Revolutionize Packaging For The Flower Industry
There comes a time in the business world when integrity, honesty, openness, personal excellence, continual self-improvement, and mutual respect become valued constituents for things to move in the right direction. With these core beliefs, Silpack readily takes on all challenges, and pride themselves on seeing them through and holding themselves accountable to their customers, honoring their commitments, and striving for the highest quality in new and current developments.
That is what you find at Silpack Industries Limited, an established manufacturer of boxes and packaging materials since the mid-1980. Ever since, Silpack’s rich tradition has been built on innovation, investment, quality, and value partnerships. It is this very tradition that has established the Company as a leading provider of corrugated carton and polythene packaging solutions to all sectors of the East African economy.
They assure customers with the provision of quality products and services; keenly focusing on the Flower Sector, whom they have faithfully serviced with boxes, Single Face Kraft (SFK) rolls and sheets, and partitions. As a note of their commitment, Silpack was the first company to produce bespoke SFK with printed names and designs, pre-cut to grower specifications and requirements. Partitions are also available in the same way as the bespoke SFK, whereby, different designs and configurations allow growers to protect their valuable flowers in transit.
The Company has taken the flower box to a new horizon with their range of boxes mainly the “SoliQ Air” range, made in collaboration with Paccess Packaging (the R&D operation of BillerudKorsnas in Sweden). SoliQ Air boxes have been a positive influence to the flower growers.
According to Parit Shah, a Director at Silpack Industries Ltd., the traditional notion of “accepting” whatever is supplied is no longer “acceptable”. Growers understand that alternatives and facilities now exist to undertake a scientific approach to developing the correct packaging.
“SoliQ Air is providing solutions to growers to increase their returns by providing mechanically superior boxes, lighter in weight and consistently available throughout the year. These products are made under strict guidelines from Paccess and use very high technical paper specifications, thereby, ensuring that the quality remains consistent throughout the year” He said.
Silpack also acknowledges that vase life is fundamental to the grower and believes that the industry has exciting times ahead. Having understood the needs of the Growers, in the near term Silpack will be making available a nano-technology to absorb latent ethylene and moisture and thereby extending the vase life of sensitive varieties. This will be made available in boxes and SFK.
This will be enhanced with the introduction of a moisture controlling coating on the SFK to ensure the rigidity and robustness of the SFK during long and short transit. Other than using water repellent additives in the traditional glue making process, Silpack has an innovative method of adding this technology, which is food grade, to boost the returns to the Grower
Silpack has also developed printing technology on the SFK to improve market visibility of a grower’s product once out of the box.
These are a few of the innovations that have been converted from concept to commercial use. They have a number of other products under development and will roll them out once they are commercially viable.
Challenges
The two key challenges faced during the roll out of SoliQ Air cartons have been pricing and imitations.
Traditional paper specifications allow for production of relatively cheap products, but require the use of heavier paper and/or higher recycled contents. These lead to hidden leakages for the growers through higher freight charges and weaker boxes. A typical difference in weight between a SoliQ Air standard flower box and the traditional box is 200gms. The higher recycled content means that moisture in the cold chain will weaken the box faster than the virgin materials used to make a SoliQ Air box. This timing difference could be the difference between sales or waste.
“When a grower understands the total cost of ownership, whereby, the packaging cost, freight, loss of produce and consistency are all considered, the total cost of owning a SoliQ Air carton is far less than the traditional carton” added Mr. Parit.
The second challenge has been the proliferation of imitations that claim to work in the same way as a SoliQ Air product but fall way short. This is inevitable because all SoliQ Air products are made from paper produced by our partners and therefore only available through the SoliQ Air product range.
Conclusion
Overall, Silpack Industries Ltd has products aimed at reducing loss of produce, increasing marketability, saving on freight, and product consistency.
Silpack has invested heavily to manufacture products for the flower industry because they strongly believe the horticulture sector has a long life ahead. Growers are challenged on the world stage by better packaging available elsewhere but according to Mr. Parit, this will no longer be the case as Silpack closes that gap. Growers can focus on marketing the truly amazing produce that is made in Kenya.