In an effort to identify potential areas for improvement in unit load packaging, The Dow Chemical Company (Dow) has reached an agreement with Carolina Supply Chain Services (CSCS), a Carolina Logistics Services (CLS) company, to study the most prevalent types of damage sustained by unit loads throughout the supply chain.

'With the growing number of brand options available to consumers, there is increasing pressure on manufacturers to improve packaging and ensure their products reach store shelves undamaged,' said Joe Laehu, Market Manager for Industrial & Consumer Packaging at Dow. 'We're working with CSCS to identify the widespread trends in damage sustained by unit loads and determine where improvements in pallet stabilization can be made.'

A recent study by Strategic Global Connections showed that 28 percent of consumers react to product damage on the shelf by changing brands. (Consumer Behavior Index', Strategic Global Connections, LLC, 2006)

CSCS will study data from consumer product Fortune 500 manufacturers' regional distribution centers, retailer distribution centers, and retail store shipment audits at the time of delivery and processing. The study is scheduled to be completed by late October.

'Dow supplies resins for a number of high performance unitization films that are used in pallet packaging,' said Laehu. 'Our resins for stretch hood technology in particular offer significant benefits in terms of load stability, 5-sided water and UV protection, and tamper resistance. We believe there are real opportunities for manufacturers to reduce damage in the supply chain with stretch hoods, and the data from CSCS will help us identify where those opportunities are.'

CSCS was a co-recipient of the 2006 Unsaleables Innovation Award, presented to exemplary companies that work across industries to reduce the incidence of unsaleables.