RICHMOND, VA–December 13, 2002–The new U-Pad Packaging system, developed by Motorola Broadband Communications Sector (BCS), the leading provider of digital set-top terminals, in a partnership with Motorola Advanced Technology Center (MATC) and Alcoa Flexible Packaging, was awarded an IoPP Ameristar Packaging Award in the Electronics category. The new U-PAD system provides superior cushioning and protection, eliminates individual wrap-around boxes, provides an eighty-five percent reduction in inbound packaging materials, handling, transportation and storage space, improves packing line ergonomics, reduces manpower requirements by thirty-three percent, adapts into a closed-loop distribution system, and saves millions of dollars in total packaging costs. The U-PAD Packaging System is a key player in Motorola's goal to provide cost-effective, customer and environmentally friendly packaging solutions.
Alcoa's patented Thermoformed Fragility Packaging Technology is utilized in the U-PAD cushions. The package consists of multiple panels composed of a platform portion or floor supporting the shock sensitive item. A plurality of ribs divides the platform into item protecting cells. Crush depressions in the cells provide for cushion distance between the item and the container walls. Alcoa's Thermoformed Fragility Packaging is produced using HDPE in the firm's Wheaton, Illinois and Sungai Petani, Malaysia thermoforming facilities. The HDPE provides excellent protection during several cycles of re-use, or can be ground up and re-molded, plus unpigmented HDPE is recyclable worldwide. It was the optimum material to resolve Motorola's distribution issues.
The innovative U-PAD design, a result of six-months of developmental teamwork between Motorola and Alcoa Flexible Packaging, established a new packaging system for digital control terminals. This complete packaging system is an industry first, designed to handle both set-top chassis shipped from the supplier and outgoing finished units shipped for installation by the cable operators. The system was designed to protect sets of four products, each product weighing over eight pounds, providing rigidity, flexibility and shock absorption during transit. Molded-in guide channels at the upper end of each of the four slots of the U-PAD direct each of the four DCT units into place.
The U-PADs replace individual custom corrugated wrap-arounds. This provides an eighty-five percent reduction in inbound packaging materials. Pallet use, storage space and material handling have also been reduced by eighty-five percent. Motorola customers are now ordering in minimum pack quantities (MPQ) of four. And are realizing the benefit of reduced packaging materials and the significant reduction of trash.
In addition to reduced material costs, the Motorola BCS facility reduced labor and overhead costs by over thirty-three percent. One person from each of five packing lines was reassigned to other duties and cycle time was reduced. Packaging process line congestion is all but eliminated. Plus, special jigs and fixtures for product handling and loading were eliminated from the packing line to further increase cost savings and efficiency.
Another benefit for the packaging area is hazard free working environment and better material flow. Nested U-PADs stack neatly on the packing line and take up significant less room than the same quantity of corrugated wrap-arounds. Also, the molded U-PADs are much cleaner than their corrugated wrap-around predecessors. This means no dust and dirt contamination in the packing areas.
The U-PAD packaging method has made significant cost and labor saving changes to the entire distribution system. The chassis supplier has totally eliminated packaging material as a result of implementing the U-PAD. Un-packing chassis and de-trashing of incoming packaging at Motorola BCS has been totally eliminated. Motorola customers no longer need to unpack the DCT units, de-trash the product packaging and transfer the products to specially designed carrying totes for delivery and installation at the consumer's home. Now the units are delivered and installed 'factory-fresh' directly to the end-user. Packaging waste is eliminated along with customer-specific containers. The distribution systems at Motorola and the customer are now greatly improved, resulting in greater efficiencies throughout the distribution chain.
Alcoa Flexible Packaging, based in Richmond, Virginia, manufactures a variety of packaging materials including extrusion and adhesive laminated pouch materials, overwraps and linerstock, blister lidding foil, thermoformed trays, cable wrap, plastic shrink sleeve body labels, shrink film and converter foil. These packaging materials serve the world's leading consumer products manufacturers within the pharmaceutical, medical, food & beverage, and industrial markets. As a result of Alcoa Inc.'s acquisition of Ivex Packaging Corporation, completed July 1, 2002, Ivex Technical Packaging has become part of Alcoa Flexible Packaging. This acquisition provides Alcoa Flexible Packaging the ability to design and manufacture value-added, thermoformed plastic packaging using state-of-the-art thermoforming equipment capable of producing complex designs to exacting requirements across a broad range of materials.
For the medical market, Alcoa Flexible Packaging can now provide thermoformed packaging for medical devices, diagnostic, procedural and dental kits, implant trays and home healthcare packaging. Electrostatic discharge (ESD) protective packaging, shielding products, component trays and fragility packaging are manufactured for the electronics industry. Visual packaging, as well as clamshells, box inserts and carded blisters service the retail markets.
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Alcoa's U-PAD thermoform packaging solution protects Motorola cable set-top boxes in a new four-pack configuration.
U-PAD reduces packaging cost and waste.
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