Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1366075
6 / May 2021 powderbulk.com INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE PBE Editor's note: This is one of a series of commentaries by Powder and Bulk Engineering's Editorial Advisory Board members and other experts. The editorials express the individual writer's views of trends affecting powder and bulk industries today. Powder and Bulk Engineering welcomes your response. T he acceptability of a bulk solid product relies as much on ease of handling as it does on function- ality. You may remember the catchy phrase from the Morton table salt advertisement: "When it rains, it pours." Improved flowability and handling, whether the product is salt, detergent, milk powder, or a lawn chemical, will garner greater customer satisfaction and differentiated pricing. Effective packaging design and supply chain man- agement are critical to getting a final product from the manufacturer into the hands of the customer. Beyond their impact on handling characteristics (such as caking, dustiness, breakage, and static generation), they're also important for preventing spoilage or degradation due to exposure to humidity, tempera- ture, solar radiation, and oxidation. A collaborative approach involving the manufacturer, suppliers of packaging materials and filling equipment, supply chain specialists and service providers, and end users is essential to successfully deliver products in the best form possible. While each of these stakeholders is very knowledgeable and adept in their own spe- cific domain, a lack of information sharing results in weak links at the interfaces between them. A common sense of ownership of the whole process is essential to deliver a quality product. A fundamental understanding of how time, tem- perature, stress, humidity, moisture, vibration, solar radiation, and ambient gases can impact product quality is key to defining the requirements for pack- aging design, warehouse storage conditions, shipping modes, and end-user equipment. Such data is often not available and must be generated, with the onus usu- ally falling on the manufacturer. The challenge lies in defining the test conditions, which depend on shipping mode, exposure during transit, geographic location, and seasonality. Several published studies are avail- able, especially on supply cold-chain management, to provide a good starting point. Numerous packaging design options are commer- cially available for thermal, moisture, and radiation protection. While implementing engineering controls at every step of the supply chain isn't possible, good oper- ating discipline is critical. For example, leaving a pallet on the dock exposed to the elements during unloading can result in irreversible damage to a product. Packaging design is a fertile area for innovation if we take a holistic approach. It's not always possible to manufacture products to be immune to the varied con- ditions in the global supply chain, so the design and materials of construction of packaging can often bridge the gaps. There's always a balance between cost and performance. Future innovations must also focus on sustainability challenges. A holistic approach to product engineering, packag- ing design, and supply chain management, along with the use of appropriate unloading systems and end- user education is the best way to reduce total cost and ensure the delivery of quality products. Shrikant Dhodapkar, PhD, Fellow, Packaging & Specialty Plastics Process R&D, Dow Inc. Strengthening weak links in the supply chain