Case study: Stannah transit packaging saves over £100k shipping costs

Stannah, the well-known market-leading manufacturer of stairlifts, worked with GWP Packaging’s design team to overcome several challenges they were facing. Issues included a complicated inventory, crushing of packs in transit, inefficient and unsafe stacking of palletised packs, and an unsatisfactory appearance when delivered.

The resulting design and consultation process enabled GWP to significantly reduce the number of different corrugated boxes Stannah uses, improve safety and efficiency in transport and storage, and considerably enhance the packs’ aesthetics. Remarkably, this was achieved while also reducing Stannah’s ongoing costs.

Stannah faced several challenges with the corrugated transit packaging it was using for shipping its stairlifts.

The business was using six different boxes, all of various sizes and heights, to send all of the required components. Packing staff placed these boxes on a pallet, forming a kit. But due to the differing sizes of the boxes on the pallet, it was not possible to stack the kits more than two high. As a result, both storage and shipping were significantly less efficient than they could have been.

Even worse, the boxes were frequently crushed and damaged when stacked, affecting their appearance upon delivery and occasionally leading to damage to the contents. The stacking of the kits was also unsafe, with the potential for pallets to topple and fall off.

Besides these issues, Stannah also sought to reduce the number of components used to pack the kit, which would in turn simplify their packaging inventory and enable them to benefit from economies of scale when ordering, thereby reducing costs.

Finally, team members at Stannah identified that the appearance of the pack when delivered could be significantly improved, not only by preventing crushing during transportation, but also through a more uniform appearance on the pallet.

Although Stannah had been working with GWP for several years, this particular packaging was a legacy solution from their previous supplier.

Initially, the business considered a shroud made of heavy-duty CA-grade material as a short-term solution. Whilst this resolved the crushing and aesthetic issues, the additional cost and the need to add more components to the inventory made this unviable.

As such, and upon receiving the initial brief, GWP Packaging’s design team, led by Mike Poynter, worked closely with the team at Stannah to first analyse the existing packaging inventory. This process entailed assessing dimensions, volumes, materials and construction used.

Mike also spent considerable time at Stannah, even working on the production and packing lines to see firsthand the challenges posed by the existing solution.

With this detailed understanding, Mike then reengineered the entire solution to consist of just four boxes, which could be stacked neatly, safely and uniformly on the pallet.

GWP also supplied numerous samples for extensive transit testing and feedback before manufacturing the final design at our production facility in Wiltshire.

The new designs provided several significant and tangible benefits to Stannah.

Firstly, the new solution reduced Stannah’s packaging inventory for this kit (outer boxes and inserts) by 30%. The volumetric size of the overall pack was also 35% less than the previous design.

The new packs provided indirect cost savings, too. In addition to the 35% reduction in size, helping with transport efficiency, the new packs could stack up to four high in the articulated vehicles Stannah delivered them in. Compared with the two high stacking limit of the old design, this meant that Stannah’s transport was frequently more than twice as efficient as previously. The monetary cost saving in transit costs is estimated at well over £100,000 per year.

The new packs, with their uniform height when placed on the pallet, also prevented crush damage from occurring when stacked. The design also eliminated instances of pallets toppling or being unsafe.

Finally, with no crushing and a uniform height, the aesthetics of the packed kit were significantly improved when delivered.

Phoebe Hobson, Supplier Account Manager at Stannah, commented on the project:

GWP designed an innovative solution, fondly nicknamed the Cube, that allows us to stack pallets securely and safely. This has helped the organisation to reduce the amount spent on logistics as we are no longer shipping fresh air on each lorry. The design team at GWP provided exceptional service, visiting the site to support internal stakeholders with training and education on the design. Samples were provided swiftly upon request, which helped build engagement with multiple internal stakeholders across the business, as it allowed them to get hands-on with the product. No query was too small for the sales and customer service teams, who were proactive with updates and prompt with responses.

Using GWP’s expertise for this project was a no-brainer as they consistently supply our organisation with high-quality packaging solutions that meet our exact standards. Their service is outstanding—reliable, responsive, and consistently exceeding expectations. We couldn’t ask for a better packaging partner.

By first gaining a detailed understanding of the challenges Stannah faced, and then taking an engineering approach to resolving them, the result is corrugated packaging that performs better, improves appearance, is more efficient to store and transport and, crucially, reduces costs.

If you would like our team of packaging experts to assist with any challenges you’re facing with your transit packaging, please don’t hesitate to contact us.