Georgia-Pacific Extends Packaging Systems Optimization Program

ATLANTA, Ga.—Georgia-Pacific announced that it is extending its Packaging Systems Optimization (PSO) service program to non-customers. The PSO program is designed to help companies achieve greater profitability and sustainability by identifying packaging supply chain inefficiencies.

Georgia-Pacific has identified more than $180 million in annual savings for customers since 2002. The newly announced service extension will enable eligibility of non-customers to engage in PSO assessments to gain greater insight into how to optimize packaging supply chains.

“The PSO service extension is a direct response to increased demand from companies interested in learning more about how to achieve greater sustainability, as well as cost savings,” says Brian Reilly, senior director, Innovation Institute at Georgia-Pacific. “We are proud of the program results thus far and look forward to helping the extended packaging community benefit from its successes. In the long term, it’s really about extending our knowledge and showing companies that profitability and sustainability are not mutually exclusive.”

The PSO program identifies distinct opportunities for packaging supply chain cost savings and how even the smallest changes can generate significant results. Additionally, as Georgia-Pacific has been a part of Wal-Mart’s Packaging Sustainability Value Network (SVN) since its inception, PSO can support packaging scorecard goals.

“Companies should not wait until 2012 to achieve sustainability and profitability goals,” explains Reilly. “PSO can help drive results now to meet both internal and external packaging demands.”

Georgia-Pacific’s Packaging Systems Optimization (PSO™) program comprises a rigorous, five-step process, wherein a team of packaging engineers analyze a company’s entire packaging supply chain, focusing on areas including package design, material optimization, shelf impact and SKU consolidation, as well as line productivity, material handling and distribution. After three weeks, the PSO team delivers a detailed report which clearly outlines areas where cost-savings, profitability and sustainability can be mutually achieved.