| Savopak’s packaging materials serve many purposes: cheeses mature in cheese containers, tobacco is stored in film-surfaced plywood containers, and transportation packages are custom-made for paper machines. Innovative product development has opened new markets around the world.
Savopak, established in 1969 in Varkaus, has been a part of OR Group for nearly 30 years. At present, there are two separate modern factories in Varkaus, employing 80 persons. Savopak manufactures plywood and solid wood boxes and containers for transportation and storage. The brand is well-known worldwide for its customised products.
Business Unit Director Kari Laitinen is thoroughly acquainted with the production process based on his 30 years of experience.
“In 1980s, the majority of production still went directly or indirectly to the public sector. As the 1990s began, the product selection expanded in the wake of the IT and electronics industries. Lightweight foldable plywood packages broke through.
In air freight, light plywood boxes partly replaced heavy solid wood boxes and gained ground as transportation packages for different machines and spare parts.
“In the 21st century, companies have outsourced packaging and deliveries. Together with Olavi Räsänen Oy’s pallet factory, we have developed this concept that contains pallets, pallet collars, plywood packaging, cardboards, plastics, and tapes. If necessary, we also take care of packaging services at the customer’s premises,” Kari Laitinen describes.
Purchasing has been made easy for the customer. The company’s own design department maps out the customer’s packing needs and goes over the affordable options.
“We will create an optimal solution to the customer’s needs. The solution includes packaging design based on different models. The customer accepts the option that best suits them, and we take care of the entire supply chain, if desired.”
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Increasing exports
A packaging chain that works flawlessly is crucial for export industry.
“Mass packaging is automatised, whereas special delivery packaging requires customisation. We take temperatures, weather conditions, transportation circumstances and the fragility of the transported equipment into account, among other things. If necessary, we manufacture specially structured metal components to be used within the package.”
The focus is gradually moving into exports.
“There will be growth in our main market area, Central Europe, in the future as well.We have developed foldable, disposable and reusable plywood packages that fit into a small space when delivered to the customer.Their actual assembly is done by the customer.Foldability makes it possible to transport products even further afield while maintaining profitability.”
Savopak packages are normally disposable and used only once by the customer, but the receiver might find new use for them as packaging material, storage boxes and such.
“In the Lousiana bayou, people came up with the idea of using 1 m3 plywood containers left over from product packaging, as shooting shelters.A flood washed away the containers, so the customer quickly ordered more products, specifically requesting that it be delivered in plywood containers.However, the benefit in transportation was even more significant, as the products could be stacked in a sea container and a high fill ratio could be achieved.”
Savopak packages are exported for use, for instance, in the transportation of technological and automotive equipment and spare parts.
Currently, the main target countries for exports are Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Benelux countries, Austria, Hungary, Spain, and Italy.
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| Savopak packages are exported for use, for instance, in the transportation of technological and automotive equipment and spare parts.
Currently, the main target countries for exports are Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Benelux countries, Austria, Hungary, Spain, and Italy.
In the special packaging product family, cut rag filler boxes made of film-surfaced plywood are exported to factories around the world.“Tobacco usually comes to the factory as leaves in sacks or bundled with twine.There, it is be cut, cleaned and blended.The ground tobacco is transferred into a warehouse to “even out” in Finnish film-surfaced plywood containers.Only Finnish film-surfaced plywood has been globally accepted for this use.”
The cheese container is a product developed by Olavi Räsänen Oy that has been exported to Germany, Sweden and Austria.“For instance, approximately 500 kilogrammes of cheese can be ripened in a cheese container designed for Emmentaler production.The container is rotated regularly in the warehouse during the entire ripening process.The mildest Emmentaler, “Blue Label”, is ready for packaging approximately 2.5 to 3 months after the ripening has started.”
Inspired by product development
Savopak’s assortment includes a great variety of products.Even the series volumes range from one to 10,000.
“We also manufacture heat insulated packaging boxes for refrigerated transportation or for protecting products from the cold.For instance, we have manufactured vaccine boxes for Unicef: the boxes were required to keep the temperature at 0 to 8 degrees for 144 hours in over 50 degree heat.”
Raw material procurement is a very international activity as well.Plywood is mainly purchased from Russia, but other alternatives have been charted, too.
“We are well aware of what you can get from a specific location.If production costs increase excessively, we will direct our purchases elsewhere – and one should always have something tucked away for the rainy day, as they say.” | |
