What happens when a company wants to ship pallets loaded with 1,200 pounds of new chicken product into Sam’s Club?  First, they've got to get the packaging system tested. Specifically, they have to pass a new testing process developed by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) called ISTA Project 3J. Then, what does a package testing laboratory do with 1,200 pounds of chicken after it's been tested? Feed it to the wolves.

Compadre is an Austin-based package design and engineering company dedicated to driving sustainability in the manufacturing industry. Compadre's in-house package testing laboratory is one of the first in the country to become certified by the ISTA to perform Project 3J testing.

"We take a different approach to pretty much everything," says Darryl Kelinske, CEO of Compadre. “We like to say we are a little strange, but when it comes sustainability we believe it’s our responsibility to ensure future generations aren’t stuck with our trash.”   

When Simmons Prepared Foods, Inc., an Arkansas-based chicken processor, and their packaging company, Mid South Packaging LLC, needed Project 3J testing, they turned to Compadre. "We knew they were one of the first to become certified, and we knew they'd turn our test around about as fast as anyone could," says Lance Martin, account manager of Mid South Packaging. "What we didn't know was that we'd found a company that doesn't take the easy way out.  Sure, they could have thrown the chicken away - but instead, they found a way to use it."

When perishable foods are tested for packaging quality, they are often thrown into the garbage. Compadre, whose core values include "the relentless pursuit of a different way," found an interesting partner to dispose of the chicken in a sustainable way: the Austin Zoo. When Simmons was advised about the donation, they were delighted. “Making sure that the packaging test was done right, in a timely manner, with reporting that met Sam’s Club expectations – all of that drove the decision to use Compadre,” noted Shelly Parchman, Simmons marketing manager. “Finding such a creative use for all that leftover chicken really shows the spirit of the folks at Compadre.”

"The 1,200 pounds of chicken donated by Compadre will feed the wolves for up to 60 days, depending on their hefty appetite," says Patti Clark, president and executive director of the Austin Zoo. "These types of contributions from the community are great because we not only save money on the cost of food for animals, but we can reallocate those funds to other much needed expansion and construction projects. Compadre's thoughtful donation allows us to move forward on a new run yard for our wolf hybrid and full blooded northern timber wolf who will now have an additional half acre to stretch their long legs."

What's next for Compadre? “Well, we've got a shipment of chocolate cakes coming in to be tested," Kelinske says, "and I hear the bears at the Austin Zoo have a sweet tooth."

ABOUT COMPADRE

Based in Austin, Texas, Compadre specializes in package design and engineering as well as new product launch services. Compadre also provides certified package testing, including end-to-end transit testing and ISTA/ASTM testing. With locations in Austin, Dallas, Cincinnati and Nashville, Compadre provides the resources to integrate packaging solutions for large and small companies. Compadre has a materials neutral design philosophy with a focus on sustainable packaging solutions.  Compadre maintains relationships with the most demanding companies in the world, from regional companies to Fortune Global 500 corporations

Click here to view article on PackagingDigest.com

Austin, Texas - July 27 2010 -- Compadre, an Austin-based packaging design and engineering company, announces a collaboration with Whole Tree, Inc., an innovative green materials company founded by researchers at Baylor University. Together, the companies will develop packaging applications using Whole Tree’s composite material made in part from coconut fiber. The goal of the collaboration between Whole Tree and Compadre is to develop innovative, sustainable packaging materials that allow manufacturing companies to achieve eco-friendly solutions that don’t hurt the bottom line.

“Whole Tree is a great match with our corporate values,” says Darryl Kelinske, CEO of Compadre. “We are very excited to work with them, and we look forward to exploring sustainable packaging solutions utilizing Whole Tree materials.”

With Compadre’s packaging design, engineering and launch services, companies of all sizes can quickly implement unique, sustainable packaging solutions.  We are experts in helping manufacturers achieve high quality and improved sustainability without increasing packaging costs.

“In Compadre, we’ve found a licensing partner with a strong client base, an incredibly responsive team and packaging engineers with the knowledge and agility to help clients achieve their sustainability objectives,” says Blake Mosher, executive vice president of Whole Tree. “The business landscape is changing as more companies seek eco-friendly alternatives and innovations. Compadre knows the necessity of offering sustainable packaging products to help their multi-national clients face the challenges and risks of petroleum-dependent products.”

With this collaboration, Compadre will incorporate the use of Whole Tree’s technology of a natural fiber composite material made in part from coconut fiber. The material is strong and stiff, which allows Compadre to form the material into various shapes for packaging applications. When molded, the material is called Coir Form. Dr. Walter Bradley, Distinguished Faculty at Baylor University and founder and chairman of Whole Tree, added, “The intrinsic properties of coir fiber are truly amazing.  It also has a natural burn resistance and natural resistance to mildew and microbial attack. Our material can be made with variable densities, which results in varying degrees of combinations of properties. This is important because as we learn what our clients need in sustainable materials, we can recommend solutions to meet their needs.”

ABOUT COMPADRE

Based in Austin, Texas, Compadre specializes in package design and engineering. Compadre also provides certified package testing and new product launch services. With locations in Austin, Dallas, Cincinnati and Nashville, Compadre provides the resources to integrate packaging solutions for large and small companies. Compadre has a materials neutral design philosophy with a focus on sustainable packaging solutions.  Compadre maintains relationships with the most demanding companies in the world, from regional companies to Fortune Global 500 corporations. Visit www.compadre.com or contact Darryl Kelinske at darryl@compadre.com.

ABOUT WHOLE TREE

Whole Tree, Inc. creates sustainable innovations using renewable resources. Focusing initially on the constituent parts of the coconut, Whole Tree Inc.’s research team, working collaboratively with Dr. Walter Bradley and his team at Baylor University, have developed a non-woven fabric composite that uses up to 80% coconut fiber as a seamless replacement for currently used materials that are 100% petroleum based synthetic fibers. With a host of exciting additional, natural composite material innovations in its R&D pipeline, Whole Tree is positioned at the forefront of sustainable materials with applications for the automotive, construction, manufacturing and packaging industries. Whole Tree’s aim is to create innovations utilizing natural resources and thus benefit the livelihood of those in need, steward our planet's precious resources and help clients achieve their sustainability objectives. Visit www.wholetreeinc.com or contact Blake Mosher at blake.mosher@wholetreeinc.com.

Click here to view article on PackagingDigest.com

ISTA Project 3J, the culmination of the Sam’s Club program (see recent issues of i-News and ISTA Views for complete information) has now been formally adopted by Sam’s Club. For several years, Sam’s has been referencing modified versions of ISTA Procedures 3E and 3A for items requiring distribution testing. Those references have now been replaced by ISTA 3J. It will take a few weeks for this change to be added to various Sam’s Club documents and integrated into the Sam’s quality protocols, but the announcement has been made and any inquiries are being answered with information about the new policy.

While the modified 3E and 3A have been effective for Sam’s Club, the new Project 3J promises to be a further marked improvement. Developed after extensive surveys, observations, and measurements of actual distribution, 3J incorporates test parameters and entirely new test elements as required by unique aspects of the Club Store environment.

As with any new ISTA Project, 3J will undoubtedly be subject to some revisions in its initial implementation. Information will continue to be posted on the ISTA website and reported in ISTA publications. If there are any questions, please contact Bill Kipp.

Last week we rolled a new dimension to our design center team which we call the Wild Bunch. They are a diverse group of very creative people who are on-call to form focus group teams. They come from all backgrounds: graphic design, art, photography, ceramics, modeling, engineering, marketing, and advertising. We see this as a great way to enable Compadre’s culture of relentlessly pursuing a different way.