75 mm – 62.5 mm – 50 mm – 48 mm is also available 40 43 Highly cost effective. Pennywise pound foolish 46

And the issue here? Truck loading in China, what’s the issue CFC closing - what is wrong

Standing inspection ? 41 44 47

And the issue here?

Inspection supply chain Upside down ? 42 45 48

In this picture the tape has been door and the moment you open the Pallet over another pallet- but it is good used, at unnecessary places. For what door all boxes can fall on the floor. This stacking. Why because there are bottles purpose? It should have been used at is a good idea! and it can be done like this. (59) the corner. Nobody knows about it. It goes on. We have to do a rigid inspection Corner compression strength – get 70% throughout the supply chain. Even of the strength there in the corners. Supply chain inspection is very truck loading needs to be supervised Avoid corner damage. (60) important. If we do not go on the road, and certified in writing. do not go into the street, to the market Column stacking and interlock place and see what is happening, you Corrugated boxes storing has to stacking: this tends to split and loses cannot do anything sitting in the air be done properly in one single line compression strength. The pundits conditioned R&D lab. stacking. The column stacking on say that you can use stretch or shrink single pallet, on slotted angle rack looks wrapping for column stacking. You can In this slide you can see me inspecting very nice. have a column and interlock stack so supply chain some where in Thailand. that the stack is stable. (61) The instructions were for column Mechanical handling: use fork lifts stacking. The fellow thought that he and handling mechanically. Uniform Secure pallet loads with corners and can do some more stacking, and so he truck loading has to be done. After you straps. has kept the box upside down to reach start with the defects, you will bring in Is the material stored properly? Your the stack. This is wrong. improvements. (55&56) role comes in here. You must visit the This is inspection of supply chain This is a load containing of pouches. factory and see how they are storing in Dubai. A net is being put in the Otherwise you make the boxes very your corrugated boxes. Find out container. Some times in the ship light so that it can withstand the whether they do not store properly journey, the stack tries to fall on the transition hazard. and then complain that you have given

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 28 Rigid Inspection through out the supply chain Uniform truck loading Container Compression Strength during development

Greatest contribution (about 70%) to compression strength comes from box corners

Avoid corner damage

50 56 60

Supply chain inspection Mechanical handling Column and Interlocked Stacks

Column stacks have best Interlocked stacks are compression capability but more stable but lose are less stable compression capability 51 55 61

Inspection supply chain Again 1 pallet over another but good stack why ? Interlocked Column Mixed Column / interlocked Stacking Stacking staking pattern Pattern Pattern Minimization of the needs of top-to- bottom compression resistance as Strength loss Strength loss compared with the full interlocked close to 50% close to 20% stacking pattern, while keeping stability.

52 59 62 wrong boxes. Sooner or later, may How? Each and every lot should be And then promotion of case packer. be you have to send your corrugated subjected to transit trial. Do simulation This is recommended for many reasons. boxes in bundles of twenty five, not test like vibration test. You make snugly tight package. You are wrapped in brown paper but, on a closing at the shorter flap. Wrap around Single box subjected to vibration? You returnable pallet. case packer supplies. have to have the stack height, stack it Prototyping at each stage: this is for and then perform the test. Shelf-ready packages-you should be the designing people. Make samples ready for this. With retailers coming Team – extended team: Strategic test them and then use it. Performance in here, they will demand shelf-ready alliance between you as the box maker testing is always required. This is one of packaging. and user company- R&D- raw material the main methods to stop damage in manufacturer- each one of us can play In Netherlands Albert & Heign super transit. (65) a role in stopping damages to CFCs, market is dictating to get CFCs as they How CFC suppliers work in Europe? which is a national waste. (70-71) want. Knife is not allowed now as it is dangerous. Some fellow can stab a The work is done by a team. If team is Insist on quality materials, effective customer. Here enters the easy open not working and always happens to adhesives for corrugation & box. I can give two videos showing the be at loggerheads, things can not be manufacturers joint, quality shape of things that are going to come, delivered. (67-68) pins. Effective drying of CFCs- this is a which, cans be circulated among the big problem in rainy season. You have It is not enough to design the CFC. members. to do something regarding this. You have to see that it is successful There is one more thing, which is also in transit and deliver the product. No Improving Conversion machines is going to come- tray and fit pack. compromise on quality. required.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 29 Securing Pallet loads with corners and straps How the CFC suppliers are Performing in Europe

Teams - Extended Teams – Strategic alliance 70-80 cm Packaging Machine Suppliers Raw Material Suppliers

50-70 cm

10-15 cm

IN REALITY Correct placement of corners and straps Packaging Packaging Material R & D 63 Development Converter / Suppliers 68 73

Future Developments Careful with storage of packaging materials… l Development of quality materials. l Stronger liner paper, better corrugated medium. l Effective adhesives for corrugation and manufactures joint. l Quality staple pins. l Effective drying of CFC. l Conversation machine and CFC quality improvement programe . l Promotion of wrap – around case packer technology. l Strategic alliance and team work. l Dual Arch flute 64 l Shelf ready packages 69 74

Prototyping: a key step

65 70 75

Performance testing

66 71 76

How the CFC suppliers are Performing in Europe

l The projects are implemented by a team – packaging development suppliers & users, the operating factory production &QA with a clear cut brief. l No compromise on quality. l Cost saving projects are technology driven. l Use of new type of paper, adhesive, flute improvisation. Summery l Subjected to transit trial actual & simulated. l Adoption of strategic alliance with users & raw materials suppliers. l Complete knowledge of entire supply chain

67 72

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 30 77 79 81

78 80 82

Team work- we are always at logger heads with each other. Why do we fight? In MNCs, it is very much a problem. Every body wants to go on their ego trips.

Knowledge of content, knowledge of distribution circuit is important. Analysis of the stresses during the supply chain, transit hazard stresses, calculating top and bottom compression strength, which is one of the properties, package study, volume design, choice of right materials will give us lots of inputs to save damages.

Here are some good boxes. I thought of showing them at the end. Let us see that the boxes will look like this in the shop.

Comment by P. D. Shah:

Very useful talk. We have gone through personal level of quality and various challenges where boxes fail from consumer point of view.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 31 Questions & Answers

Q: I want to know why there is no Let us also be very clear that in a institute for teaching how to make the country like India, there are certain box so that we can teach the younger hard realities, which have to be taken people and then we can employ them. into account. Things like over loading, What I find in Bengal is people learn things like trans-shipment, things like while they work. Otherwise we are taking stock by climbing on top of a not well acquainted with methods of box – these are hard realities. making boxes. No one is saying that India at this point A: P. D. Shah: We will take up this of time has come out of it. But, the point suggestion and ask our incoming is, there are dramatic changes. president R. G. Agarwala to arrange some seminars on methods, so we can Take Unilever for example. All their address your needs. ware houses now have pallet racks - 5 high, 7 high. Mechanical handling is Satish: I have a suggestion that, this a must. My suggestion is – yes, we kind of seminar should be arranged should definitely tell the end user how for our consumers because whenever to stack it. (73) some thing goes wrong, they say that the box is not good, which is not always Internally corrugated manufacturers the case. should do some introspection, my experience shows that they have P. D. Shah: Good suggestion. We will poor quality of paper, poor quality of take it up. adhesives.

Shilu Ajmera: I recommend that a P. D. Shah: These subjects are coming neutral institute like IIP will add value to up in the next sessions then we will this – where the consumer companies take it up. will be willing to come and they will not have a feeling that we have vested Arup Sengupta: I have shown two interest. dimensions- what was to happen earlier and what is happening. They are using P. D. Shah: We can take it up with IIP. broken pallets in China, Thailand. India is no exception. I have also shown you Observation by Participant: Things have mechanical handling, column stacking, changed dramatically in supply chain. single pallet stacking on the slotted This type of stacking, this type of pallet angle racks. These are ways to prevent stacking to me are subjects of past. damage to corrugated boxes. What I thought missing was that what way the corrugated box manufacturers can add value and reduce damage in transit.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 32 FCBM 42:10 | Page – 33 Session Chairman- Opening Remarks

In the first session we discussed. The supplier thought for a while and AL. Annamalai Quality-many aspects of quality- of Life, said we are all suppliers, we know what quality control, quality improvement, we can give at cost. Mechanical Engineer. quality planning. And the other subject I can give you but it will depend on was why CFCs fail and how redesigning Managing Director of what cost you can pay. The customer is done. The question that was dealt India Packaging Products (P) Ltd. said – sorry. I want that at the same cost. with was does better quality cost more? Bangalore. Another thing is in shop floor. We I draw your attention to what P. D. Shah, He has also done course in all think that we can go by only one our chairman mentioned a few years Packaging conducted by the method. We have to open ourselves. ago. A customer called the supplier and Indian Institute of Packaging. There are various ways of thinking, said I want better quality of CFC. various ways of solving problems, He has undergone Hands- The supplier asked him – what is practical thinking, logical thinking. on practical training in 5-ply the quality you are looking for? The Most important thing is to spend a lot Automatic Corrugator and customer said – quality, I want better of time on the shop floor. Printer Slotter in Japan, with quality, the best quality! Sir, can you Nakatsugawa Dambor Kogyo, Everybody must spend atleast 20% please specify what do you want and Kachigawa. of time on the shopfloor. We have to the customer said, I want the boxes in maintain records on shopfloor. This will Past President of FCBM such a way that if stacked, if kept empty show the consistency of methods of an elephant should put its leg on the manufacturing. box and the box should withstand that compression.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 34 BOX QUALITY DEPENDS ON KRAFT PAPER OR CONVERSION METHOD?

The subject given to me is very open Then you look at total cost. ended. What are the elements of the total cost? The point here is that when I started Total cost could have at basic level, the looking and examining this particular unit cost of the box, the cost of paper, question, it came out that it is not just the cost of converting that paper, paper, it is not just conversion eventually transporting so that the Most of you here are very experienced goods can reach to the consumers. box makers. Our processes and most The next cost which is increasingly specifications in India are run on simple evident today is line capacities, acceptance criterion on bursting capacities of fast moving consumer strength. I will try and answer this goods manufacturers increase the cost question. Very simple. Buy the right of utilizing effectively in the line for paper with consistent burst factor, put packaging. it together in a semi automatic process This morning Mr. Sengupta spoke and problem is solved and everything something about the emerging trends. is over. I think this needs to be High speed lines are coming up. There examined in a little bit more depth. are going to be Wrap around lines, This question when you move further new concepts at the user’s place. Your on to look at it we need to address one packaging has to run very efficiently on important point of this question. What Manish Patel the converters line. does the quality of box depend on? B. E. Hons. in Chemical Several aspects in this presentation are Engineering from the Birla This morning you got a very strong going to deal with how you can design Institute of Technology and preview from Mr. Arup Sengupta. and manufacture packaging that runs Science, and MBA from the The thing is, if two people make two well with least wastage and maximizes University of Michigan. independent assessments they arrive the utilization of packing lines for your at the same thing. 22 years of experience in customer. There is a case. I would not Paper Manufacturing. Very often you can’t ignore the supply mention the company. A very large chain. The box is a part of supply copier producer in India had a very Managing Director of chain. The third factor besides the raw sophisticated packaging line for the The South India Paper Mills material and conversion process, in my copier paper. Ltd. - 50 year old Company, view has certainly a lot to do where This line was running at 60% or 70% manufacturing quality raw we define quality. We say it is a good of his rated capacity. The main reason material for the corrugated case quality box. industry. The company has taken for it not to run faster was the quality up forward integration into Does it just mean that the specifications of blanks that were going into that corrugated case making. are achieved or does it actually mean, line. They were actually contemplating that there is another perspective to be buying another packing line to take looked at. care of total product output instead of trying to improve capacity utilization of I want to expand it and take a holistic the existing line. If you look at in terms aspect. Good quality box is one which of cost of a new, fancy packing line, works, consistently plays its role in it will be enormous. Of course, there moving the product safely from the are damages and losses during the manufacturer or producer to the transportation, which were extensively consumer, at the lowest total cost. discussed already. More often, the

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 35 cost of damage to the product is not Most lines will not tolerate a board that In the second case, it is a new , he assessed and is not added up to total is warped. It has relevance as far as your has cut out the flap and folded it and cost. conversion process is concerned, as inserted it back here. He is interested in far as the quality of paper used in the displaying that and you can again see At the most sublimal level is the ability converting process is also concerned. the case for water bottles as well. of the packaging to communicate its attributes to sell the product, may be And number of days in storage I think So display and retail appeal also is a you want to have good quality graphics, this matter is discussed in the Dubai design aspect which has to be looked shelf ready packaging, tare tabs- such case extensively in the morning, he at and perhaps the most important things would eventually enhance its spoke about holding it for 180 days in one is the optimization of dimensions retailability. a container, at 90° F, to facilitate unitization, right from the stage of designing packaging for As I said, the box is only one element in Boxes naturally have a tendency to the primary product, the aspects of a complete system. The less recognized creep when they are stacked one on have to be looked into. factor is the design of the specification top of the other. This is a very relevant in the product delivery system. Very factor in India. The humidity in Supply Unitization, most of us may not be often specification is meaningless if it Chain plays an important role. aware of it, but unitization is basically is not studied from holistic perspective. to improve protection, handling Often boxes are packed in an area Very often, as box makers you will & storage. What do you mean by which is dry, they are moved into realize that only so much you can do unitization? conditions or areas of storage where about the quality of box. You can keep humidity levels are very high, which Unitization. A primary pack goes into a this box or go and work with the user means naturally that entire strength secondary pack which gets stored on a to redesign that box. Take an example. properties of the box will deteriorate pallet. Generally pallets are stored one That primary pack goes into the very-very quickly in high humidity on top of another. secondary pack. Increasingly flexible conditions. packing is moving a lot of FMCGs. in This facilitates easy handling. When you this country. Flexible packaging is very And then as I have already mentioned make it into a block and particularly vulnerable packaging in the packaging the handling, storage and delivery when you it, the block is environment we have. Staples on a box system, are important factors. After the stronger than the boxes put together. can damage it. Compression will cause box is packed, you have to look at how It is handled mechanically and more the pouch to fail. Contents will fall out. it is going to be handled. Often there productively. It can be stored more Again the way it is transported from the are products that are sharp and pierce efficiently. Inventory can be taken manufacturer to receiving ware house. though the box from inside to outside. easily. (Video) So you need to provide foam moulding, or you need to have paper components As you can see all the boxes in the Unitization will make you conclude that or you need to have partitions, these truck are tilted to the right. When you BCT is relevant spec. Because the entire things need to be looked into. actually look at the reason for that, unit strength is derived from each box having the right compression strength. the consumer will almost feel that we Finally, comes display & retail appeal. So relevant spec is compression, and in should have steel boxes. Mr. Annamalai Ability to communicate good my opinion burst factor has no role to gave an example – an elephant should features of the product, make it easy to play in today’s environment at all. stand on the box. But you know, the display it. way our packaging environment We do not have standards yet. You can is, we certainly need steel boxes. These are few photographs of retail not say that if a box is going to contain A lot of solution lies in improving the shops in Bangalore, I would like to this weight, this dimension should have environment. So when we design a box point out that here these are ordinary this strength parameter. what should we look at? brown boxes, that you see in the first image, and the person who isin Highly developed logistics Some of the design considerations charge of display has actually cut off environment like USA, for example, would be as I mentioned earlier, the brown box to display bottles, to have set some rules, Rule 41 and the degree of sophistication of the make them very appealing, saleable. alternative to Rule 41, have specified . In this, when you Most of the packaging specifications what the box strength parameter manufacture a box, the dimensional do not contain any specification or any should be for a given duty condition. tolerances are extremely critical. design that relates to tearing it out!!

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 36 The way the boxes are handled and lot of problems in the system. Then loading capacity. It is possible for the unitized, it is uniform. So they could they decided to re-specify. This was a FMCG brand owner to actually unitize set the standards. These standards conventional B+B flute made in semi his cargo. But there will be several are good enough for any litigation, automatic process. They re-specified issues, the way trucks are to be loaded any problem of damages in transit B+C and the caliper was up from 5½ from the side, no other access, truck or insurance cover. These standards mm to 7.1mm. The box compression floors are not good enough for fork hold good. was specified at 200 kgs. force. lifts to move goods on to the truck etc. The revised spec for box compression A huge amount of change is required in Earlier, all the boxes were mostly was 300kgs. ECT numbers measured the logistics system for the box to work. specified, on bursting strength, and the on the board was 4½ kg. a centimeter It is costing us – lots of extra paper weight of the liners and the combined and 5.85. going into the carton. weight of facings. That constituted one strength parameter. Later on, another The overall board gsm did not change. It will reach the C & F point but from parameter was introduced as the Edge It remained at 720. The compression there it goes to the retail point. This Crush Test value - which constitutes the was 300. Actual results showed that image shows you the fellow. He goes alternative specification. the damage in transit was as high as along with the box and unloads it. 8% with the old spec. and with the Transporting a handling machine along You could design a box that has on new spec. it dropped down to 3% not with the truck! You will have to think of Edge Crush Value of 23 pounds per inch. withstanding that the handling is totally a solution for that! Converting this to our metric units, for manual and really badly handled. better understanding, for the same If you then conclude from all that box, you have to use 125gsm liner, If you have an advanced logistics what are the important properties of to meet the US spec. You would have environment, as advanced perhaps as quality box – the dimensions need to to have the bursting strength of the in the United States today, what would be optimized, you need dimensions board as 8.8kg / cm2. Because bursting the box be specified at? If you sum up that can facilitate handling and also strength and gsm are together, you can external dimensions, it will come to hold right spec size, the team effort as also say that the BS of each liner of the 29.33 inches and the weight of the box said this morning right from the paper, board 4.4 and the burst factor would be would be 18.7 pounds, which means conversion, user logistics, services 35. Getting 35BF paper in India is not a lowest single wall specification. provider and the predominant feature very easy and it is very expensive. It would have sufficed for this kind of would be the box bursting strength box and weight of contents. So you and often the puncture resistance ECT also depends on the type of flute. would have either ECT spec or bursting very important based on how sharp If you have to use C flute, you would spec which I have mentioned earlier, the object inside is and how it is need a paper that will have around you need to have 35 BF paper or 127 going to be handled in transit, type of 17 kilograms a centimeter. For a 15 gsm paper or you would have to have manufacturer’s joint for small FMCG, centimeter strip ring crush value which 140 x 3 ply with C flute, with ECT of 4.12. boxes. It is time for us to do away with would translate into something like staples. They are definitely not good 140 gsm. For most manufacturers in Now, the box that works is the box and they often damage the flexible India, you should have almost 3 layers which brought down the wastage from packagings. When the contents are of 140 gsm. 8 % to 2 or 3%. liquid they leak out and whole stack I have a small case here for unitization, The huge amount of extra paper going can collapse because it is wet. talking about leading FMCG brand, into meeting the spec or meeting And of course printing and aesthetics segment leader both in terms of the wastage reduction target and it do follow. Ease of storage and display volumes and sales in that particular has very little to do with the paper & & dispensing. There is a need for part of the segment, a pan India conversion. There are certainly roles better display as the time goes. Box manufacturer – external dimensions for those two as well, but it has also a quality is partitioned into three-Paper, are 325 x 210 x 210. It is a small box. lot to do with how the boxes are being Conversion and Transport System. We handled. The box and contents don’t weigh discussed the system. What is the role more than 8½kgs. Very small box. Let me tell you the unitization of the paper? I put up a small table This box as originally specified – the possibilities. The same case is put into a here. It is not extensive, it doesn’t cover construction was 5 ply double wall. pallet with almost standard dimensions, all paper properties, it covers some of The current spec was 5 ply. They have for a typical Indian truck with 9-10 tons them. On the horizontal access I have

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 37 some of the important box properties If the paper can give you right amount the prices, Even though you get the of a quality box, BCT or ECT, puncture of RCT at lower gsm, obviously cost is recycled paper largely, the strength, to resistance, vertical edge strength etc. going to be lower. So I think we should gsm numbers will come down. There also avoid specifying boxes just on are innovations going on in the paper In the slides we saw this morning, gsm. we should move on to specifying industry for improving the numbers, there were a huge number of boxes on box compression. Paper has a huge but it will take a while for that to come which had calico tape in the corners. role to play in conversion efficiency to India. When I say vertical edge strength, we and cost. If the paper is not consistent, need to avoid calico there, but still, The conversion process, the third part – in machine direction moisture, or it make the box work in the system, the the Indian box manufacturers have a lot is not consistent in gsm which is a manufacturers joint, warp, dimensional to do as well, in the change. Stringent common complaint here, then we have stability that is and once you produce parameters are going to come up from problems of runnability, the wastages a box, its length and internal dimensions the box users. I also see aesthetics and are very high. Automatic lines do not should maintain the integrity, it printing becoming important as the tolerate variations in moisture profile, should go all the way to the end and retailing methods change. There will both in the machine direction and cross obviously cost. be higher overall volumes, but what direction. Ability to pick up adhesives will drive the kind of equipment you The predominant quality of paper that and a good joint also depends on need in a box plant is that even though influences any of the boxes quality consistent COBB value. the volume is large, you will have to parameters is listed here. The paper caliper across the width is supply short runs very quickly. So, you RCT above 150gsm is the relevant important, because the roll density will will have to be able to change jobs on measure. If you want to measure the vary. One end of the paper roll would your converting equipment to cater to compression contribution of the paper, be tight, and the other would be loose customers requirement without storing you would use RCT. Paper would be it could change your contact profile on too much. 150 grams and above. The short span your preheating cylinders temperature When you have paper with compression test which is in vogue in profile, uneven contact on both ends deteriorating GSM strengths, you need Europe is for the lower gsm – below – so lots of paper factors contribute to excellent bonding. Lots of topics are 150 because the inherent measuring cost and efficiency of conversion. coming up. Later on people will talk process for RCT for lower gsm paper is You may buy a very good corrugating about how starch and additives are defective and gives you wrong reading. line, but bad paper will ruin what you going to improve the quality of the And obviously the bursting strength expect from that. We have to use good board. In certain applications, we will I would say is more relevant as far paper to make corrugating line run have to work with higher GSM papers as puncture properties of paper are efficiently and give you consistently a higher strength paper, we have to use concerned. Other than that, it should good box. some innovative flute formats. We not be used any more as a single could use a flute format E + C. A double Having said that, there are lots of specification for a box. wall looks like a single wall. It is 5 ply challenges, I know many of you have but looks like 3 ply. Performs better a strong grouse against the Indian Then you have moisture profile. because of the overall caliper and the paper manufacturers. Now I speak as Moisture and moisture profile these combination. Which also means that to a paper manufacturer. I like to tell you are the biggest problems when you keep the costs down paper gsm may about some thing. Recycled fibre will convert paper into boxes, if you drop to 80, 90, may be to 100 gsm. be the bulk of the fibre basket in the want to convert them efficiently with So corrugating equipment has to be near future. We do not have soft wood low wastage. Moisture – the overall faster, paper mills have to produce fibre, we do not have enough. So, most moisture and moisture profile are very, faster to be able to supply economically of the paper will have recycled fibre very critical for everything. In terms 80,90, 100gsm paper. of vertical strength, if you convert in it. It is true in China, true in most very dry paper, you will have vertical Asian countries. As recycling goes on Strength and substance limitations: edge failure when you crease it. As we climbing world wide, we are getting the Paper mills converting capabilities move on to warp, dimension stability imported boxes that we have already need to come up significantly, and and surface printability. And lastly the sent there and back here, quantity of definitely in my personal view, most important one - the strength to recycled fibre in the furnish will keep semi automatic process of board weight ratio. going up. Good recycled fibre will drive manufacturing is driving the cost,

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 38 the quality and everything else, but box in weight, you are getting paid for from the stack. Automatic removal I think it is time for that to change. If the unit. So dry box is definitely going facilitates to run at higher speeds you see a semi automatic board, and to avoid any kind of rejection. without compromising the process a plant board, with much more even parameters. So all this means, the way corrugated caliper, definitely the box compression boxes are made will have to change To conclude: Quality is not just a numbers of that will go up because of substantially from how they are made question of paper. It is more of a the evenness of the caliper. You can see now for the bulk of the capacity in our question of paper, the conversion the finish also. The semi auto board has country today. process, proper evaluation of the wash boarding, and the plant board is logistics, and delivery system and the absolutely flat. Adhesive consumption: Appropriate technology for quality need to work with paper manufacturer when you hand paste the top layer, you boxes. We have to have continuous converter as well as user is higher have put lots of glue on it. These are board making. Absolutely required. today than earlier. more precise on the glue line and the Beyond that, once you make the board amount of glue consumed is also less. you have to print it, you will have to Comment by Annamalai: have flexo board printing, no more So a quick comparison. Here is an A wonderful presentation. He took off paper printing and pasting. Also very example of the board made from the with tips for shop floor suggestions, accurate dimensional control. The same paper, in terms of specifications those tips turned out to be big subjects. glued joints for obvious reasons also of bursting strength, ring crush are the It will definitely be useful to all of us. improves. The whole line is glued same. But you have a different gsm for instead of stapled. It sounds surprising, the semi automatic, in fact the semi Shilu Ajmera: The best box should be but it is true. So the corrugator is automatic process has used a higher available at the right cost – not at the the heart of every efficient and cost gsm flute, 130 flute here, and the other lowest cost. effective box plant. Without good one is all 5 ply 120. What you observe board, you stop right there, you don’t Manish Patel: You have to educate here is the compression strength. go to the next level of quality at all. the user to appreciate what he needs When the box is made, on the automatic If you are planning to have a good to pay. plant, the gsm of the board is the same, corrugator it should have the following Shilu Ajmera; We have to change our but the performance is almost 50% features: hydraulic unwind stands, with mindsets. Then only we will be able to higher in terms of compression. One of splices preferably because you don’t change the mind set of our users. the most important factors is moisture. want to interrupt the process, to reduce The moment the board is supplied to wastage, you want the webs to run Manish Patel: I agree. One of the things user at 11% moisture, a lot of strength continuously. Fingerless high speed I am seeing in the industry is very often properties haven’t come up fully or single facers. is not quantified as to what’s the loss. they completely deteriorate. Wet boxes The corrugated case maker is the man With lighter weights coming in, new are out of the system. They cannot most beaten around . in the packaging. for flute combinations will be be useful to the end user, but they It is very easy to calculate the cost of the a good idea. You should have quick definitely give you a lot of damage. corrugated for most users. They seldom control of wrap, heater wrap, glue You need to dry the boxes. Avoiding calculate any cost beyond the cost of machine with glue gap control, rider roll the loss of caliper in converting that case itself. So it is very important control, double backer with shoes and operations, from board to box is a big to educate them about that, when they temperature display, need to process contributing factor. are paying a little more for a good box, control - servo cut offs, auto set ups, they may be saving a lot more. That’s Here is the effect of moisture. I have latest scorers because of rapid changes what they need to know. small table here. On the horizontal of orders. Stacker because once you you have the moisture that is present run at higher speeds you need to stack from one level to be converted into the board quickly to pass them on to another level. Look at this, You have the next process. It should be a well 11% moisture. You compare it to configured well designed machine to the compression strength at 7½ % get the quality box. moisture, it is 68%. There is 32% drop Another important factor is the ejection in strength by the moisture difference of the boards. Many of our continuous of 4% You are not getting paid for the plants still have the manual removal

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 39 HYGIENE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN CORRUGATING INDUSTRY

Annamalai: The subject is hygiene The end user? Everybody is an end user. management systems in corrugating What segment? Industry, retailer, Industry. What does this mean? manufacturer or trader? That is correct, Lot of us, 5 years ago, we never thought but there are segments. I heard Retail. of automatic plants. But today you can Yes! That is where our boxes are ending see that there are number of automatic up. That is where our packaging is plants that have come up in India. shown to our end consumer, that is our Similarly, today all of us are having real customer. a variety of customers, production, capacity has increased and there are lot What are the market tendencies? Have of food related customers. They come to a look at your country. What do you the corrugating industry and they talk expect to happen? Back in time you so much about the requirements of the could buy vegetables in a little stand. customer in the food industry things like Still the same here. But what would HSCC compliant, they have audits, they happen in the next 10 years? I was are associated with other companies surprised about some thing. Lot of bill abroad, we conduct in house audits in boards, shopping malls, I saw lot of our factories, pest controls, food grade super markets. What do you think that pesticides, lot of these things like even will happen? There will be more and washing your hands. They want no more. And probably some of the little Ludwig Anckaert wiping on the towel, but they want the bazaars will disappear. Super markets blowers. Such type of things he is going Director, L. A. Consulting, will grow intensively. to talk to us in detail – the hygiene that is Belgium required in our industry. This is age of globalization, He started his career in the consolidation in growing markets. Packaging industry in 1992 by They get very extremely powerful because they are massive end users of joining SCA Packaging. We will talk about Hygiene packaging. Could that mean in that role, Management today. Our boxes – they In 2001 he started to work on they also think that they have to get have to be cheap, they have to be on a freelance basis and took up what they want at their own conditions. time to be delivered fast, they have to responsibilities for turnarounds be safe and they have to be green as and delivering support on This is report 2000 – they have organized well and at the right cost. continuous improvement and themselves, what are they thinking about? Where are they concerned implementation of best practices Hygiene code for the corrugated board about. That is the latest one. You can in companies all over the world. industry. Hype or reality? Why a hygiene imagine that they were concerned a code? Anybody has answer to this? Early 2005, he was appointed little bit about the economy - 2009 – The market. There is another reason. Technical Director of the who was not concerned? Any idea? It is Legislation. We do not European Federation of really have a choice. Corrugated Board Food safety. Retail chains are extremely concerned about food safety. Standards, Manufacturers (FEFCO). In Europe we are converting 23 million traceability, consumer confidence, etc. tons of paper - that is what we use to make the corrugated boxes, that is what Some time back, they took out all the we deliver to customers. Who is your chicken in the super markets. You know customer? The first thing you should what it is? We are only a country of know if you want to sell something, 11 million people, but all the chicken who is your main customer? has to go out of the super markets.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 40 The cost of this was enormous. There our closed loop. So we have an element management plan, personal hygiene were a few statements of the President in that. and such kind of things. This is where of that organization, which is bringing we have to look at. I have listed a little This is something we have added now. all the retailers, all the food producers bit about the common requirements of The super markets – that is where the together and he says, second year different hygiene standards: collection starts, that is where they is running and food safety and drop back, that is what we have to Scope & Product description: return on investment are the most control. They are very demanding, we important things. l Risk assessment and hazard analysis have to get on to safety towards that. critical control points or knock Remember that word – return on How can we do that? out criteria -specially on investment. Food safety is only Different Hygiene standards. We have contamination risks. apparent if there is an issue. Yet the HCPP, we have American Institute of risk of ignoring it can be massively l Implementation of best practices. Bakery, we have international food damaging. This means you are out of Do not take it as a problem. You standards, and we have the BRCIOP, business. have to document your process and we have good manufacturing practices it is an addition to the compiled list If your boxes have food contact, be developed by FEFCO of ISO 9000 standard. very careful If you have to make pizza Now-a-days we also have every thing This makes it a little bit positive in boxes. no printing ink inside of the put together as ISO 22000 standard- the sense that ISO 9000 is something box. In USA we have FDA, but complicated and on top of that, this which we know. We know how to go on remember one thing. In emerging has just been voted by the European with that. We know how to document markets and specially for food, parliament. European norm called our process. We know how to achieve distances are growing, so they want to Packaging Management of Hygiene improved quality already. have control. The ones who are finally in the production of food stuffs. There buying– Western Europe, European If you can implement those best are only requirements. There are no countries and USA. They want to have practices in the same way, and we can protocols formed yet. It is legally control and they want to know the get to hygiene management problems, binding. quality of the product if everything is that would be the easiest way to do. safe. So if you are exporting to Europe, Implementation of the standard is That’s why vertical standards are USA, you have to comply to their rules. mandatory for all European Member important. Otherwise it will not enter anymore. countries. That means, they are also The main points here: They will stop you. protecting themselves. l Classical HCPP System. This is Packaging is important in the supply Horizontal Standards. What is the not for us. It is very complicated chain. You all know that. Manufacturer danger about the horizontal standards we have to look for where is the of the packaging should be close to the for our industry? The point is, we are contamination risk coming from the consumer for that. You all know that not producing food, we are producing surrounding production lines. This you have to transport over to 3000 km, an element to pack the food, but it is very important. That is where we you don’t make profit any more. is sold together. But if we go for the have our problem. horizontal standard and if we accept Shelf ready packaging – yes packaging the treatment, then we will suffer, l Hazard Analysis is the heart of is a part of the product. So, it brings because we are not organised for this. every system. This is a typical responsibility to us. Direct or indirect We don’t have this kind of working. knockout criteria, tidying & contact bring responsibility to us. The operations are different. It is very cleaning equipment, production, What do we know about our raw dangerous as well. pest controls, food & drinks - the materials? It was very nice presentation personnel eating at the machine Can you imagine your people wearing Mr. Manish Patel gave. But what is in should become a thing of the hair caps when they are standing at virgin fibre. What is in recycled paper? past and smoking… these are the the corrugators? It is a little unrealistic. We never questioned it, we didn’t even main things. You should go for vertical standards. dare to question. Have you ever seen Vertical standard is something which I don’t want to depress you now, but I the pulp? How can we protect ourselves is specially designed for our industry. went around a lot of plants – are they against all these kind of things? The The major part in that would be the neat? These are all European plants. situation we have is, we have extended

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 41 Just imagine you have a visitor. What paper. We have different orders out for develop an Industry Standard, which do you see here in this picture? This is the same paper. We are organized on all of you should follow. And you will what I found at the machine. It is food. that side. in fact show off to you customers He is making his own soup. You see how ready you are with your product. The advice is then, you think about what I mean? This is one of the biggest Because, there are alternatives, and the where your products end up. If you European factories – but not organized. alternative packaging system may be have to document this, your batch size better organized than the corrugating Ever heard about Tape engineering? should also be related to the of industry. Ink Management? Traceability – that the product. is one of the important common Have you ever thought of plastics? They Appropriate systems: As long as the requirement. Incase a contamination don’t have problems with stackability. system is working you can prove it occurs, and you don’t have traceability It is packaging which can not be reused. and support that, it is fine. Many of system, if you cannot prove that you But they don’t tell you that it is old oil you have planning systems. When you are not guilty, you will be guilty. You based, but the lobby is going on and have planning systems, you can find have to go to the lawyer. So organize if you are not getting organized, and when you have been running an order yourself a little bit on traceability at then the plastics will take over from on corrugating machine, or printing two levels. Within the operation and you. So get it organized. machine – this kind of system. If you in the supply chain. If you don’t have can find it back it is okay. But verify this. Every plastic tray has to be cleaned this organized, then you don’t have a Because when it is not working, you after use. What we have is very hygienic proper traceability system. can’t account for it. It will hurt. because the box is used only one time, Both things must function. Otherwise then it is recycled and then it comes you can’t figure out. into the production chain again. That Conclusions & Suggestions: is the major argument that you have This is something typically for the because cleaning of plastic trays is corrugated board. You have different We have to be careful that our something which doesn’t work. products coming in. – like starch, industry is not put into a corner. If your printing inks. glue etc. so be careful customers are categorizing you, they So be ready, don’t let it be imposed. with them. Document them. Make say - the corrugated box producers, Work on it as a Federation. Take sure that you have the batch no. or they never have their act together. We initiative. This could be translated as something like that. have problems with them. There is no added value for you. compliance to anything. You have different steps in the whole You can ask for a price for this. If you are corrugating system. Printing, Slotting, That is why we have to be a little bit too late, it will mean a cost. Leave the Gluing, Folding, Packing, Palletisation more proactive. commodity hell and go for the value and then delivery to the customer. heaven. Hygiene norm, if you do it in a right Document these steps: We are a little way, a little proactive way, before your Comment by Annamalai: This has been bit lucky now because we can defend it. big customers, before the retail sector a new subject for the audience. First Batch size, this is one thing which is not imposes it on you… it can mean lot of time some subject on Hygiene is chosen defined in the legislation, so that gives positive thing. I am convinced about it. for a presentation. It is a very-very big us a little bit of room. Because in Europe we were not ready subject. He has explained to us what is and then they imposed it. So then hygiene standards HCPP compliant, the We can’t make one liter starch to be you under go the situation. So put hazards and what happens. used on the corrugators. your heads together, for a Federation We make starch for two days and like yours, what you should do is to then run different orders. Same with

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 42 Practical tips for quality improvement in a box plant

After travelling round many box type of a system, we use a large gear factories in India, I decided to pump to transfer, what in effect is the concentrate on starch additives jelly to the secondary tank. because I see that most of you are into Water meter for your tanks. You trouble on this issue. have either a marked on the This will cover semi automatic and tank or if you are using a meter, the automatic both. recommendation is a magnetic flow meter, because the mechanical ones In India at present as a general will vary and give you false readings. statement, the majority of single facers are auto corrugating lines. The Once you have made the starch, the manufacturers use ready mix powders. recommendation is to use diaphragm My recommendation to you is mix pumps to transfer it to the tanks at the your own starch from dry ingredients. machines and within the machine. This mixes do not let you optimize will save the starch from shearing down your starch. No control of viscosity. and losing viscosity. Gel temperature and dry solid percent. What do we need to mix the starch If you are mixing starch, from a pre with? mix you obviously have some kind of mixing tank. So the main, mixing tank In India, Tapioca is the base. Just toss Archie Brown you have now will be suitable for mixing the coin and look at the market price starch from separate dry ingredients. and whatever you want to do. Caustic A veteran of the corrugated Here are some examples of starch soda flakes and borax. All readily box industry with 40+ years mixing vessels. You see a drawing here. available in the market. Then for the experience in the manufacture in What it shows is a two- tank mixing future when you get the automatic the U.K., Cyprus & Turkey, Saudi system the smaller tank is primary, lines, faster automatic lines we can Arabia, Thailand and Malaysia. the larger tank is secondary. But the introduce modifiers to make the starch interesting thing to know is that both Based in Bangkok for last 16 years bonding more powerful with less heat. tanks are vertical mixers. Our Chinese offering second hand machinery, We can introduce water resistant resins friends like to give you one small tank, consumables and consultancy for the starch, so that it can go into the which is vertical. There is another tank service to the box makers in refrigerator, into the freezer, to give which is horizontal. I am afraid, most South East Asia, India, Middle much better performance and also of the industry will recognize that East, Turkey and the Eastern replace granular powder borax with the horizontal tank is not suitable for Mediterranean Basin. liquid borax. But the future is here. mixing starch. Water resistant resins are already on In addition, operates an Anilox trial in India. This small tank on the top for mixing roll cleaning service in Thailand the caustic – putting caustic flakes with using an air pressure driven So we have got the tanks, we have got water, to have a collective caustic. The baking soda spraying machine. the ingredients. We need to have some other thing about these tanks is that control when we are making the starch they are vertical, the actual shaft is and when we are using it. I suggest a angled. So if you are mixing, it is like hand held infra red thermometer, to 3D – not just making a big war with! test the gel of the starch which we No unmixed material sitting in the mentioned earlier, we need some thing middle. to make hot water. Kettle is a good thing. A beaker, thermometer, you need Once you mix the starch to get to the all these. To test the starch applications primary from the secondary from this

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 43 on the corrugators, a with liquid thermometer. And the result in this starch with low solids being applied iodine from the pharmacy, and a plastic particular instance – when we mix the in huge amounts. When I go and . starch, it heats up, it thickens, we get strengthen up the starch mix, people the gel and the result is 64 degrees. say, ‘increased cost!’ Most of the people use the one used for cleaning windows – same thing Here is the equipment you need to But then, you reduce starch application, goes into the QC lab as a ‘crucial’ piece start testing with. We made the starch. rate by 50%, in fact naturally it is cost of equipment! The gel is okay, we now got to get it to effective. You are applying less starch the machines. per sq. m. So total of that lot costs you less than 200 dollars. So let us spend the money Take a fast running corrugator. On the Next, optimize your paper and get them. right, you have the supply of single temperatures, before the paper enters facers. On the left you have got the the single facer, and double facer. Now, if you are going to mix the starch supply of the double glue machine. by dry ingredients, may be you only I am recommending to check just What we recommend to you is that got one tank. So let us concentrate before the pressure roll gets to the the main storage tank should be the on the tank system first. First water, maximum running speed. Lower the storage tank you use to distribute the a small portion of starch powder. grammage, the less heat you need. starch by gravity to the trays in the This portion will set the viscosity of The more you heat the low grammage machine then take starch back from your starch. Caustic which will turn this paper, the rough your surface finish machine tray to the large storage tank, into a jelly and this amount of caustic will be. With high grammage papers If you do it that way you will maintain you add, will set the gel temperature –150gsm and above, we want the the integrity of your starch much better. of the starch. Then second water, mix temperatures at 85 – 95 just before it Your starch will not over heat and you it up, second starch powder which is enter the pressure roll. And that paper will not have a drastic loss in viscosity. the bulk, uncooked portion, which will should be wrapped over the preheater do the sticking, on the machine and Our Chinese friends will like to give at the single facer, so that the heat is in some borax to stabilize and assist with you small tanks and the starch goes right contact with the side of the paper penetration or you can do this whole from the small tank to the machine, to which gets the starch. process in two separate tanks which is the sump, back again, so there is very Then you see the 2 ply coming out of the industry standard, and a little bit small quantity of starch is running up the machine and the comment here faster. Two tank system mix should take a marathon. It gets overheated, it gets it is 95 – 205. By measuring that you less the 45 minutes to do. over stressed. It loses its viscosity and it temperature you can set your steam won’t do the job for you as well. Let us focus a little bit on gel pressure from the boiler, to the correct temperatures. Optimum gel There is a stirrer in the storage tanks, pressure, using that as the guide. temperatures to suit your machine slow turning and offset, not in the Glue Machine: Pretty much the same at the speed you are running, at the centre. When the corrugator is running, story. This is for 5 ply, the C flute, the temperatures you run the machines, you can switch off this stirrer. When the top of triple preheaters, you have got will allow you to produce the best corrugator is not running and you have an option, you can go over the top or quality board with the lowest possible some starch in stock, put the stirrer under. Different corrugators prefer heat cost. on a timer, 5 or 10 minutes every hour different things. It goes by the character is enough. Heat Cost: Target gel temperature, of the machine. speeds up to 50 meters a minute, gel We have got to apply the starch on The middle preheater: when you are temperature 65. Speeds up to 100 the machine - be it single facer or glue running 5 ply, this is most critical meters a minute gel target 63. Speeds machines A & C flute: 05 mm. This is heat setting for corrugators this will up to 150 meters a minute 61 for faster measured when we put the board determine how fast you can run double machines, over a 150 meters a minute in water. After 5 or 10 minutes peel it wall board. For 5 – ply a minimum you are talking about 2 separate starch open and spray with the water iodine 850. Before it goes into Double facer recipes one to suit the single facer, one solution, then comes up your starch – up to 990. The faster you can run, the to suit the double facer. line. This will look totally different from better is the middle bond. what you just see when you peel back Testing for gel: Here is, my kettle, two pieces of paper. And not like what Same story as the single facers except my beaker and a thermometer. In you see in lot of your factories, mixed that time when the paper is over this case we are looking at the digital

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 44 150 gsm, it has got to be wrapped on it, you will see the flute lines or the be set by gauge. You have your under the preheater, so that the side of streak marks and you will also come to guys at the machine, you have worked the paper in right contact with the heat know about the uneven application. He a few years on the machine, they get is the side that gets starch. also emphasized on the importance of this roller on a slower speed, they stop preheater. the roll with the hand, the gap sets Lastly, coming out of your double correctly. You caliper 2 ply and take facer at fantastic speeds, we measure Most of us do not give importance to that point minus 1 mm, for fingerless top liner as it exits of the double facer, preheater. He explained to us which machines. Set the gap by filler gauge, and our target there is 800. Can’t be a side of the paper should be preheated and you will be making a good board. little bit less, can’t be a little bit more. and how much, the paper should be If you do not get enough heat to wrapped around the preheater which Get the heat temperatures right. You cook the starch you have the danger is very very essential for optimum are not making biscuits. Then check the of delamination and the starch will bonding. These are very practical useful burst from the same semi automatic & show white lines, uncooked. If it is too points. automatic. The burst must be at least high, there is possibility of making a same. It is logical for the automatic delamination on the outside edges of Questions & Answers machine to make less burst. the board. Q. Upendra Goenka: In the context K. C. Naik: When we test paper we keep So, we are now at the final stages. of quality of auto plant, consumer it in the lab for 24 hours under normal You look at the temperatures of the 2 requires only bursting strength. How to temperature, but when we take the –ply coming out of your single facer, satisfy? box from the truck, the client tests you can then set your heat to get A. Manish Patel: As far as the bursting the BF and returns the truck. The user the correct temperature. And from that strength is concerned, an auto plant does not keep the box under normal your electrical heating or heating oil, or will definitely give you a better number, temperature. Please advice. your boiler steam pressure can all be but not necessarily higher than what Annamalai: You should have an reduced till you get down to the correct the paper has in it. When the paper understanding with your customer that temperatures. Once you do that, you roll is better, converting will be dry. So if you test the box without conditioning, will be saving on costs. when you measure it, you get the right it is very very difficult, other wise, you number when you test, but I don’t know have to test the same box without whether it really adds to the bursting conditioning and he also has to test the Session Chairman summarises: strength. If the customer is insisting on box without conditioning. the bursting strength, then you need to Mr. Archie Brown has spent enormous buy the paper that gives you bursting Ludwig: If I understand properly, you amount of time on shop floor, at the strength. That will be the real solution. are complaining about the fact that machine. If you had carefully listened to your customer is not doing the BCT him, he has spoken about useful points Q. Harish Madan: In automatic plant, testing of your boxes which you are - practical tips. He has emphasized does the bursting generally see a dip. delivering? the importance of the manufacturing of starch adhesives in-house, the A. Manish Patel: This is also discussed at Annamalai: He is not conditioning, optimum gel temperatures – very very the WICMA Seminar. In our experience that is the point, you have to have an important for our quality. He has also we haven’t seen that. You get the understanding with your customer. told us about the distribution of starch predicted bursting strength by normal He can’t return the truck, unless he adhesive. Many of us don’t circulate methods. This drop is something – I tests under same conditioning, if your the starch in our factories. We just have have definitely heard of it, but really factory is close to the customer, the the starch on our trays and the starch can’t see the reason or why it should moisture and humidity levels may gets heated, it becomes just watery happen. not differ, you can test it without after a few hours of operation. This is Clarification by Archie Brown: conditioning and similarly test without a very important point he stressed on. Burst is part of the paper. Starch plays conditioning at the customer’s factory. Circulation of adhesive from the tray an important role. What also plays an A point of understanding between to a overhead tank and back again important role on your automatic lines, customer and supplier. by gravity. He also mentioned about is the gap between the rider roll and Archie Brown: The burst testing the Iodine Test to check up the glue the glue roll at the glue machine. This is of corrugated board - the fault for application. Dip the board, spray iodine a killer for your board and this can only

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 45 that probably lies with the Korean concentrating on ECT, BCT. You really Q: What about the preservatives to be companies – who have set up their got to talk to your customers, find out added in the corrugating adhesives, plants in India and are carrying on with what properties they want from their because lot of times we have left their obsession of burst. box and get them convinced that burst over starch from previous night, is not the best test for them, best test we could not exactly calculate our Naik: If the box fails the customer says for the box is ECT, BCT. requirement. that it is manufacturer’s fault. Ludwig: It also will depend on what Q: According to you what is the Annamalai: Drop test has certain for the box will be used. Some cases I square meter consumption of specification. If the person is testing understand why they are using burst. adhesive on different flutes? B or not under those specifications, I do not There is more wrap around and keeping A & C flute for example. think that he is doing the right thing things together, effectively having the and it is a misconception about the Q: You told us about the semi automatic performance of the case, I certainly method of his testing. Please insist, you adhesive. In Indian conditions we recommend ECT, but the BCT is the have to ask him to use the same norms use pre-gelled adhesives. last thing, the customers can use. For and test it as per the specifications. every test, that is my final comment on Archie Brown: Starch & Gel for Dorai Murali: Since none of the that. Please describe them somewhere single facer automatic corrugators. paper mills is specifying RCT Value, and agree on industry level with your Bacterial growth in starch. Ring Crush Test elucidates on customers. It is very important that the Obviously fermented from the old calculating RCT from BS - at least for people understand the conditions have one - this is not allowed in Europe, higher GSM and higher BF. to be followed and that there are some but it is still used in India. A small standards to be followed, because if portion of fermented left over is there Manish Patel: Bursting strength is everybody goes his own way, it will and if you are still using it, there are the primary basis on which paper never work out. You have to convince chemicals to be added to that. is identified and sold in India. Now your customer that, there are standard the new requirement that the RCT of written down somewhere which is also The most important thing to me is paper be specified by the paper mills, including the conditioning on the test. frequent cleaning of the tanks and because most applications are going flushing off the systems by something to move towards BCT. So, there is no Naik: As per BIS drop test has to be like sodium hyper chloride, swimming direct co-relation. The way a paper mill done from one meter height. But at pool stuff. That is more important in produces and forms the basic sheet has the time of transportation of boxes, all honesty, if you got a stirrer in your a very strong bearing on both Burst and with material, workmen, carry the box storage tank, and stirs every hour for RCT. There is no formula that co-relates on his head - where BS is deviated. The 5 -10 minutes. That is really enough, BS to RCT. customer says there is a fault with box. unless you are in very, very humid hot conditions if the tanks are clean, all the Each mill has its own process, and each Annamalai : You mean to say that the residues are scraped off and the pipes process will determine how the RCT is drop test of the box differs after worker flushed, then you need very minimal determined. You have to start ordering carries it on the head. additives. paper based on RCT. You have to stop Shilu Ajmera: There is an additional talking about B.S. You could easily have cost which is much more than what a paper that has a 24 Burst Factor with he is saving. He is creating a hassle for a very high ring crush number, and you the nation and the earth. Should we could also have 28 BF with the same not educate our customer wherever it GSM with lower RCT than the 24 BF is possible to use only 3 ply, because paper, depending on how the paper a 5-ply takes double the cost to was made and what has gone into it transport? and how it was formed. So each mill will have their own standard. There is Manish Patel: At the end of my no formula and I don’t think there is presentation, I said that it is necessary any research done around the world. to work as a team – right from raw These guys are fanatic for burst test of material producer, the converter, corrugated board. It is a big thing in the user. India as well. The rest of the world is

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 46 FCBM 42:10 | Page – 47 Session Chairman- Opening Remarks

We had two very interesting sessions. For the improvements in the box Satish Kapur In this afternoon session we will be compression strength, in our country, discussing about producing better most of us are talking about buying Managing Partner of quality with reduced wastage and paper on the basis of bursting strength, Trident Trading Corporation, cost – it is quite a debatable paradox which of course does not have a major which is one of the leading to imagine reduction of cost without role to play in the compression strength corrugated box manufacturing sacrificing the quality. of the box. It all depends to a great companies of Kolkata. extent the ring stiffness of the paper. So To set the ball rolling, we will discuss He has been in the packaging now we should look at the avenues of producing better quality with reduced business since 1963. talking to the mills and that they should wastage and cost. To give you an specify the ring stiffness they can give Mr. Kapur is the Past President example, you could discuss with the and we could negotiate with them on of the Federation of Corrugated mills and get bigger OD reels of Kraft that basis rather than bursting strength. Box Manufacturers of India paper. Then you save quite a bit on the (FCBM) and has also served on wastages that would have added to the committee of the International the cost. We can also look at the transit Corrugated Case Association damages which also result in wastages, (ICCA). which can be easily avoided.

He is also the Hony. Similarly, for reducing the cost, without Consul for Finland, in sacrificing the quality, those who were Eastern India and Hony. present in the earlier session, would Director & Treasurer of the have seen how our previous speaker Consular Corps of has mentioned about a glue container, Kolkata. and the way how glue is brought down by gravity. Similarly, the glue can be controlled if circulating pumps are installed.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 48 PRODUCING BETTER QUALITY WITH REDUCED WASTAGE & COST

The theme of this conference is storage which is close to the conversion quality @ cost. My presentation will lines, and from here the finished be on producing better quality with products are strapped and wrapped reduced wastage - befitting with the and shipped out to the finished goods nice comments of Mr. R. G. Agarwala store for distribution. suggested in his key note speech. When I first came to visit the sheet plant, I know the industry very well from every machine purchased was fitted various different angles; corrugated into whatever place was available. That board is an amazing product and you generally means that there is no floor can use it to make a wide range of room, half finished boxes are coming different products. Also it is extremely from all directions and that costs you environment friendly. money - moving stuff for no real reason.

What I am going to say is actually A well planned-out conversion plant common sense. I am seeing this will allow for materials and finished problem in many plants. What we goods to flow from the material store need is general planning and good through the conversion machines, and housekeeping to get on to the top of out to the palletisation and distribution the things. with the lowest amount of operator intervention. This reduces your ongoing Quality comes at a cost. It is not free. costs. John Hamer But you can reduce your costs and Over 30 years experience, still achieve higher quality. Someone In the case of corrugator, the main costs in design and sales of said, no matter how many people have are: corrugating and converting started the job, we have been unable Machine investment cost: buying new equipment to make a good box. This comment is machine will make you produce more aimed chiefly at number of plants with efficiently. This has to be cost effective. Worked with Fosber of Italy, and outdated equipment. Imagine! Majority You may buy some equipment and use Tecasa of Spain, marketing a of plants that are still using letter press it to increase efficiency. This will cost. range of conversion machines in printers!! the UK, Ireland, Scandinavia and That means you are back to the scales the USA. More recently, has been The times are changing. With the again. You have to weigh the cost of working with companies such as expansion of Indian economy, the machines against quality you wish to Signode, marketing corrugated industry is investing in new produce. end-of-line equipment such as equipment. Attaining good quality at Paper: paper is costly in India. It is not strappers and stretch wrappers a good cost is a balancing act. Most going to change at this moment. It is along with consumables such as people say that this is evenly balanced false economy to buy the cheapest strap and stretch film. situation. It is possible to rise quality paper you can,it may create problems at reduced costs. Firstly, I recommend in your production process. Here you Now offering his services and that all plants should be well laid out can as well buy low cost paper, it may knowledge as a consultant and if it is possible. It reduces unnecessary also mean low with the quality. It may is helping Macarbox of Spain movement of materials which costs also mean poor glue adhesion, bad to launch their new range of money. In a good integrated plant, printing. Don’t forget that paper is corrugated conversion machines the material should flow from the an expensive commodity and don’t into the market. corrugator to the finished board and waste that. then flow back to distribution sheet plant and then to conversion lines. The Starch: once again you have to carefully board is directed to an intermediate balance costs and quality.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 49 Heat and Energy: How much you can do It will fail and can make use of starch Many people are going to say the shear with that since generally all machines unnecessarily. There is a move today is the most important factor in the line. you use take more power than the towards using lower grammage paper. If you want to have good order changes modern machines! But on thinner outliners printing can be without wastage and splices coming affected. Liner must be flat enough for into slitter scorer it is essential that Man Power: In the case of Man Power, good printing. You generally need to shear is well maintained and blades it is important that the machine make the corrugator slower or quicker replaced when necessary. The slitter operators are well trained. It is better to if necessary on the double facer, which scorer needs to be well maintained at go with a smaller crew of well trained requires great control. So thinner and all times. I remember to have taken operators rather than having large cheaper paper can be a false economy. a customer to see a slitter scorer in a crew of operators who really don’t plant in Southern Europe. The edge of know what they are doing. Well made fluting gives real integrity to the board was displaced, it was terrible. the boxes. Edges and corners are where In case of conversion machines, it is I was informed that when the machine their strength is. Badly made fluting again the same. Machine investment is is down, then only the blades get reduces the integrity of the boxes. the same. What is going to be best for replaced. In the mean time, they go on The edges and corners will give away you, is to go for used machines which working with the bad blades even for a and hence box will start to collapse. are well maintained. You can’t do much whole month. Crazy! about the energy consumption, as This is just general stuff. Make sure all mentioned earlier. stands and splicers are well maintained Blades should be checked regularly and efficient. Inefficient splicers will and replaced immediately when it is Board: It is an important issue. The slow down the corrugator with poor needed and not when it is convenient. quality of board you produce will joining. It will mean that there will be What clogged up in the system? The depend on the quality of packaging breaks in the web. It is vitally important operators looking after the machine your customers want. that the corrugator rolls and flanges blades, realized that it... It is just down are kept clean and have a place if because of lack of cleanliness. Ink: Good quality ink is important if necessary. Clean environment is very you want to produce quality boxes. Of Another problem is oil. People tend simple and will pay dividends and course if the need is not there, if you to be mad with oil cans at times. help in producing better boards. For have to print only the code number, You should be careful with that. better production, you may consider lower quality inks can be looked at. No customer wants to supply food fingerless conversion on single facers. in the boxes that have oil in them. Glue and Wire: Glue is cost effective It is a much more efficient method with The good slitter scorer with good clean when the job is done right. It should better controlled quality. The glue in blades is a must. The cut off knife is also go into consideration that glue it is also very important for the line. If also important and like other units, it settings are set before the boxes the glue unit is not looked after, it gets is vital that it is well maintained and accept the glue. Stitching wire should clogged up and glue is wasted, it costs blades are replaced when necessary. be right for the purpose, particularly it you money again. Poor maintenance The first impression will count on the should be as per requirements of final and operation of the corrugator leads customer. environmental destination. to warp and delaminating the board Man Power: Same thing as with the with many problems. It degrades If you are making board to sell on, corrugator. You need a small number quality and costs you money again. In you need to stack it well. Therefore it of well trained operators to get good fact, the corrugator wet end including is important to check that the board work done. the double facer should be checked is well shingled and stacked squarely. and maintained at all times. If you don’t Your customer wants and needs well Let us look in more detail at the maintain and control your wet end, it stacked piles. Even if they are for your corrugator. Use good quality board if is a typical example of what you are own use, it makes sense to make a it has to do the job it is designed for. going to be producing and this is not good stack because it makes feeding It is important that the flute formation what the customer wants. This will get into conversion machines much easier. is good and clean. Fluting gives the disjointed at the corrugator. Once you boards its main strength, poor fluting have well made flat boards leaving the We move on to conversion side. To fails on this count. Further to this, double facer, the most important issue certain extent some of the faults in a badly defined fluting can be an is that you are going to make it good. board production will be seen when obstruction to the integrity of the board. Well slit well scored and stacked. they are converted into boxes.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 50 But if major problems with this process most exclusively letter press printing. On fully automatic printing system, show up, your customers will not be I am pleased to say that the situation introduced by Macarbox Box, the happy. has started to change and continues inking system is fully enclosed to do so. I must say that I had a small within the structure of the machine. Due to wide range of conversion influence. I am actually pleased that This means the working area is kept machines, I will just focus on flexi-folder Dolphin inks has won an award for cleaner and the system is less exposed gluer. This is probably the most diverse their work in flexo inks. Letter press is all to oil contamination. More importantly, productive machine you are running in well and good but if you want quality it is fully automated inking and your box plant. The feeder will possibly at lower cost you must need to know washing system, operators can do be the most important part of your what is flexographic printing. other things while machine can be left machine. If you don’t feed the boards to do the work unsupervised. A good straight it does not matter how good If you have a good letter press machine, example of time saving is when you the rest of the machine is, says one you can go for flexo conversion. You will are doing a 2-color job on a modern of my friends in the industry. All you realize immediately that it increases 4-color machine. While still running could do is a good job but only with flat production and quality at reduced one job, the previously used modules board. To get best out of your system, costs which is what this conference are cleaned and kept ready for the you need to consider the modern, is all about. With the flexo system it next job. latest feeder like the SUN for example. is much quicker and easier to wash These are able to handle the boards off the system with greater reduced If you really want your quality high, better even if they are not perfect. chance of contamination of colors. then you should have a printer with Lead edge feeders are good. But its life With flexo printing, water based inks a vacuum transfer. For disposing the can be improved upon. With normal are used and printing dries faster. This pool orders, the sheets are actually fed lead-edge feeders when the board is means that the further process can be through the printer so that the print not lined up precisely, in the half way continued almost immediately without valve can have contact with the printer you can get some problems. leaving any bad effect on the print surface. Once again as we said, it is quality. Please see, that the printing I was working with a company that important to keep the printer clean and system is clean, and can be washed is producing servo-controlled lead- well maintained. off between jobs. The anilox rolls have edge feeders which have some major to be cleaned thoroughly and good Die cutting can be an important part advantages. The feed is completely cleaning chemicals must be applied at of box manufacture, even in the case independent from the rest of the line. regular intervels. The viscosity range of regular slotted containers. If you are As the board is fed from the lead-edge has to be controlled so that it does the slotting in-house, much time can be it is detected from a sensor which job neatly. The printing plates should saved by using small die cutting tools then precisely controls the position of be cleaned fully, and if necessary, a rather than the conventional tooling the board in relation with the printer. cycle of cleaning system should be and slotting section. These things make Every board is exactly in the right place used. Printing is simple, it’s just a case the machine much more versatile. every time. In one case I was dealing of putting right amount of the right ink Those customers who make containers with a customer in USA, who had a in the right place on the right page. for shipping plants and flowers to well maintained machinery, slotted shops, have to have some ventilation. well, printed and glued well, but, the It is nice to be working with This is done very quickly and efficiently package board was not that flat. He flexographic printing using a simple by using die cutting. had problems of failing boxes. In and efficient doctor blade system. If fact he was running 11,000. When he you want a good print quality, you Slotting with the slotter: I have lost actually was to deliver only 950 boxes. should consider having proper ink count of times,when I have come Quite a bit of difference it made on management systems. It is relatively across badly made boxes due to badly his economy. simple. For the best control of inks, working slotting section. This unit in process, make sure that only the should be checked regularly for the My first presentation in 1997 at FCBM right amount of inks are on the anilox integrity of slotting lines and scoring conference was - Basics for flexo roll. There are companies that offer heads. Replace the blades if necessary. printing and advances for corrugated conversion of printing process and you Once again it is a false economy to keep packaging industry. should consider it. It will ensure better on making bad boxes to save time or At that time I was told that a majority quality printing with greatly reduced small amount of money with damaged of corrugators in India were using ink wastage. blades.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 51 With the folder gluer, you need to folder-gluer line, you should consider quality controlling process. Efficient ensure that the glue unit belts and fitting a good bundling-squaring and operator should take time to prepare arms are checked regularly. Incorrectly unit, then may be you can be each order well in advance so the adjusted arms and belts are to be sure of palletizing squarely the bundles job flows easily through machines. If controlled for fish tailing and other and make sure that they are strapped you make 10%, you are making small problems. securely on the pallet. amounts and if you make 1000 cases and waste a 100, you have done the job A good gluing injection system needs If all goes as planned, you now have, the for nothing. regular maintenance. It is much more final,well produced goods. You have on efficient than other methods. The glue the line reduced your ongoing costs of There is a lot of waste in box production, units will save the money by using just production. You can pat yourself on the particularly with printed cases. Each right amount of glue in the right place back for a job well done. bad box is money at your bottom line. at the right time. Further to this, to be If you want to see an efficient plant, Quality is not necessarily a domain of totally sure in the gluing process, glue don’t go to the front offices which are modern equipment. You have to weigh sensor could be fitted to check the glue all nicely done up. Go to the back of the up, what you want from your plant. I lines are present and correctly placed. plant and see how much waste there is. have got a plant in UK with two high It is important to use the right glue Then you then you will now whether to speed machines. This particular one to be sure that it is fully joined before call them efficient or not. is more than 10 years now, but still the final bundles are ejected from the keeping the machine well maintained So by good planning, use of good line. Don’t forget that you may make and clean. And that is still making first materials, regular maintenance of excellent board but the box is only as class boxes. The reason is, as long as the machinery and good and regular strong as the joint. you are using good material, operators, operator training, it is possible to tilt the There are still a large amount of make repairs when needed and stick scales of increasing quality and reduce stitching boxes in India, much more to well planned maintenance, the the costs. Lot of guys are offering than in USA and Europe. Therefore machine is going to work fine. operator training. You may have to the production cost saving stitching spend once in a while for this, but you I do remember some years ago, I have may not be automatic inline machine will be saving a lot of money everyday. gone to a plant in South Wales. There as the total flexo-folder-gluer. There is was an awful screeching noise coming Now let us see why Macarbox has sent a sticher, which is capable of stitching from the stacker deck at back end of me here. It will be new to most of you. 8,500 cases now. the corrugator. I asked the operator, We have taken over the production Finally at the end of the flexo-folder- what are you going to do? He said of the range of machines previously gluer, we come to the ejector. I have I will mend it when it breaks. That’s built by Tecasa, well known for their seen more jam ups here than any where not good. It could break down in engineering skills. They offer a die in the line. If good square boxes arrive the middle of a very important job, at cutter with the size of 1675 mm, here, it is very important that it remains the most inconvenient time. Its crazy to a well built machine, with choice of square before the glue is fully set. do that! printing systems with vacuum transfer.

Like the folder-gluer, it is important that Clean the machine daily. Work out a Also there is Star printer, flexo-folder- any arms and belts are well maintained schedule of a weekly and monthly gluer – extremely successful in many and any adjustments required are made maintenance and arrange a regular of the plants, particularly in Europe, North, Central & South America. The immediately. If everything is going as service annually and more often. if bottom print machine that is available planned, then square boxes will come necessary. in drum sizes of 970 to 1300 mm and to the ejector, good square boxes will Operator training is vitally important. widths from 2 to 3.2 meters. It is fully be duly counted and will leave the You need to make sure the operators automatic, completely operative counter ejector. fully understand what they are doing machine, requires a very small crew, At the end of the line , you have taken and that they have the skills to set with line production speeds of 19000 some good board, turned it into well up and run the machine quickly and cases an hour. made boxes. Your plan may still fall apart. accurately. Once the operators have Once again, first impressions count. You these skills they are able to run the don’t want to send bad bundles, badly machine well, you should free them stacked on the palettes. On the flexo- up to have more time to monitor the

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 52 This is designed for flat bed die cutter climbs and turns at intermediate India is a country of history and lines to use the full working area of a degrees before it sends on to the mystery. But now it is changing and die cutter. It is often cost effective to palletiser. becoming a leader in technology, run lots of the boxes together. Normally IT and manufacturing. It has a I told about automatic requirements an operator needs to break the tags vibrant and growing economy. It is and bundle the die cuts and separate particularly flexo-folder-gluer with becoming very important destination them. With the fast break, these high speed set ups and productions. of manufacturing consumer tagged bundles are fed into conversion These are expensive, once again you consumables. It also is becoming a machine which automatically climbs have to weigh various costs. If you want centre of designing. It means more and and breaks and fall in. No operator a printer, slotter, a folder, gluer you can intervention is involved. have two operative processes – two better quality packaging is going to set ups. One for material and another be needed for these products in the The fast line consists of two modules, for storage. With the new automatic future. The corrugated industry in India normally operated together. The fast machine, you reduce all of that. You can must prepare itself for the challenges batch is mounted directly behind the reduce set up time, production time, ahead. die cutter where finely stripped waste cleaning time, use of inks and glue, actually count the sheets, creates operator costs and the movement of square bundles. The second part is storage and materials. With modern fast line and makes better bundle Before I close, India has been automatic machines, you will use fewer palletising of unusual shaped boxes. independent for a while, but the operators and obtain better quality. Republic of India was proclaimed on A completely controlled machine only Various operative options are available. January 26, 1950 if I am correct. It normally allows one bundle to stay needs to be checked up once before a and then the next bundle is taken,it new job is taken up. Happy 60th Birthday to India!.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 53 PRODUCING BETTER QUALITY WITH REDUCED WASTAGE & COST

What is quality in a BOX VISUAL IMPACT

The definition of quality relevant to To communicate the relevant a box is defined by the requirement information follow the marketing of the package to meet the 3 most direction, in order to become an important functions integral part of the PRODUCT COMMUNICATE AND SELL

Essential Elements of a Box PERFORMANCE

STRUCTURE / VISUAL / PERFORMANCE The box has to be able to perform to the STRUCTURE designed capabilities in all the relevant areas; The box has to meet the requirementsof the production capabilities • Protection• Easy loading • Stackability • SIZE • SAFE TRANSPORT INFORMATION Make sure the relevant information is ; • Clear • Concise

What I am going to talk to you today unusual. Its a normal way of life. Now might not be exactly what you are Patrick Mafrici I will tell you about some of these ideas. expecting. I have not got any pretty Doesn’t mean that they are always right. Engaged in Industrial pictures but I have got only some That is why I always say, if you can use Engineering, Management simple ideas where we can improve them, use them, if you find that they and Training. things in our factories. What I am going don’t work, dump them. It’s simple. Started working in to tell you is not from a book, just from the corrugator industry my head, because I did work in a box What is quality? (1) in 1969 in Australia. company for many many years. I visit many companies round the year than I think if we look at quality and cost, Also involved in the probably most other people. So I do we need to define a little bit what we corrugator rolls development what I call exchange of knowledge. think about quality. I mean what is with a German company Because every time you go somewhere quality to me may be totally, differently FRIESE and as a consultant - you take some thing, you leave appreciated by John. Let us see what to Brently Engineering, an something. You never walk away with quality really is. Since we can’t do that, Australian based company. nothing. If nothing else, just a smile. let us see what we can do about it.

Joined BHS Germany as Let us talk a little bit about the realities What is the most important factor in Technical Manager for their of things, because saving is very whatever we do? Don’t tell me paper. New Corrugator rolls, complicated thing. We all try our best Don’t tell me machines or starch as all factory in China, where he is to produce a good product in the those things are part of it. But guess currently working. least expensive way. It is not a secret. what, there are some companies All over the world, box makers face around the world, who use the worst the same problems. Everybody wants paper, the worst machines, the worst better quality for the cheapest possible starch, yet they produce good products. price. Is that some thing unusual? Not really, we go to buy some thing we There are people who have the best require, we want to buy something for machines in the world, use best starch, the cheapest possible price. Nothing best paper but what they produce is not

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 54 What can we do to minimize cost and maintain quality ? Training Moisture

The box quality is highly dependant on This is one area where most successful This is a very determining factor on the these factors: companies excel final strength of the box PAPER USED Most people do not train their people for Starch application should be minimized BOX DESIGN fear of losing them to the opposition No water used to control warp MANUFACTURING PROCESS IF YOU THINK TRAINING IS EXPENSIVE CONSIDER THE COST OF IGNORANCE

Important factors The 3 Fundamentals of packaging are:

Waste is your number one enemy PROTECT THE CONTENTS The cost of waste is the biggest PROMOTE THE PRODUCT contributor to the final product price INFORM THE CUSTOMER Package that does not protect the product results in loss of product Package that does not promote the product may put the product out of business

good. They produce rubbish. So as far At the end of the day, we have to agree Visual: To attract our attention. We are as I am concerned, the most important that the customer is going to consider all motivated by visual impact. We learn factor is always people. If we can’t do performance as a first priority. That’s more from visuals than from what we the job, the computers can’t do the what he is interested in. That’s why he do from listening or reading. So visual job. As it’s said, rubbish in-rubbish out. buys the product. impact is a very important factor. So we We are the only one who can control need to communicate through visuals, this and nobody else. And it’s no good So may be, we should start always and the better we present the visuals, blaming the guy at the bottom saying asking ourselves, what’s going to be better reactions our customers will - Oh, you are not doing the right thing. packed? For whom it is going to be have for their products. We sell more If you don’t teach them to do their packed? Why is it packed? Is it going and they buy more boxes. Well its a works properly, they wouldn’t know any in a train, in a carriage etc. etc., These simple process. So why is performance better. So I think, the very important are the questions to be asked from our very important? They have to protect factor will always be people. So how do customers. Yes if you are dealing with the goods, should be easy to transport. we get fine quality in a box? It is a very the multinationals, they will give you all Of course proper stacking is a must. important factor. To me these three the required information. At the end of the day, nobody keeps important items are to be considered: one box. (3) But there are other customers who Structure / Visual / Performance / really don’t know what they are looking So what is the first item of visual. basically they are essential elements of for and hence they rely on us, as an We always conceive this to show that a box. (2) expert in the field to design or produce we have the relevant information. Structure: What do I mean by structure? something. That will help them The information should be clear and The kind of materials we are going to transport their goods or store them, precise, that whatever product we do, use, the kind of papers we are going whatever the case may be. Of course we should have the right information. to use, the kind of starch we are going some of the things we should consider We always look for minimizing our to use will show a fact. What do I want are the size, and safe transportation. costs. There are many items we have most in life? If we walk along shops, Hence sometimes, we may have to to consider here. Many speakers have do we look at horrible looking shops redesign packages, specially for export, talked about the starch, the paper, or pretty shops? All of us know the so the packages can fit in containers or the machines and commitment for answer. Majority of people, will start in the back of a truck, or whatever the maintenance. There are a variety of looking at pretty, front window shops things, but of course we all know that mode of transportation may be. rather than the ugly ones. The most the most important factor in these are important point from the customer’s Everybody wants to put more pretty the paper we utilize. Yes there are better point of view, is really the performance. pictures on their boxes. Why? papers and there are worse papers.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 55 How do we check the amount of starch? HUMIDITY FACTORS % RELATIVE STACKING HUMIDITY STRENGHT Iodine test is the simplest and DRY 100% effective way 25% 90% 50% 80% 75% 65% 85% 50% 90 40%

How much starch do we need Starch application

Every machine is different New way Papers are different Starch people will tell you lots of stories My advice is very simple ‘’ Just enough

We always use what is necessary, and the percentage of starch in the cost of somebody who can train the people, what we can best buy for the utilization a normal box”? Probably around, 2% who can run 3-4 day courses, for we need. of your total box cost, yet, we want to important people in your factories, save 30% of that 2%. But, we waste 20 where you can be talking about papers, What are the most important Kilos of paper which is 70% of our cost. starch, heat, etc. Talking about starch or tools in a box design? We should I am not a mathematician, but 30% of machines for about 20 minutes! it will start investigating, what’s the best 2% is a little bit less. I think we should not help. It’s all very nice. You’ll listen utilization for the paper, for a particular concentrate on the important items. and walk away. I strongly recommend, application we have, the different sizes from my point of view, the better and different capabilities? If we can take There was a famous Italian training programs that you can put care of our manufacturing process by mathematician called Parito. Here is together for your people, your factory having the right tool, right machines, the Parito chart. We should always go is going to run better. No question we simplify our operations. But lets not back and have a look at the chart and about it. forget, we have to do best, with what see what is important to concentrate we have. If we are not doing that, we on. Definitely we can concentrate on One important factor is if you think are not doing the job right. starch. I heard some questions to a training is expensive, consider the colleague from England about usage cost of ignorance. Training might be Surely everybody will love to have the of reduced starch, which is relevant expensive, but if I have got an operator best printing machine, best corrugator, to what you do. There are companies, who wastes 20% of his time and creates best of everything. That’s nice. But the around the world, producing boxes some waste for me, it is very expensive. reality is that, we have to do with what with 4 or 6 grams of starch per square I know which one I will take definitely. is worse. Slowly, things progress and meter. There must be people here who Please remember that here is the most come to a better level. (6) may be using 25 grams too. So it is important factor about a packaging – Of course waste is one of the most really relevant to what you are doing, to protect the content, the product of important factor and that is one area depending on the way your machine your customer-what we are putting in that can make a big difference in the is, the kind of the paper you use and a that box. Then we should do that, to the cost of your box. If we don’t take care variety of such items. (7) best possible way we can. of waste, waste will take care of us. We I have spent a lot of years in the If we start controlling your waste think will be out of our business. Its a very training field. Its the training that’s about controlling important items simple road. the most important thing you can such as moisture. I have seen people All over the world, everybody talks do for your people. I will strongly wrapping the paper, 3 times around about starch. “Oh I have to minimize recommend Federation of Corrugated to get rid off some moisture. Or trying starch.” Can anybody tell me what’s Box Manufacturers of India, to find to dry the board completely. They

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 56 Glue application FATIGUE FACTORS DURATION OF LOAD STACKING Old way Short Term 100% 10 Dasy 65% 30 Days 60% 100 Days 55% 1 Year 50% Simplified cross-section of a kicker feed mechanism; a kicker feed with the feeder bar pushing the bottom lank into the pull rolls.

Squashing PAPER USED

Apart from being the highest portion of the box cost ,it is also the most influential. Care should be taken in the usage of papers in order to get best results. Whenever possible use the best paper on the inside of the box not the outside. make beautiful board, at the end of the We heard about the starch. How much Paper in some cases is 70% or 80% of corrugator. Tomorrow, the paper will we use, how much consumption there our cost. So let’s worry about the paper attract the moisture back and imagine should be, what should be put, there and about how much our people waste the state of the beautiful board you are so many experts. Each expert will this costly paper. Start worrying about have produced. Because you have tell you a different story. Each one will starch later on, when everything is taken away all the moisture from the tell you, our product is better. I will tell perfect. You can consider paying some board, and the board needs moisture, it you, my BHS machine is better. But of attention, but don’t put all your eggs attracts some moisture back. (8) course, that’s what I am trying to do. in starch basket. Because that’s not an But I insist that you find for yourself influencer. I hear people talking about To burn away so much of moisture, what really works for you. That’s the better quality, stacking strength, so what do we do? We increase the starch. most important thing. on and so forth. Please consider some We put a bit more starch, because, lets One of the typical things I see, instead of these facts. Relative humidity plays remember the operators only want of thinking about saving paper, starch, a very important role in the stacking safety, they do not really care about why don’t you start thinking, where the strength of your boxes. It is called minimizing. They are scared that there starch is going, which you are actually creeping factor. The more it goes up, will be some delamination and are knowing? (11 & 12) the more humidity in the air, the less afraid of the consequences. strength for your box. This study was If you have the double backer if you put done by EMCO group in Australia, a The fact is that we need to make sure your hand between the board and the couple of years ago, to find the effect of that our people know what are the starch, you’ll find there is a lot of spray. relative humidity to the strength of the effects of increasing and decreasing If the spray in the starch goes on to the box. Believe it or not, it works here as starch. The more starch we put in, we board, what happens tomorrow? Starch well in any other place. (13) are putting in more water because will cause you problems, the board will it contains, 60-70% water. If you put be wet and it will cause warp. If you make the box today thinking that water, what do we produce? Warp. So I will make 1000 and deliver only 100 As for the melted starch I have got a we need to teach and train the people, and keep the rest of boxes in stock, and very simple formula. You can tell me to realize this. You may say that its not give the rest to the customer later, six whether you want 4 grams or 6 grams. a big deal. All of them know about months have gone by and the customer It entirely depends on your machine. In this. It’s our job to make sure that the after receiving the delivery will call and fact, it depends on the paper. You can’t people know exactly what they should tell you, the boxes you gave me today compare European paper to American be doing. I do believe strongly that if are rubbish. They are not as good as paper, Indian paper to Chinese paper. you train your people, you will be much you gave me the last time. Why? All Each one has different requirement. happier and much more relaxed. (9&10) because humidity has played its part in

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 57 Comparative costs

The most economical corrugated box style is the RSC regular slotted container. With regards to minimizing the board utilization whilst maximizing the enclosed volume

Zeroing printing plates Must have

RSC-REGULAR SLOTTED CONTAINER 1. High Expectations. Inside dimension: L x W x H ; C Flute 2. A good environment – a clean workplace with well maintained machines, tools and equipment. 3. Team work within and between all departments. 4. State of the art printing plates and cutting dies. 5. All supplies located at machine WHEN needed. 6. Well trained crews. 7. Equalized work load during set-ups. 8. Minimal downtime during runs. decreasing the strength of the box. The day. Guess what? After 20 minutes keep on running, not a problem. So if shape of the board is very important. I was standing there gasping. Same we never run through these areas, you If you are talking about stacking thing happens with the rollers, they can do lot of damage to the board. Yes, strength, if you are talking about ECT. work very well when they are new. it is expensive to change. But we can I heard here a lot of people are using After a few years double backer roller is always have a look at what we have only bursting strength as measurement. going tirutum… tiruthum. up & down, and see where can we minimize this The two really don’t go hand in hand. massaging your board. jumping? Where can we minimize this Yes, Burst is controlled by the quality of extra weight going on the top of the the paper you have. But ECT and BCT There are different methods of starch board? can be controlled by the design of the application. You know the trend overseas is lighter box, by the shape of your fluting, by the If you are still using roll to roll, they are grammages. Even in china 80% of the paper you use as medium. better methods?. Watch the flute. companies are running 63gsm paper through out the machine. You say it is So there are many other factors. Once paper goes through the flutes, rubbish, it is tissue paper. Yes it is, but go to roll to roll and if you watch tip If you are still measuring burst, because they are selling it. So who are we to tell of flute you never apply more starch. your customer wants burst, please them that they are wrong? If they can Because the tip of flute has become make a decision which one you want. sell it, fine. That brings more problems wider. So, there are many things you Whether you are going left or your are because, if you got a setting like this, going right You have to decide. You can can do better by merely looking at the which bounces up & down, with 63 not go both ways. You can, but, at a right place. gsm, by the time the board comes out very expensive price. Because to fulfill The old roll to roll system does not there is not much left. Then try to think the requirement of ECT and Burst at the provide many options. If you want about printing on that! same time, you will have to spend a lot B flute 100gr. Medium, 100 gr. Liner of money on paper. So good luck to the Another area we should be looking whatever, the next minute we are ones who want to try. at. I know, not every body is going going to run 300gsm liner with 180 to buy new machines, if you have Most of our machines still utilize the medium, do you think the flute height an old machine, spend five minutes system of rollers running on top. It is is the same? It is not. It is a little bit of your time, get a feel of gauges nice, it works perfect The fact is, as we bigger. You think the operator is going and go through the feed rollers, at all know as time goes, - I am getting to change the setting? No chance. The the beginning of flexo folder gluer older. In my early days I used to run operator says – why should I do that? or printer, whatever you have. I can for 40 minutes without any problem. it is excellent work. I just keep it there, guarantee you that in the middle there But, I tried to do the same the other I have no problems. The machine will are bigger gaps than at the ends. What

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 58 does it do? When you run big boxes, we So what should we do to minimize you look at your design, the more you are squashing at the ends of boards. our cost? This is where we should can work it out better and cheaper for What does that do for the box? When concentrate. (22) your product. (25) we make the box, part of the box is If you are buying paper by the ton, start Zeroing printing plates. I have seen in weak, part of the box is strong. Lot of some factories here. All the printing times, the boxes starts collapsing in asking the paper mill to supply by the plates 160mm, some 100, some 150 that area. There are many things we can linear meters. Because, the paper mills, kept together. You are making it hard do to improve the efficiency of our box what they want to do is to sell by tons. for your operators. Start looking at that can minimize the cost. if you order the paper 110 gsm, they your time, minimize your cost. Start Very simple test. Get a knife, cut some will give you 113,115, they are selling looking at your feed roller, if you run board, if that’s what your board looks you weight. What do they care about more to the centre, the centre will worn like, then you are cheating your self of linear meters? In your case you want out more. (26&27) the strength of the board. (20) linear meters because the more linear meters the more boxes you can make. Most of you must have high Many times we come across somebody Start considering these factors. expectations. A good environment. who claims that he is making the board I will really stress on these. Have a look with zero wastage. He should be given a Wherever possibly you can utilize the at your environment. Make it clean, gold medal. I have been in this industry best liner on the inside of the box. That make it easier to walk around. It doesn’t since 1969, nobody can produce box gives your box better strength. The take that much to keep the place nice without wastage. It is a miracle. internal liner gives you better bending and clean. If you keep it clean, they will stiffness and better bending stiffness keep it clean. (28) There are many options, there are will result in better stacking ability of In shanghai, our factory is spotless. We different options,. If you still are having the box. those rollers running up and down, we insist everyday that everybody before can utilize a different system. What we Ever looked at the design of the boxes? they leave their workstation, they clean are doing is centralizing weight in a nip This is very important. Just because up the surroundings. point. Whenever you have a nip point the customer requested a particular If you want a good product, start you are squashing things. design, it doesn’t mean that it is a investing on such things. Go back to good design. I know some of the your factory see the inside and ask By utilizing a system like this you are multinationals employ some people your self if I sit on the floor, can I eat spreading the lot to a wider area. who sit in their office, design the box my lunch? If you don’t, you are kidding By spreading the lot on wider area, the and tell us clearly what they want. But squashing of board ends that much. yourself. You will never produce a good some times we can also give them our You are improving your heat transfer. product. That is a very simple situation. opinion. Sometimes it does work. Yes, everything costs money. Nothing In Philippines we approached Nestle comes from nothing. But if you want and said that the design of the box to improve, sometimes small things they are using is not right and that we can give us big improvements. could improve the box. It took about There is also fatigue factor. Boxes do six months. Finally we were able to lose their strength as they are packed change the design of the box to the in a ware house. As an association you best of our capability as well as giving need to do some study. In some of your them a better box. It is hard work, but ware houses in India find out what is it is possible. the effect of fatigue factor, because Start looking at your box design. In each country is slightly different. your own interest start looking at the Moisture content in the air, different boxes you are producing, to find stacking methods, different methods out what is the best design for the of transportation these are the things application you have. Have a look. we can look at. Why it is most economical? Is it flat Of-course paper is the highest cost box design or any other? See the paper. factor whichever way we make a box. It is a necessity, it is a must. The more

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 59 IMPROVEMENTS IN BOX COMPRESSION STRENGTH

Customer says Increase C. S of Box Example l What was done to increase C.S l What comes to our mind first. l GSM increased from 180 to 200 and 140 l Increase paper GSM to 180. 12% increase cost of Box. l Increase Paper BF l Manufacturing process optimized and l All this will increase cost of the box. with new paper grades C.S observed in l The first thing we tell our customer is the range 230 to 260 Kgs. price will increase. l Back to old paper grade. l Customer says decrease cost ?????? (1) (3)

Example Quality @ reduced cost l Required C.S of 230 Kgs. l Well is it possible to increase C.S with out l Paper used 180/22 in liners and 140/22 increasing cost. It is possible. in fluting. l Improve your manufacturing practices l Actual C.S obtained between 130 Kgs and design to ensure that boxes retain to 210 Kgs. their C.S. l Expected C.S between 215 to 230 Kgs l Let us see how poor design and operating process reduces C.S (2) (4)

The subject we are talking about is how Let us take an example. The required Ram Kumar Sunkara to increase the compression strength. compression strength was 230 kgs and What I am going to discuss here is what the paper used was 180-22 BF for the Master Degree in Physics small things we can do to increase the liner and 140-22 BF for fluting. Actual from Mumbai and 25 years compression strength under the same compression strength obtained for this experience in the manufacturer paper grade condition. The customer particular paper combination – 3 ply. of boxes, paper tubes, says, “increase the compression C flute box was between 130 kg and paper , paper, etc. strength of the box.” Very often we keep 210 kg. So, what we need was 230 kg and what you are expected to use is R&D Chairman FCBM, hearing that. So, what comes to our 180 – 22 and 140-22. So, what actually Vice Chairman of mind first? We say, “okay, lets increase we obtained when the box is made is WICMA R&D Centre. the GSM or let us increase the burst the value by 130 kg, to 210 kg, whereas factor of the paper and then we can for this particular paper combination have better compression strength. And Governing Body Member of the calculations would get you a of course all this will increase the cost Indian Institute of Packaging compression strength between 215 of the box. The moment the customer and presently working as and 230 kgs. So, what is the issue over consultant to the industry. says, “increase the compression here? We are using a certain grade of strength”, even before he completes paper, and for that paper we should get the statement, we will immediately a compression strength of 215 -230 but respond by saying, ‘the cost will go up,” actually ended up getting 130 -210 kgs. because we know we have to use a So, the first and the foremost thing is, little higher grammage of paper, may how do we ensure such a big range in be a little high burst factor of the paper, the compression values? (3) whatever it is. So the first thing we tell For this paper we are expected to get the customer is that the price will go 215 – 230 kgs. Why are we getting only up if you ask for increased compression 130 – 210 and how can we increase it strength. And the customer will say, ‘no, from 210- 230? That’s the question that you will have to lower the price.” (1&2) comes to mind.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 60 ECT and Converting issues Issues related Converting l Edge Crush test values (ECT) of Operations corrugated board is related to C.S. l Higher the ECT value, more is the C.S l Up to 15% loss in Compression Strength l ECT of board is impacted by converting due to caliper loss of board. issues like: l Up to 20% loss in Compression strength – Pin adhesion test values due improper slotting depth. – High/Low and leaning flutes – Caliper loss (5) (7) (9)

Converting Issues Example l What was done to increase C.S l Up to 17% loss in Compression Strength l GSM increased from 180 to 200 and 140 due to improper (Low pin to 180. 12% increase cost of Box. adhesion test values). l Manufacturing process optimized and l Up to 12% loss in Compression Strength with new paper grades C.S observed in due improper scoring of board (roll over the range 230 to 260 Kgs. scoring). l Back to old paper grade. (6) (8) (10)

As far as this example was concerned, Let us look at quality at reduced cost concerned, you are looking at a drop in the requirement was 230 kg. The first instead of quality and cost. So, when it ECT value of the board. As a percentage thing that was done was, they increased is possible to increase the compression of high and low flutes increase from 5 the GSM from 180 to 200 and the strength, without increasing the costs.? to 10 to 15, you will see that the edge fluting from 140 to 180. Approximately That is the question and we say that crush test values are dropping down there was a 12% increase in the cost it is possible. To do that, you have to from 40 to 38 which is again almost of the boxes, then the manufacturing improve your manufacturing practices 7% drop in edge crush values, due to process was optimized, and with and design to ensure the boxes retain increasing leaning flutes. the new paper grade, compression or have an enhanced value in the compression strength. (4) Leaning flutes can occur due to various strength observed was in the range of reasons in a single face operation. 230-260 kgs. This was done in 2 stages. Let us see what are the various issues We will not go into those reasons, but One was to increase the GSM of the related to converting operations. After if you can manage to keep in your paper but the cost increase was by so many years of experience in making leaning flutes, high and low flutes 12% but that gave them the 230 plus boxes, what we observed is that there under control you can increase your compression strength. Second stage is a 15% loss in compression strength ECT values. (9&10) was optimizing various manufacturing due to caliper loss of the board. Once processes in the factory. When it was the corrugated board is made and The next graph gives you the relation done, we were getting a plus of 260 during the converting operation, may between how the drop in edge crush kg as compression strength. So, what be printing, slotting, die cutting or any values take place due to leaning flutes, was done was drop the GSM from 200 other converting operation if there is As the flute leans more, you have loss back to 180 and got the compression a loss in the caliper, our experience in compression strength because strength range between 215-230. So, shows that there is a 15% loss in the of the edge crush test values. This here we are talking about an increased compression strength. (5-8) is again something to do with our manufacturing process. Good care, compression strength not by increasing If you see this particular graph, I have good maintenance of the equipment the paper grade but by doing some shown here the relation between the etc can ensure that you don’t have small changes in the manufacturing drop in ECT value for the high and low leaning flutes. If you don’t have leaning operations to push it up to its optimum flutes. That is, for example you take a flutes, you have better ECT values. value. In order to do that, first we have B-flute, you could have approximately to understand what are the various 150 flutes per meter. Out of these 150 One of the primary reasons in reasons for the loss in the compression flutes, if you are having 15 flutes which automatic plant leaning flutes is excess strength when we convert this board are either on the lower side or the gum applied at double backer in the into a box. higher side as far as the flute height is gluing unit. You need to take care of

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 61 Effect of glue skip on CS Effect of Ventilation holes on CS Glue Skip width in mm % loss in CS Effect of Ventilation holes on CS l Loss of CS up to 22 % in case 1 l Loss of CS up to 32% in case 2 0 mm 0 % l U There is a loss of compression strength l Additional loss of 10% due to Up to 3 mm 2% due ventilation holes. orientation of holes l Re-positioning the ventilation holes will Up to 6 mm 5% increase C.S Up to 9 mm 10% l Re-orientation of the holes will increase the C.S Up to 12 mm 17% (15) (11) (13)

Effect of Ventilation holes on CS Effect of Scoring Profile on C.S Effect of Printing area on CS Performance l Loss of CS up to 3 % in case 1 l Up to 20% printing coverage of panels, no l Peak Load l Loss up to 12% in case 2 loss in CS. l Deflection at Peak Load. l 20% to 40% printing coverage of panels, l Additional loss of 9% due to loss of CS up to 5%. position of holes Peak Load l 40% to 80% printing coverage of panels, l There is a relationship between peak load and loss of CS up to 10%. scoring. l Different scoring profiles were studied to see l More than 95% printing coverage of panels, their impact on peak load and deflection. loss of CS up to 15%. (12) (14) (16) making sure that these things do not will definitely mean loss of compression single facers with a glue gap of 9 mm happen and you do have a proper flute strength. and 12 mm, that it is not shocking any formation. more. In fact it has become a routine There is also an effect on glue skip to see as high as 9 mm to 10 mm. All There is a relation between how the on the compression strength. When because of either the slot width has ECT drops as the caliper of the board we talk about glue skip as you all increased or is not properly cleaned, decreases. If there is no loss in caliper, know many of us have corrugated the gelatinized starch is stuck to the for example, if you have a figure of 43 single facers with adapters. We don’t fingers, so many things are happening. pounds per inch, and as we crush the use fingerless single facers. So, when All you need to do is once a week have board from 0 to 1.13, the caliper of the we have fingers on our single facers a proper cleaning, replace the fingers in board drops down systematically from and we don’t maintain those fingers time, make sure that the gap is 3 mm 0 to 1.3, then the total loss in the caliper properly or replace them on time, or or less, you are looking at an increased comes down to 1.3 mm. So, you are we don’t clean the clogged portion of compression strength. looking at a drop from 43 to as low as the fingers where the gelatinized starch 37, which means here you are talking is going in and they end up getting There is also an effect of printing on about almost anywhere between 15 stuck. You have cases where unapplied the compression strength. Of course, – 18 % loss in ECT value due to loss of glue portion is very high. On fingerless there is nothing much we can do about caliper. And 1.3 mm is really nothing, single facers, you have a continuous it because ultimately what needs to be very small loss in caliper. I have seen glue line, but if you have a fingered printed on the box is decided by the cases where due to not having the right single facers, then there is a break in customer. So, we have not really much ink in printing operation, there is too the glue line. The break in the glue scope in this, but we can do something much of pressure applied on the board line is what we are calling as glue gap. to increase the compression strength in and the cases where ink has really gone I have seen cases where this glue gap our factories. But still I want to say that in because you are not getting the is as high as 15 mm. It should not be upto 20% of print coverage, generally required pressure you want, resulting any more than 3 mm and if goes above there is no loss in compression in the loss of caliper. 3 mm, there is a loss in ECT value and strength. I will tell you with experience therefore in the compression strength. although we are talking about 20% of Also in cases where board sizes are And this shows that upto 3 mm glue print coverage, I have seen cases where minimum, and then you don’t want gap, - approximately 2% loss. As this the print coverage is 20%, but because the board to slip through, you tend to glue gap keeps on increasing from 6 to an excessive pressure was applied in increase the pressure on the gripper 9 to 12 mm, it ends up increasing upto the printing operation, it is softened rolls to push them through, resulting 17 %. I can tell you from experience the board so much that there was a again in loss of caliper. A loss of caliper that I have seen so many fingered loss of compression strength. Up to 20

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 62 Deflection at Peak Load Observations on 3 ply Some case studies l Tappi Standards define maximum l Profile % of % of Let us see some case studies where deflection of 19 mm at peak load. improvement in compression strength was Standard Standard observed due to better manufacturing practices. l In some cases the peak load observed at Top Load Deflection higher deflections. Standard 3 Improvement due glue l We investigated if there is a relation 0 0 point l Glue preparation was improved by installing between scoring profile and deflection. V vs V + 2.9 - 18.5 proper glue making equipment. l Compression strength increased from 300 – 350 Kgs Range TO 411 – 4802 Kgs. (17) (19) (21)

Observations on 5 ply Scoring Profiles Improving converting Profile % of % of l Compression increased from 145 Kgs to 250 Kgs. l Three scoring profiles were investigated. Standard Standard Top Load Deflection l Increased board caliper. l Standard 3 point score. Standard 3 l Monitored gel point temp of glue. l V on V score. 0 0 point l Ensured box was squared properly. V vs V + 12.4 - 20.8

(18) (20) (22)

-40 % print coverage we have a loss of on the panel. In the first case you have Experiments were conducted to see 5%, for 40 – 80% coverage we have a them in the central position and in the what sort of scoring profile that we are loss of 10% and if more than 95% print second case you have at the top and using for height score. Basically when coverage, we have losses upto 15%. bottom – and the result in the first case we talk about compression strength, 2 80 – 85% print coverage these days is a loss up to 3% in the compression things are coming to the picture. One have become a routine, normal. We strength and in the second case the loss is the peak load that is the maximum are often asked for solid printing to be is up to 12 %. In other words, you have load the box is subjected to before it done on the boxes. So, where there is a 9% increase in loss. The compression collapses. This peak load is also related a solid printing done, there is a loss in strength drops down by 9%, if these to what was the deflection at the compression strength. This of course, 4 holes are repositioned from the cases peak load. There is a limit as to what is not in our hands, if a customer asks 1 and 2. is maximum allowed defection at the us to do some printing there is nothing So, if you position the ventilation holes peak load. There is a relation between much you can do really about it. (11&12) properly while designing, there will the peak load and scoring profile. But There is also an effect of ventilation be definitely a loss in the compression doing a small change in the scoring holes. May be we can do something strength. One more example here. profile, one can increase the peak load, on this. There is a loss of compression There are 8 holes and they are and different scoring profiles were strength due to ventilation holes, positioned in the 4 corners like this, studied to see the impact on peak load however, we can get back some parts of and the orientation of this can also and deflection. (16) this loss by repositioning or reorienting be like this and the difference is quite Here in this presentation I am talking the ventilation holes. substantial. In the first case, when the about two profiles although we did holes were in the first case there was a I have seen cases where small work on 4 profiles. According to TAPPI loss of 22 % compression strength. But orientation or repositioning have standards, - TAPPI defines that the in the 2nd case where the holes were changed a bit. For example, if you take maximum deflection is 19mm at the diagonal, the loss went up to 32% which this particular picture I have shown 4 peak load and it should not exceed this means that you have an additional ventilation holes on the panel, all are limit. Any deflection measured below loss of 10% if you have reoriented the basically crowded in the central portion 19 mm is what is classified as peak load. holes. So, if you need to put 8 holes for of the panel. The same 4 ventilation ventilation purpose, then the manner I have come across cases where peak holes are repositioned like this, - that is how we put the holes will give us better load has been attained at a deflection 2 on the top and 2 at the bottom, closer compression values. (13-15) of as much as 24 – 25 mm. Where is a to the creasing line, an inch lower to smaller loads were found where there the creasing line. We are talking about There is also an effect of scoring is a deflection of 14mm. The dispute 4 ventilation holes in these cases as profiles on the compression strength. between the buyer and supplier was

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 63 that we are getting the peak load, so it depth of slot is not terminating where rollover takes place, you have loss of up should not get rejected. The question it is required, that is exactly in between to 12% compression strength. was the peak load obtained was 24 mm the creasing line you have formed. As you all know that the compression and so therefore it is not an acceptable It goes a little deeper inside. So end strength of the box is related to what value. Peak load obtained below 19 result is when you form the box you you call the edge crush value of the mm is an accepted value. (17&18) find a hole in the corner because there board. So anything that we do to is too much of depth, in the slot. And reduce the edge crush values of the So scoring profile helps us to keep the that has clearly shown that there is a board, will directly mean that the deflection on the lower side which drop in the compression strength. means that you can attain higher peak compression strength of the box drops values with lesser deflection. So it means - if you do take care to down. Therefore we need to ensure ensure that you don’t have loss of that in any operations we carry out, the In some cases peak load observed at caliper during converting operations edge crush values are maintained or higher deflections was mentioned. We or a little more caution while slotting, pushed to higher levels. investigated those cases, relationship you can retain back your compression So let us see what is the relation between scoring profile and the strength instead of losing it. deflection. between our converting process and Up to 17% loss in compression strength edge crush values. I am going to talk about only 2 scoring due to improper lamination profiles. One is standard 3 point scoring The edge crush values of the corrugated profiles, and the other is V on V scoring What we call as 2 ply to 3 ply or 3 ply board is related to compression profile. This 3 point scoring profile is to 5 ply – when you do the pasting strength – higher the ECT Value, more is the one machine. This is V on V scoring operation, or even in the singlefacer the compression strength – that is one thing we all know about. wheel I am talking about is scoring of when you are doing the corrugation, when you are not very careful with the height freezing only and not talking ECT of the board is impacted by certain adhesive you are using you will have a about length and width. converting issues. What are those low pin adhesion value. Delamination issues? – lower the pin adhesion value, The observation on 3 ply was, whatever of course takes place very often. lower is the ECT of the board and lower values I have obtained for standard Delaminated boxes definitely don’t the ECT of the board, lower would be 3 point, that is the percentage of have any compression strength. But if the compression strength of the box. standard top load and percentage of it is not delaminated, still, the level of standard deflection, there is a 15% loss bonding is an important factor. The second is high low flutes. In a single in compression strength due to caliper facer if there is no proper maintenance loss. Of the board, once the corrugated A normal calculation – if your pin of the single facer, if there is no proper board is made and during the adhesion value is below 35 pounds, we tension in the reels – there are so many converting operations either may be classify as delamination and anything reasons, but if there is high & low flute, printing slotting, die cutting, any other above 35 pounds would mean that it or there are leaning flutes, both of them converting operation if there is a loss is bonded. But you can get pin values will result in the board having lower in caliper, our experience shows that as high as 80 pounds. Any pin adhesion ECT value and the consequence is there is a 15% loss in the compression value between 30 pounds and 80 lower compression strength. And also strength. (19&20) pounds would be technically speaking, caliper loss will reduce the ECT and you no delamination. But higher the pin have loss of compression strength. Up to 20% loss in compression strength adhesion values, definitely it has due to improper slotting depth. increased compression strength due to Look at this graph. This is from various higher pin adhesion values. test values we have conducted and you When we do slotting on the cartons, can see the graph of edge crush value the depth of the slotting is playing Up to 12% loss in compression strength verses pin adhesion value. The board a very important role. What we have due to improper scoring of the board is theoretically classified as bonded observed on the shop floor is when what you call as rollover scoring when board not delamination. We are having the cases are taken on eccentric slotter, you do creasing, the length – width this pin adhesion value little below 40 people who take 4 or 5 boards at a time creasing, if the board is not fed perfectly to a little above 80. As the pin adhesion and slot them at the same time to get at 90° , there is always a situation where value increases on a standard 3 point, higher productivity. Or the setting is there is a roll over of one line from one whatever values I have obtained for not done proper because of which the flute to the other flute. When such a

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 64 peak load and deflection, I am taking is observed, it is very difficult to express were not able to achieve this 250. We it to index ’O’. So compared to those actually what is being done. were getting lower values and as a values, what is the impact of V on V result the normal process we would Installing a proper glue making for those same values.? So when the have increased the paper grade, go for equipment is a must. How does it help? V on V scoring profile was used an higher GSM, go for higher BF to get the The compression strength increases increase in peak load by 2.9% was required compression strength. from 300 – 350 kgs when a normal observed. That means the peak load glue making equipment was used. It One can put effort to see that by went up on an average of 2.9% but the increased to 480 when the right glue improved process you can get an more interesting point was that the equipment was installed. increase in compression strength. deflection was reduced by 18.5% on an average. That means by using V on V we This was what was sent by email to me- This is again an email information which are able to have lower deflection, and a the concerned person has mentioned says that BCT as per the calculation, higher peak load. In a 5 ply due to V on that for instance a box was giving BCT what was expected was 255 kgs. But V, the peak load increased to 12.4% and of 300- 350 in our semi automatic when we made the box, first we got a the deflection was down by 20.8%. processes. After installing the new BCT of 145 kgs. Then we made a study stirrer where you can make gum with to increase the caliper, took care of gel So use of V on V helps you to reduce high consistency, the RCT was the temperature, the BCT went up to 225 your deflection and at the same same, the raw material is same from kgs. They went further; they ensured increase the peak load. Which means single lot in all the cases. that the creasing was proper, slotting that you are enhancing, and able to get was proper, flat gluing was ensured back the compression strength,which What we are saying is that paper used to create a proper square box. And otherwise you would have lost. was the same in both the cases, but a what they found was BCT increased proper preparation of the adhesive has Let us take some case studies. You will to 250 kgs!! increased the compression strength. be thinking that all this is R&D work and These are actually two shop floor as a chairman of R&D committee, I am With improvements in the converting examples, where taking care of only talking about the R & D work that operations, the compression strength adhesive and scoring, making sure is being done. So I would like to discuss increased from 145 – 250 kgs. By two actual cases, which are shop floor making sure that board caliper has cases. Permission has been obtained gone up, monitoring the gel point of from these two gentlemen to show this. the glue, having a proper gel point temperature so that a good bond is Some case studies where improvement obtained and you ensure that box is in compression strength was squared properly. One of the common observed,due to better manufacturing thing is fish tailing, either in a stitching practices. One is improvement due to operation or in a gluing operation. glue. Glue preparation was improved If the box is very properly squared, then by installing a proper flute making you get an increase. equipment. I have seen places where glue making equipment is really These three things were done, because pathetic. (21&22) of which the compression strength increased from 145- 250 kgs for the I have seen cases where just a bamboo same paper combination. In other is used to mix the water and starch to words, what was coming as 145, when be used in the machine. I have seen concerted effort was made to ensure cases where square tanks with some that there was no loss of board caliper, funny looking impeller inside used glue gel point has been properly for glue mixing. Starch requires a very monitored, and the box is properly specific RPM, very specific propeller so squared, you had an increase to that the shearing action is absolutely 250 kgs, It is not a small increase. In proper in order to make sure that the other words, it means, it is not that starch molecule gets swollen due to we have added compression strength, absorption of water and chemicals. due to our improper practices, we In a rare case where a pathetic situation

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 65 that there is no caliper loss, actually strength. But if cushioning is one of A.: Height may not have much impact helps to get back the compression the important properties, like you on the compression strength for a strength, which is lost otherwise . have a fragile material like biscuits for standard box. We are not talking about example, then it is preferred to go for Questions & Answers very, very shallow box or extremely a A flute. high box, but for a box of standard Q.: Compression Strength – will it be Q.: One of our speakers referred that for height ranging from 200 – 700 mm, highest in broad flute, C flute or narrow our standard condition if our relative there is no impact of height on the flute? humidity is 60 % then we are getting compression strength. But definitely A.: What we are basically talking here a CS of 50%. Our standard condition there is an impact of dimension, is B flute, and C flute and A flute. is 60% average. In that condition how length and width because square root B flute and C flute is better but obviously to achieve the desired CS when we are of perimeter comes into formula for C flute will have higher compression testing our product in the standard the calculation of CS. The dimensions condition? CS is not going to be strength than B flute. The figure depends will go up for the same grade board. on the box size and paper grade,. What accurate. You will get higher compression has been observed is that you would A.: We have 2 distinct conditioning strength and if the dimensions drop have as much as anywhere between values, - one is 50 % Rh, 23°C which is down, compression strength will also 40 % - 60 % increase in compression not Indian condition. It is according strength when you change from B flute drop down. to TAPPI, US, the standard condition. to C flute for the same grade of paper. Observation by: P. D. Shah. Now, between C flute and A flute what But for the tropical climate, like ours where humidity is high round the happens is, theoretically A flute should One final observation. In the morning, year the standard conditions are 65% have a definitely a higher compression we started saying that we will examine humidity and 27°C So, generally, since strength than C flute because of its high both sides of the equation. Quality vs caliper, but in practice, there is much most of the recent work is done in the Cost. One of the questions we wanted greater damage is happening to the US, they have taken 50 % and 23°C to ask was every time our customer board during converting operations. as the standard point, and whatever compression strength obtained for a asks for better quality, does it cost Our experience shows that the box at that standard values has been more? I hope you will agree that all the difference between C flute and A flute taken as 100%. And from there for eminent speakers who have spoken is, just about 5 %, not more, which any increase in humidity, the loss of today have given us enough thoughts, means that if you have a figure of compression strength is given as % enough ideas, enough suggestions to 90% of C flute, you can go up to 100% of this 100 %. But, for us according to reduce the costs. Therefore, next time in A flute. But that 5% is not as popular ISI standards, it has to be 65 and 27° C. as much as the loss you experience in when we are challenged to improve the board damage when you go to A flute. Q.: Will there be a particular ratio of quality and to reduce cost, hopefully, So the preferred flute will always be dimension of box in relation to the we will not say it will cost more. We will C flute when it comes to compression compression strength? do our home work properly.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 66 FCBM 42:10 | Page – 67 Session Chairman - Opening Remarks

There is a structural difference in present and how we can improve. We Harish Madan the technical sessions. They are very do not have to pay more but, we can enlightening and very informative. still achieve, with our current inputs Director, They are very different than what without adding more paper to get Securipax Packaging (P) Ltd., we have been having earlier. better results. Roorkee. The efforts put in by the organizers and Mr. Pankaj Shah are commendable. Taking this matter forward from there, President of FCBM and this session is about ‘what’s new,’ has been actively associated We have heard various speakers share ‘what’s happening around the world.’ with NICMA and FCBM and their knowledge with us, how we can contributed significantly to the pursue quality as a way of life, and that All the speakers are from abroad, they growth of NICMA and FCBM. better quality does not necessarily cost will share their experiences, share their more. Also good suggestions came technologies that they feel can add forward on shop floor practices, how value to your production systems and we are following in our factories at quality etc.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 68 NO-CRUSH FEEDER FOR CONVERTING MACHINES

Emba Machines is manufacturing take care of her, how can we continue Weine Widar converting machines for paper to drink clean water. ? And this thinking corrugated Industry and deliver influenced the development of our Started working as an engineer in machines all over the world. We have latest version at Emba machinery. We the paper corrugated packaging made flexo folder gluers since 1968. were thinking about whether we can do industry right from 1969. 41 years ago A or C box looked about something about paper, paper saving, same as it looks today. The question washing and electrical consumption. The last 29 years Widar has is- would it be any challenge to change been working with EMBA I have two subjects. One would be paper that. ? Can we do anything about it? Machinery AB. He is presently efficiency, other would be lower energy A or C box? The answer would be ‘Yes’. the Sales Manager of EMBA consumption. What is the concern of Emba has taken that challenge. Machinery AB for the market of the paper consumption.? Of course you Asia and Middle East. It is also interesting to know that over need to achieve productivity,To achieve the years, we had many generations of that level of good productivity, you will machineries. You can see the difference need a machine which is reliable and in the size of the machines. flexible, and which will in turn produce good quality box for your customers, The latest generation is very much while keeping all your miscellaneous complying with the hot topics of and maintenance costs down. this conference as well as that of Copenhagen conference, which is The corrugated board is losing its concerned about environment. strength if it is crushed. So we have to think about a machine, that is efficient, So we have introduced the world’s first can make efficient paper utilization, non-crush converting machine. easy to handle and operate.

Just like Copenhagen conference, We combined these things into a full speeches made in our conference show servo driven in-line machine, with our concern about our Mother Earth. the teeth that are not crushing the How can it be protected? How can we board at all.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 69 So let us talk about the benefits of that. 23%. In India wages are lower. You have how you feed the sheet? You feed the greater figure on the paper in the box, sheet through the nip of the upper A normal breakdown of cost in an may be we are talking about 60 to 65% feed roller, and a lower feed roller. In European factory is that the paper so this 65% will have a greater impact if order to feed the sheet well, let us say would represent about 49% of the total you multiply it by the 15%. that sheet is 5 mm, and it needs to be cost for a finished box. Wages 23%, compressed to 3 or 2.5mm in order to We have also been able to influence fixed costs will be 11% miscellaneous secure a good feeding of the sheet, so the power consumption, as the material 8%, transport, depreciation you are crushing the board, thus killing directly driven machine consumes less together 9%. the strength of the board. electricity. In this cost what can we do to influence What have we done? machine. With our We can influence the So what about this non crush? It is a paper cost. How many customers have patented technology, we have a servo We have taken away the feed roller – told us after changing from an older lead edge feeder, no crush rollers, non totally out of picture. We have created machine to this machine, that they crush feeding, improved operator a new feeding system. With rollers have been able to reduce paper weight safety. We have a five access feed table with five access. Each one is driven by by 15% but still maintaining the same to optimize feed register accuracy, we a separate servo motor. And we have strength for the box.? achieve ± 075mm. We are talking about continued the feed table beyond the the board with soft edges. gate until the sheet is handed over. Are you selling the boxes by kilograms What is the difference? In a conventional What are the benefits? To mention one or are you selling them by strength feeder, there is a feed roller, this could will be acceleration length. From the specifications? be just about any machine. It could be feed gate, In the conventional feeder, Another figure that could be interesting an Emba machine, could be some other up to nip & feed rollers you have to is wages, in our factories. It is about machine, it has some feeder here. And speed up the sheet from zero.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 70 …So we are concerned about the for a clean cutting and a long lifetime The solutions have been development feeding. We have put an ‘ULTIMA’ of cutting knives. We have automatic of construction applications - Direct feeder, full vacuum transfer, no crush, panel support. Folded with backend servo driver, no gear boxes, maximized Next area will be the slotter. transport for non crush converting efficiency rates selected timing belt continued with back-end. applications for minimized friction, Because at the end we want the board variable speed control, vacuum to come out uncrushed. And the counter stacker. How to ensure ventilators, vacuum transport of low is the low energy consumption? What The slotter is a vacuum slotter. The friction type. Emba concept works with have we done? We have put servo vacuum belt direction is coming this the gravity from the feeder to printer up motors, every shaft of the machine way for the board. The creasing is after to the slotter. The sheet is only resting the slotting. Two slotting heads double has got its own servo motor, print on the vacuum system so we can work slotter, vacuum transport. Open design units, servo drive,. Shaft and zone of the machine with less vacuum and less for easy maintenance, steel to steel glue the cylinder are an integrated part of friction to pull the machine. flap and easy extension for glue flap. servo motor. No backlash and high Active power supply for the optimized This is slotting line. Creasing is done print register accuracy ±3mm. You can motor efficiency, shared DC bus afterwards. No sense to keep even print length compensation–extensions application for energy savings by small boxes. Small boxes will not drop or reductions. You can even use the transformation between different between the shafts. Because there are machine with different die plates. servo drives. no shafts to carry the board. .The upper So the silencer has put servo drive head and the lower head never come system to an intelligent technology Our results show that the servo into contact with each other and they platform for the shortest tolerances. intelligence technology can be never crush the board. Only cutting And with less energy consumption, it used in the product development knives. And only in off line position, can be called a green machine. for the maximum productivity

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 71 performance. At the same time, the conventional machine happens before that since we have made provision, it demand of higher energy efficiency slotting, in your presentation you can be added on to the machine. We is realized. Emba is convinced that showed pre-creasing, slotting, and found that the world is full of different the technology concepts available then creasing. paper qualities. Each mill makes its today provide a strong platform for own recipe of paper. That is why we Is that attached to no-crush or is it an further development of machines introduced the pre-creaser. Pre-creaser independent development? What is with increased environmental is necessary some times, but not always. the logic? consciousness. Harish Madan: With the pre-creaser we A.: Widar: We came to the conclusion So the Emba QS ULTIMA, the trademark can crush the board first, then slotting that it is easier to clean cut before the focuses on environment for a and creasing, crushing has already board is crushed. After crushing, there sustainable growth. happened if the pre-creaser is used. are soft edges and we cannot control Questions & Answers the cutting. That is why we made it the Widar: Board requires pre-creasing in other way round – creasing after the order to make a good folding. Then Q.: P. D. Shah: We are very much cutting. we have to use a pre-creaser. We are impressed with this new No Crush crushing the corners which really The first version of the machine, we technology and the quality of the doesn’t kill the strength of the box if didn’t have a pre creaser, we found board. The creasing normally in the you don’t crush too much.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 72 INTERNATIONAL FIBRE BOARD CASE CODE

You are all from the industry. What is From 1963, a lot of developments have this? I heard all your answers. This is happened. There were various releases. the most in the In 2008 we made the last update and world constructed with more than 80% that was the 11th release. What is recycled fibre. the big difference? It is also the first electronic release. For ‘Green Peace’, it is a tree. For you a regular slotted box. For somebody it The coding system before it was called might be an American box. For me it is FEFCO Board Code, was approved by none of them. This is not just a box, it ISO Standard - the world wide standard. is as a sustainable packaging solution. Every Federation, every Association International Fibre Board Case Code is invited to use the code so that the international communication becomes If I say 007 you all say James Bond, if easier. I show you a box you say it is a box. For me it is the first box 0201. This is ICCA – that is the International the first ever made corrugated box. Corrugated Case Association has 60to 70% of the boxes you are adopted the FEFCO code and they are spreading it all over the world. producing are 0201. It is the first or second picture in the international FEFCO code is really a handsome tool. Ludwig Anckaert Fibre Board Case Code. That is why we have made a little bit of a standard so When I have to work with a lot of new Director, L. A. Consulting, that we can communicate. If I have to management people where do I start? Belgium talk to you, I take the phone, I have to How do I explain to them what is my He started his career in the order a box with you, then I can give product? What are we making? I use Packaging industry in 1992 by a lengthy description, but here is a the FEFCO code. I use the design style joining SCA Packaging. simple process. just to show this is what we are making here. But if you tell people we make In 2001 he started to work on I can simply say – I want 0201 of this boxes, there are lot of boxes. Lot of type a freelance basis and took up dimension. So it is very clear. That is of boxes, not to talk about different responsibilities for turnarounds why we have this code. printing situations. There are so many and delivering support on designs. Designs are for reference, so This code has been developed as continuous improvement and that we exchange ideas, and I am sure implementation of best practices an official system as a substitute for manufacturers like Emba have referred in companies all over the world. long and complicated verbal system in their manuals, what kind of boxes discussions on fibre board case and you can produce on their machines. Early 2005, he was appointed packaging constructions. We are using Technical Director of the simple symbols, coding, internationally So it is important that everybody start European Federation of understood by everybody, even if I from design stage. Corrugated Board don’t speak your language, I will always Of course it has become an Manufacturers (FEFCO). say 0201. indispensable companion for all In 1963 it was first released – a very . Just imagine, you are simple coding system showing a few sitting in front of your customer, he boxes, this has been made by a French is showing you primary product and man who offered it to FEFCO and then you have to solve this problem, that is where the whole story started. it is good to have a reference library It was only 3 pages. you can go through and then show it.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 73 You can make a choice and show a little Although we were making an electronic So that people can understand what bit to the customer too, how the box version, it was not the idea to make it you are making. And that is what we will look. a . Because there is a big have done. difference. If you make a standard Book of ideas, Educational tool - that is To make it a complete tool box we and then you have generic designs, how I have experienced it. That is also added lot of information on guidelines, there is no possibility in the software a point that motivated me to bring practical recommendations and also to change, for example dimensions it even further. Why New releases. about the test methods made by or to add certain features, although Don’t you get repeated requests from FEFCO, equivalent to TAPPI. We are still there are no calculation programmes the industry and customers for the working to harmonise because there in it. What we do is we have made the latest edition of 2001? You are already are still differences between USA & files exportable and from there on you 7 years ahead. It was time for an can import it into your system and Europe. update. It was also necessary because have a basic file which is quite helpful. of new insights, new production You also get a lot of information about You have the standard already, you take methods, new machinery, more legislation, so that you know how you it in and you throw up your own box. possibilities, so, that means you have have to be in conformity if you want So you have made the special features to change a little bit design and style. to produce a product for Europe for your customer has requested. Also very, very important is the ‘internet’. example. I have seen all variations on the Internet Digital version - that means you have We were teaming up with right sites of new born companies and that more possibilities. We went from 3 partners and ESKO Artworks is one was not correct. However,if everyone languages to 30. I can assure you, this is of our FEFCO sympathizer members. starts downloading codes,or starts a great help. We have focussed on our We have used Artios system for making making PDF from the old International member states, because the demand 3D visuals, ESKO Artworks has a division Fibreboard Case Code, and brings out came from there. They were training in Bangalore, they were deeply involved in his website, then it will only create people, they were putting new people together with me in the make of ECMA confusion and that is not correct. into industry. code - the code for folding part of it. So, as an industry, as a federation, you The most important part for me and This is what you will see if you put the have to also protect the integrity of where we really worked very hard - is CD in you computer. the standard. So, that is why we have on 3 D . redone it and upgraded the whole You have to download basically two thing. It was amazing, I have challenged the things. There is an open VRML with a Board, who were sitting in the board toner view which is used so that you We wanted to show all these products room with all the very, very important can look at the 3D folding sequences and take a few steps further. The players in the corrugated sector and I comments were - now we have a book and of course a little bit of software have given them a few models, a few what next? In FEFCO for the last 10 a flushed software which normally cut outs. I told them, “you already have years we have sent out 40,000 copies comes with every software that you are the crease lines, cut it now, fold it into a all over the world. We have stopped it buying now-a-days. box. You will be surprised to know how because we just could not manage any many people could make it!” longer. It was bankrupting us. We had two secretaries sending out packages If you make a little bit more complex, Harish Madan: I think it is time for all of code books. That is why an electronic not the normal box you see everyday, of us to be talking on the same wave version was the solution, the internet people are getting lost – I said we need length in terms of terminology of box users can correctly download it. to explain how the boxes are folded. designs.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 74 MANGO EXPORT TO USA – New Corrugated Box Design

Developing a New Standardized Package for Mangos for the United States Import Retailers Review of Current Packaging Systems Koushik Saha, M.S. Boxes from Mexico are Single Wall and Corrugated S. Paul Singh, Ph.D. Professor, School of Packaging Michigan State University (1) (3)

Topics Review of Current Packaging Systems

Evaluation of Packaging Process in Mexico and Guatemala

Performance Comparison of Existing Shipping Containers Used for Packaging and Distribution Flute size (C) Flute size (C) New Standardized Package System (2) (4)

To give you the background how we Dr. Paul Singh. I have closely worked Koushik Saha came about this project… with him for several years. This is one of the projects given to us to develop The National Mango Board is an M.S. Packaging Science, a new standard packaging for mangoes association in USA and they have Michigan State University and being imported into USA retailers. M. S. Food Science, several members. They are interested University of Florida. in a standardized packaging for all I am dividing this presentation into mangoes being imported into USA. 4 parts for ease of flow. 1. Review Currently pursuing a of packaging that is currently Doctoral degree in the Primarily, because the mango available in the industry. To reiterate Packaging Science Program distributors were receiving boxes from Mr. Sengupta’s comment yesterday at the School of Packaging, all over Mexico, and Latin America were about how he was having problems Michigan State University. in different sizes. One of the reasons with a certain package which was to they were doing that was because they Research Assistant at the be delivered to some one, where it were receiving different size boxes to Distribution Packaging Lab at didn’t matter how strong a box he accommodate different sizes of mango. School of Packaging. made, but the box still failed because As mango lovers and eaters, you all the stack was sitting in the container know that mangoes come in different for 180 days. (2) shapes and sizes. So, it is a very standard and common In US, which is considered to be practice when you are developing a standardized packaging that before lesser educated in terms mango we sit back in our lab chairs in the consumption, they try to keep it in the office and design a package, wego same size and shape for easy handling out into the field and see and evaluate and distribution. the whole packaging process, identify So, National Mango Board approached the critical points where the product the School of Packaging of Michigan may get damaged or the package may State. This project was headed by get damaged.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 75 Evaluation of Packaging Process

Grading, Washing and Cooling Carton Erecting, Transfer, Packing Handling and Stacking on Pallets, Flute size (C) Flute size (B) Strapping, Storage and Shipping (5) (11) (17)

Grading,Washing and Cooling

Flute size (C) Flute size (C) (6) (12) (18)

Other Export Boxes/Trays

(7) Boxes and Inserts for Japan - Least Damage (13) (19)

New thermoformed Inserts for Costco

(8) (14) (20)

Carton Erecting, Transfer, Packing

(15) (21) (9)

Challenge is to Create Standard Size for 5-count to 9-count

Handling and Stacking on Pallets, Strapping, Storage and Shipping

Flute size (EE) (10) (16) (22)

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 76 (23) (25) (27)

(24) (26) (28)

We went to Mexico and Guatemala go into the packaging process and A typical example is here. The same and visited several packaging houses. evaluate, it is really a hindrance. Why it mango distributor is sourcing these There were 6 in Mexico and 2 in will be a hindrance. (4) boxes from two different suppliers. Guatemala. When we came back, we The biggest difference you can see Similarly, you have these corner tabs, selected 8 types of commercial boxes, here is, the number of vent holes at corner flaps, to have more stack-ability, currently available in the industry and the bottom. Now, imagine, if one of and even that can be a problem when we divided testing protocol into six these boxes had lower quality board it comes to palletizing, stacking these fields. So every time we test a different combination, then it is going to have boxes on pallets. (5) box available in the market we would some issues, especially, if it is going to earn some knowledge and so try to We have two very similar boxes here. be palletized and these boxes weigh figure out how we can design this new But, the main difference is, what you about 4 kilos each, with the mangoes prototype. see between these two boxes are the in them. (6) vent holes or the vent sizes. At the end of it, we came up with a I have shown you relatively cheaper solution, a new standardized package Now, in this box, you can see 4 vent kind of box, which, the industry, mainly or tray for mangoes. holes on the top flaps. And the reason like to use for distributing mangoes. you need these vent holes primarily I am going to show you some boxes Most boxes that came from Mexico are is because of the fresh produce, that are for premium market like ‘C’ flute, single wall. As I was talking especially, the mango when it ripens Japan, where they prefer display ready to Mr. Madan, India is heavily biased even after you pluck it from the tree, containers. (7) towards ‘B’ flute and I understand the needs to be cooled down. If it doesn’t The only thing they want to do is that reasons for it and so was Mexico before cool down, the ripening process will when the boxes reach there to the retail they started sending in, exporting going to be accelerated and going to outlet, they have to open the top and mangoes into the US. The demand was reduce the shelf life. more for ‘C’ flute. (3) the mangoes are ready to be picked So, it is very critical to have these vent up. One critical thing we see here is, Here, we are going to see some typical holes to maintain the quality of the there are meshes, nets put around differences in the boxes. The arrows are mangoes. But at the same time, you these mangoes so that there is no indicating the kind of flaps that you need to pay attention where you need damage-dent or abuse or any kind of normally see in a mango box. One box to make vent holes. For example, the damage that might happen during the has longer flaps on the long edge. This supplier who made this box, has these transportation. Japan is willing to pay is mostly for the ergonomic reasons. If vent holes in the corners, at the edges. for premium mangoes in such premium a person was to select a mango box, It is but natural that he is going to lose boxes, but as I said, US consumer has then it would be easier. But, if you really its compression strength. to go a little further in learning about

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 77 MSU Smurfit MSU

Inland MSU

(29) (35) (41)

Box Performance Testing Dynamic Performance Testing 9-10 pre-cooled mangos (4oC/80%RH) Random Vibration Spectrum,0.52 G Accordance ASTM 4169; 60 minutes Stack Performance Testing Compression test- Stack of three boxes (42) Accordance with ASTM D642 (30) (36) Compression tester, Lansmont,Inc. ( Model 152-30K )

Box Performance Testing Performance Comparison Dynamic Performance Testing Observation 24 and 48 hours @ 23oC/50% RH of Existing Shipping Containers Permanent Deformation Used for Packaging and Scuffing Distribution Bruising

(31) (37) (43)

Box 1 Box 2 Dynamic Performance Testing

Box 3 Box 4

(32) (38) (44)

Box 5 Box 6

Box 7 Shipped Box

(33) (39) (45)

Shipment Damage Vibration Test Set - Up Ataulfo MSU Double Wall

(34) (40) (46)

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 78 Before Testing

(47) (49) (51)

After Testing

(48) (50) (52) mangoes. Then they might expand a There is a lot of scope, and business into these reusable plastic containers. little more on the package. to be made if you are to ship mangoes Once they all get filled up they are from India. (10) transferred into these huge , 20 Here is another example. Just to give feet long and at least 12 feet high, these you a little background, Lord Club As I mentioned before, the first things cages are nothing but all these filled Market where you buy everything in first, after collecting all the boxes from plastic bins, they are lifted up on the wholesale, you cannot buy two or three different sources, the suppliers and cranes, and put into these huge tanks pieces of mangoes. They don’t want retailers, we went on to Mexico and of water. The reason they do that is the consumer to go and select good Guatemala to evaluate the packaging all people do not have this facility. mangoes. They say, we are going to give process. (11) Some of the bigger growers and you good quality mangoes in 9 packs, 6 The packaging process: We divided packers have this facility) to cool packs, you pick up one and each pack is into 3 parts to evaluate the different down mango to certain temperature, going to be same. So, they want these parts of this process. The first was because when you pack mango or any kind of packages where you can just grading, washing and cooling of pick up a thermo-foam container and other fruit for that matter, you don’t mangoes, the second was the carton want them to start ripening at your go to the check out counter. (8) being erected and put together, then plant, because it has to go through the carton being transferred to the Here is a example of smaller kind. a transportation network before it can filling line, where mangoes are packed I showed you a 9 pack. Here are the 6 be bought by the consumer. So they and the third is the most critical part packs and 2 packs for probably very put this in a trough of cold flowing for us, - the logistics, the handling, expensive mangoes. (9) water and you get very cool mangoes. stacking of these boxes on the pallets, After a few hours, they get transferred Now this box you see here is what we and shipping them eventually, from on to the filling line. (12-18) made in India, I was going through cross border transportation from various stores, contacted lot of Mexico to US. Before we go on to the filling line, suppliers, none of them ever gave me a The grading operation: After receiving I will like to show the erection of boxes box from India, and At last I went to an the lot, they are washed through from the blanks. Most of the operations Indian store, I think, this is a beautiful their protocols, they go through these are semi automatic. They are still in box. I think it has best graphics, of all conveyers through these rollers and a business where you can relate the boxes I have seen. One interesting they have these little holes on these very closely with our business here. part was that, a box of mango from conveyers. Whichever mango meets They are still developing and once the India for 12 mangoes costed close to the import or export size from Mexico, cartons are made, they are put down 30 dollars - whereas a box of mango falls through the hole and comes on through these huge lanes, to the filling from Mexico costed only 13 dollars! to these conveyors and get collected process. (19)

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 79 Before Testing

New Standardized Package System

(53) (55) (57)

MSU 250 Inland MSU Box 5 Smurfit MSU Box 7 Box 1 Box 3 Box 2 MSU Box 6 Box 4 Shipped Box

2000 1858.1 After Testing σ= 68.2 1800

1559.8 1600 σ =150.7

1400 1303.3 σ =94.6

) 1139.9 1200 σ = 96.2 1065.7 σ = 77.1 971.4 σ 1000 = 66.4 884.7 846.6 σ = 110.3 836.4 σ = 43.3 σ = 97.7 747.8 σ 800 = 70.9 660.4

Peak Force (lb σ = 57.8

600 502.7 σ = 38.2

400

200

0 (54) Types of Carton (56) (58)

As you can see, it is extremely laborious And also the next challenge was, are being stacked at the location. This process where a person is actually you have to standardize package for can be due to the height of the box. It is filling mangoes in the line, but he or 5 count, as well as 9 count. You have not accommodating the height of the she needs the boxes coming to them mangoes in different sizes. So what mango and that can be another reason at a very fast rate so you have these standardized size, do I make for 5 or 9 for such misalignment. lanes on coming down to each of these mangoes in a box? (22) people filling mangoes – it is a very high This guy is going and seeing the speed operation. They get an order of This is the last of 3rd process. Handling stacks on the pallet and seeing the filling up 4000 boxes of mangoes in a & Stacking: This was the most critical misalignment at the bottom, is thinking span of two days. Because when they part for us. You see once all the that - I am going to hit that box and try get orders, when a truck full load arrives mangoes are filled up, they come to to get a good straight stack. (27-28) there are 20 pallets and each pallet has the end station where they are stacked Again this is going to happen and a 16 layers and each layer has 12 boxes. up, 3 high or 4 high, to be palletized that damages the box and therefore, You are looking at a highly fast and on the pallets which are behind them. during the 700 or 800 kilometers trip, very laborious process. If you notice, the person is waiting for the boxes to be stacked, but you eventually transpires to pallets falling Filling operation: what it really entails. can see here a slight misalignment over each other. This lady whom you are seeing was has happened. The boxes are not This is the result of all the misalignment. doing a good job of filling. But this getting stacked correctly. And this guy is not really concerned and you guy is putting one more box on top of This is very good example of what can see that he was actually trying three and about to get away from the I talked about the height of the box. We to shove the last mango in the box station. (22-26) need to accommodate the height of very tightly. (20-21) the mangoes. This is going to happen. We as packaging This causes lot of deformation. people have to take into account that This pallet is ready to be shipped and So one might say on the other side, these people are working 8 hours a day you can see that every mango in that the receiving side, the mango damage in a very laborious environment and box is touching the bottom of the is due to box – but in actuality it is it cannot be expected from them to top box. (29) because of this particular practice. get a proper alignment, while stacking This practice is inevitable. I have seen This causes some serious issues the boxes. across all packing houses. So, we as when comes down to mango quality. designers, as packaging people, have So, we wanted to have a box where Specially when they are bought in to take this into account while we could mitigate or minimize this high value super markets stores, where designing a package. misalignment of the boxes while they they price each mango at 1 dollar.

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 80 So you can imagine if you want to buy 2 mangoes in it, so that we can use the – we divided into 2 parts – the mangoes, it will cost you 2 dollars that mangoes for testing procedure. We Dynamics Performance Testing Stack means it will go close to 100 rupees were interested once the box has Performance Testing. Dynamic portion probably in some places. been received all the way from down entails the truck transport performance south of Mexico, to some where in all the way from Mexico and the Another factor we had to look at was the middle of the United States, how stack performance pertains to the type of pallet we use and this is the much residual strength you have in how these boxes performed when worst type of pallet we came across. comparison to a new box. So it was for stacked on the pallets. (42-44) Most pallets that are used do not have our understanding, to see how much such deck board spacing. But there We followed certain protocol to vibrate abuse a box can take and what is the are pallets which are being used with these boxes. According to ASTM41, reduction in box compression strength. deck board spacing. We had to take 69, it is a standard practice, for testing I added these two boxes here, because into account that these boxes will sit containers or packages, which you we have been talking about varieties on pallets while being transported on want to release in the market, before and height. such kind of pallets with such deck that you test them in the lab. We put boards. We went ahead and created, Atulfo is a variety of mango in Mexico it through the series of tests, and we replicated this kind of pallet, in our which is very thin and tall compared used this practice to test these mango laboratories. (30) to all the mangoes seen there. boxes, filled mango boxes, and similarly Yet, you can fit about 20 mangoes in we had these stacks of the boxes which Once these pallets are stacked up, a box and most of the mangoes that were tested for compression strength they went into cooling chamber for 24 come out of Mexico have 9 mangoes and the test method that we used was hour period to bring the temperature in a box. (37-39) ASTM D642. down and they were transferred on to the refrigerated trucks and they are We have a double wall and nicknamed Once we did the dynamic performance ready for shipment for 800 kilometers as MSU for Michigan State University, testing, we placed these mangoes trip to USA. (31-33) for our understanding. (40) under observation for 24 hours & 48 hours. 3 factors that we were looking at Once it reaches the destination and in We understand that it has a high were permanent deformations, scuffing the ware house, this is what happens strength, but would it really meet the & bruising. Permanent deformation if you have misalignment. They all requirements of what we were looking can be of two types, when the person lean over. If you want to support by for? Will it be a overkill? was pushing the mango really hard, inserting a pillar there, it doesn’t work, and 2nd could be bouncing in the box. and they fall off. (34) These were different prototypes we Scuffing is nothing but corrugated came across. We made during the Our objective was to minimize this board dust, that comes up from print testing procedure, the first one in issue, and reduce this wastage during material or corrugated board dust brown, and the two white boxes, are of distribution, none of these mangoes generated during transportation – same design, but, we used board from will be sold any more. They will even that is an issue when people are suppliers. (41) probably be thrown away. buying mangoes in the stores, they The Mexican suppliers who are actually don’t want to see dirty mangoes. (45) Once we came back from Mexico, we supplying these boards to carton had a huge collection of 50 boxes, Bruicing is as you are all well aware manufacturers. We do not want them we selected 8 commercially available can be any dark circles which can be to change their board, specs. What boxes, and we learnt something new result of lot of bouncing around in the we really want is, if they can change about the box. And we went ahead and container during shipment. it is fine, but what we wanted to do made first prototype. (35-36) primarily is, to focus on the design We looked at the pallets, we made These 8 boxes were selected on the and make some changes in the design the worst possible pallet you could basis of difference in design, for so that you can actually meet the replicate, but of a smaller size, we were strength, any thing that is visible in the objective, even if you did not go ahead just interested in stacking one column. industry and wanted to account for and change the board. Combination We received the boxes with all the every possible design primarily. all together. mangoes. We loaded these mangoes This box which I have labeled as So after having all this information, into new boxes received by us directly Shipped Box was received by us with we came up with a testing protocol sent by the suppliers, hand glued

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 81 them exactly the way they do it. what we saw here, when we inspected we found was the box we suggested The glue system was exactly in the these. Once the mangoes were taken were relatively a lot better than the same way they do it in the plant and out we put them on the table under commercial boxes available. (53-56) we placed the mangoes exactly the 25°C. and 50% humidity for This box is made of 250 pound board same way they were loaded in the observations for different abuses that combination with high compression plant. Once they were ready, they we saw between 24 & 48 hours. (49) strength, the cost was prohibitive, we were stacked on the vibration table, We inspected every mango that we did not need it because boards made and were ready to go for a 60 minute loaded on that table and randomly cut of lesser strength were meeting our run. (46) mangoes out of several boxes to see objective. We eventually had a box Here you can see, there is a considerable what kind of damages have happened, without corner tabs or flaps, we didn’t head at the bottom box where because of ship test once we collected need them, we had enough vents at you can see most compression, all the data, bruising after 48 hours, it the bottom for cooling and a very even at the middle. This is before had one of the less bruising. (50) simple design that should eliminate testing. After testing we found that problem of misalignment and also take Just keeping the design same and what ever was the board strength, care of bottom sagging part during changing the board slightly you get there was some sagging. But you have transportation. (57-58) such better performance! to account for how much sagging you Comment by: Harish Madan: Quite can get. Is it eventually going to touch The specs of the board we used for visible that you might have done the bottom? Is it going to touch the the first box was 200 pounds board extensive and intensive research. When mangoes? (47-48) combination, the one we eventually is this box going into market? suggested was anywhere 250-200 Earlier I showed where it was already pound board combination. (51-52) Koushik: Implementation will start touching the bottom while they were in February on trial basis and if it is stacked. But here, touching the bottom Lastly, stack performance testing. We approved, it will go for full production. has happened approximately after have tested 3 stack high. Your stack is a simulated time trip of 700 to 800 as strong as the weakest box. So that’s kilometers. why we had 3 stack high. Here some of the abuses you can see during the These mangoes you have seen earlier compression and eventually what probably going to see more abuse than

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 82 Questions & Answers They do go through the ships. We have foot print on the boxes. If that answers a study for Guatemala too. your question, fine. But, the common Q.: Amit Choudhary: Can I get a foot print you are talking about, we The boxes are going to go through some sample box to check the cob value, didn’t look at it. compression strength and to see how ship transportation. We did take into we can replicate in India using local account the ship environment, but we Ludwig: That is what we should papers. are yet to do for Brazil, Equador, which understand. It is a very important point is the next step, which is seconded by to consider for countries which are A.: Koushik: You mean the spec sheet? National Mango Board. Then definitely, intending exporting fruits, vegetables I can’t give this spec. sheet because we are going to take into the concerns etc. This is really a standard in fruit and of patent reasons, but I can give you or the issues connected with mangoes vegetable sector. We have 60 x 40 and pictures of the sample box. that are going from India to USA. 30 x 40. What is very very important are the slots, inter-stack-ability. The point In fact the idea is, if this gets approved Ludwig: The subject is really very is, if the goods that are arriving at a eventually, then we do want to bring interesting. Have you come across certain station and if they have been this design into India. But do remember CF1 CF2? exported, they have to be mixed up, that if you are transporting such boxes they have to be dispensed some where to US, the distribution system there is Koushik: You are talking about FEFCO and they are going to make same very different. It goes through the ship, Code? type of boxes, which are coming into so the design we propose to do from Ludwig: I am talking about International distribution centres. It is important that here may not fit for distribution from Agreements. those boxes can go and work together. here to US. I have to take into account some more parameters, like moisture CFI common foot print 1, CF2 common Manish: Mr. Ludwig mentioned uptake etc. foot print 2 about 60 x 40 and 30 x 40 boxes. May I know if any study had been done Amit: We have National Agriculture These are the two trade agreements for horticulture products? Or food Board and APEDA, if we take support of packaging? Can it be done on the same them we can make use of the design. They are agreements on palletisation things like that, especially for a foot print boxes. So that palletisation Harish Madan: Things do not happen corrugated board. I am little bit in the globalized market will be same overnight. If we do work now, may be surprised that they have not mentioned everywhere. for next year it can happen. CF1 or CF2. Koushik: I understand, I can take your Q.: Annamalai: You were mentioning Koushik: You are talking about common suggestion right away, but I need to that the box was designed for foot prints on the pallets. Or foot print talk to you in more detail to know transporting mangoes from Mexico to for the box? completely what you are saying. US by road. What happens to the design Manish: I suggest that even FCBM R&D of the box that we intend to export Ludwig: for the box. can also take up such a study. from India? Transportation methods are Koushik: The main concern for us different. Have you made an attempt? was to make sure that they have a 12 Harish: Point taken. Is it under study? down, we did not want to make so A.: Koushik: The boxes which come many changes in the design, that they from Brazil, Equador, Guatemala etc. have to step away from the 12 down

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 83 We gratefully acknowledge the support, cooperation and encouragement received from:

Speakers, Session Chairmen, Sponsors, Exhibitiors, Delegates and others, who made the conference a memorable one to all of us

FEDERATION OF CORRUGATED BOX MANUFACTURERS OF INDIA

Eastern India Corrugated Box Manufacturers’ Association

FCBM 42:10 | Page – 84 TEAM EICMA CONFERENCE COMMITTEES

A. B. Ajmera B. D. Kothari Hemant Saraogi R. G. Agarwala Chairman, Emeritus Conference, Chairman President , EICMA President Elect - FCBM

Advisors

B. N. Ghosh D. D. Kothari R. K. Dani Binoy Basu Mullik Satish Kapur Santosh Lath R. G. Agarwala

Sub-committees

Bharath Kedia Umesh Kamani Mohit Bajaj Manish Agarwala Sandeep Gupta Alok Agarwala Subrato Das Admin & Web. Admin & Web. Advertisement Advertisement Exhibition Exhibition Corrustar

Biplab Kumar Datta Subrato Das Rajendra Chokhani Milan Kumar Dey Soumitra Chowdhury Achyut Chandra Hemant Saraogi Cultural Cultural Finance Management Hospitality Hospitality Press & Media Reception

Narendra Kr. R. K. Agarwala Sanjay Kumar Keyal Kalpesh Y. Shah Chetan Shah Kirit N. Modi Ashok Kr. Newar Jhunjhunwala Registration Sightseeing Sightseeing Souvenier & Display Sponsorship Stage Management Registration

Bishwa Nath Kedia Pankaj D. Shah Milan Kumar Dey R. G. Agarwala Pradip Agarwal Stage Management Technical Technical Legal Compli. & Audit Travel & Transport For copies of the Proceedings, please contact:

Federation of Corrugated Eastern India Corrugated Box Box Manufacturers of India Manufacturers’ Association Regd. Office:138, Mittal Estate No. 3, R&D Centre: “Merlin Links”, Flat 3F & 3G, M. Vasanji Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai - 400 059 166 B, S. P. Mukherjee Road, Kolkata - 700 061. Tel.: +91 22 2850 0687 • Telefax: +91 22 2850 4523 Tel.: +91 33 2465 6691• Fax: +91 33 2229 4947 E-mail: [email protected] • www.fcbm.org E-mail: [email protected] • www.eicbma.com

Proceedings are also available on www.eicbma.com