Sustainability and Savings with Boxes on Demand

As The Vomela Companies’ production teams and equipment relocate to their newly constructed St. Paul headquarters, they recently moved their state-of-the-art Box On Demand system. The machine gives employees the capability to configure cardboard packaging in any size and quantity, and it has replaced the need to order and stock a large variety of box sizes.

The system creates several efficiencies, which can then be passed on to clients. In the warehouse, the flat-packed cardboard can be stored effectively, and boxes don’t need to be created until there’s a need for them. It also reduces corrugate costs overall – each box is sized specifically for the job with minimal waste. These savings are reflected in shipping costs with the absence of void fill on trucks.

From a sustainability perspective, the machine has vastly improved Vomela’s waste reduction efforts. With 200-1,000 boxes produced per day, we’re using less cardboard and filling more space. What waste does occur is 100% recyclable cardboard scrap, which can be compacted and disposed of sustainably. With each box filling less space, we can complete orders with fewer shipments, which means less CO₂ usage in the long run.

According to Material Prep Lead Don Andert, the system is reliable and easy to use. There’s no single operator of the on-demand system; user-friendly software allows any employee to create custom-sized packaging with the press of a button. With numerous benefits both sustainable and economical, it’s clear that on-demand box making is the future of packaging.