This is LouwersHanique
LouwersHanique offers high-quality total solutions based on technical glass and ceramics, as well as joining technology with special material combinations.
The origins of packaging demand
LouwersHanique has its own clean room where modules for the high-end industry are manufactured. The individual components are (partially) manufactured externally, cleaned and validated for cleanliness. Initially, all individual components were controlled separately from the requirements of our own MRP system. As the number of modules increased, the need arose to make the logistics flow more efficient.
“At that time, the decision was made to make a kit for each module that contains the parts to build this module,” explains Jeroen Verspaandonk, Product Manager BU Assembly at LouwersHanique. “These individual parts are offered per kit by our manufacturing part supplier and thus go to an external party that cleans and validates them again. Then this kit comes to us in stock, ready for assembly into a module.”
Eventually LouwersHanique came to Faes with the request to develop seven different flightcases arranged with each a unique insert, which should be deployable for the various modules. A kit had to consist of four flightcases in which the parts are optimally distributed in relation to size and aftertreatment.
Clean packaging with unique identification
“Despite the fact that these crates are intended as expedition packaging, we still want to use a look that fits these high-end machine parts,” Verspaandonk further explains. “For the inserts, we opted for the light blue color that makes external contamination quickly visible. Ultimately, if a case in terms of insert has become dirty, it can be taken out of the circuit for cleaning. We want to create awareness among people and thus prevent unnecessary build-up of contamination over time.”
In addition to clean packaging, a conscious decision was made to ensure that the crates are as universally usable as possible after manufacture, despite the specific shapes of the individual parts. This is why each box is coded after manufacture. This makes it clear for which kit the crate is used in the production process. It also indicates which kit it is in the overall kit. This makes it immediately visible which kit it is and whether all boxes are present. “The crates are still being used to this day as originally conceived,” Verspaandonk points out. “Even with future change in parts, we expect the crates to remain usable due to the shapes chosen in terms of inlays.”
Benefits of the crates
In the packaging, the products are well protected from external impact. In addition, the parts now go through the logistics process from the beginning as a defined kit and stay together in an orderly fashion.
“The cooperation with Faes went very well despite the high delivery pressure. The communication with account manager Corné van de Voort went smoothly and efficiently, as did the manufacturability session with designers. It left a positive impression on us. Every detail was picked up and handled immediately, nothing was left to chance,” Verspaandonk concludes with satisfaction.