Part of Australia’s largest and oldest farmer-owned dairy cooperative, Norco AgriSolutions creates a broad range of stock feeds for Aussie farms. The thriving business has served customers since 1948 and is strongly committed to both local sourcing and environmental sustainability.
Working directly with farmers they aim to create “a full circle of support” – Australian product, grown by Australian farmers, for Australian animals. This approach not only guarantees the highest standards of quality but also minimises the environmental footprint associated with transportation.
Like many sectors, the farming community is increasingly interested in waste minimisation. So, with an ear to the feedback coming through, Norco contacted Smart Pack to specify a plastic sack with improved recyclability values. But after a detailed walkthrough of Norco’s systems, there was a better option on the table.
For years Norco had packaged their stock feed in polypropylene-based (PP) bags, standard practice for the industry given PP’s reputation as a durable material.
According to research by the Australian Packaging Covenant (APCO), who are driving the change towards a circular economy for packaging, PP is the third most used plastic in packaging in Australia. However it has very low rates of reuse and recovery. Just 11% was recycled in 2017/2018, and a goal of 70% was set for 2025.
By encouraging companies like Norco, APCO has been advocating for switches to more recyclable plastics that help retain the value of packaging materials within the local economy.
This was where our Smart Pack team came into the picture.
With a brief from Norco to present some alternatives for their PP sacks, Smart Pack offered an option that went one better than the PP standard.
After a careful R&D process the team found that Norco could use paper sacks, setting them apart from other Queensland stock feed manufacturers.
Making the switch to 100% biodegradable multi-wall paper bags would take PP material completely out of the wastestream. And durability could be assured with Smart Pack’s expertly scoped design and high quality construction. Smart Pack’s sacks would be strong enough to secure the product as it journeyed from Norco’s packing line to its final destination on the farm.
“Smart Pack came in and ran trials... that changed everyone’s perspective pretty quickly.”
This was a packaging approach that hadn’t even been broached by other suppliers to Norco – and it wasn’t without its sceptics.
“Initially everyone’s thoughts of stock feed in paper bags was that it wasn’t a good idea,” explains Luke Shingles, site manager of Norco Stockfeeds in Lismore, NSW.
There were concerns about the durability of paper bags and how the lighter material would perform on the automated bagging machinery and palletising system.
“We did some work with Smart Pack and they came in and ran trials,” says Luke. “That changed everyone’s perspective pretty quickly.”
Norco’s customers have since shared their approval too, pleased to be able to reduce plastic waste.
A big part of the appeal for the new paper construction is in the adaptability of post-use life. Once they’ve served their initial purpose, the bags can easily be reused around the farm, recycled or added to compost heaps. Some even report using the bags as bedding material in the garden.
Getting the new packaging across the line required far more than simple strength testing – the new bags needed to both fit in and stand out.
The bags were designed to fit the existing auto-bagging machinery, eliminating the need for any potentially expensive machinery upgrades. Something that did need an upgrade was the visual appearance.
Norco was in the midst of a brand refresh and their extensive product range needed better differentiation.
Norco’s design team used Smart Pack’s support to create a solution that reflected Norco’s new brand and made the best use of the size and shape of the bags.
Smart Pack’s designers suggested a bolder palette of colourways to unite the products in each segment. This approach resulted in clearly branded bags with strong colour coding, making it quicker and easier for customers to find what they want in-store.
“Working with Smart Pack’s design team has really given us that punch in the market when sending our 20kg bags to stores,” says Luke.
“It’s been great working with Leon and Hugo, not just logistically – getting our forecast needs right – but also on the floor,” he says.
The new-design paper bags have made a splash in the market too.
As one of the first stock feed companies in Queensland to switch to paper bags, Norco stands out as a forward-thinking company with a continued commitment to sustainability. With a willingness to change (and trust in the Smart Pack team) they continue to lead the way in Australian stock feed packaging.
