Gold for Wanzl and DACHSER
Retail Box wins German Packaging Award 2025
From idea to practical solution
The starting point was the search for an alternative to disposable packaging, the standard for shipping sensitive products such as jackets, suits and dresses. Perfect presentation is paramount, particularly for premium fashion labels. Until now, this has meant that retailers have had to unpack goods, iron them and hang them up, and then dispose of large quantities of packaging material. This all takes time and personnel, and costs money. DACHSER and Wanzl therefore developed the idea of a reusable, rolling solution for continuous transport of garments on hangers: the Retail Box. During the kick-off meeting at Wanzl in Leipheim, the partners discussed initial adaptations such as sheet metal cladding and clothes rails based on existing models. The partners then evaluated the entire material flow in a proof of concept. For this purpose, Wanzl produced two prototypes: one based on the Wanzl package roll cage, and a smaller version based on the RC/N3 model.
Start of production after successful test series
The sample containers underwent an intensive testing phase with fashion manufacturers and within the DACHSER network. The focus was on making optimal use of the space in both the roll cage and the truck, ensuring a smooth loading and unloading process and making the handling of the containers more efficient for employees. The roll cages were also subjected to a stress test involving kerbs, paving stones and lifts. The elastic tread castors and the practical folding function, which enables space-saving storage, proved their worth. Employees surveyed on site were also convinced by the easy handling, reduced effort and clear added value in day-to-day business. Following the successful practical tests, the two options were launched on the market: the larger Retail Box Classic, which has dimensions of 1,200 x 800 x 1,900 millimetres, a net weight of around 144 kilograms and maximum loading capacity of 500 kilograms, and the more compact Retail Box small, with dimensions of 600 x 800 x 1,900 millimetres, a net weight of around 70 kilograms and a maximum loading capacity of 400 kilograms. Both systems are fully closable, metal roll cages that can be unfolded and folded quickly and intuitively.
Efficiency, ergonomics and sustainability
The Retail Box reliably protects high-quality clothing from dust and the elements, while significantly reducing packaging waste. Using a Retail Box can save several tonnes of packaging material over its lifetime. Thanks to its design, clothing can be transported on hangers, eliminating the need for time-consuming unpacking, ironing and steaming. The goods are immediately ready for sale. This increases efficiency in the supply chain and improves the carbon footprint. Uwe Riechel, Department Head at DACHSER Fashion Logistics, comments: “With the Retail Box, we have created a solution that makes shop deliveries more efficient and sustainable. It combines logistical expertise with practical handling and significantly optimises retail logistics. We are very proud that it has now received the Gold Award of the German Packaging Award, confirming its high innovative value for our industry.” Jörg Gütermann, Key Account Manager for Material Handling at Wanzl and the project manager, confirms, “Winning the Gold Award of the German Packaging Award is a strong signal that the Retail Box is highly effective in practice. It shows how technical innovation and practicality can be ideally combined. In close cooperation with DACHSER, we developed a solution that is precisely tailored to the fashion industry's requirements, from production to the point of sale.”
Following its successful introduction in fashion logistics, the Retail Box also has potential applications in other sectors. Although it was originally developed as a reusable transport system for hanging fashion items, it is now also used to transport sensitive or valuable products in other sectors. The Retail Box is further proof of Wanzl's role as an innovation partner, providing efficient and sustainable transport and logistics solutions tailored to the needs of customers and industries.
