Thinking outside the box: Watertown-based company goes from eco-friendly shipping containers for troops to fire extinguishers
The company has been in business for more than 30 years
More Stories
Watertown-based company Packaging and Crating Technologies, or PACT, has been branching out from its original calling card product of shipping containers.
"Yes, we make crates and everything, but we're kind of like a solutions company," said PACT COO Rodger Mort. "You say to us 'hey – this is an issue.' Ok, here, this is a solution."
The same attitude first helped PACT develop a line of corrugated cardboard shipping containers, which are lighter and easier to transport than wooden ones, but still strong enough for military families moving from base to base.
They can also be reused, or recycled into paper when they are done.
"That's how we kind of work out every problem," said Mort. "What's the best way to make the thing, and at the same time, save you money, and save the environment."
He says one problem he had been seeing a lot of was how to safely transport lithium-ion batteries, with a client telling him that one out of ten cargo container ships with the batteries would have a fire in a container, which would often spread.
To keep the flames contained, PACT was able to develop a fire-suppressant ink, which it can coat containers in.
"It'll burn 600 to 800 degrees, the only thing that'll come out is a little CO2 on the corners to relieve some pressure, and you won't even know there's a fire inside," explained Mort, while holding up an envelope made with the ink.
The product was such a big hit, he says companies then started asking him if he had anything to actually put out fires with, leading to something completely different for PACT — the Lion-X Extinguisher — a water-based solution that smothers fire from batteries, and then, can just be flushed down the drain.
"Not only will it shut off the fire to keep firemen safe, damage of property will be less," Mort said.
Early on, it seems like another hit, and he says PACT will continue to go and develop wherever there seems like a need.
"All we're waiting on is the next question," he said. "Somebody to come up and say 'hey – I know you're doing all this, but what about this problem I got?'"
Even with all the innovation, PACT says they are still happy to do any small individual projects for anyone who gets in touch.
