knock-down reel

Object: Evolution Reel

Location: designed by Bresslergroup, 2400 Market St.

Background: The standard reel, used for transporting large amounts of wire for industrial uses, is typically nailed together. Once the wire is unloaded, shipping the spool back is not cost-effective, says Andrew Weiman, Bresslergroup’s Managing Partner in charge of Engineering, so most end up in landfills. A copper wire producer in Lancaster noted the inefficiency of this system and asked the industrial design firm to design a better reel.

Context: Bresslergroup rethought the basic design and came up with the Evolution Reel, a “knock-down reel” that unassembled down to four parts: two ends and two “C” shaped, 100% recyclable plastic pieces that click together to form the core. Here’s a demo video.

There are other plastic reels out there, but this one can take a much higher load and then knock down to be shipped back efficiently. This is one example of a “hidden” sustainability movement that’s taking place behind the scenes, two or three steps back from the consumer. These industrial manufacturing improvements that are not obvious to the consumer cut down greatly on energy, production costs, and landfills.

Last year the wire producer started an offshoot company to produce and sell the reel. They recently launched the industry’s first recyclable reel at a wire industry trade show — yes, there are trade shows for everything —and people were excited. Aren’t you?