Whether they are reusable, single-use or dedicated to the transport of dangerous products, our folding boxes in plywood and steel have one thing in common: they are custom-made and manufactured in an environmentally friendly manner and in accordance with the requirements and various compliance labels related to our business.

Since 1961, we have been assisting companies in the chemical, metal, defense, armament, the mechanical industry, etc. in the adapted packaging of their products. Our ranges, in a permanent concern of improvement and in the continuity of the technical evolutions, have been developed and renewed.

But faced with all these possibilities, how do you choose the best box for your transport and storage conditions? Here are a few steps that will guide you in your choices to make your packaging comply with your specifications.

Adapted packaging: choosing the right model

In our catalog, we classify our boxes into three categories:

• Reusable folding wooden boxes
• Single use folding wooden boxes
• Folding wooden boxes for hazardous products

95% of our boxes are made to measure, whether they are reusable or not, and all of them are foldable [https://no-nailboxes.com/en/the-advantages-of-folding-boxes/] because of the number one problem encountered in logistics loops: saving space. It is therefore in response to this problem that our boxes are delivered and stored flat, saving up to 85% of storage space.

Our shuttle boxes are recyclable and can be reused up to 200 times under standard conditions of use. They are therefore part of a sustainable and eco-responsible approach, a NO-NAIL BOXES shuttle box can replace up to 50 one-way packagings.

Then, the choice of the model can be made according to:

• The type and value of the products packed
• The weight of the goods
• Their arrangement (in bulk or not)
• The method of transportation
• The destination of the product (export)
• Storage conditions

So many criteria that will participate in the elaboration of your specifications that will allow you to make the right choice for an adapted packaging. Our sales team will also assist you in identifying your needs.

Tailor-made solutions to avoid transporting empties

Our folding boxes are about 2,3 times lighter than a wooden box of the same size. This property has a virtuous impact on the space available inside the box: the wood sections used are thinner and therefore lead to a 16 % gain in useful space.

In terms of usable space, there is no point in carrying empty space. Therefore, our boxes are adapted to the dimensions of the product to be packed, which avoids the use of superfluous materials. It is not the packaging that adapts to your product but the packaging that is made according to your needs, which allows you to respect the environment by avoiding the use of superfluous materials and to save money.

Specific inner packaging to ensure product protection

Using a custom-made box does not exclude the use of inner packaging insofar as the packaged parts must be protected and maintained. Thus, depending on the degree of protection required, the danger of the product and the transport conditions, we offer different cushioning solutions based on three elements: foam, pallets and straps. We are able to produce certain types of inner packaging in 3D based on files of the part provided by the customer. Our design office provides customized solutions to the packaging standards required in the specifications. It is always a question of finding the solution that has the least impact on the environment, with the least amount of material used and according to the approval and certification criteria specific to each activity sector.

As an example, here are some of the sectors for which our design office and technical department implement adapted packaging solutions.

• The automotive, rail and engineering industries
  Cradles, wedges, structures with reinforced pallets, straps and aluminized covers are used simultaneously to protect heavy industry. This involves packaging fragile and bulky parts such as mechanically welded frames, engines for the offshore industry, bridges and transmissions for the railway industry (weighing several tons). For engineering, we pack axles, bearings, gears and other highly technical parts.
• The luxury industry
  Our packaging concerns, for example, furniture, paintings and other very fragile objects that need to be cushioned with specific, advanced quality foams. For this purpose, we often use non-crosslinked polyethylene foams to protect against shocks and vibrations during transport.
• The electronics sector
  For the packaging and transport of electronic racks, consisting of cards and components, the machine is wedged with foams and the pallet is equipped with anti-vibration pads. Shock reduction is anticipated with the use of shock and tilt indicators placed on the outside of the box. These devices often require protective covers against humidity. We also manufacture smaller boxes for certain components with anti-static foams. Our inner packaging meets the RoHS certifications of the electronics and computer industries.
• The Military Industry
  For more than 50 years, we have been working for the Army. This requires special know-how and confidentiality with our customers. The EXBOX was created to meet specific needs in terms of stacking resistance, security and inviolability. This folding box in plywood and steel is a one-piece unit that is highly resistant to falls. Other models can be equipped with an inner coating (alveolar polypropylene) and inner packagings in wood or foam.  The use of thermoweldable covers with desiccant or VCI bags against humidity is also recommended to guarantee anticorrosive protection.
• Hazardous products
  These are most often products from the chemical industry or batteries (UN3480). The boxes used for the packaging of these products require specific approvals for certifications and transport certificates. In our dedicated department, qualified specialists collect information and keep abreast of the latest legislative developments on the packaging of regulated products. In its drop test station, NO-NAIL BOXES tests 4D boxes for the transport of regulated materials. The tests are supervised by experts from the Belgian Packaging Institute, which certifies the boxes. We also work in collaboration with the main European testing laboratories (Bureau de Verifications Techniques – BVT), the Laboratoire National de Métrologie et d’Essais LNE, the Bundesanstalt für Materialforshüng und Prüfung (BAM).

Whether your products are bulky, strategic, confidential, hazardous, luxurious, or all of these, we have the best solution for packing them under optimal conditions. Our plywood folding boxes are indeed optimized in terms of environmental impact reduction as well as in terms of strength and safety for transportation. Our design office guarantees the follow-up and the application of the necessary approvals according to your sector of activity and your places of export. For a packaging adapted to each of your trades.

According to a press release of the FEFPEB (European Federation of Wooden Pallet and Packaging Manufacturers), further price increases in the wooden pallet and packaging industry are “inevitable” as the impact of the pandemic continues to be felt by companies in Europe and the rest of the world.

The organization expects the sustained rise in the price of raw materials – including wood and steel – and availability problems in some markets to create upward pressure on prices.

According to Fons Ceelaert, Secretary General of the FEFPEB, “producers of wooden pallets and packaging are therefore faced with increasingly unprofitable production, wood shortages and serious economic decisions about slowing down or even stopping production”.

Our plywood folding boxes have the particularity of being responsible packaging solutions, 95 % of which are custom-made. In this dynamic, they must be as well adapted as possible to the products they contain in terms of security, ergonomics, identification, confidentiality and brand image. In order to be able to respond to many different uses and different types of products, NO-NAIL BOXES offers a wide range of printing techniques that are part of its DNA: making custom-made and personalized boxes according to the criteria relating to your sector of activity: chemistry, metallurgy, defense and armament, mechanical industry etc. What are these different printing techniques and which is the best choice?

Many different printing techniques to meet your different needs

At NO-NAIL BOXES, there are no less than ten different printing techniques for your packaging and we will present them to you in detail, each with their specificities thanks to the expertise of Stéphane Guirsch, our technical manager.

Flexography: the most used technique

The most frequently used technique in our company is flexography, which makes it possible to print several thousand panels per day. This is a printing technique that uses flexible printing forms, called stereotypes. These photopolymer stereotypes are the relief mirror image of the pattern to be reproduced. They are fixed on a cylinder. By rotation, the stereotypes are inked in a blade chamber before being applied to the plywood face to be printed. This process, which gives a printing result of great quality, also allows a very thorough personalization: all the Pantone colors are conceivable as well as all fonts, and it is also possible to make gradations of color (halftoning). Flexographic printing is light -resistant and suitable for medium and large production runs for panel thicknesses of 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12 mm, which should not exceed these dimensions: 2,440 x 1,200 mm. The stereotypes must be less than 900 x 850 mm.

Screen printing: for large formats and painted surfaces

In addition to these panel thicknesses and sizes, we offer the screen printing technique, which also has the same properties as flexography.

It is a printing technique similar to stencil. It is a screen made up of a frame on which is stretched a very fine mesh fabric (silk or nylon). A part of this screen thus constituted is closed, by chemical or mechanical processes, so as to leave free only the surfaces corresponding to the drawings or texts to be printed. The printing is done by passing ink through the free meshes, using a squeegee.

Inkjet and digital printing: for small production runs with limited manpower and short lead times guaranteed

The NO-NAIL BOXES inkjet printer uses liquid ink and offers high quality color results. The printing is done according to the technique of “jet on demand” which makes it possible to deliver only the quantity of ink necessary for the printing. It is a high resolution printing (256 px), only available in black. Inkjet can print complex patterns such as sequential numbers, barcodes, QR codes and logos. It is a fast and efficient technique, which guarantees a very sharp and high quality result, resistant to mechanical abrasion, water and light. This rather expensive technique is recommended for small series, from one to 500 pieces. It can be adapted to different thicknesses of printable panels: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12, 15, 18 mm for a maximum dimension of 100 mm for the printable surface. It is also possible to print on larger thicknesses (rafters, etc.).

Digital printing is a reproduction technique allowing NO-NAIL BOXES to print on plywood panels directly from computer media. It is particularly adapted to the current expectations of users by its flexibility and speed. The digital printing technology allows to print small quantities in a short time. The print data can be updated more regularly, printed as accurately as possible according to requirements. Variable data management allows the personalization of each plywood panel. Digital printing provides a clean, high-quality result that is resistant to mechanical abrasion, water and light. It can be white or four-color process and can reproduce complex patterns and photos. It is generally reserved for small and medium series for printing areas smaller than 2500 x 1250 mm and allows to work in continuous flow optimizing the printing time.

Pad printing and stencil: efficient and agile methods

It is a pad printing process. At NO-NAIL BOXES, this process is done manually. The function of the pad is to “take” the image engraved on the stereotype and place it on the surface of the substrate to be printed. This is a less expensive method and allows an image to be reproduced, in color or not, on objects of all shapes since the pad naturally adapts to the surface it is printed on. The printing area is limited to the size of the stamp. We use this technique in particular for the marking of the ISPM 15 logo.

The stencil technique consists in reproducing patterns by passing a roller or a brush loaded with ink or color on a simple openwork cardboard according to the contours of the patterns to be printed. This support is also called stencil. The term “stencil” thus designates both the technique and the material used. The stencil makes it possible to print small series and to intervene on boxes already assembled, painted or equipped with accessories (velcros, steel tabs, etc.). It can also be used for plywood panels or wooden dunnage of any size. Thus, it is a technique that only allows the printing of simple patterns, with a limited font and color palette (black, red, blue and green).

Machining

This is a manufacturing process where the removal of material in the form of chips is the result of a combination of two movements: the rotation of the cutting tool on the one hand, and the advance of the workpiece on the other. The CNC milling machine makes it possible to carry out small drilling and contouring jobs. A software program allows to draw the part and to optimize the trajectories of its cutting. The precision offered by milling allows for renewed technical and aesthetic adaptations: narrow openings, chamfers, indentations, countersinks, etc. Machining is a high quality intervention available for plywood thicknesses ranging from 4 to 30 mm.

Adhesive transfer vinyls

These are self-adhesive labels affixed to an object. For the stickers, NO-NAIL BOXES works in subcontracting with a local printer.

With great agility and adaptability and with controlled costs, transfer adhesive vinyls allow the printing of complex logos from two or three colors, in all formats, with flexible positioning.  They can also be removable. This technique is used when the complexity of the visual to be affixed does not allow for stencilling, flexography or screen printing.

Custom printing for custom made boxes

In the continuity of the custom manufacturing of your plywood boxes, printing is part of the personalization process. It is an important step that guarantees both your brand image (logo) and the legibility of information (bar codes, QR codes, sequential numbers, norms) when it comes to fragile, dangerous or confidential products. NO-NAIL BOXES is thus committed to providing you with the most appropriate printing technique according to your specifications.

Created in 1951, the SEILA (Syndicat de l’Emballage Industriel et de la Logistique Associée) is a French branch representative for industrial packaging and the associated logistics. It federates industrial packaging professionals on a European level. About forty members give their time and skills in the different committees. The members of SEILA, by the complementarity of their professions and thanks to the exchanges that membership of the Representative enables them to offer their customers a wide range of packaging solutions, logistics and associated services. Its 3 categories of members (approved packers who provide industrial packaging services; affiliated box manufacturers who produce wooden boxes and wood derivatives, and correspondent manufacturers who offer products and services related to industrial packaging and box manufacturers) uniting a preserved know-how, enable the products to be safely transported worldwide. SEILA’s industrial packers and box manufacturers base themselves on the reference frame issued by SEILA and recognized by industrialists and insurance companies, the Technical Specifications of Packaging Methods for Industrial Materials and Various Applications. These good practices thus ensure the protection of the goods entrusted in the transport cycle.

Member of SEILA since the beginning of the millennium as an affiliated box manufacturer, NO-NAIL BOXES benefits in particular from the professional recognition as a manufacturer of custom-made boxes and pallets. But it also intervenes in one of its five commissions within the framework of the Technical Office. In what way does this membership and involvement in one of the commissions have a real impact for the company in particular and more generally for the ecosystem of the packaging sector?

The SEILA, the inevitable branch representative for industrial packaging and the associated logistics

With 70 years of existence, SEILA represents today (2019/2020 data):

• 133 French and European companies (Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Italy)
• ≈ 735 million Euros in revenues
• ≈ 6950 jobs

It is the only branch representative dedicated to industrial packaging professionals and is one of the three French representatives that make up the “Pôle Emballage Bois”, under the aegis of the National Interprofessional Association of the forest-wood sector, together with the light wooden packaging trade association SIEL and the national federation of wood pallet manufacturers FNB/SYPAL. NO-NAIL BOXES, as a manufacturer of custom-made plywood folding boxes, is one of the affiliated box manufacturers. We work closely with industrial packers and actively participate in the technical work. For this reason, SEILA has a Technical Office, subdivided into three technical expertise commissions:

1. Industrial packaging and technical specifications
2. Audit and control of the two brands (SEI and SEILA)
3. Wood and materials

Composed of the best technicians and engineers from the member companies, the industrial packaging technical office is the real cornerstone of SEILA. Its role is in particular to ensure the application of the technical specifications of the packaging of industrial materials and its updating, as well as the technical sheets for the members.

Our involvement within SEILA

Philippe Winkin, in charge of the production at No-Nail Boxes, investments, buildings and security at AllPack Services and administrator at WaluPack Services is a member of the Wood and Materials Commission, whose mission is to provide members with information on wood, its derivatives and other materials.

WaluPack Services, an industrial packaging company that is part of the Alipa Group with No-Nail Boxes and Allpack Services, is also a member of SEILA as an SEI approved packer. This is a registered trademark that only members who have successfully passed the approval audits and periodic visits can use. This trademark certifies that the packaging on which it is fixed is made according to the Technical Specifications, which guarantee the preservation of the industrial goods entrusted and the associated responsibility.

Very active in the wood and materials commission, our expert Philippe Winkin ensures that the wooden boxes produced by NO-NAIL BOXES can remain in the reference specifications for the professional manufacturing of packaging. Indeed, many European companies and clients have chosen to reference their technical specifications for the packaging of their industrial materials at SEILA. The specifications are regularly reviewed.

In addition, Philippe actively contributes every quarter to the edition of the SEIL’indices. This publication reserved to members gives the trends of raw material prices for the manufacture of packaging boxes. Indeed, elements such as wood and particle boards have an impact of 45 and 55% on the price of a service. It is therefore a reference document that makes it possible to explain possible price variations to customers in a transparent manner.

Finally, among his major implications within the commission, Philippe is involved in questions of legislation on the treatment of materials and phytosanitary standards, including the famous ISPM 15 standard. The treatment protocols are regularly updated and this information is regularly transmitted to the SEILA members.

A Partnership of Excellence

If the sanitary situation allows it, the next SEILA GA will take place this year in June in Luxembourg. It is an important meeting because foresight, progress and innovation can only be made with the best specialists, who are active on the ground. The SEILA, a professional branch representative of reference, by integrating business experts in its various committees, goes beyond the simple dimension of lobbying to accompany its members in a demanding and vigilant approach to their business processes, with reference specifications and trademarks guaranteeing compliant and secure services. It is in this sense that our made-to-measure plywood folding boxes are fully in line with the specifications for industrial equipment packaging. This to be as close as possible to our customers’ needs: quality, efficiency, safety, responsibility.

This article follows our last publication on the choice of wood for packaging. It refers to the content of our webinar (part 2) held on 19 November. In line with the choice of a renewable, natural, recyclable material with a neutral carbon footprint, the manufacturing of our plywood folding boxes is part of an eco-design approach. What does this consist of?

The definition of eco-design

According to the French Standardization Association AFNOR, eco-design consists of integrating the environment from the design stage of a product or service and during the different stages of its life cycle.

At NO-NAIL BOXES, the basic principle is to design packaging that respects the principles of sustainable development. By adopting this global approach, we aim at several objectives:

• obtain the greatest possible benefit for all actors involved
• with minimal environmental impact
• in socially equitable conditions
• through the intelligent use of resources

How does this eco-design work in practice?

Designing eco-friendly packaging is based on a set of concrete actions aimed at limiting pollution, preserving ecosystems, promoting biodiversity and protecting human health. These results are obviously mutually supportive and constitute a form of virtuous circle that is also found in the notions of renewal and recycling, which are specific to the wood industry.

In this logic, our actions consist of:

• optimizing the size and volume of the packaging
• choosing recycled and recyclable materials that are also certified
• working with responsible partners
• adopting a circular economy approach
• better communicating with users

Thus, our plywood folding boxes are 95 % made to measure, which allows us to reduce waste, use different thicknesses of plywood with optimized cutting, reduce wood scraps and recycle unusable ones.

Of course, the origin and traceability of the raw material are essential elements in our eco-design approach, which is based on the current regulations. Since 5 February 2011, NO-NAIL BOXES is labeled PEFC, which is a program for the endorsement of forest certification that guarantees sustainable forest management and strict control of wood flows.

In a perspective of continuous improvement in waste management and recycling, we also apply the European directive 94/62 CE. This directive commits us to limit the production of packaging waste, to promote the recovery and recycling of waste and to contribute to the implementation of a circular economy. The targets for 2025 and 2030 are ambitious, since already by the end of 2025, at least 65 % of all packaging waste weight will have to be recycled. Compliance with these two regulations is part of the CSR approach of NO-NAIL BOXES.

The advantages of eco-designed packaging

Choosing to use eco-designed packaging for your business is a way to:

• protect your health and that of your employees by using non-hazardous materials
• preserve ecosystems and biodiversity
• reduce the impact of waste and its treatment on the environment
• combat pollution generated by the transportation of raw materials and products

In addition to their eco-design, we offer a range of folding boxes specially designed for shuttles. It is important to know that a shuttle box can replace more than 200 non-returnable packages, which represents a real gain for our users both economically and ecologically.

In addition, our boxes are delivered in three separately reusable parts: a pallet, a lining (composed of 4 side panels associated with each other with 4 vertical steel corners) and a top. If one part is damaged during handling, we are able to replace it separately. The boxes also customizable and can be closed by strapping or screwing, which makes it possible for them to be reused many times.

How are our boxes recycled?

In terms of recovery and recycling, we advise our customers to contact their local waste company to proceed with the removal of the boxes to be recycled. These will be shredded before the plywood and the steel they contain are automatically separated. The wood can then be recycled into chipboard or be used to generate electricity and heat through cogeneration. As for the steel, it starts its second life cycle, considering that the steel we use is infinitely recyclable.

Thus, NO-NAIL BOXES integrates the eco-design approach at each stage of the manufacturing and life of its products, and guarantees the use of secure and environmentally friendly packaging. Choosing to use our packaging solutions can deliberately be part of our customers’ CSR approach.

On 19 November, Pauline Piron, Marketing Coordinator at Alipa Group, Guillaume Houba, Technical Sales Representative at No-Nail Boxes, Julien Dethier, Purchaser at Alipa Group, held a webinar entitled : “The future is wood: why choose folding boxes for your packaging?”

Aimed at industry, packaging and logistics professionals, this webinar is available in replay (in French) via the following link: https://webikeo.fr/webinar/le-futur-est-au-bois-pourquoi-choisir-des-caisses-pliantes-pour-vos-emballages-1/replay.

In this article, we get back to the main lines of the first part of this intervention which explains in particular why it is interesting to choose wood for your packaging.

Choosing wood for its properties

Choosing wood means making sure you use a noble, natural and ecological material. Indeed, wood is a material at the same time:

• renewable and natural
• recyclable
• available in abundance
• with a neutral carbon footprint

Unlike other resources such as fossil fuels, wood is a renewable material in the sense that it regenerates in less than a hundred years. It is a material that plays an essential role in maintaining our ecosystems, especially since its carbon footprint is neutral. Explanations: throughout their growth, through the process of photosynthesis, trees capture CO2 and light, absorb water and minerals.  This is an indispensable mechanism for the production of energy and materials needed to make up wood, bark and leaves. At the same time, they release oxygen into the atmosphere. Conversely, when wood decomposes naturally in the forest or when it is used as a source of energy, it releases as much CO2, minerals and water as it has absorbed during its growth. Finally, to illustrate the importance of wood for our planet and the quality of the air we breathe, we can remember that 1m3 of wood can store up to one ton of CO2, which corresponds to the carbon footprint of a round trip by plane from Paris to New York.

A sustainable, transformable and renewable resource

Before releasing its CO2, wood can have a long life or even several. As the famous French chemist and philosopher Antoine Lavoisier used to say about the transformation of matter: “Nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed”. This sentence applies perfectly to wood. Indeed, in a tree, nothing is lost, everything is used and transformed. According to its characteristics, its species, its size, its origin, the wood will be used in different sectors: construction, industry or energy. Among the first possible transformations, we can mention slicing and peeling. Peeling consists in peeling a log of wood to obtain long sheets. Once superimposed, these sheets become plywood. Other transformations also exist such as sawing and planing to obtain boards. These boards or panels can then undergo a second transformation to become pallets, boxes, furniture, and much more.

In its life cycle, the tree goes through several phases in which a responsible behavior of the human being in the forest can be beneficial.

Indeed, when they are between 0 and 10 years old, the young plants are fragile and therefore vulnerable to bad weather and forest animals. The human being protects them in particular by encircling them with wire netting. When they are between 10 and 35 years old, the trees continue to grow and the weakest ones are removed to help the strongest flourish. When they are between 35 and 100 years old, the trees reach their maturity. The human being then continues his selection work for the most beautiful trees, which will in turn become the parents of young plants. Beyond the age of 100 years, a new forest life cycle begins.

Thus, we work in full awareness of these cycles of nature. Attentive to the realization of our supplies in an eco-responsible way, we have mainly oriented ourselves towards the use of birch wood. Birch is a fast growing tree that can reach maturity in 15 years. It is rather light, but at the same time strong and resistant, which guarantees the quality of our folding boxes.

Choosing wood therefore means making a strong commitment to respect the environment. It is also in the DNA of our company, which for over 50 years has been choosing wood, with folding boxes designed to save space, be light, resistant to stacking, enhance brand image and have a low environmental impact.

Recently, we explained why the phytosanitary norm ISPM 15 is important for the environment and which regulations it depends on. From a commercial point of view, it should be noted that this standard, which concerns pallets as well as raw wood packaging with a thickness over 6 mm, is essential for export.

Our plywood folding boxes meet the ISPM15 standard, and can be shipped all over the world. Here are some important details to know about the current regulations.

To which materials does the ISPM 15 apply?

The ISPM 15 standard applies to solid wood packaging articles and accessories with a thickness of more than 6 mm: pallets, boxes, pallet collars and inner packaging, etc. They must undergo a high temperature heat treatment: they are heated to 56° core temperature for a period of thirty minutes. Debarking of the wood is mandatory. On the other hand, manufactured woods such as plywood, OSB, particleboard and chipboard are not affected by these treatments. This is because they are heated under high temperature during their manufacture.

Which import countries are concerned?

To date, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) has more than 180 countries that are signatories to the phytosanitary treaty. This means that these countries can apply the phytosanitary requirements of this standard to imports. As for the European Union, as far as trade between member countries is concerned, wood packaging does not have to comply with ISPM 15, except in the case of exceptions such as Spain and Portugal. On the other hand, they have this obligation for trade with countries outside the EU. Thus, as a consequence of the Brexit, on 1 January 2021, the United Kingdom will have to comply for its trade with the countries of the European Union.

Our requirements and practices

In theory, boxes that are made only of plywood do not have to carry the ISPM 15 logo. If the boxes contain wood (pallets, lids or reinforcements), this wood is heat treated. Therefore, in order for boxes made from these components to be shipped anywhere, they must be marked with the ISPM15 logo. We strictly follow the instructions for the application of this logo, which must be :

• legible on 2 opposite sides
• indelible and non-transferable
• placed on a visible spot when the packaging is used

Do you export products outside the European Union? Rely on our services which will guarantee you the packaging best adapted to your product, in complete safety and conformity. We guarantee the ISPM15 standard on all our folding boxes and we deliver you a certificate of conformity.

Do you need boxes for the secure transport and export of industrial products? Our design office provides you with tailor-made solutions, whatever your sector is: chemistry, metallurgy, defense, mechanical industry, etc.

Our plywood folding boxes can be shipped anywhere in the world because of their reliability and compliance with the ISPM 15 standard. But what does this standard actually correspond to?

The certification

We have recently reviewed all the labels, certifications and approvals that NO-NAIL BOXES has obtained as part of our constant concern for improvement and quality. The International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 – ISPM 15 – is one of them. It relates to the regulation of wood-based packaging materials. Its objective is to reduce the spread of organisms harmful to plants. This phenomenon is notably generated by the transport of wood-based packaging, particularly in the context of exports. ISPM 15 has been adopted by the FAO, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, under the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC). It is defined by the “Regulation of Wood Packaging Materials Used in International Trade” (2018). It was first adopted in March 2002 and has been the subject of numerous revision sessions. Its objective is to standardize measures to prevent the infestation of the forests of an importing country by pests in wood packaging material. Thus, the wood is treated in such a way as to limit the risks linked to the introduction or spread of diseases and insects that could adversely affect plants or ecosystems. 

The different wood treatments, exemptions and markings

Since 2018, two types of treatment are approved for wood packaging materials: 

• wood debarked and then treated with methyl bromide and sulfuryl fluoride
• debarked wood with heat treatment before or after debarking

In terms of packaging, several items may be exempt from ISPM 15, and in the case of wooden boxes, these are:

• packaging material made entirely of thin wood (6 mm or less in thickness)
• “packaging materials made entirely from processed wood material, such as plywood, particle board, oriented strand board or veneer using glue, heat or pressure or a combination thereof” (see page 7 of the reference document).

In terms of marking, we strictly adhere to the required elements: symbol, country code, producer/company code responsible for applying the treatment as well as treatment code according to the methods used.

The characters used and the position of the mark may vary, but the size must be sufficient for the marking to be seen and read without visual aid. The marking must be recorded in a rectangle or square with a vertical line separating the symbol from the code elements. We use a stencil for this purpose and it is essential to aim for perfect neatness.

A must for the protection of the environment… and for customs!

The treatments prevent the spread of insects such as the Pinewood Nematode – a worm that attacks pine – or the Asian Capricorn, which can damage several hardwood species. Today, this export directive concerns a majority of countries, nearly 80 on all continents in total.

Beyond the environmental responsibility it implies, compliance with ISPM 15 allows you to guarantee your customers the delivery of your products by avoiding as much as possible delays, blockages and sometimes even returns of your goods.

This is why we are committed to strict compliance with this essential standard, every day and at your side! Customer satisfaction is our priority, and we will come back very soon on the concrete advantages of this almost unavoidable standard.

In the industry, an “innovation and R&D” unit is dedicated to creating new products or services to better meet customer demands or create a new need. The unit aims to create or improve products or processes. Innovation encompasses, to use the terminology of the OECD’s Oslo Manual, the scientific, technological, organizational, financial and commercial approaches related to these objectives.

At NO-NAIL BOXES as in any manufacture, it is an essential step for the performance, competitiveness and safety of our services and products. Here is how we work on it.

Our innovation and R&D unit

Our Research and Development unit is made up of 5 collaborators and experts of the company:

• Thierry Allard, Responsible for the sample section
• Yves Piront, Maintenance Responsible
• Stéphane Guirsch, Technical Manager
• Pauline Piron, Marketing Coordinator of ALIPA Group
• Boris Remy, Sales Manager

The innovation and R&D unit gets together every 4 to 6 weeks. It is transversal in its approach so as to be able to respond to and anticipate a maximum number of subjects, because innovation affects all the company’s business spheres. This is a regular investment of human time on the part of the teams, and this approach could be part of a more global reflection at the level of the ALIPA Group. 15 people participated in training on the basics of intellectual property and patents. This training was provided by the Institut de la Propriété Intellectuelle du Luxembourg and covered issues such as inventions protectable by patents, industrial designs, confidentiality clauses and agreements, etc. Participants also learned how intellectual property can be integrated into the innovation process. The acquisition of this knowledge also encourages cross-functionality between the different professions, and in particular a better understanding of the design office’s missions and challenges.

Some concrete examples

Currently, several projects are underway, some of which require prototyping phases. Recently, a tool has been developed to facilitate the assembly of the boxes. The optimization of the printing of the boxes and the improvement of ergonomics are also subjects that have been dealt with by the unit.

For example, the Eurobox is the subject of all our attention in terms of innovation. It has been designed to be able to reuse Euro pallets and using only two elements: a lining and a top, delivered flat and adjustable in height. In this same dynamic, our innovation unit is currently working on an ambitious project dedicated to the manufacture of large boxes for the very specific needs of our customers.

Beyond ergonomics and tools, the quality of working conditions and the improvement of daily life are also part of our prerogatives. It is a reflection that is fundamentally based on the feedback from the workshops. The workers make relevant remarks and observations that are taken into consideration by the R&D unit.

NO-NAIL BOXES and, more broadly, the ALIPA Group are constantly reflecting on the performance and improvement of their processes and products, with a daily concern for agility and a relevant response to new markets. Innovation and R&D are an integral part of our ecosystem because a company that does not innovate is a company that dies.

For over 50 years, we have been producing high value-added packaging solutions for the industry. For us, adopting a quality approach is a commitment that is part of our continuous improvement process. It requires the total involvement of all NO-NAIL BOXES actors and responds to several issues: economic, because it promotes performance; commercial, because it aims to improve customer satisfaction; human, because it involves and engages the teams in a healthy management and image of the company.

A company’s quality approach is evaluated by auditors and approved certification bodies, and is often related to obtaining certifications, labels and approvals from which we benefit and the effects of which we will describe in our three main areas of focus: quality, environment and safety.

Quality management

Since 2004, NO-NAIL BOXES is ISO 9001 certified. This standard defines a number of quality management principles, including a strong customer orientation, management motivation and commitment, process approach and continuous improvement. This standard helps to ensure that our customers get consistent, good quality products and services, which in turn leads to good business benefits.

Quality is about service, of course, but above all it is about the product. Our plywood boxes are labelled “Made in Luxembourg”. This label, registered since 1984, is granted independently by the Chamber of Commerce or the Chamber of Trades, which makes it possible to identify the Luxembourg origin of the products and services. We are thus proud to promote Luxembourg’s industrial know-how.

Prevention of environmental risks

We have implemented an environmental management system. The aim is to minimize the impact of our activities on the environment, prevent incidents and set up an action plan to improve our environmental performance. As such, we have been ISO 14001 certified since 2010. It is an approach that concerns all of the company’s players.

In this same dynamic, our plywood folding boxes are produced from PEFC – Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification – labelled wood, which contributes to the sustainable management of forests. Furthermore, to anticipate any phytosanitary risk, our crates are manufactured in compliance with the International Standard for Phytosanitary Measures No. 15 (ISPM15). Indeed, packaging products made from wood materials are highly regulated. The goal is to reduce the spread of plant pests, which is promoted by the transportation of wood-based packaging.

In addition to the quality approach at the product level, the prevention of environmental risks also involves the reasoned management of waste. NO-NAIL BOXES is therefore committed to submit, every year, to the SuperDrecksKëscht control, a Luxembourg quality label for environmental protection through modern waste management.

Security

We are equally attentive to the safety of our customers and employees. In this respect, we have put in place prevention strategies in terms of psycho-social risks, health risks and also data protection risks.

Recently, we have been certified ISO 27001 by the certification body Euro-Quality Systems. The implementation of this standard, which is the most important certification in cybersecurity, guarantees that data is both optimally used and safely stored.

For effective occupational health and safety management, we have chosen to rely on the Sécher & Gesond Mat System quality label supported by the Association d’Assurance Accident.

Our quality approach beyond borders

Thanks to our certification as an Authorized Economic Operator by the European Union, we are recognized as a reliable, honest and trustworthy player and partner in international trade. This certificate brings many advantages for the commercialization and use of our plywood folding boxes: simplification of customs procedures and formalities, lightening of customs controls at the entry and exit of the European Union, etc.

Also, beyond European borders, NO-NAIL BOXES is committed to adopting a socially responsible attitude by joining the Global Compact. Created in 2000 at the initiative of the United Nations, the “Global Compact” aims to encourage companies worldwide to integrate and promote ten principles relating to human rights, international labor standards, environmental protection and the fight against corruption.

Thus, certifications and labels are part of a global quality approach. They are true attestations of conformity that we have chosen in order to illustrate and prove in an ethical and rational way the philosophy of our company which is fundamentally under the label of respect for man and nature.