For the third time in a row, Logifruit has participated in the Innovation Awards organized by the Packaging Cluster as a way to promote innovative talent in the logistics sector. Students from design schools, universities and other higher education institutions participated to solve challenges related to packaging. During these three years, more than 100 students have contributed their ideas to Logifruit with more than 50 projects responding to different challenges launched from the Innovation area of the company. Companies pose these challenges for which students contribute their ideas, mentoring, analyzing and evaluating their projects to choose one winner and two finalists.
The trend towards online sales in distribution has increased in recent months, where confinement due to Covid-19 and new purchasing habits have led to strong growth in online sales. The need to guarantee food safety and product freshness in the last mile had to be considered also from a sustainable point of view which is essential within the circular model of Logifruit.
The winner of the challenge was the project ‘Bambox’ designed by the team composed by Sofia Nieves, Ana Tudó and Javier Redondo from the University of Zaragoza. The group of students designed a reusable box, made with only two materials and with a structure easy to handle and stack, looking for efficiency in its storage.
As highlighted by Sofia Nieves, one of the team members, its main novelty is the use of bamboo as an insulating system in the interior. While the exterior is made of polypropylene, this inner layer is a 100% biodegradable and reusable material that the winners submitted to study to demonstrate that a thin layer of bamboo insulates, but also increases the hygiene and quality of food it contains. The container also includes an empty chamber in its design to achieve an efficient, sustainable and hygienic insulator. It has NFC technology to control temperature and is a sustainable alternative to the refrigerant containers that we can find nowadays.
Two other projects were awarded a second prize: ‘Airtop’, by Marcos Sánchez and Daniel Pineda from ESD Madrid; and ‘Green Box JL’ by Laura Fresnillo and María Julieta Molinari from Universidad Alfonso X el Sabio.
Although, according to the organization, it was not an easy edition, the objective of connecting the students’ talent with the companies’ needs through innovation was achieved.
The event was attended, among others, by the Regional Secretary of Sustainable Economy, Productive Sectors, Trade and Consumption of the Generalitat Valenciana, Rebeca Torró; as well as the General Director of Industry, Energy and Mines, María Empar Martínez. Last year’s winner, Raquel Muñoz, silver medalist at the WorldStar Student Awards organized annually by the World Packaging Organization, also attended. During the gala, the student told her experience and encouraged the other students with her story.