DATE:    3/9/01
CONTACT: Woody Culp, (803) 548-7051
         Scott Whiteside, (864) 656-6246
WRITER:  Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741

Packaging science helps
package utility trailers

     FORT MILL -- Packaging utility trailers for shipment is 
no small feat. Just ask Woody Culp, general manager of Haulin 
Utility Trailers.  
     Culp had a packaging problem, but didn't know how to solve 
it. So, he called Scott Whiteside, Clemson Extension packaging 
science specialist, for help.
     Culp's business builds small utility trailers and ships them 
by tractor-trailer to such places as Lowe's and Home Depot.
     "The major expense of the business is the transportation 
cost," said Culp.
     Before Culp came to the Extension packaging program for help, 
he could only haul 30 fully assembled trailers. Now, he can haul 
120 trailers on the same truck, which provided a huge savings on
freight charges.
     Whiteside helped Culp modify the packing sequence of the
unassembled trailers into a new design that significantly reduced 
the assembly time at each distribution center.  In addition, the 
new design further reduced cost by eliminating the excess packaging
material included in the original factory design.
     "Scott did a great job. It's wonderful that Clemson University
would respond in such a quick manner and aided an existing business,"
said Culp. "I would highly recommend Extension to all South Carolina
businesses.
     "One of the goals of the Extension packaging program is to 
assist South Carolina businesses with packaging issues," said
Whiteside. "This is just a good example of how this works."
                              END