Kyocera Document Solutions America Inc. has announced the organization's success at the 2023 Worldstar Global Packaging Awards for its shipping solution for ink supply units.

Lead by The World Packaging Organisation (WPO), this contest is the largest of its kind in the global packaging sector. Each year, the WPO sets out to identify and recognize the best of the best in packaging innovations from across the globe. Kyocera is proud to form part of this group of organizations.

For more than 20 years, Kyocera has been developing MFPs and printers with long-life parts and low-waste credentials, minimizing the number of consumable parts that are later disposed of, and supplying customers with tools that allow them to work with quality while reducing the impact on the environment. This commitment to sustainability also extends to the packaging, where Kyocera mainly uses pulp molds and corrugated boards made from recycled paper to get rid of plastics.

The key to environmentally friendly packaging is making packing boxes as compact as possible. When it came to the packaging of its high-capacity ink supply unit — a peripheral device for commercial inkjet printers — Kyocera was faced with the challenge of fitting bundled items into the packing box, bearing in mind the wide variety of shapes and materials. This included L-shaped components and long hoses that cannot be bent.

After extensive research and development, Kyocera developed a new packaging method in which the bundled items are stored inside the cushioning material used for the machine itself so that the size of the package does not increase because of these bundled items. As a result, the number of layers in the shipping container has been reduced from three to two, improving shipping efficiency by 50% and eliminating the need for packing boxes for bundled items. The amount of packaging materials has decreased by 30%.

"This WorldStar award is a great honor for our organization and it once again demonstrates the importance we place on responsible business practices here at Kyocera," said Oscar Sánchez, president, Kyocera Document Solutions America Inc. "Nowadays, businesses cannot expect to achieve sustainable success if they are not sustainable. Our approach to packaging is just another example of how the Kyocera family always aims to do the right thing as a human being. That philosophy underpins everything we do."

The WorldStar Award Ceremony will take place on May 6, 2023, in Düsseldorf, Germany, during the Interpack trade show.