Last checked at 23 Apr 2018 07:00
23rd April, 2018
Smurfit Kappa puts sustainable expertise to use in the charity sector
Packaging leader Smurfit Kappa has identified a sustainable new use for its aid boxes. The boxes are used by Scottish charity Edinburgh Direct Aid to send clothes and other essential items to refugee camps and can now be turned into furniture.
Smurfit Kappa design teams from the UK and the Netherlands were given the brief of making the corrugated boxes, which would previously have been recycled after use, dual purpose. The teams looked at how the boxes could be designed to facilitate easy conversion into stackable stools, storage chests and desks.
The ‘re-purposable’ boxes, which are printed with instructions in local languages, can be easily assembled and are designed to cope with changing climatic conditions.
“We read about how refugees around the world are suffering when they’re forced to flee their homes and how much they depend on these camps, so we were keen to help,” said Stephen Cawdell, Technical Design Manager at Smurfit Kappa Northampton.
“At Smurfit Kappa, we constantly explore creative ways for our packaging to be re-used. The furniture made from our boxes is sturdy enough to be kept outside and the desks are very useful for use in temporary schools that have been set up in some refugee camps.”
Speaking about the partnership with Smurfit Kappa, Denis Rutovitz, Chairman at Edinburgh Direct Aid, said: “Smurfit Kappa came up with an impressive solution in the form of these specially designed boxes and it’s the first time we’ve used anything like this. In general, the camps are not well resourced so having a source of furniture will make a difference.”
To date, Smurfit Kappa has donated 10,000 boxes to Edinburgh Direct Aid.
ENDS
Contact for media:
Sinead GillSmurfit KappaT: +353 1 2027157E: sinead.gill@smurfitkappa.com
About Smurfit Kappa Smurfit Kappa, a FTSE 100 company, is one of the leading providers of paper-based packaging solutions in the world, with around 46,000 employees in approximately 370 production sites across 35 countries and with revenue of €8.6 billion in 2017. We are located in 22 countries in Europe, and 13 in the Americas. We are the only large-scale pan-regional player in Latin America.
With our proactive team we relentlessly use our extensive experience and expertise, supported by our scale, to open up opportunities for our customers. We collaborate with forward-thinking customers by sharing superior product knowledge, market understanding and insights in packaging trends to ensure business success in their markets. We have an unrivalled portfolio of paper-packaging solutions, which is constantly updated with our market-leading innovations. This is enhanced through the benefits of our integration, with optimal paper design, logistics, timeliness of service, and our packaging plants sourcing most of their raw materials from our own paper mills.
Our products, which are 100% renewable and produced sustainably, improve the environmental footprint of our customers.
Follow us on Twitter at @smurfitkappa and on LinkedIn at ‘Smurfit Kappa’.
www.smurfitkappa.com
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