Fernando Trénor, director of FEDEMCO, explained about the most noteworthy and interesting aspects about the wooden packaging sector, as well as its latest market trends.
Why do consumers prefer wooden boxes?
"Consumers choose wooden packaging mainly due to its good image. It is made of natural components, it is fresh and traditional and it conveys those values to the product they contain, highlighting its quality.
The choice comes also as a result of the development in printing techniques which have made personalisation of the packaging possible, allowing the printing of all sorts of brands and slogans and turning it into a perfect medium for the promotion of the packaged product," affirms Fernando Trénor.
Besides, "there are multiple other reasons to choose wooden packaging, such as its resistance and performance in refrigerated chambers during long-distance shipments. Our brand "GROW Quality" guarantees, thanks to laboratory tests, the quality of this packaging.
Good manufacturing and hygiene practices, as well as the natural antibacterial properties of wood, also guarantee protection and hygiene during distribution.
From another point of view, and not any less important, we believe consumers are aware of the commitment of the wooden packaging industry with the environment. Wood is the most environmentally-friendly packaging material, because our wood comes from crops and forests managed in a sustainable manner. Our industry contributes to their growth and maintenance.
The GROW wooden packaging is a sustainable one, actively contributing to the prevention of global warming. It is, in fact, the packaging with the least environmental impact during its life-cycle.
As they grow, trees absorb great amounts of CO2, one of the main causes of global warming, storing it in the wood in the shape of carbon and releasing oxygen. Eventually, the easy recyclability of wood allows for CO2 to remain in it."
Growing demand
"The wooden packaging sector has grown over the past few years, mainly due to its close relationship with the Spanish horticultural sector, which is very dynamic and a large exporter.
Within FEDEMCO, the increase in production of home and commercial packaging has been close to 5% over the past five years. In 2011, around 625 million single-use wooden packages were manufactured in Spain.
The trends in packaging are evolving towards smaller formats. 88% of the packages are of 10 kilos or less, while 56% are of 5 kilos or less. Demand for packages of 1 to 2 kilos is on the rise, as they are largely used in supermarket promotions. There is also growing demand for baskets and small containers for innovative presentations and gourmet products."
Countries with greatest demand
The greatest demand comes from traditional markets for the Spanish horticultural sector: Germany, France, the Netherlands and Italy.
"Nevertheless, it is worth mentioning the exports to emerging countries such as Russia, Poland and other eastern European countries. Wood is a material they are familiar with and which offers a good performance for long-distance exports," explains Fernando Trénor.
The products most frequently packaged in wood
The products most frequently packaged in wood
"Wooden packaging has been traditionally associated with citrus (oranges, mandarins, lemons), strawberries, pome fruits (apples, pears), summer fruits (peaches, nectarines, flat peaches, apricots, etc.). Other products such as artichokes, leeks, pomegranates and loquats are also mainly packaged in wood, although it can be used for all sorts of fruit and vegetables."
Wood printing possibilities offered by FEDEMCO
"Over the past few years, printing techniques have notably developed, among which we can highlight flexography, which is providing very good results. Thanks to the improvements made to wooden boards, which now have much smoother surfaces, we can print anything on wood with a similar result to a paper print," he affirms.
"Over the past few years, printing techniques have notably developed, among which we can highlight flexography, which is providing very good results. Thanks to the improvements made to wooden boards, which now have much smoother surfaces, we can print anything on wood with a similar result to a paper print," he affirms.
"Being able to fully customise the packaging is a great support in the marketing of the product."
Cost-profit ratio of wooden boxes compared to other materials
"Choosing wood is a good investment, as it helps to convey both the quality of the product and a good brand image.
Additionally, because it preserves products better during long-distance shipments it prevents damage and rejections," concludes Fernando Trénor.
For more information about Fedemco:
Roberto García (Marketing and Communication)
FEDEMCO
Phone: 96 349 57 13
rgarcia@fedemco.com
www.fedemco.com