DS Smith Tecnicarton presents a hybrid between industrial packaging, shelving and supply-line packaging

Tower Rack is the first metal packaging nearly 4 meters high that incorporates flexible packaging with an ingenious vertical movement system that makes it easy to fill and empty parts

DS Smith Tecnicarton has taken advantage of its presence at Hispack 2018 to present its Tower Rack, its latest innovation for the automotive sector. This is a project that simultaneously covers the needs of several areas of the supply chain: packaging, storage and supply line.

    This development of DS Smith Tecnicarton is an innovation for the internal logistics of production plants and is intended for industries with high part turnover.

The packaging is a metal structure whose 4-metre height tries to bring all the necessary parts closer to the operators and optimise the space on the assembly line by avoiding fixed shelves, pallets, etc. It also minimises the space in the warehouse as this portable tower moves around the factory by supplying parts. It can be moved in the supply chain manually, by Lean trains or even in Autonomous Guiding Vehicles (AGV), which allows absolute monitoring of its transit. In addition, Tower Rack increases in-line productivity by allowing for the reduction of supply units.

But what's unique about this Tower Rack is its mobile internal air-conditioning system. A manual or electric device allows the switchgear to be moved vertically to facilitate access, ergonomics and safety for the operators. Improves work safety since the operator does not move around looking for parts, but the storage system itself goes to the production line. The reduction of traffic movements through the production plant reduces the possibility of work-related accidents.

Logistics optimization:

This metal packaging is designed to provide line operators with the necessary parts to carry out their work without wasting time searching for such parts and allows for a reduction in assembly line space, as it reduces static storage. It also minimizes warehouse space as this portable tower is moving around the factory environment, supplying parts.

Other novelties:

DS Smith Tecnicarton also took advantage of its presence at Hispack 2018 to showcase its wide range of specific packaging, bulk packaging and returnable systems.

All the packaging presented in this edition is marked by its contribution to the improvement of the logistics chain in the production area.

This is why the company will be attending the fair with its corrugated cardboard packaging for car dashboards, which reduces all the intermediate steps, as it is able to transport and approach the same production line in the same packaging. This packaging has recently received the IPA Award.

With these contributions, DS Smith wants to position itself as a reference company in industrial packaging engineering and as a reference in logistics innovation. For the company's marketing manager, Alicia Correa, "the company's commitment is to customise projects to the needs of each client and to optimise logistics. Today," Correa continues, "the automation of processes and the incorporation of robots in all areas of the company, including logistics, allows us to develop new innovative products that join the so-called Industry 4.0 where everything is connected and controlled".