Ericsson, based in Stockholm, partnered with Deutsche Telekom and Swisscom to develop a new packaging material which is fully recyclable and reduces the total plastic content from 20% to less than 1%.

After initial tests of the packaging solutions with their partners, Ericsson developed a sustainable packaging solution for shipping Ericsson Remote Radio products. The company transitioned from oil-based plastics to wood-fibre materials for packaging materials. The company also added an anti-abrasion coating on the wood-fibre which added the benefit of being able to remove the plastic bag which is normally used to protect the product surface.

Ericsson worked with two suppliers; Nefab, DS Smith and created two designs that incorporate the new material, whilst maintaining the necessary structural integrity in order to protect the product.

The aim for Ericsson and partners is to be able to use this new packaging material for a range of their products and through this, to be able to reduce environmental impact, securing efficiency in production, logistics and disposal, eliminating the risk of contributing to the plastic pollution in the ocean. This follows Ericsson’s plan to halve their emissions by 2030 and follow Ericsson’s sustainability strategy and reach Net-Zero by 2040.