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New returnable package saves Herman Miller $46,000/yr

Environmentally committed office furniture company develops reusable, returnable system for chair component that results in significant savings in materials and labor.

Herman Miller created a reusable packaging system for the spine of its Yves Béhar-designed SAYL office chair that is as ergonomic and efficient as the chair itself.
Herman Miller created a reusable packaging system for the spine of its Yves Béhar-designed SAYL office chair that is as ergonomic and efficient as the chair itself.

Herman Miller has long been known for the classic industrial design of its office furnishings, as well as for its commitment to sustainability. Operating under a mandate to “design and build a better world,” the Zeeland, MI, based manufacturer is not only passionate about the ergonomics and earth-friendly features of its products, but also of its operations, as well. Recently, a team at its Holland, MI, facility engineered a new reusable packaging solution for the transport of a chair component from the supplier to the assembly line that has resulted in considerable sustainability advantages, as well as measurable savings in time and cost.


“We have a strong commitment to our environment and are always looking for ways to reduce waste; whether it is packaging material or extra labor needed to repack parts for efficient presentation to our assembly lines,” explains Herman Miller packaging engineer Cindy Doman. “When implemented correctly, returnable packaging can cut down on the number of touches a part receives, both in material handling as well as the handling of the part on the assembly line.”


In 2012, Herman Miller’s Holland operation organized a cross-functional team—comprising production supervisors, facilitators, conveyance operators, material handlers, the part supplier, and the packaging engineer—to develop a returnable package design for a “Y”-shaped plastic part, called a “spine,” that is assembled on its SAYL® office chair. The part is made from glass-filled nylon and includes many surfaces that cannot be scratched or scuffed.


Until that time, the part, supplied by Dahti Seating, in Rockford, MI, had been shipped to Herman Miller in corrugated boxes that were sometimes bundled or stretch-wrapped with additional film. Boxes were reused several times before being recycled, while other materials were disposed of. The solution required considerable handling by operators both stocking the line and assembling the chairs.


In considering a new, reusable solution, the package design team wanted to find one that would optimize:
• 
The part supplier’s manufacturing processes (without adding more time or effort)

• 
Transportation (trailer cube)

• 
Material handling (labor and time reduction)
• 
Sustainability (cut down waste)
• 
Part presentation on the line to effectively cut down on labor time, without sacrificing quality


Packaging as part of product development

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