The unprinted, telescoping-style cases, which are erected and folded manually from die-cut blanks without tape or glue, were altered in design by Macmillan Bathurst (Mississauga, Ontario, Canada) to use 20% less board material than the old cases for a total cost savings to Levi Strauss of 5.3%. But that's not all. The old boxes were awkward and time-consuming to erect. With the new design, workers simply lock the cut-away corners of the end panels into die-cut slits in the side panels, speeding assembly by 10%, estimates Don Somerville, Levi's Edmonton production manager. By altering the size and layout of the sides, the die-cut blank sheets are smaller than the old design yet maintain Levi's internal dimensional requirements once the case is erected. The friction-fit lid did not change. Cases are automatically strapped after they're lidded. The new design, in use for about a year, is made from 150# overstrength B-flute, which MB says is the equivalent of 200#-test board. And since the boxes aren't glued or taped, they can be knocked down and erected multiple times, a feature that benefits Levi. Made with 30% recycled content, the container garnered an Envirowise award in the Packaging Assn. of Canada's 1995 competition.
Designing out corrugated costs
At a time when most packagers were taking it on the chin in rising corrugated costs, Levi Strauss & Co. (Canada) Inc.'s Edmonton, Alberta, facility worked with its corrugated supplier to lower the price it pays for cases for its popular Dockers pants (packed 15 to a case).
Nov 30, 1995
Machinery Basics
New e-book on Multipacking and Case Packing
Read how to extend the life of your case packing equipment and best practices for efficient shrink bundling operation. Plus, learn the differences between wraparound & regular slotted containers.
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