After the flow analysis and the choice of the solution, the pilot project makes it possible to check in the field whether the reusable system really works.
The transition to reusable packaging is attracting more and more interest among companies. Waste reduction, better control of flows, response to customer expectations, anticipation of regulatory changes: the motivations are numerous.
But between intention and large-scale deployment, one step is essential: the pilot project.
At Loopipak, support toward reusable packaging is structured around three main phases: analyze, test, deploy. After identifying the priority flow and defining the most suitable packaging, phase 2 consists of testing the system in real-life conditions.
This is the moment when one leaves hypotheses behind to observe what really works in the field.
The pilot makes it possible to transform an intuition into a decision based on concrete data. It helps reduce risks, identify the necessary adjustments and secure the choices before committing to a broader deployment.
Testing a system, not only packaging
When talking about reusable packaging, attention often focuses on the object itself: its strength, its format, its material, its ergonomics or its potential lifespan.
These elements are important, but they are not enough.
Reusable packaging must circulate. It must be integrated into existing flows, used by teams, returned at the right time, checked, put back into circulation and monitored over time.
Its performance therefore depends as much on the organization as on its design.
This is precisely what the pilot project makes it possible to evaluate. It is not only a matter of checking whether the packaging holds up, but of understanding how it fits into the company’s day-to-day operations: preparation, delivery, return, storage, possible washing, reassignment, communication with teams or customers.
This overall vision is at the heart of the Loopipak approach. We help companies test a complete system, not only a product.
What happens during a pilot project
A pilot project consists of testing the reusable solution within a defined scope, with real teams, real flows and real operational constraints.
The pilot may concern a specific flow, a type of customer, a geographical area, a product category or a priority logistics loop.
The objective is simple: obtain reliable learnings without immediately mobilizing the entire organization.
During this phase, Loopipak helps the company structure the test, clarify the objectives, monitor usage and collect useful information.
The teams observe how the packaging is used, how it comes back, where friction points appear and which adaptations can facilitate its adoption.
The pilot also makes it possible to involve operational employees from the start. This is a key success factor. The people who prepare, transport, receive or handle the packaging are often best placed to identify what works, what slows down the flow or what needs to be simplified.
This phase therefore gives a central place to observation, listening and adjustment.
3 essential validations: operational, economic and environmental
To be relevant, a reusable system must be validated from three angles: operational, economic and environmental. During this phase, Loopipak provides decision-support tools, such as a profitability study and an LCA, in order to objectify the results of the pilot. Phase 2 is offered as a structured pilot project, generally estimated at 10 to 15 hours of support, with an indicative budget of €2,000, excluding production of the packaging. It makes it possible to test the solution in real-life conditions, analyze rotations, evaluate the cost per use and compare the environmental impact thanks to an LCA.
1. Operational validation
The first question is simple: does the system work in the reality of the flows?
The pilot makes it possible to evaluate the integration of the reusable packaging into existing processes.
Is it easy to handle? Does it fit into the preparation, transport and return stages? Do the teams understand how it works? Do the packages come back in good condition? Is it necessary to adjust the format, the closure, the storage or the organization?
This validation is essential. A system that is too complex or poorly integrated will have little chance of being adopted sustainably.
Reusable packaging must fit into existing practices with as little friction as possible.
2. Economic validation
The second question concerns the economic viability of the system.
Reusable packaging is not analyzed only at the time of purchase. It must be evaluated across all its uses.
The pilot makes it possible to monitor concrete indicators: return rate, number of rotations, possible losses, logistical needs, handling time, cost per use.
Based on these data, Loopipak can provide a profitability study to evaluate the conditions under which the model becomes relevant. This analysis makes it possible to compare a single-purchase logic with a use-over-time logic, taking into account the cost per rotation, the return rate, the estimated lifespan and the avoided costs linked to disposable packaging.
The challenge is not to promise a standard result, but to build a realistic analysis, specific to the tested flow and to the company’s context.
3. Environmental validation
The third question concerns the environmental impact.
Reusable packaging aims to reduce single-use packaging, but its impact depends on several parameters: packaging lifespan, number of rotations, distances traveled, return organization, possible cleaning, losses or effective reuse rate.
The pilot makes it possible to collect concrete data to estimate the environmental benefits in a real context.
Loopipak can also provide an LCA, in order to compare the environmental impact of the reusable solution with that of the replaced disposable packaging. This analysis makes it possible to objectify the potential gains and identify the necessary conditions to strengthen the positive impact of the system.
It is therefore not only a matter of stating that reusable packaging is more virtuous, but of checking under which conditions it really is.
Securing the decision before deploying
One of the great advantages of the pilot project is that it makes it possible to decide with greater confidence.
At the end of the test, the company has tangible elements to choose what comes next:
- deploy, if the pilot confirms the relevance of the system ;
- adjust, if certain parameters need to be improved ;
- stop, if the tested flow is not suitable or if the conditions are not met.
In all cases, the pilot creates value.
Even when it reveals limitations, it avoids a premature, costly or poorly accepted deployment. It transforms uncertainty into learning and gives decision-makers a solid basis for moving forward.
Loopipak’s role: supporting with method and pragmatism
Setting up a reusable system requires coordinating several dimensions: choice of packaging, organization of the return, involvement of the teams, monitoring of rotations, economic analysis and environmental assessment.
Loopipak supports companies through this complexity without making it heavier.
Our role is to help structure the pilot, observe usage, analyze the results and formulate concrete recommendations.
This approach is based on a strong conviction: reusable packaging cannot simply be decreed; it must be built. It must be adapted to the flows, operational constraints and user expectations.
By combining product expertise, logistical understanding and a field-based approach, Loopipak helps companies move forward with method, pragmatism and confidence.
From test to transformation
The pilot project is much more than a one-off experiment. It is a key step for learning, measuring and deciding.
It makes it possible to test a complete system before extending it, reduce risks and involve teams in the success of the change.
For companies that wish to move to reusable packaging, this phase is often the moment when the project becomes concrete. The hypotheses are confronted with the field, usage reveals the right adjustments and the data make it possible to choose what comes next with discernment.
Have you identified a flow on which reusable packaging could create value? Loopipak supports you in testing your solution in real-life conditions, analyzing the results and preparing the right decision for what comes next.
Ready to put reusable solutions to the test in the field?
Let’s work together to develop a clear, measurable pilot scheme tailored to your operations.
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+32 470/876.641
Loopipak Support — Step 3: testing the model with a profitable pilot project