Precision under high pressure

In Formula 1, it’s not just speed but also precision that counts. Spare parts need to arrive at exactly the right time, often just a few hours before they are assembled in the pit lane. Corrugated board packaging plays a particularly key role. It protects sensitive components, provides structure for material flows and enables fast handling processes to be performed under extreme time pressure. The official F1 logistics partner DHL sums up the challenge: “Timing is everything. There is zero tolerance of any errors.” This is the standard that packaging specialists working with the automotive industry must adhere to on a daily basis. Although these specialists are not competing for world championship points, here too it is tightly synchronised production processes and global supply chains that dictate whether a team is successful. So packaging is now much more than just a means of transport. It is an integral part of the whole value chain.

Sapril s.r.o. has been operating in a similar environment for many years. The Czech company develops packaging solutions for the automotive industry and works together closely with Progroup. The requirements differ significantly from traditional series packaging. Lots of components today are delivered not only just in time, but just in sequence. This means they arrive at the customer in precisely the order in which they will be required later on. “Customers are often unable to tell us in the morning exactly what quantities they’ll require in the afternoon,” says owner and Managing Director Radek Rouč in describing the way his company works with the automotive industry. Small purchase quantities, changes at short notice and a wide range of different variants are all part of a day’s work. Instead of full truckloads containing just one single type of packaging, lots of different solutions are dispatched from the plant. They’re tailored precisely to reflect the particular demand and so to a large extent they are bespoke rather than standard solutions. This dynamic reminds Radek Rouč of Formula 1. This is also a place where requirements can change right up until just before a race starts. So speed on its own is not enough. “It’s not just about being quick. More than 50 per cent of the success is down to strategy.”

In automotive logistics, no two transport consignments are the same. Different components require individual solutions. This is why Sapril develops bespoke packaging concepts. Whether it’s sheets of glass, bodywork parts or heavy gearbox components,  each item of packaging is designed specifically for the particular product, transport route and for easy handling when the customer receives it. This involves much more than the actual box itself. Transport volume, stackability, load-bearing capacity, ergonomic handling and fast filling are all equally as important as optimum use of materials. “We don’t sell packaging, we deliver a packaging solution,” says Radek Rouč in summing up his company’s philosophy. The customer will often provide a sample or 3D file. This is then used to create packaging that is tailored precisely to the particular component and is able to support loads of up to 1,300 kilograms, for example. The end result is “bespoke rather than off-the-shelf”.

In Formula 1, any packaging needs to withstand vibrations, temperature fluctuations and lots of loading operations when it is moved between the factory, airport, race circuit and pit lane. Although corrugated board may not be one of the spectacular high-tech components within the world of motor racing, it is present in many areas of the supply chain. These requirements exist throughout the automotive industry. Lots of packaging is used to transport components worth several thousand euros, often across several continents. That is why the requirements placed on the materials used are very high. This is precisely where the cooperation with Progroup provides the foundation that allows Sapril to cater for all its customers’ needs. Consistently high-quality grades of corrugated board ensure that the packaging reliably delivers its required characteristics. This applies both to consignments transported by truck within Europe and to overseas containers that are shipped to Asia or North America. For Radek Rouč, flexibility and reliability in particular are crucial aspects. Material grades are not modified without consulting customers. This is because even minor changes may have a significant impact on sophisticated packaging solutions.

In the same way as Formula 1 teams keep developing their cars from one race to the next, packaging solutions are also continuously optimised. New vehicle platforms, changes to supply chains or shorter transport routes regularly open up new scope for optimisation. Teams work together to examine whether packaging can be made using materials more efficiently, or whether for example high-quality double-wall corrugated board would be an adequate solution to replace three-wall designs that have been used previously. This increases efficiency and the conservation of resources without needing to compromise on stability or product protection. So the comparison with Formula 1 doesn’t just end with speed and precision. Rather, it is perfect interaction between all the parties involved that really matters. Just like with a pit stop, packaging development involves lots of processes meshing together: material availability, design, production, logistics and delivery all need to be synchronised perfectly. It is only when every link in the chain works well that you get a packaging solution that meets the high standards demanded by the automotive industry. A pit stop only works if every action is correct and everyone performs their task at exactly the right time. In the same way, material availability, development, production and logistics are also closely intertwined at Sapril and Progroup. It is only this interaction that transforms packaging into a functioning solution.