Editor’s Note the following article is published in Modern Material Handling
By Sara Pearson Specter, Editor at Large
December 15, 2010 – MMH Editorial
Reusable plastic bins, totes and container use is on the rise. Reusables have long been an accepted option for supporting lean manufacturing processes, notably in the automotive industry. Now, due to the operational gains and cost savings they can bring, these products are seeing increased use for the processing, handling and distribution of consumables such as food and consumer packaged goods.
Growth in these industries is expected to continue, according to several suppliers Modern talked to about this trend. We’ve whittled down what we’ve learned to seven key areas where this equipment is bringing benefits to the supply chain today.
Long before it was trendy, reusable plastic tote and container vendors touted the environmentally friendly benefits of their products. When used as a replacement for one-way, disposable packaging, durable plastic containers (and associated dunnage to secure sensitive contents) eliminate waste as well as the costs of continually repurchasing expendable items.
