UPS and Sealed Air Corporation announced a strategic partnership to help retailers, e-tailers, and businesses around the world maximize the efficiency of their packaging operations, minimize packaging waste, and reduce annual shipping costs.

“Our partnership with Sealed Air provides a powerful suite of products and services to businesses operating in the booming e-commerce arena, which is expected to grow at three times the rate of GDP,” said Alan Gershenhorn, Chief Commercial Officer, UPS. “We are focused on providing the tools, products and services that our business customers need to efficiently, cost-effectively, and sustainably drive their operations forward, while at the same time, continuing to provide convenience, choice, and control to consumers.”

UPS and Sealed Air have long been united in their missions to enable efficient on-time delivery and returns, provide maximum protection against damage, reduce waste, and lower shipping costs. Previous years of collaboration between both companies have led to this next logical step of expansion with the introduction of several new offerings.

As part of the partnership, UPS customers gain access to additional package engineering expertise and services through Sealed Air’s Packaging Application Centers, which provide design, testing, and packaging performance analysis for customers from 27 global locations.

Additionally, Sealed Air will participate in the UPS Customer Technology Program, providing packaging systems and materials. CTP is a customer loyalty program that connects small to medium-sized businesses with best-in-class vendors of hardware, software, peripherals – and now packaging – to help them gain efficiencies across their business and enable growth.

“E-commerce is perhaps the most important consumer goods revolution of the last 15 years and companies like UPS and Sealed Air have transformed themselves to serve it,” said Jerome A. Peribere, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sealed Air.  

Peribere continued, “As industries continually strive for increased efficiency and consumer satisfaction, we have the distinct ability to make an impact: on the environment through the elimination of damage and void waste, on cost efficiency by optimizing package dimension, and on customers through an enhanced at-home experience.”

According to eMarketer, worldwide retail e-commerce sales will reach $1.915 trillion this year and double-digit growth will continue through 2020 when sales are projected to top $4 trillion. This tremendous growth rate highlights the need for holistic packaging and logistics solutions that enable e-commerce success.

Starting in early 2017, customers will be able to experience the new packaging solutions and tour a special Sealed Air showroom at the UPS Supply Chain Solutions facility in Louisville, Kentucky.