Hold it together with Lock n’ Pop

The research team at Lock n’ Pop has always considered product composition as part of an environmental solution for pallet load stabilisation and reducing packaging waste. All Lock n’ Pop’s adhesive formulas use water-based, sustainable materials that meet requirements for being non-hazardous, biodegradable, repulpable and compostable.

This technology has been available in South Africa for the last eight years through Port Elizabeth-based Baypac. MD, Dave Louw, reports that interest has ‘grown tremendously’ and, from a zero base, more than 50 local companies now use this technology to stabilise a wide array of palletised products, from fertiliser to frozen food. ‘In excess of 1.5-million pallets are now shipped annually by these customers using Lock n’ Pop,’ he relates.

First choice stabilisation system for First Choice milk!

A typical South African customer is Woodlands Dairy, manufacturer of the First Choice brand of UHT milk.

Last year, Woodlands Dairy, in Humansdorp, introduced a new pack. According to the production team, this square-shaped six-pack simplifies packing operations and increases packing capacity and throughput – essential to meet ever-growing demand for First Choice milk. At the same time, pack aesthetics were upgraded – further enhancing an already-popular pack.

However, unlike its predecessor (a rectangular pack), this new square pack couldn’t be interlock stacked. It required column stacking and this led to problems with pallet load stability.

Lock n’ Pop proved to be the solution with an adhesive formulation specifically designed for the newly-designed pack, produced from microflute corrugated board.

Automatic spray equipment, virtually maintenance-free, applies a precise dose of Lock n’ Pop adhesive to each six-pack at the end of the packing line, just prior to palletisation, preventing individual packs from moving from side to side. A protective layer of stretch film holds the stacks together and provides a dust cover.

Says Dave Louw: ‘The introduction of Lock ‘n Pop at Woodlands Dairy has had a significant impact on the company’s carbon footprint. Lock n’ Pop is non-toxic, non-hazardous and manufactured from organic FDA-approved ingredients, suitable for use with food products. It’s virtually invisible and doesn’t damage the packaging surface.’

A soundly sustainable solution

Dave certainly doesn’t envisage Lock n’ Pop replacing other palletising materials. ‘The goal,’ he says, ‘is simply to eliminate materials where possible, reducing the amount of tertiary packaging used. Lock n’ Pop helps companies to ship loads safely while minimising the use of extraneous materials that are costly to buy and costly to dispose of, such as stretch wrap, tier sheets, corner boards and other dunnage. I’m biased, of course, but Lock n’ Pop represents one of the soundest sustainable solutions in the world of packaging and shipping today,’ he maintains.

‘It’s a remarkable and exciting product,’ he continues. ‘Any company using stretch wrap or hot melt to secure palletised boxes or bags should investigate using Lock n’ Pop. It’s stronger than stretch wrap alone and safer than hot melt, better for packages, better for the environment and, most importantly, has a positive impact on the bottom line.’

Rounding out the palletising picture, Baypac has also been appointed as the local distributor for the Siat range of stretch wrappers, carton sealers, carton erectors and shrink tunnels, manufactured in Italy.

As Dave points out, this agency is highly complementary to the company’s overall range of palletising equipment, materials and systems – including Lock n’ Pop.

What is Lock n’ Pop?

Lock n’ Pop is a range of water-based, environmentally-friendly adhesives that:
•    Locks one container to another, holding pallets together from the inside out.
•    Prevents side-to-side shifting common in intermodal shipping – because of its shear strength.
•    Easily ‘pops’ apart by lifting – because of low tensile strength.
•    Is applied safely, without heat.
•    Uses compact, inexpensive, nearly maintenance-free equipment.
•    Does not tear packages nor damage graphics.
•    Leaves no visible or sticky residue.
•    Eliminates stretch wrap waste and dunnage.
•    Is non-toxic and recyclable.
•    Works on all pack formats: boxes, bags, frozen and chilled packaging.
•    Uses little stretch wrap or none at all.
•    Eliminate shipping damage, along with the high cost of re-palletising and replacing goods.