Investing in reusable packaging is a significant expense in a company’s budget, but in the long run, in a logistics chain with a relatively constant number of participants, it is certainly profitable. The Volkswagen Group adopted this assumption, achieving measurable benefits in a short time.
The main factor forcing the Volkswagen Group to develop a new packaging management strategy was the need to reduce costs by:
1. Significantly reducing the amount of packaging in the logistics chain.
2. Eliminating the costs of purchasing single-use packaging by suppliers.
3. Obtaining uniform container standards and better utilization of their transport and loading space in means of transport.
4. Lower probability of transport damage due to the greater durability of reusable packaging.
5. Reducing the costs and labor time associated with manual packing and unpacking of parts (handling).
A significant factor influencing the above decision is the Volkswagen Group’s commitment to environmental protection – a very important element of the company’s policy.
The fact that most parts do not require protection in the form of special packaging tailored to their specific type prompted the VW Group to introduce universal reusable packaging. This means that one type of container can be used to pack many different parts, regardless of their shape and weight. Universal packaging in the group is divided into groups: large-format containers GLT (Grossladungsträger) – these are mostly foldable metal containers and small-format plastic packaging KLT (Kleinladungsträger). While GLT containers themselves constitute transport units (LE-Ladeeinheit), the transport unit for KLT containers is a specific quantity of packaging stacked together with a pallet and a lid. The multiple of parts in an LE is determined by the minimum delivery order size of parts or semi-finished products for suppliers of Volkswagen production plants.
The article comes from the magazine “Logistyka” 2003/5.