Box Latch Europe®, a manufacturer of reusable corrugated box closure solutions, has been supplying VF Corporation distribution centres in the Czech Republic with reusable components to support closed-loop box reuse in their fulfilment operations. VF Corporation is a global apparel and footwear company, comprising 13 brands, including Supreme, Vans, The North Face, Timberland and Dickies amongst others.

Since the introduction of Box Latch at the distribution centres, the products have delivered significant benefits. Distributed in the UK & Europe by Item Products, a leading designer and producer of components for the packaging industry, Box Latch devices are perfect to support closed-loop box reuse.

In response to VF Corporation distribution centres’ requirements, Box Latch Europe has supplied over 50,000 medium and large Box Latches and Clip & Stack products to their fulfilment operation. The introduction of the products has since led to substantial reductions in transport and labour costs, savings on tape and boxes not purchased, in addition to positively influencing worker’s safety as a preventive measure against cuts and bruises from using tape dispensers and box cutters. In one particular scenario, goods arriving at the distribution centres in boxes from various locations around the world would often become open while on storage racks, with the flaps of the boxes getting snagged on the warehouse racking system. This in turn would stop automated cranes from being able to retrieve boxes out of the racks, necessitating manual intervention to free the trapped boxes. Since the introduction of Box Latches to keep the boxes tightly closed, the number of manual interventions to rescue boxes reduced from 4-5 a day to 5-10 times a year.

“The entire team here appreciates the substantial amount of money related to time and material that we have saved as a result of using the Box Latch products,” said Petr Pavelcak, support coordinator, VF Czech Services.