This solution is a protective fibre-based sustainable design for the transportation of heavy-duty electrical switchgear products. It has a complex structure with fixed moving parts and multi-layered endcaps for easy handling and safety.
The switchgear components are integrated into the switchgear cabinet as a part of a finished final design, and the focus of the packaging solution design is intended to facilitate a secure attachment to the moving parts of the large industrial products – ensuring that they are easy to handle and manoeuvre during production, transportation, and supply chain processes.
As well as supporting mobility the product is also designed to fit easily into automated production lines. This is important because the heavy-duty weight of the electrical switchgear products means that they can only be moved and packed from the side with the use of an industrial manipulator (a specialised rigid arm-lifting device designed to assist in the handling of heavy, awkward, or fragile packages).
The moving parts of the three electrical switchgear products, require securing into the correct position to be safely transported, and the packaging provides protection during challenging or unexpected transportation and supply chain conditions. There is an openable side tray to provide a stable base, also for easy handling and to ensure that the products can be firmly anchored into place with optimum protection.
The parts are fixed with the same corrugated cardboard sheet elements and integrated into a separate endcap and the packaging solution is inclusive of a polyethylene bag to protect the greased elements of the product from dust. The switchgear metal connectors are protected by a simple folded corrugated cardboard insert, and each side element is glued together with several layers of corrugated cardboard for high-level stability. In addition, the multi-layered endcaps are comprised of fibre-based corrugated cardboard materials.
Our design team drop tested the packaging as a part of the design and compliancy process and as a controlled procedure to assess the product's durability and safety. They released the solution from a set height to measure its resistance to impact, shocks, and potential structural damage. Together with safety components, it is designed to negate unused or void space and to be compact utilising optimising as few materials as possible, with reduced freight and storage costs.
“This design demonstrates what can be achieved with fibre-based and corrugated cardboard solutions. The intention was to make a solution that is not only robust, but fast and easy to assemble, and both sustainability and recyclability are extremely important factors for our customer,” he concludes.
The High-performance Electrical Switchgear packaging solution and its components can be assembled in less than one minute and on any advanced and automated packaging line - with minimal folding required during the assembly process.
The solution was awarded in the Electronics category at the WorldStar Global Packaging Awards 2026.
