Reuse on Replay: Straight Talk with Circular Thinkers

Tim Debus, President and CEO of the Reusable Packaging Association (RPA), sits down with Crystal Dreisbach, CEO of Upstream, to discuss the evolving role of reuse in the consumer sector. They explore the policies, business drivers, opportunities, and barriers shaping broader reuse adoption, along with the role of Upstream’s Reuse Solutions Network in advancing solutions. The discussion also introduces the Next-Gen Reuse Corridor at PACK EXPO, a new showcase bringing emerging B2C reuse innovations alongside the established B2B solutions of the Reusable Packaging Pavilion to foster collaboration, accelerate adoption, and support the continued growth of the reuse economy.

In this episode of Reuse on Replay, we explore how technology-enabled reusable transport packaging is changing how companies view and manage their supply chains. The conversation looks at the evolution of smart assets, real-time visibility and data insights, and the growing role of AI and automation. Adaptive Pallet Solutions (APS) joins the discussion to share its perspective on these trends and how smart pallet technology is being applied in real-world supply chains to improve efficiency, manage costs, and support sustainability measurement. We also learn more about APS, its approach to connected reusable assets, and the markets it serves.

In this episode of Reuse on Replay, RPA President and CEO Tim Debus sits down with Samantha Goetz, Director of Marketing Communications at Orbis Corporation and Chairperson of the RPA Board of Directors. A longtime contributor to the reusable transport packaging industry, Samantha has been deeply involved in RPA since its earliest days, helping shape the association's growth and strategic direction. Together they explore the trends shaping reusable transport packaging today, the accelerating role of technology, policy, and EPR regulations, and what the next generation of supply chain decision-makers means for the future of reuse. Samantha shares why she is optimistic about where the industry is headed and what is fueling the momentum behind the adoption of reusable transport packaging across global supply chains.

Hear an insider’s view about PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2025 with our special guest, Jim Pittas, President and CEO of PMMI. In this episode, we delve into the setup of PACK EXPO, outline the RPA’s program with the Reusable Packaging Pavilion and Learning Center, and discuss some hot trends and topics in the packaging industry that will be steering conversations at the show.

In this episode, RPA President & CEO, Tim Debus, revisits the concept of the circular economy and examines how reusable packaging is driving meaningful change in supply chains. Breanna Herbert, SR. Product Manager at Orbis Corporation, joins Tim to discuss the evolving role of circular practices in business today, the progress made, where momentum has slowed, and what real-world transformation looks like. With insights into cost-saving strategies, supply chain efficiencies, and the emerging role of technology, this conversation highlights how durability and design can lead to significant environmental and financial benefits.

In this podcast episode, System Loco CEO, Souroush Honary and Reusable Packaging Association President and CEO, Tim Debus discuss the transformative power of digital supply chains. They explore how technology is revolutionizing the global supply chain by using real-time data to track and enhance visibility, efficiency, and sustainability in logistics.

In this episode, RPA's Todd Hoff shares a conversation with Rob Franzo from Qualcomm and Dave Horvat from Real Time Intelligence about the use of tracking technologies for reusable assets within the modern supply chain. It's increasingly vital to know the whereabouts, status, and availability of materials and goods as they travel throughout the supply chain. Identification and connectivity technologies play a key role in providing visibility for technology-enabled reusable assets throughout the supply chain.

RPA's Executive Vice President Member Programs, Todd Hoff is joined by Rehrig Pacific's Director of Sales, Supply Chain, Eric Chambers to discuss what considerations a retailer or ecommerce company should have when implementing reusable assets across their supply chain and transportation and logistics network ecosystem.

This episode follows part 1 in our recently published blog series - Technology-enabling Reusable Transportation Packaging. Joining RPA's EVP of Member Programs, Todd Hoff is Marty Mares, VP of Branding and Development at Polyfuze Graphics Corporation and Robert Leibrandt, Vice President at Trace It, LLC. Todd, Marty, and Rob take a look at Product Marking & Identification Technologies, where internal and external drivers guide choices for reusable assets.

Most cargo moves on a pallet, and most shippers use single-use plastic stretch wrap to secure stacked items during transit and storage. In this podcast episode, Rob Cohen from Display Supply & Lighting joins RPA’s Tim Debus in a conversation about unit load security and the opportunity to use the reusable LogiStrap – a time-tested VELCRO® product innovation – for a more sustainable, cost-efficient, and worker-friendly way to fasten unit loads for their safe handling and movement.

Rob Franzo, Committee Chair of the RPA Technology Working Group and Consultant for Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., sits down with Todd Hoff, Executive VP of Member Programs for RPA, to discuss the recent update to the Smarter, Technology-Driven Supply Chain with Reusable Packaging Systems white paper (previously published in 2019), given the considerable acceleration in developing and adopting technologies aimed at automatic identification, monitoring, and tracking of Reusable Transport Packaging (RTP) assets throughout the supply chain.

Panel moderator Ben Stoller, CEO of Paxxal, is joined by industry experts Kevin Mazula, CEO of RM2; Shawn Stockman, VP of Sustainability for Onepak; and David Kruger, President of TriEnda, in a discussion about the investment climate for sustainable companies with reusable packaging systems.

John DiPalo, Chief Strategy Officer at ACSIS, Inc. joins Tim Debus to introduce the company's cloud platform which offers end-to-end asset and inventory traceability across supply chains. They discuss the benefits and hidden value that can be realized by enlightening business operations

Marty Mares, VP of Branding and Commercial Development for Polyfuze Graphics, joins Tim Debus to discuss Polyfuze’s innovative plastic fusion labeling technology, which aids the function and management of reusable plastic packaging through improved identification and branding.

Tim Debus, President & CEO of RPA discusses The Kroger Company's sustainable packaging goals with Andrea Jesudian, Product Manager, Kroger Technology & Digital at the 2022 PACK EXPO Reusable Packaging Learning Center hosted by the Reusable Packaging Association.

Hear the State of the Reusable Packaging Industry address from Tim Debus, President and CEO of RPA, given at the 2022 PACK EXPO Reusable Packaging Learning Center hosted by the Reusable Packaging Association.

Willemijn Peeters, Founder and Director of the enterprise consulting firm Searious Business, joins Tim Debus to talk about the company’s mission to prevent plastic pollution in the environment, and its work in partnering with leading brands to design and implement plastic recovery systems including reusable packaging models. The experience of the team, from numerous projects worldwide, offers clients unique insights and problem solving capabilities that are leading the way in sustainability.

Anna Valkenburg, Channel Manager for TrackOnline, joins Tim Debus to discuss common challenges to asset management and how TrackOnline answers these problems through the company's online returnable packaging management technology.

Britta Wyss Bisang, Global Sustainability Director for Schoeller Allibert, joins Tim Debus to discuss the company's sustainability strategy, completed in January 2022, and viewpoints on sustainability in the broader reusable packaging industry.

Surgere's Rob Fink, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, and Mike Jett, Global Director of Supply Chain, join Tim Debus to discuss how Surgere's technology solutions enable users to achieve complete visibility of the location and movement of goods, enabling the efficient management of product inventories, like reusable packaging, in the reduction of operational waste and environmental impact.