EPG Industries
Pioneers in Protecting Cargo against Damage during Shipping

The shipping industry plays a critical role in ensuring the smooth movement of goods across continents. However, cargo damage remains a significant challenge that all stakeholders strive to mitigate.

Overcoming these challenges is a top priority due to the profound economic impact of cargo losses. But shippers are also concerned with secondary effects such as the time spent handling claims and damaged customer relationships. The environmental consequences of cargo losses are also hard to ignore.

EPG Industries has been a global pioneer in developing products to protect cargo against damage during transport for more than two decades.

A combination of cargo care expertise and a commitment to product innovation drives their success. This allows shippers to move away from a one-size-fits-all method, and benefit from a more comprehensive approach to protecting their goods.

"Our dedication to product innovation is the lifeblood of our commitment to improve cargo care and minimize damages during shipping," says Alejandro Steinhäuser, the co-founder and owner of EPG Industries.

The Four Pillars of Success

The standout product line is the Vdry, which protects goods against moisture damage. The backbone of this range are the Vdry Bags - a collection of high-performance desiccant bags available in different models with different absorption capacities.

Since its introduction in 2007, the Vdry Blanket has had a game-changing impact on high-risk shipments in which condensation forms on the container ceiling even when desiccant bags are used. The benefits of the Vdry Blanket are seen across different agricultural, industrial, and retail markets. One standout success story is coffee shipments from Colombia, in which a combination of factors means that cargo losses of over 20% were previously frequently seen. When coffee exporters added the Vdry Blanket to their shipments, they saw a sharp reduction in cargo damages.

The Temcoat products are essential to protect temperature-sensitive goods at all stages of the supply chain. This includes the patented Temcoat Liner Flow, a finalist in the De Gouden Noot 2022 award for packaging innovation. This breathable thermal container liner stabilizes the temperature inside the shipping container not only to prevent temperature excursions but also to minimize the risk of condensation forming inside the container. Its breathable membrane facilitates the flow of humid air away from the cargo area, and an absorbent inner layer further enhances protection against moisture damage. This combination of top-tier characteristics means unbeatable protection for a wide range of cargo ranging from pharmaceuticals to powdered dairy.

The Bulko range of container liners are widely used to create clean and contaminant-free conditions for cargo, with different models available for different loading methods, such as options for dry bulk cargo. The Bulko Vacuum Liner allows shippers to create a hermetic environment, and remove air from the cargo area to prevent condensation and infestation for goods such as coffee, cocoa and rice. The Tautec products play an important role in securing goods during transport to prevent breaking and other types of physical damage. This includes Tautec Strapping and Tautec Dunnage Bags.

Allowing Shippers to Move Away from a One-Size-Fits-All Method

Unlike other companies that supply materials to protect cargo, EPG Industries offer a variety of products that each focus on a different supply chain challenge.

This enables shippers to transition from a one-size-fits-all approach to a more tailored strategy for cargo care. By adopting this comprehensive approach, shippers can combine different products and product lines to address their specific supply chain challenges effectively. EPG Industries offers a centralized solution, eliminating the need for customers to negotiate with multiple suppliers, reducing costs, saving time, and minimizing the risk of confusion.

High-performance products are a cornerstone of the EPG Industries vision to improve supply chain practices. This is crucial in minimizing the economic impact of direct losses and also secondary costs such as time spent handling claims and reputational damage. Cargo losses also have a major environmental impact, meaning that any product that minimizes damages plays an essential role in reducing the carbon footprint of a company.

Helping Improve Shipping Operations

The success of EPG Industries is not just built upon best-in-class products, but a depth and breadth of expertise across a wide range of different markets, allowing cargo care experts to leverage the knowledge to create tailored solutions for a particular challenge. In other words, the lessons learnt working with coffee shippers in South America can be modified and applied to support shippers of chemical products in Chicago.

The backbone of EPG Industries operations is delivered via its offices in the USA, with dedicated locations in Argentina, Ireland and Spain supporting a global customer base. This is enhanced by a global network of specialized distributors that spans several continents. It also runs a variety of environmental campaigns to minimize their carbon footprint such as planting native trees in Argentina and removing color dyes from their products.

EPG Industries is dedicated to developing new solutions through close communication and collaboration with shippers, and a company-wide commitment to innovation and cargo care improvement. For example, for decades coffee shippers have been using an ineffective-combination of cardboard and poor quality desiccant bags with little impact of reducing moisture damage. Since switching to Vdry, many coffee shippers have seen an immediate improvement in the conditions of their shipments.

The EPG Industries product development team is often at the drawing board, working with feedback from shippers across a variety of markets, to improve existing products or develop new ones.

"The environmental impact of cargo losses is clear. This means we have a responsibility to make smart cargo care decisions," asserts Eugenio Ferri, co-founder and owner of EPG Industries.