Maximum Protection While Shipping Your Products
When considering conservation, it’s important to remember that it’s almost impossible to ship undamaged without incurring the undue expense. You can find a compromise between the acceptable level of damage and the cost of additional packaging. This balance varies widely from company to company. It depends on the value of the product, the value of the customer’s repeat business, and how easy it is to ship a replacement product. For example, it doesn’t make sense to triple wrap a USB cable. However, packaging firms can effectively ensure that they reach the customer undamaged for urgent and expensive mechanical parts. For that, they generally use 120ml bottle boxes.
Consider how the package will be handled and what it will protect. Post office and shipping line workers will discard lighter packages as they sort. Packages can fall into chutes or fall off conveyor belts. They must withstand drops of more than one meter onto concrete. Luggage is expected to be placed on top, slid down the trolley floor, and piled up under other luggage. On international flights, luggage must be expected to be repeatedly dropped or bumped.
Various packaging materials to prevent mishandling during transportation
How to Pack Fragile Items?
First, it’s important to consider why they break and reduce the risk of breakage. Fragile items can be damaged by shock, pressure, or twisting. Therefore, the package should have both impact resistance and structural strength. It’s also important to remember that the product can be damaged, and even the best outer packaging can be broken. To avoid this, make sure that the package contents cannot be moved. Glass is a good example. It is strong but fragile. Glass bottles can withstand shocks if neatly stacked and securely packed in a portable case. There is no need for buffering between the bottles as they do not collide. However, if they are divided and arranged in the carton, they will collide and spread apart even with heavy packaging around.
Packaging and Shipping Materials
Outer Packaging Materials, Impact Resistant Material, and Empty Load are required for packaging and shipping. The options for each material are described below.
Outer Material.
Polybag.
Very cheap, tear and water-resistant, but no other protection or structural strength. Plastic bags are easy to handle and can be rough when sorting. Plastic bags are suitable for items already packaged but need extra privacy or soft and not brittle items.
Gifford Bags
They are inexpensive and offer the same protection as polyethylene bags but absorb small shocks. Gifford bags are suitable for those items that are small, not breakable, and need more protection.
Single-layer
Single-layer corrugated cardboard. Corrugated board prices have risen sharply over the past 12 months. However, corrugated cardboard is still a very economical packaging. Corrugated cardboard is structurally strong. It has excellent impact resistance and is surprisingly resistant to short periods of rain.
Double layer
Double-layer corrugated cardboard box. It consists of two layers of corrugated cardboard for added rigidity and impact resistance. Especially useful for very fragile orders over 10kg (20lbs) where single wall boxes may deform when lifted.
Book packaging.
Amazon-style packaging is ideal for books, DVDs, and small flat items. These are significantly more expensive but worth it for high-value books and long trips.
Cardboard envelopes.
It is a new favorite for small books and DVDs. Cardboard envelopes are much cheaper than book packaging. They offer far less protection but keep the edges of books and DVDs from getting damaged.
Shock absorber.
– Kraft or parchment paper. Roll into a sausage shape, zigzag from side to side. It provides great protection and can be easily reused or recycled by the recipient. However, you should note that it may collapse due to heavy objects during long-distance transport.
Corrugated cardboard rolls.
Sheet corrugated cardboard in roll form. It can be lined in thin boxes for added impact resistance, or used in bottle packaging boxes. Although corrugated cardboard will collapse under strong pressure, it has the advantage of having a certain structural strength. It can prevent collision and bending.
Expert protection.
Some other items also have a high level of protection. These include the self-populating foam bag, which can be shaped and fastened to form a perfect bassinet. They offer the highest level of protection but are also very expensive.
Kraft or parchment paper.
A looser grip will prevent small items from slipping out of the box. Inexpensive and effective, but resistant to heavy loads.
Air Cushion
It is a small bag filled with air for almost upright stability. It can be inflated on the spot, saving storage. The only downside is that buying an inflator can be expensive, but many suppliers will loan you one for free if you buy their product. We use them a lot in our processing centers.
Loose filling.
Foam board or peanuts. They are the bane of our lives. Expensive takes up a lot of space and covers the entire floor.
