New carton concepts aim to improve flower quality and freight efficiency

At this year’s IFTEX, Cargolite will exhibit together with Afrex 2003 Pty Ltd, presenting a range of developments focused on improving flower transport efficiency, ventilation, and reducing handling damages. According to John Kowarsky, the company’s recent innovations are largely driven by rising freight costs and the need for more efficient logistics.

“One of the biggest challenges today is space,” John says. “Air freight prices are going up, so everybody needs to become more efficient.”

Cartons for plant cuttings
“The problem with cuttings is logistic damage and overheating,” Amnon Zamir explains. “We tried to develop a carton with better ventilation and better protection. We think it improves quality and efficiency and allows more cuttings to be packed in the same space.”

As a result, a major recent development is a new carton designed specifically for rooted and unrooted plant cuttings. Amnon compares the concept to drawers of a cupboard, explaining that the internal structure allows growers to handle cuttings more carefully while improving airflow throughout the shipment.

The cartons are currently being used by several nurseries in Kenya, with encouraging feedback from growers.

© Cargolite
Cutting carton

Modular XL carton system
Cargolite is also continuing the expansion of its XL carton range, available in full, half, and quarter sizes. The modular system allows different carton sizes to fit efficiently together during transport.

“Three halves fit into a master, or six quarters,” John explains. “It’s a schematic way of working to use space as efficiently as possible.”

According to him, around half of the cartons currently shipped from farms working with Cargolite in Kenya are now XL cartons, particularly amongst growers supplying supermarkets.

The company’s older CL carton system, recognizable by its black plastic frame, is still appreciated by some customers for its ventilation performance. However, several British customers requested alternatives due to regulations and sustainability concerns surrounding plastic use. And the already recycled plastic frames, that are produced in Kenya, are sold again to recycling companies, producing other products in Europe.

“Some customers still see the CL as the best box because of ventilation and flower quality,” says John. “But over the last few years we moved more towards the XL system.”

Sea freight carton developments
Cargolite has also developed a sea freight carton with integrated internal support designed to withstand up to four weeks in transit. While sea freight for flowers remains limited at the moment, the company sees long-term potential.

“The framework is embedded into the carton itself,” Amnon (R&D Manager) explains. “There are no separate parts, and it can support itself during sea transport.”

Slim Skid system
Another recent development is the Slim Skid system, designed to reduce handling and increase pallet capacity. The concept allows growers to export skidded pallets without shipping the pallet itself.

“Our concept is that the product is handled only once at the farm,” says John. “From there it is moved by forklift instead of handling cartons one by one, which causes damage.”

By removing the pallet from the shipment itself, the company estimates growers can increase pallet capacity by approximately 10 percent.

“That can mean another three half-cartons per pallet,” he says. “If you can add another 10 percent onto a pallet, it decreases logistics costs significantly.”

Trials are currently underway in the UK in cooperation with logistics partners.

Innovent: reducing weight and labor
Cargolite is also introducing Innovent, a lightweight pallet stabilization solution intended to replace traditional pallet corners. The system uses a strong ventilated nylon wrapping material that reduces weight while maintaining airflow.

“Corners can add four to five kilos,” Martin Kabaka (Sale & Operations Manager in Kenya) explains. “We are trying to create something lighter and more efficient, with less work for the farm.”

The system can be applied manually or automatically, and the company recently invested in wrapping machinery to further automate the process.

Afrex expands logistics and consolidation services
Alongside Cargolite, Afrex 2003 continues to expand its activities in flowers and perishables logistics. The company exports cut flowers from both Kenya and South Africa, focusing mainly on supermarket and bouquet supply programs.

“We buy, contract grow and sell, but we also provide logistics services,” John says. “Efficient consolidation is very important today because air freight is expensive.”

Afrex operates offices at the airports in Nairobi, Cape Town, and Johannesburg, where the company offers consolidation, purchasing, and quality control services.

“A lot of product is offloaded because of weight constraints and lack of space,” John explains. “Because we have offices at the airports, we can help customers with inspections and logistics support.”

The company also offers quarter and half-carton solutions for customers looking for greater packing flexibility in shipments.

Cargolite and Afrex will exhibit at IFTEX 2026 (June 2-4) in Kenya. The team welcomes you to visit at stand G3.21.

For more information:
Afrex
[email protected]
https://www.afrex2003.com/