DS Smith launches first hybrid Customer Innovation Hub

State-of-the-art solutions enable collaborative packaging design sessions with unmatched customer experience

London, 21 October 2021: Today, leading sustainable packaging company, DS Smith opened its first hybrid Customer Innovation Hub. The centre, based in Lisbon, is equipped to support collaborative innovation and design sessions for customers in face-to-face, online and hybrid settings.

A pioneering concept for the sector, the new hybrid Customer Innovation Hub allows DS Smith to connect in person with customers across the Iberian region and remotely with international representatives. This pioneering transition to the “new normal” where a hybrid approach brings customers and packaging experts together seamlessly to deliver sustainable packaging solutions at speed.

The centre boasts state of the art audio-visual technology including PTZ (pan-zoom-tilt) cameras to produce detailed e-commerce unboxing experiences and presentations, along with a LED wall for online sessions and augmented reality capabilities.

The move to virtual collaboration stimulated by the Covid-19 pandemic meant DS Smith had to pivot many of its core offers to be delivered remotely. The company’s Impact Centres – physical spaces where customers explore what the right packaging can achieve across the full supply cycle– offered an online 360° ‘walk through’ for new customer opportunities. The packaging company’s PackRight Centres, which act as hubs of innovation and creativity, also went virtual.

The new Customer Innovation Hub integrates these virtual elements with a real-world experience, demonstrating DS Smith’s commitment to providing a space where experts and customers can collaborate easily and cut design lead times.

Marc Chiron, Sales, Marketing & Innovations Director at DS Smith Packaging, said: "The move towards digitalisation, that accelerated during the pandemic, has given rise to ‘fusion consumers’ who demand agility and excellence in both the physical and online shopping environments. This trend also applies to the business world, where companies must adapt to this new hybrid context to meet customers' needs, matching their experience as consumers."

"The hybrid Customer Innovation Hub gives our customers in Iberia the opportunity to enjoy an integrated experience of the Impact and PackRight Centres. The cutting-edge equipment allows us to continue to grow our digital offer and bolster our strategic alliances, further positioning us as a leading supplier in sustainable corrugated packaging."

Following the launch of the Lisbon hub, the company plans to open hybrid Customer Innovation Hubs across all its regions by the end of 2023 expanding the opportunities for impactful, interactive and collaborative workspaces and deliver unmatched customer experience.