Effective packaging of VW Tayron front bumpers for Thermoplastik
Case Study
Thermoplastik, Slovak specialist in plastic injection molding and major automotive supplier
Our long-term customer, Slovak company Thermoplastik, is an established and reliable manufacturer of plastic products that builds on regional tradition and undergoes continuous development and modernization.
The company was founded in 1998. The company has long specialized in the production and assembly of large technical moldings using plastic injection technology, primarily for the demanding automotive and electronics industries.
It has an extensive production and storage capacity of 20,000 m² and a modern machine park with injection molding machines with clamping forces from 60 to 2,700 tons, which allow the production of moldings weighing up to 6 kg.
Inquiry: Design and production of packaging for Volkswagen Tayron front bumpers
Thermoplastik needed to secure packaging for three different types of front bumper parts for VW Tayron vehicles:
- Part 903 – 90 sets of KTP + insert (48 pieces in each box)
- Part 903A – 55 sets of KTP + insert (56 pieces in each box)
- Part 883.884 + 883.884A Air curtain – 360 sets of KTP + insert (26 pieces in each box)
The client’s requirement was to use standardized KTP boxes. Our task, in addition to delivering KTP, was primarily to design inserts for the safe storage of individual parts. Bumpers are typically made of plastic or other fragile materials that can easily crack or be damaged (scratched, abraded) if not properly packaged.
Special packaging or materials are often used for sensitive parts of the bumper, such as painted or glossy surfaces. These prevent scratching. Proper packaging is thus key to their safe transport, handling, storage, and distribution. It reduces the risk of claims and associated costs. In all these ways, packaging helps increase efficiency in the supply chain.
Chosen solution: Cost-effective combination of used and new packaging parts and multi-layer insert for maximum part safety
The main challenge for us was to design a solution that would reliably protect fragile parts with sensitive surfaces during transport, handling, and storage, thus preventing damage and subsequent costs for claims. It was also important to optimize the number of parts in one box to increase logistics efficiency.
How did we approach each part?
Part 903 – 90 sets (12 parts per layer, 48 pieces in the box)
The outer packaging was a pallet box measuring 1,600 x 1,200 x 980 mm, consisting of a used pallet and pallet lid and a new sleeve. Given the arrangement of parts, we developed 4 layers of inserts per box. Each individual insert consisted of:
- bubble plastic,
- foam,
- non-woven textiles,
- foam sheets
- and blocks.
Components were connected with Velcro, turbo screws, or glued.
The production of the insert for this part looked as follows:
- For production, we used 5 mm thick bubble plastic sheets with a density of 2,000 g/m². We glued 5 mm thick foam underneath.
- On top of this insert, we attached non-woven textile with a density of 120 g/m² using Velcro.
- Double textile sheets made of green Astonika were sewn to it, filled inside with a 3 mm thick layer of LDPE foam.
- The insert was further supplemented with foam protrusions (LDPE with a density of 35 kg/m³) for even softer layering of parts.
This packaging was used for 4,320 bumpers.
Part 903A – 55 sets (14 parts per layer, 56 parts in the box)
We again placed these parts in a pallet box measuring 1,600 x 1,200 x 980 mm. Consistent with the previous solution, we designed 4 layers of inserts.
The development and subsequent production process was practically the same. In this case, however, 8 more bumpers fit into the box. For greater strength of the inserts, we used thicker bubble plastic with a thickness of 10 mm and a density of 2,000 g/m² during their production.
Other components such as Astonika, textiles, foam, and foam blocks remained the same, just adapted to the larger quantity.
3,080 pieces were packaged this way.
Part 883.884 + 883.884A – Air curtain – 361 boxes (26 parts per box)
In the third case, we packed the parts into a used KTP 114 888 measuring 1,200 x 1,000 x 990 mm.
Inside the box, we used Lemmaroll – our developed sliding textile system suspended on aluminum tubes. These are attached to the rail on the short sides of the box using sliders. Lemmaroll allows more parts to be loaded into the box. This saves space during transport and storage.
We sewed the sliding pockets of Lemmaroll as a sandwich of PVC 280 g/m², Miralon 3 mm (for padding individual pockets), and Evolon 200 g/m².
One layer with 13 pockets in two rows fit into the KTP box. We attached the Lemmaroll to the rail both at the edges of the box and in the middle. We wanted to ensure better maneuverability when opening and closing.
The packaging was used for 9,360 pieces.
Result: Quality packaging with the best possible price/benefit ratio tailored to individual types of bumpers
The production of packaging for a total of 16,760 bumpers took approximately 550 hours. We successfully delivered everything to the customer by the specified deadline.
Before shipping, we marked each box with the necessary label holders, stacking labels, and customer stickers according to the provided instructions.
By combining used KTP parts (pallet + lid) with new sleeves, we were able to reduce their cost. The internal construction of inserts using various materials and our unique Lemmaroll system ensured maximum space utilization while providing the necessary level of protection.
