| ISTA conducting two studies and is seeking samples of damage Have you experienced the Indian packaging industry and possess field damage samples? Also needed for an ISTA Workgroup is collaboration and samples highlighting load stability field damages. ISTA Standards Council Seeks India Field Damage Samples ISTA’s Standards Council is seeking industry collaboration and expertise to develop targeted packaging tests for the Indian market. Specifically, samples of known field damages that occurred in India to validate ISTA’s proposed India test protocol are needed. ISTA’s Standards Council is seeking packaged-products to conduct laboratory testing and correlate those results to known field shipment results. To ensure the test intensities are appropriate, both products that are currently experiencing frequent damage issues in the field as well as products that are experiencing limited damage during shipment are sought. By working together, we can analyze real-world examples of packaging failures, identify common issues, and refine ISTA’s draft test that aligns with India's unique environmental conditions and transportation challenges. If you have experience in the Indian packaging industry and can provide samples of field damages, we would love to hear from you. All shared samples will be handled with utmost confidentiality. Anonymous contributions may also be considered. Please reach out to us with a brief description of your expertise at ehiser@ista.org. ISTA Workgroup Seeks Load Stability Field Damage Samples Workgroup collaboration and samples highlighting load stability field damages needed. ISTA’s Load Stability Workgroup, under the direction of ISTA’s Standards Council, is seeking industry collaboration and expertise. As the workgroup strives to enhance load stability and minimize damage during transportation and storage, samples are needed highlighting known load stability field damages. The group is researching test methods for predicting the effects of non-restrained horizontal impacts and non-restrained long-duration horizontal impact events on unitized loads in a generalized supply chain. Commonly observed problems caused by these events are tipping and leaning of unit loads. “At this stage, we’re ready to start testing our theories on actual unit loads with known issues,” said Mike Kuebler, ISTA Load Stability Workgroup Chair and Smithers Technical Director. “We’re seeking industry partners who are struggling with field issues due to lack of load stability and are willing to provide samples for laboratory testing. Those unit loads would undergo various predictive test methods so we can document correlations between field issues and laboratory results.” By sharing your valuable insights and real-world examples, the workgroup can collectively analyze the root causes of load failures and develop predictive tests that can be used to enhance load stability. “Concerns of load stability, which may lead to product damage throughout distribution, are frequently expressed by packaging designers as they balance field performance and sustainability goals,” said Eric Hiser, Vice President—Standards & Certification, ISTA. “We want to address these industry concerns through research-based, data-driven predictive tools, such as test protocols, to better understand packaged-product performance to the hazards generally found in each supply chain.” Confidentiality is paramount, and the workgroup respects the sensitivity of proprietary data. All shared information and samples will be treated with the utmost confidentiality. Anonymous contributions may also be considered. To discuss participation in this research, please contact Eric Hiser at ehiser@ista.org, 517-333-3437. Published: 08/16/23 |