Like the old saying goes, when God gives you lemons, make lemonade. Or in this particular case, when wildfires give you lemons, make wildfire-proof lemonade. This proverb just might have been an inspiration for New South Wales, Australia-based UBEECO™ Packaging Solutions. After the particularly devastating 2019 Australian wildfire season laid waste to softwood forests in that country, UBEECO developed alternative packaging designs for some customers that do not use softwood lumber. UBEECO has been a subsidiary of UFP Industries since 2016.
The intense 2019 season reduced almost 19 million hectares, or almost 47 million acres, of forest into cinder, with plantation pine accounting for 10% of the loss. The outcome caused softwood havoc for Australian wood products producers.
“Our timber supply was not only experiencing the global price rise, but it also wasn’t readily available,” explained Katryna Tancred, state sales manager – New South Wales for UBEECO. While softwood has long been the competitive choice for disposable crating applications, the fire underscored the risks associated with price volatility and availability.
“We kept our customers in stock, but it was a challenging time that we did not want to assume wouldn’t happen again,” she continued. “UBEECO knew we needed to get on the front foot to avoid potential issues in the future.”
In its efforts to come up with alternative solutions, it began a series of conversations with customers. Based on the feedback it received, the criteria to check off included:
____ Alternative to Softwood
____ Collapsible & Reusable
____ Clear Branding
____ Product Savings
____ Reduce Shipping Costs
____ Easy to use
Nail-less Box Ticks All the Boxes
The result of this project was the development of the nail-less box, a lightweight plywood container ideal for storage, retail or industrial applications that was less sensitive to softwood supply issues. “Whether its shipping or storage, these beautifully made boxes level up on the presentation of traditional softwood cases,” Tancred stated. “There are a number of styles that we offer in stock, but the custom-made solutions are where we have seen the uptake.”
The box consists of plywood panels, a tongue-and-groove or pin-based metal connector system and a pallet base. Customers use the boxes for a variety of products, including solar panels, mining equipment, car parts and tool storage.
Collapsible and Reusable, Custom Branding
“Being able to reuse industrial timber packaging is critical for sustainability and reduces the overall packaging spend each year for our customers,” Tancred noted. “So, it’s no surprise customers are asking about this new solution.”
When the loaded nail-less box is emptied, the box can be easily opened and disassembled without damage, folding flat for storage and return transport.
“Having the ability to custom brand packaging is top of mind these days,” Tancred noted, whether it is warning messages, company logos, or purely as an opportunity for promotion. “Customers are seeing the value in self-promotion, and we needed a way to offer this.”
With the clean, smooth material of plywood, UBEECO can consistently achieve a sharp, crisp quality print on every nail-less box. “We can print in color, including PMS color matching, which is something we have never been able to offer on timber before.”
Significant Savings, Reducing Shipping Costs, Ease of Use
“Most of our customers have had a challenging period with sales over 2023 – 2024, and poor business results mean customers are squeezing their suppliers for better prices,” Tancred said. It has been the biggest year she has seen for customer tenders and saving requests. With this urgency in mind, she commented, “The nail-less box alternative has been a welcomed solution for many of our customers.”
“In most instances we are saving them over 15% of what they would have paid for a standard softwood export box,” she added. “With numbers like this, we have been able to provide significant savings to many of our customers.”
In some instances, Tancred pointed out, the weight of the packaging can exceed the weight of the product being shipped. That’s where the lightweight nail-less box can really make a difference.
Additionally, the nail-less box offers ease of use. “The nail-less box isn’t something that needs assembly instructions; it’s easy enough for anyone to pick up and put together for the first time,” she explained.
Depending on the size of the business, customers can be limited with tools, and in most cases their end user doesn’t have anything available at all. The ability to use a tongue and groove assembly or use pins to put panels in place has been a key component of the solution needed by customers.
In addition to offering custom-sized boxes to order, UBEECO keeps four stock sizes in inventory. All can be fitted with custom-made bases for forklift assets. Tancred noted that the nail-less box is also available internationally from other UFP Packaging partners. For more information please visit their website at https://www.ubeeco.com.au/.