CJ Logistics introduces ‘LoIS O’Pack’, an innovative 3D simulation-based box recommendation system, aiming to contribute to sustainability in the era of eco-consciousness
In the era where sustainability is on the rise, what is a way to reduce the ‘amount’ of packaging material beyond changing the packaging material? Lately, CJ Logistics has launched a 3D simulation-based box recommendation system called ‘LoIS O’Pack’ that prevents excessive packaging and improves packaging speed. Previously, either a company would choose a box to send to a customer, or a customer would arbitrarily select one. Now LoIS O’Pack recommends an optimal box size, reducing the waste of packaging materials and presenting the eco-friendly packaging solution.
The first stage of a sustainable environment is reduction of wastes. Among them, the most common issue of whether to recycle packaging materials is a global topic. Many companies have been trying to change packaging materials to eco-friendly ones. That means, a company that used to use normal plastics would now use recyclable or biodegradable packaging materials made from plastic or paper. This is to give a less harmful effect to earth by reducing non-biodegradable wastes.
As one example, Nestlé successfully reduced packaging weight by 200,000 tons by using recyclable plastic in 2022, which is equivalent to reducing greenhouse gas emissions of approximately 280,000 tons. Various companies are attempting to make numerous changes for innovation in packaging, such as application of eco-friendly materials up to this date.
However, there is the challenge to ultimately reduce wastes. Especially, if packaging whose size is much bigger than that of the product is used for boxes, it gives customers a burden to take care of the trash while the amount of logging also increases to be used in box packaging, giving negative effects to earth. According to the global NGO environmental organization named Environmental Paper Network (EPN), three billion trees are logged for paper packaging each year. This implies that using paper packaging materials is an alternative that is a little bit better than using non-recyclable packaging materials besides plastics, so a more definitive packaging solution is necessary. At the CJ Logistics Packaging Innovation Center (PIC), sustainability for distribution is being applied on site.
The LoIS O’Pack system presented by CJ Logistics not only changes a packaging material but also reduces packaging materials used in products, moving one step closer to waste reduction, the goal of sustainability. Using the 3D simulation, it automatically recommends a box whose size fits the ordered product. This way, the packaging space ratio (the ratio of remaining space inside the packaging box excluding the product) can be reduced substantially, which, in turn, reduces the waste of packaging materials. Let’s take a closer look into LoIS O’Pack, a sustainable packaging solution.
01
Increase in precision with 3D simulation-based load algorithm
LoIS O’Pack is operated as an algorithm system with the 3D simulation function. Based on the volume information of each product registered in advance, this function automatically recommends a box considering the box side and load direction. By going through a series of simulation processes repeatedly, it draws a result optimal for the product. It only takes 0.04 seconds per case, completed with the blink of an eye and can process up to about 1,500 product box recommendations within a minute.
02
Reduction of average packaging space ratio by 36%
After introducing the LoIS O’Pack system in the actual packaging process, it succeeded in reducing the packaging space ratio up to the average of 36% simply by packaging the product itself, excluding any filler material. This value far exceeds the regulation on excessive packaging for parcel service, which is scheduled to be enforced starting this April by the Ministry of Environment. The revision of the Resource Recycling Act states that the “packaging space ratio must be 50% or less within single packaging.” This not only can be achieved through LoIS O’Pack, but also can reduce dissipation of waste as well as logging of trees used for packaging.
03
Maximization of work efficiency by reducing the joint packaging speed
“Joint packaging,” which refers to packaging multiple products into one box, is performed much more delicately as it takes into consideration various factors such as volume and weight of each product. For this reason, there is a difference in speed, which results in packaging one product each instead of joint packaging caused by the recent trend of “quick delivery.” To reduce this difficulty, LoIS O’Pack significantly reduced the time (0.04 seconds) to find boxes with which joint packaging is available.
04
Provision of optimal installation locations for partitions within ice boxes
LoIS O’Pack is also provided on ice boxes. Fresh products or temperature-sensitive products are packaged in ice boxes for temperature management (cold storage, deep freezing, room temperature). LoIS O’Pack recommends an optimal partition placement for packaging food groups, which requires individual temperature management into a single box. Now, LoIS O’Pack can help save time to consider installation locations of partitions, which can improve the overall work speed and efficiency, and reduce product deterioration and damage at the same time.
This way, LoIS O’Pack presents more efficient eco-friendly solutions by providing the box size and partition recommendation for packaging based on a precise algorithm. CJ Logistics’ LoIS O’Pack will be introduced in all centers to be constructed in the future, including 15 distribution centers where it is currently applied.
