JCB Service think inside the box

JCB Service have strengthened their commitment to the environment with the launch of the ‘Bag in Box’ –– a new packaging system for the company’s own-brand engine, hydraulic and transmission oils –– which is said to be 84% more environmentally friendly and delivers a number of other cost and performance benefits to the quarrying sector.

Bag in Box (BiB) packaging consists of a rigid outer cardboard box and an inner plastic bag that contains the lubricant. The system is to be used on all JCB 5-litre and 20-litre lubricant product ranges from December 2008, with the new 20-litre box option replacing the previous 25-litre plastic drum. As with JCB’s existing lubricant products, the universal oils are compatible with both JCB and competitive plant and equipment.

Introduced as part of JCB’s drive towards greener production methods, the outer cardboard box is made from 96% recycled cardboard and incorporates a weather-proof film on the outer surface, allowing it to retain its strength even when exposed to the elements. Despite the film, the cardboard is 98% recyclable.

The inner plastic bag is the only portion which has to be disposed of as contaminated waste, but as the plastic content has been reduced by 84% and can be squashed down to the size of a grapefruit, it significantly reduces the costs associated with plastic drum disposal.

Guy Robinson, JCB director and general manager of World Parts Centre, said: ‘The new Bag in Box packaging produces roughly one sixth of the plastic waste of existing methods of lubricant distribution. Given the stringent regulations governing the disposal of hazardous waste, this achieves a major reduction in costs for JCB’s end-user customers.

‘When you consider that JCB currently already sell approximately 8 million litres of lubricant each year, the cumulative environmental savings will be dramatic.’

Use of the product is simple: perforations in the top of the box are pushed in, the valve is pulled through and located into position and the box is then ready to pour. In addition, the nature of the inner bag, compared with a rigid plastic drum, permits smoother and quicker pouring with no ‘glugging’ effect or spillage.

The launch of BiB coincides with a move from 25-litre to 20-litre units for JCB lubricants, resulting in a lighter box size which, when combined with the built-in handle, results in safer and easier manual handling.