Product packaging for multifunction products and printers wins the WORLDSTAR 2025

Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.(President:Hironori Ando) is pleased to announce that its product packaging for multifunction products(MFPs) and printers won the "WORLDSTAR 2025" award at the WORLDSTAR GLOBAL PACKAGING AWARDS^*1 organized by the World Packaging Organization^*2.

The WORLDSTAR GLOBAL PACKAGING AWARDS is a contest sponsored by the World Packaging Organization, an international organization in the packaging field, who awards packages evaluated to be of high technology and outstanding design. Packages that have won awards in packaging contests around the world are eligible to enter these awards and then are judged based on various criteria and and selected to receive this prestigious award.

The manufacturing industry is faced with the challenges of reducing CO2 emissions from the product design stage to waste disposal, as well as countermeasures against declining stability of supply due to soaring raw material prices, and automation of production. Joint parts used to secure the opening and closing parts of corrugated boxes used to transport products have not been developed for many years, although there is room for improvement in terms of manufacturing automation, material usage, and transportation efficiency.

Therefore, we have developed a joint part called “Karu Garu^*3 Joint” that solves these problems by taking advantage of our in-house MFPs and printer parts design technology.

The award-winning “Karugaru Joint” contributed to efficiency in the packaging field by solving four issues: (1) reducing the force required for removal by allowing anyone to understand how to remove the joint, (2) reducing the space required for transport loading (67% less than conventional products), (3) supporting automation in assembly, and (4) reducing CO2 emissions in production and logistics.

• *1An international packaging award organized by the World Packaging Organization since 1970.
• *2The Japan Packaging Institute was founded on September 6, 1968 in Tokyo as a non-profit international non-governmental organization by packaging leaders from around the world, including the Japan Packaging Institute. It is an international federation of national representative packaging associations, regional packaging federations, and other related organizations including individuals, corporations, and trade associations.
• *3”Karu Garu” in Japanese means light and easy.

■World Packaging Organisation
https://worldstar.org/winners_detail/4416/2025/

■Solving Four Challenges! "Karu Garu Joints"

(1) Everyone understands how to remove it, reducing the force required for removal

The newly adopted joint parts are shaped for easy and understandable removal. Furthermore, a new mechanism has been adopted that maintains the lock function and allows the lock to be released with light force.

(2) Reduced transport loading space (67% less than before)

By making the joint parts stackable, it is possible to pack a large number of joint parts into a shipping box, eliminating wasted space and greatly improving shipping efficiency. This has greatly improved transportation efficiency, and has also greatly contributed to the reduction of CO2 emissions during transportation.

(3) Supports assembly automation

Joint parts can now be delivered to the factory stacked on top of each other, making it easier to remove parts. This allows assembly to be automated.

(4) Reduce CO2 emissions from production and logistics

Through strength simulation design, we reviewed the shape of the product to reduce the amount of material used while maintaining the conventional strength. In addition, the use of recycled plastic materials has reduced CO2 emissions.

• *This news release is current, as of the date of publication.