Company: Toyota

Packaging Application: Transportation of diesel engines for Toyota's European Corolla and Avensis models.

Packaging Challenge
Engines are the heaviest individual component in car production, and in the case of Toyota’s diesel models, can weigh as much as fifty percent more than their gasoline counterparts. Finding a container that was robust and durable, easy to handle in manufacturing, transportation and assembly environments as well as economical to use in long haul journeys to assembly plants as far away as Turkey, were all areas to be addressed in packaging criteria for Toyota’s diesel engine. The engine manufacturer turned to existing Toyota packaging supplier, ORBIS, to devise a workable and cost effective solution.

Packaging Solution
Working together with ACK, supplier of many of the metal racks used within Toyota’s supply chain, ORBIS  produced a uniquely profiled reusable plastic ‘engine cell’ to house the diesel engine securely within the metal rack.

Results:

• Superior product protection:
  The new engine cell is profiled to the exact dimension of the engine. ORBIS' design is overcoming issues with the previous system, which would allow the engines at times to come into contact with each other when subject to movement and vibration. This heightened the risk of scratching and other damage. Under Toyota’s stringent production criteria, such damage would have resulted in the engine being returned to the supplier and replaced. Additional transportation and labor costs would be incurred, as well as the possibility of down time if production schedules were affected.The new cell not only houses the engine safely and securely, it actually funnels it into position as it is being lowered into the container by overhead hoists. Diesel engines cost three times as much to produce as gasoline versions, so maintaining the highest levels of protection as they travel through Toyota’s supply chain is critical.
  
• Improved handling efficiencies:
  Metal racks incorporating the ORBIS cells now house three engines per layer. They can be stacked up to three high with both delivery vehicles and freighting containers, thus optimizing space utilization.
  
• Return freight savings
  The metal rack’s retracting top bars and the nesting profile of the ORBIS engine cells bring further space savings on the return leg of the journey.

Excellence in product packaging is key to maintaining the quality end product for which Toyota is renowned. This packaging solution is providing unbeatable protection for critical high value components where loss or damage can have unacceptable time and cost consequences for Toyota’s business.