Why did you choose cardboard for our Opti-1 document holder?

Two years ago, I invented Opti-1 , the first ergonomic cardboard document holder after having discussed with customers the need for a simple, fast and accessible solution.

Thanks to this economical and above all eco-responsible material, I adapted to the expectations and constraints of companies by making accessible equipment essential to the ergonomics of screen workstations.

Today, following many questions from customers, I want to talk to you about how Opti-1 is made.

Who is Opti-1 made by?

Opti-1 is made in europe at the cardboard giant DINKHAUSER KARTONAGEN. Based in Austria, this company is recognized for its environmental commitments and its production quality.
All our production benefits from the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) certificate for responsible forest management as well as the Carbon Compensation Certificate. The factory is also ISO 9001 certified.

What is Opti-1 made of?

Opti-1 is made from corrugated cardboard . It is not in full cardboard like binders or calendars for example.

What is corrugated cardboard?

Corrugated cardboard is the result of sophisticated technical know-how, in particular to obtain a material that is both light and resistant (Fig. 1) ...

Indeed, the cardboard sector has never ceased to innovate to make it an even more efficient material, with the aim of meeting ever more diverse needs in terms of resistance, safety, processing, reliability, communication. ...
The advantage of corrugated cardboard is to replace a heavy solid cardboard by several flat sheets held by one or more spacers of corrugated form.

What are the advantages of cardboard for Opti-1?

A reduced environmental impact:

The first advantage of cardboard is of course its reduced environmental impact . The corrugated cardboard from which Opti-1 is made is recycled and recyclable, making it an eco-responsible product. It was one of my criteria when I started the project, to work with a material that can be easily recycled.

Thanks to its production and recycling cycle, by using corrugated cardboard, we optimize the use of natural resources.

diagram-recycling-cardboard-optimeo

In fact, corrugated cardboard is made from cellulose fibers, 80% of which are recycled from paper and cardboard. Regarding, the remaining 20%, 14% are new fibers injected into the circuit to maintain the quality and technical characteristics of the finished product. These new fibers come from sawmill waste and forest by-products (high forest, thinning wood, etc.).

You should know that in France, cardboard paper is a material with a recycling rate of 93.5% in 2017. This rate is among the highest in Europe, all packaging combined.

A low carbon footprint

In addition, the carbon footprint of cardboard is very small compared to other materials. The term “carbon footprint” is used to measure the volume of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted by the combustion of fossil fuels, by companies or living beings. You should know that a ton of corrugated cardboard emits during its life cycle 538 kg of CO2 equivalent. While for aluminum and plastic, these emissions are 4 to 6 times higher!

An economical material

Cardboard is an economical material that makes it possible to build innovative solutions cheaper . Regarding Opti-1, the average selling price is 10 to 20 times cheaper than plastic or metal models.

Thus, Opti-1 allows many employers of small or medium-sized enterprises to be able to equip employees collectively, in the prevention of occupational risks and improvement of working conditions.

Reduced shipping and storage costs

The cardboard being light, it makes it possible to facilitate its transport and to reduce the shipping costs for the supplier, the conveyor and consequently, for the customer.

On the other hand, Opti-1 is delivered flat. It takes shape when folded. Thus, it therefore takes up little space during storage before use. It thus leads to a saving of space.

In addition, remember that cardboard offers the advantage of being able to be folded according to predefined paths, thus making it very rigid. Our document support is thus made up of numerous folds, which guarantee its shape retention and rigidity.

Proven strength

The design of the double fluted corrugated board keeps a flat shape and prevents the risk of warping. In order not to undergo major deformation or breakage of the cardboard, our product is laboratory tested to withstand a weight of 10 kg.

Remarkable lightness

Opti-1 weighs only 480 grams, i.e. 5 to 10 times lighter as competitive models while being resistant. This lightness allows mobile use between several offices, teleworking, or between several activities.

Its weight is often noted as an advantage for our customers as underlined by the ergonomist's testimony , Mrs Treulier Martine.

Laminating with multiple advantages

Cardboard can be coated with a thin plastic film also called lamination. This finish offers several advantages:

The possibility of printing a visual, vector of communication and awareness

It is possible to print a decoration on a sheet of paper, which will be affixed to each Opti-1, in order to make it visually attractive on the worktops.

Opti-1 is indeed a completely new communication medium.

The standard version tells the employee how to correctly adjust his workstation.

The customizable version allows communicators to display whatever they want: their logo, their messages, their references ... all this according to their graphic charter. Guaranteed effect !

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How to recycle Opti-1?

Thanks to its choice of material, Opti-1 follows the classic recycling scheme. So, nothing could be simpler: place it in the paper and cardboard dumpster, after having unfolded it.

Flat, your Opti-1 will be taken care of by the cardboard industry. It will join the various other packaging or cardboard products which will be collected and then sorted.

All sorted products (including your Opti-1) will then go through different recycling stages:

We obtain recycled pulp at the end of these operations. It will then be used in the production phase of the paper-cardboard material, necessary to the manufacture of other Opti-1s, in particular .

pulping-purification-environment-actu-optimeo

Would you like to know more about its manufacturing steps? Reading continues!

In the case of Opti-1, the cardboard has a double corrugation (DC) associating a total of 5 sheets!

All these sheets are combined using specific glues. Adhesives used for roof / groove bonding are starch-based . Deposited on the tops of the grooves, the starch gelatinizes under the effect of heat. This method assures the assembly of the different papers.

The performance of the structure depends closely on the quality of the bonding.

What are the manufacturing steps for Opti-1?

1- The corrugated board supply

To manufacture Opti-1, you first need to source corrugated cardboard sheets.

The cardboard is manufactured by a machine called corrugator, the length of which is of the order of a hundred meters, and the width of 1.40 to 3.3 m (fig. 3)!

manufacture-corrugated-cardboard-support-document-optimeo

2- Printing and gluing of a decor sheet

It is also necessary to print a decoration on a sheet of paper. It will be affixed to the cardboard plates to make it visually attractive on the worktops. You should know that this one can be customizable .

In the case of Opti-1 the cardboard is printed:

Finally, each support is therefore the result an assembly of 7 sheets of paper (5 sheets of corrugated cardboard and 2 sheets of printed paper glued on both sides)!

3- The cutting cardboard plates

Once the decorations are pre-printed and glued on the plates, they must then be cut.

The cuts are obtained by the flat cutting technique. Cutting nets are embedded in a wooden form, provided with devices for ejecting the plate and shelling offcuts.

The manufacturing process makes it possible to carry out all the lines, rectilinear or not, perpendicular or not to the grooves! And on an Opti-1, there are all types of plots.

Finally, to manufacture Opti-1, it is obviously also necessary to have the model and the patent filed by Optimeo!

Sources:
Carton Ondulé de France, 4/6 rue Borromée 75015 Paris - Tel. : 01 45 63 13 30
ECO-EMBALLAGES SA www.ecoemballages.fr 50 boulevard Haussmann 75009 PARIS TEL: 01 81 69 06 00 • EMAIL: info@ecoemballages.fr
REVIPAC www.revipac.com 23-25 rue d'Aumale 75009 PARIS TEL: 01 45 79 88 99 • EMAIL: revipac@wanadoo.fr