Xerox had come up with an idea for a sustainable packaging solution that they wanted to have developed and produced. “Can you develop a ‘box’ for one of our printers to collect and remove toner waste?” This was the question that Henk Rutten, Strategic Sourcing Manager at Xerox, asked Marc Zwaneveld, Account Manager and Product Specialist at Topa Institute. A smart box, then, that would be used as a machine tool.

A box like this would offer Xerox’s customers nothing but benefits

Of course if Topa Institute were to succeed in creating this packaging, it would offer Xerox’s customers a great many benefits. The toner dust would no longer make the machines dirty. And the work environment wouldn’t get dirty either. Operators would be able to keep their hands clean. In short, this ‘box’ would allow work to be carried out both more ergonomically and more cleanly.

There’s a lot to consider in the development of a box like this

During the design phase, it quickly became apparent that we would need to look very closely at the quality of each separate component of the packaging.

“The various tests soon revealed that, once full with toner waste, the box bulged slightly, causing it to become wedged in the machine. It was also clear that the sealing component needed special properties in order to hermetically seal the box. This was necessary to prevent toner dust from leaking out of the box. There were numerous other problems that we had to solve too.”

Marc Zwaneveld

Dopak and Concern voor Werk have joined forces to produce this ‘toner waste box’

Production of this toner waste box is handled partly by Dopak, Topa Verpakking BV’s production company for cardboard packaging. But the most difficult part of the production process is assembling the different parts to create a complete packaging product. The assembly is a very precise process that Topa Verpakking is confident to hand over to Concern voor Werk in Lelystad. Concern voor Werk is a sheltered workshop where people are trained before going on to continue their career elsewhere.

The advantages that Concern voor Werk can offer Topa Verpakkingen include flexibility, quality, craftsmanship and reliability. The separate box components are all put together at Concern voor Werk. All the seams and gaps on a box are expertly sealed, the handles are added and the neck is attached to the top of the box. Then the box is prepared for shipping.

Joint innovation by Xerox, Topa Institute, Dopak and Concern voor Werk

The idea by Xerox, the further development of the packaging by Topa Institute, the production by Dopak and the assembly of the different parts to create a finished box by Concern voor Werk result in joint innovative power. The strength of integrated working.

Interested in finding out whether we have a smart packaging solution for you too? Give us a call for an obligation-free chat: +31 252 245 200 or send an email via: info@topa.nl.