The Whole Package
One-of-a-kind Syngenta lab puts packaging to the test to ensure safe, efficient deliveries to customers.
When it comes to Syngenta products, you might say good things come in good packages, regardless of size. The company's Package Testing Lab in Greensboro, N.C., makes certain that all Syngenta products are contained in the industry's best packaging.
"Syngenta is the only ag chemical company in the U.S. with its own in-house full-testing lab," says Tim Cotter, global head of packaging at Syngenta. "Having some of the best products in the industry won't do us any good if they aren't packaged safely and efficiently for our customers."
The Right Balance
Before a product is approved for sale, Syngenta packaging engineers and lab technicians, such as Josh House, rigorously test the package with many different factors in mind.
"Our No. 1 goal is safety," says House. "But we also have to balance cost, requirements from regulators like the Environmental Protection Agency, storage, transport, ergonomics, customer experience, environmental impacts and disposal."
With so many considerations, efficient package testing becomes even more important. "We test our packages to balance all of these factors," says Cotter.
The Syngenta Package Testing Lab is authorized by the U.S. Department of Transportation and International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) to self-UN (United Nations) certify packaging for Syngenta products, meaning engineers in the lab can approve packaging themselves. According to Cotter, such capabilities increase efficiency, allow for instant testing feedback, reduce costs for Syngenta and its customers, and ensure superior packaging through state-of-the-art testing technology.
Package testing can take anywhere from three to 12 months and can be an expensive process. Having the full testing lab in-house greatly reduces package development time. If conducted by a third-party test lab, each test can cost more than $3,000, estimates Brent Weber, a Syngenta packaging engineer. Conducting an average of about 60 packaging UN tests each year, Syngenta engineers are able to maximize cost savings for customers by doing those - and many other types of tests - themselves.
A Battery of Tests
Depending on its type and size, a package may undergo many different types of tests. The most common are the compression, vibration and drop tests, all of which simulate real-life environments. These tests allow engineers to measure package performance and make refinements accordingly, ensuring that the finished products inside the packaging arrive quickly, safely and in excellent condition.
The compression test simulates stacking packages on top of each other, as in a warehouse, by measuring a package's response to constant pressure from a machine for hours at a time. Engineers are able to determine how high packages can be stacked and for how long.
To simulate what products undergo when transported by truck or air, packages face the vibration test. Engineers place packages on a vibrating platform for extended periods of time to measure whether the constant motion has any negative effects.
Finally, the drop test establishes the height from which a package can fall without breaking. Various factors determine how sturdy a package needs to be, such as the type and density of the material it contains. Engineers raise or lower a platform and quickly pull it away to simulate a sudden dropping motion.
Packaging engineers also conduct tests in the field, studying how farmers actually use products. Together, these tests help them design superior packages that balance safety and ease of use.
"Customers expect products to ship quickly and in good condition," says Linda Johnson, Syngenta distribution manager. "The package a product comes in is part of the Syngenta brand, so we don't want to send out something with a bent corner or broken seal - that's not acceptable to us."
A Team Approach
The development of superior packaging often requires collaboration with partners outside Syngenta, such as Colorado-based Taylor-Cain Corporation (TCC), a leading producer of check valves and vents for the agricultural chemicals industry.
"Syngenta is now our largest customer," says Steve Cain, president of TCC. "We take most of our new technology offerings to Syngenta first because, like us, the people there focus on quality and innovation."
Cotter also notes that Syngenta listens carefully to actual end-users - growers, applicators and retailers - for critical input on what types of package properties they need in the field. For example, Syngenta based its slant-neck bottle design, which makes pouring liquid products easier, less fatiguing and safer, on customer feedback. The big, angled neck puts less physical stress on users, who do not have to turn the bottle over as far when emptying.
"Every part of the supply chain is a customer of ours," Weber says, "and we always try to meet their needs."
Packaging the Future
Just as retailers and growers look for the next new trait or pesticide, Cotter is always looking for new innovations in packaging. Right now, one important trend is sustainability.
"We're using a lot of returnable, renewable, even water-soluble packages," he says. "We're also looking for new materials, like nonpetroleum-based plastic."
Syngenta also supports outside organizations that are focused on sustainability. "We're a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and we participate in the Ag Container Recycling Council," says Weber.
Each year, Syngenta invests more than a billion dollars globally in researching and developing its line of top-quality products. As these technologies journey from the lab to the field, the Package Testing Lab helps make sure they arrive intact and ready to use.
"You won't find another company as dedicated and committed to proper packaging as Syngenta," says Cotter.
"Syngenta is the only ag chemical company in the U.S. with its own in-house full-testing lab," says Tim Cotter, global head of packaging at Syngenta. "Having some of the best products in the industry won't do us any good if they aren't packaged safely and efficiently for our customers."
The Right Balance
Before a product is approved for sale, Syngenta packaging engineers and lab technicians, such as Josh House, rigorously test the package with many different factors in mind.
"Our No. 1 goal is safety," says House. "But we also have to balance cost, requirements from regulators like the Environmental Protection Agency, storage, transport, ergonomics, customer experience, environmental impacts and disposal."
With so many considerations, efficient package testing becomes even more important. "We test our packages to balance all of these factors," says Cotter.
The Syngenta Package Testing Lab is authorized by the U.S. Department of Transportation and International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) to self-UN (United Nations) certify packaging for Syngenta products, meaning engineers in the lab can approve packaging themselves. According to Cotter, such capabilities increase efficiency, allow for instant testing feedback, reduce costs for Syngenta and its customers, and ensure superior packaging through state-of-the-art testing technology.
Package testing can take anywhere from three to 12 months and can be an expensive process. Having the full testing lab in-house greatly reduces package development time. If conducted by a third-party test lab, each test can cost more than $3,000, estimates Brent Weber, a Syngenta packaging engineer. Conducting an average of about 60 packaging UN tests each year, Syngenta engineers are able to maximize cost savings for customers by doing those - and many other types of tests - themselves.
A Battery of Tests
Depending on its type and size, a package may undergo many different types of tests. The most common are the compression, vibration and drop tests, all of which simulate real-life environments. These tests allow engineers to measure package performance and make refinements accordingly, ensuring that the finished products inside the packaging arrive quickly, safely and in excellent condition.
The compression test simulates stacking packages on top of each other, as in a warehouse, by measuring a package's response to constant pressure from a machine for hours at a time. Engineers are able to determine how high packages can be stacked and for how long.
To simulate what products undergo when transported by truck or air, packages face the vibration test. Engineers place packages on a vibrating platform for extended periods of time to measure whether the constant motion has any negative effects.
Finally, the drop test establishes the height from which a package can fall without breaking. Various factors determine how sturdy a package needs to be, such as the type and density of the material it contains. Engineers raise or lower a platform and quickly pull it away to simulate a sudden dropping motion.
Packaging engineers also conduct tests in the field, studying how farmers actually use products. Together, these tests help them design superior packages that balance safety and ease of use.
"Customers expect products to ship quickly and in good condition," says Linda Johnson, Syngenta distribution manager. "The package a product comes in is part of the Syngenta brand, so we don't want to send out something with a bent corner or broken seal - that's not acceptable to us."
A Team Approach
The development of superior packaging often requires collaboration with partners outside Syngenta, such as Colorado-based Taylor-Cain Corporation (TCC), a leading producer of check valves and vents for the agricultural chemicals industry.
"Syngenta is now our largest customer," says Steve Cain, president of TCC. "We take most of our new technology offerings to Syngenta first because, like us, the people there focus on quality and innovation."
Cotter also notes that Syngenta listens carefully to actual end-users - growers, applicators and retailers - for critical input on what types of package properties they need in the field. For example, Syngenta based its slant-neck bottle design, which makes pouring liquid products easier, less fatiguing and safer, on customer feedback. The big, angled neck puts less physical stress on users, who do not have to turn the bottle over as far when emptying.
"Every part of the supply chain is a customer of ours," Weber says, "and we always try to meet their needs."
Packaging the Future
Just as retailers and growers look for the next new trait or pesticide, Cotter is always looking for new innovations in packaging. Right now, one important trend is sustainability.
"We're using a lot of returnable, renewable, even water-soluble packages," he says. "We're also looking for new materials, like nonpetroleum-based plastic."
Syngenta also supports outside organizations that are focused on sustainability. "We're a member of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, and we participate in the Ag Container Recycling Council," says Weber.
Each year, Syngenta invests more than a billion dollars globally in researching and developing its line of top-quality products. As these technologies journey from the lab to the field, the Package Testing Lab helps make sure they arrive intact and ready to use.
"You won't find another company as dedicated and committed to proper packaging as Syngenta," says Cotter.
share this article
