Signode Showcases Transit Packaging Solutions at Interpack
Signode will present a wide array of transit packaging advancements at Interpack 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany from May 4-10. Located at booth E46 in Hall 12, the exhibit will showcase the latest in end-of-line solutions.
Signode will present a wide array of transit packaging advancements at Interpack 2023 in Düsseldorf, Germany from May 4-10. Located at booth E46 in Hall 12, the exhibit will showcase the latest in end-of-line solutions, including wrapping and strapping technologies, case packing equipment, warehouse automation, hand tools, consumables and Reliability Services. This year’s booth will also feature a new product space where attendees can enjoy a refreshment while learning more about a vast array of these innovations.
Wrapping
Signode’s line of fully automated wrapping solutions provides optimal load protection and stabilization for transit. Easily integrated into most packaging lines, these unitizing machines offer flexibility, ease of use, and simplified maintenance.
The Lachenmeier MultiFlex1 Stretch Hooder adapts to varying production requirements, making it a versatile option across industries with mixed product lines, offers 5-sided protection and features a load capacity of up to 200 loads per hour. The Octopus® S-Series Stretch Wrapper is a flexible and dynamic wrapping solution that will demonstrate the ability to vary film force throughout the wrap cycle. Ideal for a range of applications including unstable and lightweight products, the machine has no centrifugal forces, which simplifies the wrapping of challenging loads.
Strapping
Signode has been synonymous with strapping innovation for over 100 years. Signode manufactures a wide variety of metal and plastic strapping machines that are carefully calibrated to deliver against a variety of applications from hand equipment to automated strapping machines.
The GCU-NG suits most customers' needs to compress and secure their materials onto pallets, offering up to two chute systems and two bayonets to accommodate varying product types. The unique MHC modular head and intelligent strap dispenser system technology enable unrivaled line uptime, and the intuitive HMI control panel provides accurate real time control set-up, operational control, and simplified machine servicing through self-diagnostics.
Case Equipment
The latest case sealing technology from Signode can detect over-stuffed or void-filled cases without interruption, optimizing material use and package integrity automatically. These sealers are simple to operate, with quick tape cartridge changes and sensors to prevent jams at high speeds.
The CF-25 industrial grade, high-performance carton erector machine from Little David is designed to form and bottom-seal corrugated cases at speeds up to 15 cases per minute. The chain and lug drive system eliminates box stalling and slipping, and the easy load hopper ensures simple and efficient changeover.
The LDX-RTB 4.0 semi-automatic random case sealer features patented technology that can process void-filled and over-stuffed cases with a pneumatic top cartridge. Capable of processing up to 30 cases per minute, the robust design enables simplified maintenance and features case-hardened rollers and nonmechanical side rail actuation. Boasting belt speeds of up to 155 per minute, the LDX-RTB delivers ultimate performance and durability in demanding applications.
Warehouse Automation
The StorFast® Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) is an innovative cart-based solution that consists of powered carts and lifts that automatically move pallets in and out of storage positions in the warehouse. Signode has the capacity to design a complete operating system, with the StorFast® ASRS at its core, that manages the location of every pallet for optimal pallet flow and easily integrates with customers’ Enterprise Resource Planning, Order Fulfillment, and Warehouse Management Systems. This system is able to work within building constraints, maximizing use of vertical space within existing buildings and condensing space requirements for new warehouses.
Hand Tools
Signode’s line of battery powered hand tools offers a modern alternative to pneumatic and manual tools, improving reliability, ease of use and speed. These electronically controlled strapping tools accurately reproduce tension and sealing settings, improve flexibility through cordless mobility, and feature a customizable and intuitive interface.
The BXT3 Series delivers high-speed operation and improves productivity for a wide range of plastic strapping applications – from minimal tension to heavy industries. The BPT delivers unparalleled performance for push type steel strapping applications. The BST steel strapping hand tool uses interlocking keys to form a sealless joint and is ideal for heavy-duty stationary use or mobile applications requiring high tension force. Intelligent features include real time indication of the steel strapping status alongside visual and acoustic signals.
The Josef Kihlberg® Battery Powered Top Stapler is a lightweight, cordless hand tool boasting up to 8,000 staples per battery charge and up to 5 shots per second, one of the fastest of its kind. In combination with manual, semi-automatic and automatic options, its laser system and digital user interface provide ease of use and ergonomic support.
Consumables
Selecting the right consumables for your transit packaging operation can be key to balancing investment with proper load support. In conjunction with Signode’s solutions, these products can optimize the entire end-of-line system across a variety of industries.
Strapping solutions to be showcased include PET Tenax®, polyester plastic strapping that stays tight and absorbs impact without breaking; Dylastic® bio-based PP strap, a sustainable option which helps reduce CO2 emissions by ~50%; and Apex® and Magnus® steel strap, designed for light to heavy-duty applications featuring superior edge conditioning and excellent coating and surface properties.
To see Signode’s equipment in action, visit Hall 12 at booth E46 at Interpack 2023. To learn more about the rest of Signode’s solutions, visit www.signode.com.
“The past year has been unprecedented, with extreme weather events, heightened geopolitical tension and cybercrime destabilizing supply chains throughout the world. Navigating this year’s looming risks to build a secure supply network has never been more critical,” Corey Rhodes, CEO of Everstream Analytics, said in the firm’s “2025 Annual Risk Report.”
“While some risks are unavoidable, early notice and swift action through a combination of planning, deep monitoring, and mitigation can save inventory and lives in 2025,” Rhodes said.
In its report, Everstream ranked the five categories by a “risk score metric” to help global supply chain leaders prioritize planning and mitigation efforts for coping with them. They include:
Drowning in Climate Change – 90% Risk Score. Driven by shifting climate patterns and record-high temperatures, extreme weather events are a dominant risk to the supply chain due to concerns such as flooding and elevated ocean temperatures.
Geopolitical Instability with Increased Tariff Risk – 80% Risk Score. These threats could disrupt trade networks and impact economies worldwide, including logistics, transportation, and manufacturing industries. The following major geopolitical events are likely to impact global trade: Red Sea disruptions, Russia-Ukraine conflict, Taiwan trade risks, Middle East tensions, South China Sea disputes, and proposed tariff increases.
More Backdoors for Cybercrime – 75% Risk Score. Supply chain leaders face escalating cybersecurity risks in 2025, driven by the growing reliance on AI and cloud computing within supply chains, the proliferation of IoT-connected devices, vulnerabilities in sub-tier supply chains, and a disproportionate impact on third-party logistics providers (3PLs) and the electronics industry.
Rare Metals and Minerals on Lockdown – 65% Risk Score. Between rising regulations, new tariffs, and long-term or exclusive contracts, rare minerals and metals will be harder than ever, and more expensive, to obtain.
Crackdown on Forced Labor – 60% Risk Score. A growing crackdown on forced labor across industries will increase pressure on companies who are facing scrutiny to manage and eliminate suppliers violating human rights. Anticipated risks in 2025 include a push for alternative suppliers, a cascade of legislation to address lax forced labor issues, challenges for agri-food products such as palm oil and vanilla.
That number is low compared to widespread unemployment in the transportation sector which reached its highest level during the COVID-19 pandemic at 15.7% in both May 2020 and July 2020. But it is slightly above the most recent pre-pandemic rate for the sector, which was 2.8% in December 2019, the BTS said.
For broader context, the nation’s overall unemployment rate for all sectors rose slightly in December, increasing 0.3 percentage points from December 2023 to 3.8%.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, employment in the transportation and warehousing sector rose to 6,630,200 people in December 2024 — up 0.1% from the previous month and up 1.7% from December 2023. Employment in transportation and warehousing grew 15.1% in December 2024 from the pre-pandemic December 2019 level of 5,760,300 people.
The largest portion of those workers was in warehousing and storage, followed by truck transportation, according to a breakout of the total figures into separate modes (seasonally adjusted):
Warehousing and storage rose to 1,770,300 in December 2024 — up 0.1% from the previous month and up 0.2% from December 2023.
Truck transportation fell to 1,545,900 in December 2024 — down 0.1% from the previous month and down 0.4% from December 2023.
Air transportation rose to 578,000 in December 2024 — up 0.4% from the previous month and up 1.4% from December 2023.
Transit and ground passenger transportation rose to 456,000 in December 2024 — up 0.3% from the previous month and up 5.7% from December 2023.
Rail transportation remained virtually unchanged in December 2024 at 150,300 from the previous month but down 1.8% from December 2023.
Water transportation rose to 74,300 in December 2024 — up 0.1% from the previous month and up 4.8% from December 2023.
Pipeline transportation rose to 55,000 in December 2024 — up 0.5% from the previous month and up 6.2% from December 2023.
Parcel carrier and logistics provider UPS Inc. has acquired the German company Frigo-Trans and its sister company BPL, which provide complex healthcare logistics solutions across Europe, the Atlanta-based firm said this week.
According to UPS, the move extends its UPS Healthcare division’s ability to offer end-to-end capabilities for its customers, who increasingly need temperature-controlled and time-critical logistics solutions globally.
UPS Healthcare has 17 million square feet of cGMP and GDP-compliant healthcare distribution space globally, supporting services such as inventory management, cold chain packaging and shipping, storage and fulfillment of medical devices, and lab and clinical trial logistics.
More specifically, UPS Healthcare said that the acquisitions align with its broader mission to provide end-to-end logistics for temperature-sensitive healthcare products, including biologics, specialty pharmaceuticals, and personalized medicine. With 80% of pharmaceutical products in Europe requiring temperature-controlled transportation, investments like these ensure UPS Healthcare remains at the forefront of innovation in the $82 billion complex healthcare logistics market, the company said.
Additionally, Frigo-Trans' presence in Germany—the world's fourth-largest healthcare manufacturing market—strengthens UPS's foothold and enhances its support for critical intra-Germany operations. Frigo-Trans’ network includes temperature-controlled warehousing ranging from cryopreservation (-196°C) to ambient (+15° to +25°C) as well as Pan-European cold chain transportation. And BPL provides logistics solutions including time-critical freight forwarding capabilities.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed. But it fits into UPS' long term strategy to double its healthcare revenue from $10 billion in 2023 to $20 billion by 2026. To get there, it has also made previous acquisitions of companies like Bomi and MNX. And UPS recently expanded its temperature-controlled fleet in France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
"Healthcare customers increasingly demand precision, reliability, and adaptability—qualities that are critical for the future of biologics and personalized medicine. The Frigo-Trans and BPL acquisitions allow us to offer unmatched service across Europe, making logistics a competitive advantage for our pharma partners," says John Bolla, President, UPS Healthcare.
The supply chain risk management firm Overhaul has landed $55 million in backing, saying the financing will fuel its advancements in artificial intelligence and support its strategic acquisition roadmap.
The equity funding round comes from the private equity firm Springcoast Partners, with follow-on participation from existing investors Edison Partners and Americo. As part of the investment, Springcoast’s Chris Dederick and Holger Staude will join Overhaul’s board of directors.
According to Austin, Texas-based Overhaul, the money comes as macroeconomic and global trade dynamics are driving consequential transformations in supply chains. That makes cargo visibility and proactive risk management essential tools as shippers manage new routes and suppliers.
“The supply chain technology space will see significant consolidation over the next 12 to 24 months,” Barry Conlon, CEO of Overhaul, said in a release. “Overhaul is well-positioned to establish itself as the ultimate integrated solution, delivering a comprehensive suite of tools for supply chain risk management, efficiency, and visibility under a single trusted platform.”
Shippers today are praising an 11th-hour contract agreement that has averted the threat of a strike by dockworkers at East and Gulf coast ports that could have frozen container imports and exports as soon as January 16.
The agreement came late last night between the International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) representing some 45,000 workers and the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX) that includes the operators of port facilities up and down the coast.
Details of the new agreement on those issues have not yet been made public, but in the meantime, retailers and manufacturers are heaving sighs of relief that trade flows will continue.
“Providing certainty with a new contract and avoiding further disruptions is paramount to ensure retail goods arrive in a timely manner for consumers. The agreement will also pave the way for much-needed modernization efforts, which are essential for future growth at these ports and the overall resiliency of our nation’s supply chain,” Gold said.
The next step in the process is for both sides to ratify the tentative agreement, so negotiators have agreed to keep those details private in the meantime, according to identical statements released by the ILA and the USMX. In their joint statement, the groups called the six-year deal a “win-win,” saying: “This agreement protects current ILA jobs and establishes a framework for implementing technologies that will create more jobs while modernizing East and Gulf coasts ports – making them safer and more efficient, and creating the capacity they need to keep our supply chains strong. This is a win-win agreement that creates ILA jobs, supports American consumers and businesses, and keeps the American economy the key hub of the global marketplace.”
The breakthrough hints at broader supply chain trends, which will focus on the tension between operational efficiency and workforce job protection, not just at ports but across other sectors as well, according to a statement from Judah Levine, head of research at Freightos, a freight booking and payment platform. Port automation was the major sticking point leading up to this agreement, as the USMX pushed for technologies to make ports more efficient, while the ILA opposed automation or semi-automation that could threaten jobs.
"This is a six-year détente in the tech-versus-labor tug-of-war at U.S. ports," Levine said. “Automation remains a lightning rod—and likely one we’ll see in other industries—but this deal suggests a cautious path forward."
Editor's note: This story was revised on January 9 to include additional input from the ILA, USMX, and Freightos.