New Transport Solution for LEDs Reduces CO₂ Emissions by 80 Percent
ams OSRAM and the Zumtobel Group have jointly developed an alternative to the plastic reels used to transport LED strips and components. The paper reel significantly improves the environmental footprint: with more than a third less weight and more than three quarters less CO₂ emissions. The new reel does not cause any additional costs. This marks an important milestone toward sustainable supply chains in the electronics industry.
Paper has several advantages over plastic: A plastic reel weighs 217 grams, the paper reel only 140 grams — a reduction of around 35 percent. The raw material extraction, production and disposal of a plastic reel cause around 1.075 kilograms of CO₂ equivalent emissions¹, while the paper reel only generates 203 grams — a decrease of around 80 percent. In some regions, there are even fees for plastic disposal, whereas paper is more recyclable and biodegradable.
In concrete terms: If ams OSRAM were to replace more than half a million plastic reels with paper reels each year, 108 tons of plastic and 436 tons of CO₂ emissions could be saved. At the same time, the transport weight would be reduced by 38.5 tons per year. The use of paper therefore not only saves transport costs and waste, but also reduces CO₂ emissions along the entire supply chain — from production to disposal.
Sustainability meets industrial suitability
The stability, handling, and cleanliness of the paper reel meet the strict requirements of LED manufacturing and product safety. In extensive tests, ams OSRAM and the Zumtobel Group were able to prove that paper reels show performance characteristics comparable to those of plastic reels. The paper solution also delivered strong performance on the industry-standard SMT line, the highly automated production line for placing electronic components onto printed circuit boards, maintaining the same efficiency and shape. Particle safety was also confirmed and meets the strict requirements of the clean room. In addition, the paper reel is designed to hold the same number of components as its plastic counterpart.