OfficeMax Invests $1M To Tackle E-commerce Packaging Waste With Transformative Box-making Technology

• More than 45,000 packages leave OfficeMax’s two Distribution Centres (DCs) every week to its business, government and consumer customers across all sectors
• New box-making technology is set to radically reduce the packaging of freighted products, including eliminating the use of plastic “void fillers”, removing more than 1,700 kgs of plastic from landfill annually
• Part of OfficeMax’s 2025 Sustainability Strategy
• A $5 million investment into its DCs to help future-proof its operations including the installation of solar panels and 100% electrification of its mechanical handling fleet.

OfficeMax, New Zealand’s leading workplace and education solutions provider, has unveiled three major initiatives underway as part of an ambitious 2025 Sustainability Strategy to address the top contributors to its Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHG) – and help play its part in speeding up New Zealand’s transition to a low carbon future.

Sustainability has been a key part of OfficeMax’s strategy for two decades. Since 2016, OfficeMax has been tracking its environmental footprint, taking extraordinary strides to achieve its 2026 GHG efficiency target of 20% reduction per FTE six years early, back in 2019.

OfficeMax is making considerable progress towards its more ambitious 2025 GHG target of a 25% reduction against 2019 Scope 1 and 2 emissions[1]. While both the closure of retail stores and COVID-19 restricting business travel played a part in OfficeMax achieving a 13% reduction last year, it’s investment into its distribution centres has made a measurable difference, including:

1. Waste (contributed 13% to OfficeMax’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2020)

With online shopping at record rates[2], many will be familiar with the onslaught of packaging and waste that seems to come with even the smallest online purchase. Oversized boxes, excessive filling and plastic all have a negative impact on the environment.

OfficeMax Managing Director, Kevin Obern says, “Packaging is a top concern amongst our customers and this year we have continued to receive questions about what else we can do to reduce the use of plastic in our packaging.

“That’s why in our North Island DC we have invested $1M into two innovative, automated ‘box making’ and lid applicator machines, specifically designed to minimise packaging and waste.”

A New Zealand first, the machines use smart technology to create unique boxes custom-designed to fit to the contents of individual orders, removing the need for excess packaging.

In Auckland and Christchurch, OfficeMax has also invested in cardboard shredders or void-fill shredder machines that recycle cardboard onsite, converting it into void fill to protect delicate, fragile or dangerous goods while removing the need for plastic pillows.

The initiatives will reduce plastic void-fill by 100%, eliminating 1.7M plastic pillows (the equivalent to 1,700 kgs of plastic) from landfill every year.

1. Electricity (contributed 25% to OfficeMax’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2020)

“Electricity use makes up 25 percent of our greenhouse gas emissions profile, so we are continually looking into ways we can reduce our consumption and become smarter in the way we operate,” says Kevin.

“Over the past two years, the Auckland and Christchurch distribution centres have undergone a significant transformation to advance OfficeMax’s sustainability goals and align with the values of our customers.”

As part of its plans to address Greenhouse Gas Emissions from electricity, OfficeMax has installed 798 solar panels on top of its Auckland distribution centre, providing sustainable energy efficiency across the site. Projections estimated that the panels would provide 22.5% of the site’s power, but as of June 2021 the site is already using 26% self-generated power from these panels.

1. LPG (contributed 11% to OfficeMax’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions in 2020)

OfficeMax has retired all LPG-powered equipment from its fleet and now has 60 electric mechanical handling machines across its two distribution centres to help reduce carbon emissions.

Kevin adds: “This significant change in our fleet has enabled a cleaner environment within the distribution centre and means we can also use some of the energy generated from the installation of our solar panels to power the electric machinery in the distribution centre.”

The OfficeMax vision is to continue to empower sustainable and successful workplaces. These latest initiatives are proof of the industry-leading steps the organisation has been taking together with its customers, as they collectively look forward to a more sustainable future.

OfficeMax has recently released their 2020 Sustainability Report. To view the Report please visit the link here.

About OfficeMax:

OfficeMax is a leader in workplace and education solutions, supplying everything from pencils to cleaning products. We’ve been an important part of New Zealand workplaces and homes for more than 150 years with 50 years’ experience in providing New Zealand schools with the resources needed to educate Kiwi children.

Our roots were established in New Zealand, beginning with the establishment of stationery business Coulls Somerville Wilkie in 1871, and publishing company Whitcombe and Tombs in 1888.

Today, OfficeMax is one of our nation’s leading business and school supplies distributors, offering not only tens of thousands of products and solutions nationwide, but also giving jobs to more than 500 Kiwis in our head office, sales offices, showrooms and distribution centres.

www.officemax.co.nz / LinkedIn / Facebook

[1] Scope 1 covers direct emissions from sources such as petrol, LPG, natural gas, and refrigerants. Scope 2 covers indirect emissions sources such as electricity.

[2] NZ Post's 2021 e-commerce research highlights that online shopping in New Zealand increased about 25 per cent last year – with Kiwis spending more than $5.8 billion.

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