Packaging optimization for heat pumps

The packaging design process begins with gathering information from various stakeholders, including product managers, logistics teams, legal counsel, and manufacturing experts. This collaboration ensures that all necessary requirements are incorporated into the project from the outset. The result is a tested packaging solution that meets the requirements for transportation and storage. In addition, extensive testing - including with external partners - is conducted before product packaging is introduced to assess the technical suitability of the respective packaging solution. “We put a lot of emphasis on early stakeholder involvement and thorough testing,” said Pedro Baptista, a member of the sustainability team at Bosch Home Comfort Group and responsible for packaging design. “This process ensures that each solution meets the product requirements and is assessed against the documented criteria for product protection, material use, and transportation.”

The Bosch Home Comfort Group has set itself the goal of reducing the use of plastics, particularly expanded polystyrene (EPS), in the affected packaging. In response to increasing customer demand for sustainability, the Bosch team began looking for EPS alternatives as early as 2019. They came across paper-based molding materials, which can replace the EPS molded parts previously used in selected packaging applications. These materials are already widely used in the food and medical industries, but are still relatively new to the home appliance sector. “The transition to paper-based molding materials is an important milestone,” explains Pedro Baptista. “Our goal is to gradually replace EPS with suitable alternatives in the affected packaging by mid-2025.”

Phasing out EPS was not without its challenges, mainly due to the lower production volumes for heat pumps compared to areas such as food packaging. The teams in Aveiro and Tranås sought and found materials and partners that were technically assessed for the respective packaging requirements. Over time, partnerships were established with Swedish testing institutes and material suppliers, and tests relating to material properties, product protection, and processability were carried out.

Research projects were also carried out, for example with a Swedish company investigating wood-based foams. Although this foam is still very costly, a preliminary calculation for the application under review indicated a possible reduction of CO₂e emissions of up to 40 percent compared with conventional plastics. While the foam alternative is not yet ready for widespread use, the research shows which material alternatives can be technically assessed for future packaging applications. “Our research into alternatives to EPS has shown us what is possible in the future, even if some materials are not yet widely available,” says Pedro Baptista.

Packaging projects for material use and cost-effectiveness

In addition to developing new materials, the Bosch Home Comfort Group analyses packaging size, material use, and product protection together. A recent project by the packaging team involved a comprehensive analysis of packaging requirements, which led to significant progress. For example, packaging costs were reduced by 40 percent. A preliminary calculation based on general data also indicates a possible reduction of CO₂e emissions per module of 25 percent.

By aligning material selection with economic priorities and clearly documented criteria for material use and product protection, the project underscores Bosch’s approach of continuing to develop packaging step by step. Detailed CO₂e assessments will be carried out following the release of the new module to document the impact of the change on the CO₂e balance.

“The CNC machine has fundamentally changed the way we work,” explains Pedro Baptista. “It allows us to develop customized solutions in small quantities, adapt the amount of material used to the respective requirements, and meet specific product requirements.”

The investment has made the Bosch Home Comfort Group less dependent on large orders, which previously meant that excess stock had to be stored for up to three years. Now it can produce exactly what is needed for each product, which can reduce excess stock and the material use associated with it. The CNC machine has also enabled Bosch to further improve the packaging of smaller parts in small quantities, such as spare parts and accessories. This flexibility has made it possible to respond to stakeholder feedback, taking into account product protection, material use, and cost-effectiveness together.