Each year the produce industry loses more than $2.1 billion dollars a year to “shrink”, or product damage, according to Texas A & M University.

To protect produce throughout the supply chain and reduce labor costs in the retail environment, ORBIS Container Services (OCS) provides and manages pools of “reusable plastic containers”, or RPCs, that move fruits and vegetables throughout the produce supply chain.

ORBIS Container Services is a subsidiary of ORBIS Corporation, whose parent company is Menasha Corporation.

These pooled containers, or crates, originate at ORBIS Container Services and are shipped to the grower/shipper, where they are packed with product, palletized and shipped to the retailer’s distribution center (DC) or directly to the retail store.

At the store, they are immediately merchandised with no repacking or rehandling necessary. Consumers shop directly from the RPC. Some retailers use the RPC as a transport container only from DC to retail store. Once empty, the retailer collapses the container and returns it to the DC where they are collected by ORBIS Container Services for sorting, cleaning and reuse.

Advantages to ORBIS Container Services’ RPCs:

• Smooth side walls and bottom for reduced mechanical damage to produce
• Lightweight, yet rugged construction
• Easy to assemble and collapse
• Highest cube efficiency in the industry
• Optimized fill capacity
• Multiple identification options
• RFID compatible
• Easily cleanable
• Six industry standard sizes

Using logistics pooling expertise to manage the containers along the supply chain, ORBIS Container Services  is able to provide the produce industry with a “one touch” solution to move commodities from the grower to the consumer.

©Property of ORBIS Container Services 2007