Circular Packaging and Logistics for Capital Equipment Shipments

Semiconductor capital equipment requires heavy‑duty, custom industrial packaging to protect large, high‑value tools and subassemblies during global transport. Traditionally, these one‑time‑use wooden crates represent a significant source of logistics waste and embodied carbon. To address this challenge, Benchmark implemented reusable, circular packaging systems at its Almelo, Netherlands, and Penang, Malaysia, manufacturing sites in collaboration with packaging partner HQ Pack.

The redesigned crate systems were engineered for durability and protection, enabling reuse more than ten times across multiple shipment cycles. After each delivery, crates are disassembled, inspected, repaired as needed, and returned to service rather than discarded. By applying this circular packing approach for semiconductor capital equipment and customer products in other markets, Benchmark as a whole has diverted hundreds of metric tons of packaging material from landfill over the life of the program, including 230 metric tons avoided in 2025 alone. Beyond reducing waste, the initiative provides a cost‑effective logistics solution for long‑distance transport of semiconductor capital equipment while directly improving lifecycle sustainability for OEMs facing increasing scrutiny around emissions and material use.