Honeycomb materials delivering performance and growth in packaging

Since installing its honeycomb panel production line, EconCore technology user Röplast of Turkey has focused largely on developing business for automotive interior cladding applications. Röplast recently took a major step forward by extending its offering to include reusable industrial packaging. Its HexaPak reusable packaging system is taking the Turkish market by storm today, especially for intra-and inter-site logistics of customers in Turkey. HexaPak foldable containers collapse to take up to 80% less volume; this makes them ideal in the reusable industrial packaging cycle, where goods are loaded and transported, with empty containers then either being refilled to continue their path in the logistics chain, or are collapsed and returned to the source location for reuse. HexaPak, made using EconCore technology, delivers high performance-to-weight, with the number of cycles that containers can withstand potentially being greater than traditional packaging.

Attractive opportunity for new technology investors

The success that EconCore technology users have achieved with reusable packaging applications is the result of their innovative mindset and a tenacity to develop solutions for the markets they serve. For EconCore, the experience gained with each new installation of the technology around the world is leading to continuous improvements. This provides benefits for existing users of the technology and, of course, new users.

Looking today at packaging, there is clearly an attractive opportunity for new technology investors. Today, EconCore technology can deliver industrial packaging products of the sort that are becoming the new standard in performance among the most critical end-users in the OEM market. Regionally speaking, the opportunity to leap-frog competition is particularly interesting where reusable industrial packaging is heating up. A new technology investor bringing the emerging standard of performance with true honeycomb core packaging solutions, proven every day in Europe, into a new region, could jump to the top as a preferred supplier based on quality, consistency, and performance.

Considering CAPEX, EconCore observes that the level of investment to install its technology is potentially significantly less than competitive technology options. Experience is valuable and the process by which EconCore supports a new licensee with equipment selection optimizes the equipment choice to the user’s need. The ability to offer a product range suited to the user’s home market requirements and preferences, often geographically specific, is a key attribute of the versatile technology.

With the new standard in performance, consistency, attractive investment and payback potential, and a product range to match the market, the opportunity is ripe for new investors in EconCore technology for packaging.

EconCore, based in Leuven, Belgium, provides technology for the continuous production of honeycomb sandwich materials. The unique ability to produce rigid but lightweight panels within a cost-efficient, integrated high-volume production process is licensed by several companies over the world. The fast, versatile, continuous thermoplastic honeycomb production process allows users to produce sandwich materials for various applications including automotive, transportation, building and construction, industrial packaging/graphical displays, furniture and many others at minimal cost, weight and environmental impact.

Source: EconCore