British group DS Smith, which specializes in fiber-based packaging solutions, has strengthened its foothold in the automotive sector by continuing its collaboration with British manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). The announcement of this contractual extension, made official at the beginning of April, formalizes a new logistics approach based around an "all-in-one" service at the Mercia Park site in Leicestershire. At a cost of £108 million (?126 million), it will minimize the use of unnecessary materials in packaging, and promote sustainable design to eliminate waste.
A new sourcing logic for Jaguar Land Rover
At the heart of the agreement is the supply and centralized management of all JLR's packaging needs at the site. The arrangement includes the manufacture, assembly, storage and transportation of packaging solutions from warehouses to end-users worldwide. It is a full-service model based on flat-rate invoicing according to volumes and delivery options.
In particular, among the services on offer is the "Just in Time" logistics solution developed specifically for JLR. This system provides just-in-time storage and delivery of packaging, with the stated aim of reducing unnecessary materials and simplifying the supply chain.
The agreement also provides for the implementation of recovery and recycling circuits for waste from packaging processes. Surplus corrugated board generated on site is sorted for reuse in secondary solutions or sent for recycling.
After-sales service support
In addition, to meet the specific needs of JLR's after-sales division, DS Smith has also set up a dedicated operations center at Mercia Park.
This takes care of the packaging of spare parts for dealerships, in a ready-to-use format. In 2022, DS Smith had already designed a "Bumper Outer Shipper" for this sector, a unit packaging solution for bumpers, which, according to DS Smith, increased the number of units shipped by 125%, while improving logistics efficiency on the assembly line.
