Packaging in DeLaval’s day-to-day business: between product, customer and responsibility

• DeLaval operates in milking technology and agricultural consumables. What role do packaging and its take-back play in your day-to-day business?

Konstantin Kirsch: “Packaging plays a role across all product areas. But it is particularly in consumables that the provision – and also the disposal – of packaging is becoming increasingly important. As a manufacturer, at DeLaval we also want to provide our customers with a practical and, as far as possible, sustainable recycling system.”

• Where do packaging flows typically arise in your products and solutions – and who is involved?

Konstantin Kirsch: “As most of our products are developed and manufactured in our own production facilities, packaging is an important topic for us as well. We pay particular attention to sourcing and material properties, as well as recycling and functioning material cycles.”

“Robust, safe and straightforward”: getting started with the RIGK-PICKUP system

• DeLaval has been working with the RIGK-PICKUP system since 2012 – what triggered the decision back then?

Konstantin Kirsch: “The decision to use the RIGK-PICKUP system was made before I joined DeLaval. From today’s perspective, the system provides us with a robust, safe and straightforward solution to reliably ensure that our product packaging is returned into the material cycle.”

• What challenges did you face previously when organising packaging take-back?

Konstantin Kirsch: “As I was not with the company at the time, I can only comment in general terms. Typically, the nationwide coverage of different agricultural service providers and the large number of regionally varying contractors are a challenge – and this can make it significantly harder to establish a reliable and consistent take-back system.”

How it works in practice: return via distributors, containers and collection

• How does take-back via the PICKUP system work in your day-to-day operations – from packaging through to collection from the customer?

Konstantin Kirsch: “Once the products have been used, the resulting packaging is returned via our DeLaval distributors. There, it is collected in containers provided by the PICKUP system’s recycling partners. As soon as a container is full, the distributor requests collection using a form; during collection, the full container is exchanged for an empty one.”

• Which types of packaging are particularly relevant for you?

Konstantin Kirsch: “Typically, it’s mainly plastic containers in 20, 25 and 60 litre sizes.”

• How do your customers experience the system – do you receive feedback?

Konstantin Kirsch: “Our DeLaval distributors using the RIGK-PICKUP system provide predominantly very positive feedback. Firstly, DeLaval relieves the trade by taking over the organisation of disposal and recycling – especially for packaging that falls into relevant hazardous substance classifications, this is a key advantage. Secondly, the good accessibility and the practical, solution-oriented support from the responsible RIGK contact person are explicitly highlighted.”

Added value that matters: implementing circularity in practice

• How does the PICKUP system support you in delivering your sustainability targets in concrete terms?

Konstantin Kirsch: “As a manufacturer, we want to offer our customers and distribution partners the simplest and most efficient way possible to return used packaging into the materials cycle. The PICKUP system helps us to organise take-back in a structured way and thereby support circular economy principles and responsible disposal in day-to-day operations – as an important contribution to sustainability and careful resource management.”

• Where do you see the biggest benefits – both organisationally and in terms of legal requirements?

Konstantin Kirsch: “From my point of view, a major benefit is how easy it is to reach RIGK and the pragmatic, uncomplicated approach to finding solutions. As packaging topics are often only one of many issues in day-to-day business, it also helps me to receive pointers on new or changed legal requirements when needed, and to discuss and interpret them directly with the responsible contacts.”

Challenges across the field: awareness, integration and use in agriculture

• Where do you see the biggest challenges in packaging take-back – especially in your environment?

Konstantin Kirsch: “Offering such a system is an important first step. In the agricultural environment, awareness of recycling and functioning material cycles still has room to improve in some areas. Accordingly, we see further potential particularly in rolling the system out and increasing its use across our agricultural service providers and customers.”

• Were there any hurdles when introducing or using the system?

Konstantin Kirsch: “One of the biggest hurdles in practice is often simply making the system known. Just as important is implementation on the ground with our agricultural service providers – especially how well the processes can be integrated into existing workflows.”

• What recommendations would you give to other companies looking at structured packaging take-back?

Konstantin Kirsch: “A system like this works best when it can be integrated into existing processes without complication. It’s also important that returns are organised in a way that is as simple and practical as possible for those who have to dispose of the packaging.”

Looking back: why packaging take-back is viewed differently today

• How has the topic of packaging take-back developed in your view over recent years?

Konstantin Kirsch: “In my view, packaging take-back has become significantly more important in recent years and has moved further into focus for consumers. This development is increasingly supported by the broader sustainability mindset and corresponding expectations of companies.”

• Which changes or advances have you noticed most?

Konstantin Kirsch: “In the agricultural environment, it is increasingly visible which farms and distributors want to position themselves in a future-proof way. This includes – among other factors – engaging more with waste management, disposal and recycling. These businesses approach sustainability in a more structured way overall and try to leave as little as possible to chance.”

Looking ahead: standards, transparency and more efficient recovery

• What role will the take-back and recovery of packaging play for companies like yours in the coming years?

Konstantin Kirsch: “Take-back and recovery of packaging are likely to continue growing in importance over the coming years – not least due to legislative requirements. At the same time, the topic will become increasingly relevant in the context of sustainability and resource management. DeLaval will therefore continue to keep a clear focus on maintaining suitable take-back and recovery solutions and, where necessary, further developing them.”

• Which developments – regulatory or technological – do you consider particularly relevant?

Konstantin Kirsch: “Regulatorily, more consistent standards across all markets and more transparency in supply and disposal chains would be particularly relevant. That would make services more traceable and strengthen customer trust.
Technologically, further processes would be helpful that remain practical even at larger volumes and make recovery even more efficient. For some materials and material streams, there is still potential to keep them within the recycling loop to a greater extent.”

A personal closing: motivation — and a wish for the sector

• What personally motivates you to engage with topics such as packaging, take-back and circular economy

Konstantin Kirsch: “DeLaval pursues the vision ‘We make sustainable food production possible’. We use this as guidance in many areas so that milk producers can achieve more with less effort. We develop durable products; precise, digital herd management systems and suitable advisory services that support daily operations on farms. Responsible interaction with the environment is part of that for us.
At the same time, the use of packaging cannot be fully avoided for certain products in day-to-day agricultural practice. That makes it all the more important to take responsibility and offer practical take-back and recycling routes. What particularly motivates me is the idea that sustainability will only progress realistically if not only customers are held accountable, but also the companies that place packaging on the market. Accordingly, we want to do our part and actively help shape material cycles.”

• If you had one wish for the future of the sector: what would need to change for the circular economy to work even better?

Konstantin Kirsch: “For the circular economy to work noticeably better, it takes more than appeals to consumers. It would be important for manufacturers to be more strongly included in the responsibility — but within a fair framework: sustainable action should also make economic sense, and environmentally harmful behaviour should be consistently addressed, for example through suitable requirements or sanctions.”