DS Smith Plastics’ Extruded Products provides solution for Audi

Automotive maker, Audi, approached DS Smith Plastics’ Extruded Products business in Kayserberg, France to provide a special returnable container that was light-weight, foldable and coloured yellow that could transport baskets with car-parts for their assembly line. Extruded products made every effort to meet the customer’s requirements to implement a new light container.

The challenge:

Create and develop a yellow foldable, light-weight, container. The container was needed for Audi’s internal logistics to transport baskets with auto-parts. It had to be visible to employees in the warehouse and on the production floor. The yellow colour was essential because it helped distinguish this container from other containers in the area. DS Smith Plastics’ Extruded Products in Kayserberg was the only supplier who fulfilled all of the requirements and had the technical capabilities to manufacture all required components under one roof and provide a high level of quality.

Our approach:

Kayserberg proposed a solution that matched the expectations exactly with features from the Duca-Pak^® 1208 and the “ease of use” system. The team in Kayserberg reacted fast which included cross-plant communication and adjustments in production and allowed fulfilling of all requirements in a short period of time.

Results:

Audi validated the yellow container in their manufacturing area and will be placing futures orders.  The prototype is light-weight, has an ergonomic design, the extruded plastics’ sleeve (sides of the container) is secured to its pallet, it is fast and simple to fold when empty and unfold to load. Furthermore, at the end of its useful life, it can be recycled and re-purposed for a second useful life.