Case study · Husqvarna
Close development work led to a wooden solution for chainsaw chains, assembled without tools, delivered in flat packs and designed for transport to the USA.
The project
When Husqvarna needed a new packaging solution for chainsaw chains in 2020, it turned to GLF. The cooperation built on earlier development of custom pallets and wooden racks for ride-on mowers.
The solution wound the chainsaw chains onto wooden drums. Samples were sent to the factory in the USA for testing in the process where they would be used.
How the cooperation began
The cooperation began when Stora Enso contacted GLF on Husqvarna's behalf. The initial brief was for custom pallets for ride-on mowers. This developed into folding wooden packaging with stretch film that replaced the previous cardboard solution.
We went up to Husqvarna and stood by the production line to see how they packed the products.
Per-Ola Hoff, GLF, on the start of the cooperation
Visits to the packing line helped GLF understand the handling process and the improvements needed.
The development process
The chainsaw-chain solution developed through dialogue, drawings, physical samples and documented testing. Husqvarna's development and purchasing teams and factories worked alongside GLF's sales, product development and production teams.
Questions about assembly, storage, volumes and the possibility of returns established the requirements for the solution. GLF also assessed whether its experience, materials, subcontractors and manufacturing capacity suited the project. The customer's purchasing department was involved early, and a price ceiling was set to keep the solution within budget. The development had to work both technically and financially.
GLF developed a cardboard-based option and a wood-based option. The wooden proposal built on an earlier design for plastic hoses and was adapted to Husqvarna's needs. GLF made prototypes of both proposals so that Husqvarna could examine and test them physically. The selected wooden solution could be assembled and dismantled without tools or glue and delivered in flat packs.
The exact dimensions were agreed after joint reviews. New prototypes were delivered for testing in the intended machine.
A trial series of 100 units was followed by packing tests. Feedback was collected from GLF, Husqvarna's factories in Sweden and the USA, and the transport providers. Among the changes, the number of plywood parts increased from four to five. The parties also reviewed the manufacturing location, packing method and timber quality. The design underwent compression, impact and drop tests at an external test facility.
After the tests were approved, the first production batches were delivered for trials. Before agreeing the contract and continuing production, the parties reviewed drawings and documentation on material content, any hazardous substances, manufacturers, manufacturing locations and the origin of the raw materials. PPAP, the Production Part Approval Process, formed part of the approval to ensure that production parts met the agreed drawings and specifications.
Materials and transport
The earlier European flow used a reusable plastic reel. For the USA flow, return transport across the Atlantic was considered unsuitable on both economic and environmental grounds.
GLF's wooden proposal could be delivered in flat packs and assembled on site without tools or glue. The design was developed with assembly, storage and transport in mind.
Feedback from factories and transport providers was used to adjust the solution. The review included stacking, load securing and weight.
Read about materials and sustainability workThe result for the chainsaw chains
Test records, drawing reviews and production checks gave the parties a shared understanding of materials, dimensions, manufacturing and performance. In April 2021, Husqvarna placed its first regular order for 5,000 units of the chainsaw-chain solution.
The cooperation is built on Husqvarna and GLF treating each other as development partners. The customer's requirements and experience meet GLF's design and production expertise, and feedback informs further development of the solution.
Developing together
When we understand your product, packing and transport as a whole, we can develop a proposal for the entire process, from the first sketch to a trial series and production.
Would you like to discuss development directly? Contact our customer service team and we will put you in touch with the right person.
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