Opal, JBS Australia win WorldStar award

Acollaboration between renewable packaging and paper business Opal and Australia’s largest animal protein processor JBS Australia has seen the pair recognised with a 2023 Worldstar global packaging award.

Opal devised an innovative corrugated cardboard dunnage solution to minimise product movement during transportation that can costly in damage and food waste.

JBS Australia group manager sustainability Sam Churchill said the solution lined up with the company’s sustainability commitment, which included working with customers and supply chain partners to increase the recycled content and recyclability of its packaging, as well as reducing the amount of packaging material used and waste within its operations.

“This innovative product has resulted in tangible cost savings and operational efficiencies. By reducing our packaging footprint, we are meeting our sustainability objectives for the benefit of our business and customers, and providing positive environmental outcomes,” Churchill said.

Opal said dunnage is usually constructed from expanded polystyrene (EPS), which can’t be easily recycled and ends up in landfill. Its dunnage solution is a column-like corrugated structure, offering a sustainable, 100 per cent recyclable cardboard alternative to non-recyclable EPS, supporting the phase out of problematic and unnecessary single-use plastic packaging under Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets.

The dunnage also provides enhanced transportation and distribution efficiency for JBS Australia as it accommodates 1800 boxes per pallet compared to traditional EPS dunnage, which enables only 200 boxes packed per pallet.

Opal Fibre Packaging group general manager Brad Hinds said Opal was committed to providing its customers with sustainable, innovative solutions.

“We are delighted to be recognised on a global scale through the WorldStar global packaging award in the transit category. By collaborating with our customers, we can design and produce products that can deliver on functionality, supply chain efficiency, and sustainability,” Hinds said.

The dunnage was previously awarded Gold in both the Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year Industrial sub-category and Outside of the Box Design of the Year at the Australasian Packaging Innovation & Design Awards in 2022.