As shippers and logistics handlers continue to struggle with supply chain delays, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America is introducing the RP System® to protect products from moisture and oxygen damage that can occur during shipping and long-term storage. Manufactured in Japan and introduced for the first time to North America, the RP System is a unique packaging innovation that protects metals from corroding, retains long-term efficacy of agricultural products, as well as protecting parts from other forms of oxygen- or moisture-based degradation.
The RP System is the only product on the market that not only combines protection from both oxygen and moisture, but also effectively allows parts to be stored for years in pristine condition. At a time when industries worldwide face a supply chain crisis, the RP System offers manufacturers, suppliers and OEM’s significant cost-savings through manufacturing flexibility, product protection, and enhanced brand integrity.
The RP System works by placing target items that are being shipped or stored into a gas barrier bag that withstands oxygen and moisture penetration. A customized RP agent composed of oxygen- and moisture-absorbing compounds is inserted into the bag. An oxygen indicator can also be included to enable instant verification of oxygen levels. The bag is then hermetically sealed to create an environment in which oxygen and moisture are virtually eliminated, in some cases for up to 10 years of storage.
Mitsubishi can customize the specific RP agent required depending on the item being stored. For example, metals require an agent that incorporates robust moisture “scavengers” to ensure an environment that is completely moisture-free, whereas paper-based products require a “moisture neutral” environment.
Electronic circuit boards, automotive parts, raw metals, agricultural items, and numerous other industrial products can deteriorate during transport and long-term storage, and this problem has recently been exacerbated by supply chain logjams that have affected global shipping. The RP System is uniquely designed to keep products in the same condition from the time of their manufacture, enabling them to be used months or even years in the future without any degradation in quality or performance.
Since the RP System is designed for long-term preservation, the technology provides manufacturers with unique cost-savings. For example, suppliers can store parts for later use, making it possible to stock items and do fewer production runs. This reduces pressure on suppliers who must contend with extended shipping delays and labor shortages currently affecting the global supply chain. Enabling parts to arrive in mint condition, such as automotive parts that are corrosion-free, eliminates time and effort in cleaning or reworking items, resulting in fewer returns, and enhancing brand integrity and overall customer satisfaction.
“The timing could not be better for introducing the RP System to the North American marketplace,” said Sean Heal, Sales and Marketing General Manager at Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America. “Keeping products safe at a time of extended shipping delays is more important than ever before, and the RP System offers additional manufacturing benefits and cost-savings because of the long-term protection it provides for storing all types of products in immaculate condition.”