GEFCO partners with Airbus to create a more sustainable supply chain

GEFCO Tarot Analytics

GEFCO has signed an agreement with Airbus to support its transition to a leaner, more environmentally friendly supply chain. GEFCO will gradually replace Airbus’ disposable packaging with reusable, foldable containers.

Since January 2019, GEFCO has been managing new Airbus reusable packaging designed to transport components from Airbus suppliers in Europe to 10 assembly plants in France, Germany, Spain and the UK. With more than 30,000 assets involved in the project, Airbus intends to gradually extend these sustainable solutions to all its European sites and suppliers.

According to GEFCO, this reusable packaging will enable Airbus to significantly reduce the quantity of disposable packaging in its supply chain, as well as the number of trucks on the roads, since the use of foldable boxes and containers helps optimize truck loading. This approach coincides with deep transformation in the aviation sector, which requires companies to continually improve their logistics performance while meeting high environmental standards.

On a daily basis, six GEFCO packaging management centres handle the ordering, collection, loading and transport of reusable packaging. Airbus is also working with GEFCO’s asset auditing teams to train its operational teams in packaging management and the NETBOX IT system, which tracks the containers and provides delivery updates in real time. Training is also available to Airbus suppliers to support their transition to sustainable packaging.

Emmanuel Arnaud, GEFCO Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing said “We are very proud of the trust Airbus has placed in us and we are delighted to bring our unique reusable packaging expertise to this ambitious project. Our international network of experts and our renowned operational skills, particularly in the automotive sector, enable us to confidently take up this challenge with a partnership approach, in line with our ‘Partners, unlimited’ brand signature.”

Source: GEFCO