UK protective packaging distributor, Macfarlane Packaging, has opened a 5,000-square-foot packaging “Innovation Lab” in Heywood, Manchester.

The facility is located at the company’s flagship Northwest Regional Distribution Centre. According to Macfarlane, the lab is equipped to “create solutions” to handle “the most demanding packaging challenges” and to test its new packaging solutions to ensure they can withstand the problems of supply chain handling. 

With an investment of £1.3 million made for the development of the facility, the site features a ‘Packaging Optimiser’ software for reducing costs and measuring the CO₂ equivalent impact of packaging; stretch wrapping and pallet load containment testing; atmospheric conditioning chamber, which provides precise temperature and humidity testing for applications such as food or pharmaceutical storage and delivery; augmented reality design tools and a HoloLens mixed-reality headset; full design, digital print and CAD prototyping to create same-day packaging samples; and a packaging automation showroom.

In addition, the site has a network handling simulator that assesses solutions to International Safe Transport Association standards.

Rachel Fellows, national account director at Macfarlane Packaging, said: “At Macfarlane, we are focused on protecting our customers’ products with packaging that’s tailored to their business needs and goals while reflecting their brand and minimising the impact on the planet. Our Northwest Innovation Lab is uniquely equipped to help us do that, and I am confident that it will be an asset for our customers – existing and new – as we work together to ensure their products are effectively and efficiently protected on their route to market.”

Richard Garratt, head of design at Macfarlane Packaging, added: “Ongoing investment in our Innovation Labs allows us to push forward with the latest tools and technology to deliver creative solutions that reduce cost, improve sustainability and enhance customer experience. The new centre offers market-leading testing capability, including technical offering with ISTA testing, load containment and climatic conditioning, all accessible remotely through an advanced video conferencing system that connects our UK and European operations together.”