Method of maximizing shipping efficiency of absorbent articles
A shipping optimization process for articles having a substantially airfelt free absorbent core is provided. The process includes the steps of identifying an optimized diaper; identifying an optimized bag for holding two or more optimized diapers; identifying an optimized box for holding two or more optimized bags; identifying an optimized pallet and arranging the optimized boxes thereon; and identifying an optimized load plan for a vehicle and arranging the optimized pallets therein. The vehicle has a calculated Load Factor of from about 0.7 to about 1.0 when the vehicle is loaded with the optimized pallets.
1. A shipping optimization process for absorbent articles comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying a semi-trailer in which the absorbent articles are to be shipped;
(b) obtaining a legal semi-trailer weight limit of the semi-trailer (W 1 );
(c) estimating a weight of the semi-trailer load to be shipped (W 2 );
(d) obtaining a volume capacity of the semi-trailer (V 1 );
(e) estimating a volume of the semi-trailer load to be shipped (V 2 );
(f) using the following formula to calculate a Load Factor of the semi-trailer:
Load Factor=( W 2 /W 1 )/( V 2 /V 1 ); and
(g) loading the semi-trailer with absorbent articles such that the Load Factor of the semi-trailer calculated in step (f) is achieved;
wherein the absorbent articles have a substantially airfelt free absorbent core.
2. The process according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of adjusting W 1 , V 1 , or both, until the Load Factor is from about 0.7 to about 1.0.
3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein W 1 , V 1 , or both, are adjusted until the Load Factor is from about 0.75 to about 1.0.
4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein W 1 , V 1 , or both, are adjusted until the Load Factor is from about 0.81 to about 0.95.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have an In-Bag Stack Height of less than or equal to about 80 mm.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have an In-Bag Stack Height from about 72 mm to about 80 mm.
7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have an In-Bag Compression of greater than or equal to about 58%.
8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have an In-Bag Compression from about 58% to about 62%.
9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have a longitudinal bending stiffness of less than or equal to about 355 N/m.
10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have a longitudinal bending stiffness from about 285 N/m to about 355 N/m.
11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have a bag utilization factor of less than or equal to about 0.030 m 2 /pad/m.
12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are packaged in a plurality of packages such that the absorbent articles have a bag utilization factor from about 0.027 m 2 /pad/m to about 0.030 m 2 /pad/m.
13. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are placed on pallets prior to being loaded into the semi-trailer.
14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the absorbent articles are selected from the group consisting of diapers, training pants, and adult incontinence undergarments.
15. The process according to claim 14 , wherein the absorbent articles are diapers.
16. A shipping optimization process for absorbent articles comprising the steps of:
(a) identifying a plurality of pallets on which the absorbent articles are to be shipped;
(b) identifying a semi-trailer in which the pallets are to be shipped;
(c) obtaining a legal semi-trailer weight limit of the semi-trailer (W 1 );
(d) estimating a weight of the semi-trailer load to be shipped (W 2 );
(e) obtaining a volume capacity of the semi-trailer (V 1 );
(f) estimating a volume of the semi-trailer load to be shipped (V 2 );
(g) using the following formula to calculate a Load Factor of the semi-trailer:
Load Factor=( W 2 /W 1 )/( V 2 /V 1 ); and
(h) loading the plurality of pallets with absorbent articles such that the Load Factor of the semi-trailer calculated in step (g) is achieved;
(i) loading the plurality of pallets into the semi-trailer;
wherein the absorbent articles have a substantially airfelt free absorbent core.
17. The process according to claim 16 , further comprising the step of adjusting W 1 , V 1 , or both, until the Load Factor is from about 0.7 to about 1.0.
18. The process according to claim 17 , wherein W 1 , V 1 , or both, are adjusted until the Load Factor is from about 0.75 to about 1.0.
19. The process according to claim 18 , wherein W 1 , V 1 , or both, are adjusted until the Load Factor is from about 0.81 to about 0.95.
20. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the absorbent articles are selected from the group consisting of diapers, training pants, and adult incontinence undergarments.
21. The process according to claim 20 , wherein the absorbent articles are diapers.