Syngenta Thrive - 4Q/2013 - 25

COMPRESSION

VIBRATION

DROP TEST

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 nonpetroleumbased 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
Q: This Syngenta
more than a billion dollars globally in
bottle is made from
researching and developing its line
what sustainable
of top-quality products. As these
product?
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. STORY BY KEN SANDERMAN
A: Sugar cane

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