SOMFY and International Paper company DS Smith have introduced a recyclable corrugated cardboard packaging system for roller shutter motors, replacing polystyrene inserts used in transport.
The packaging has been deployed at scale as Somfy continues work to increase the use of more recyclable and circular industrial packaging.
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Carried out by DS Smith’s France-based design teams and Somfy, the project aimed to remove plastic from the pack and raise recyclability levels while maintaining protection standards during storage and delivery.
DS Smith France packaging sales, marketing, and innovation director Benjamin Chedal said: “This innovation fully illustrates DS Smith’s ambition to support its customers in developing increasingly sustainable packaging solutions.
“We are very proud of the rollout of this concept, which has been adapted to numerous Somfy product formats, demonstrating its modularity, relevance, and long-term viability, both in terms of innovation and the materials used.”
The inserts are produced from Kraft EE (Electrical Grade) corrugated board.
The design can handle 34 motor lengths and fits four box formats, reducing complexity in logistics.
They added that cardboard takes up less storage space than expanded polystyrene (EPS), allowing a reduction in warehouse volume requirements.
After a trial order, the packaging is now in the operational stage, where it is being used in day-to-day conditions.
Somfy chef de projet Tony Faure said: “The eco-design of our products and the sustainability of our practices are at the heart of the Somfy Group’s decarbonisation strategy.
“We are delighted to have collaborated with DS Smith on the deployment of this cardboard packaging solution: it marks an important step that facilitates handling and recycling for our professional customers, is made from renewable material, and does not compromise on the quality and protection requirements of our products.”
Earlier this month, DS Smith invested more than €14m ($16.4m) into its production network in Romania.
The biggest portion, equating to €10.5m, is earmarked for the Timișoara facility and is due to be completed by the first quarter of 2027. In Ghimbav, the group plans to invest a further €3.6m in 2026.
