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Rubbermaid compacts damage

Mop heads are compression-packed to one-third their original size and then shrink-wrapped. Other benefits: lower material costs, zero damage and storage efficiencies.

Rubbermaid?s new brick-sized mop package is one-third the size of its previous pack (above). Six brick packs are now shrink-bund
Rubbermaid?s new brick-sized mop package is one-third the size of its previous pack (above). Six brick packs are now shrink-bund

What started out as a way to eliminate damage to corrugated cases ended up expanding to state-of-the-art compression packaging of mop heads for Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Winchester, VA.

By compressing the cotton and cotton/polyester-blend mop heads into small bricks, then shrink-wrapping them in clear film and subsequently shrink-bundling them, Rubbermaid has eliminated the use of corrugated cases and the damage that went with them.

The mop heads are typically sold to commercial distributors, and are eventually purchased predominantly by institutional users.

"We use a lot of pressure to force all of the air out of the mop head," explains Rick Barnett, senior manufacturing engineer. "But compaction doesn't affect the characteristics of the product. It doesn't damage the fibers nor does it affect the absorption, absorption release or durability of the mop."

Rubbermaid worked with systems integrator and equipment/film distributor xpedx Packaging Systems (Greensboro, NC), formerly known as Dillard Packaging, to develop and execute the compaction concept. The new packaging line started producing commercial product in Rubbermaid's Cleveland, TN, plant in June. Compression packing is expected to replace the previous pre-made, preprinted low-density polyethylene bags that were manually loaded and heat-sealed.

Although Rubbermaid's specific application is protected for the duration of the patents on the technology, such a system can be deployed for other, non-competitive applications, according to Rick Zeitlow, systems group manager at xpedx. Rubbermaid declined to identify how the mops are actually packaged, nor would it divulge materials, equipment or other suppliers.

Three-fold size reduction

The package, which is one-half to one-third the size of a typical mop package, has resulted in zero damage since the new package was rolled out in June.

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