Get Box Clever With Your Packaging

I can't think of many industries which wouldn't be brought to their knees if all of a sudden, we no longer had luxury and convenience of cardboard boxes. Think about it for a moment. We bring most products home in them. Goods are shipped up and down the country and around the world in them. Manufacturers have their components delivered in them and the producers of those components have their manufacturing materials delivered in cardboard more often than not.

Cardboard is the most cost effective packaging material we have. It's cheap to manufacture and easy to make it into all different sizes. It's lightweight, sturdy and strong. And more importantly today than ever before, it's easy to recycle, turning old boxes into new. The humble cardboard box has a lot to offer and I guarantee each and every one of you would miss them if they were gone.

Of course we have packaging boxes made from plastics, but the costs involved in their manufacture and eventual recycling is significantly higher than the costs associated with the cardboard box.  Having studied design and specialised in product design, part of my remit is to consider getting a product from the manufacturer to the buyer in one piece. This can turn into an obsession as I have developed a dreadful habit of studying the packaging of almost every product I buy. Have they over used polystyrene and underused cardboard? Could they have used a smaller box and less packing foam? Is the product at risk due to insufficient packaging?

There's a lot more to packaging boxes than meets the eye and optimising the design of your cardboard boxes, specific to each product can deliver considerable savings on other packaging materials such as polystyrene and foam packing. Using 'standard' boxes bought in bulk may also force one to compromise on packing materials (i.e. there's not enough room left for adequate packing), which could mean revenue is lost due to products reaching either the seller or buyer in a damaged or unusable condition.

In many ways cardboard boxes are the body armour of many industries, yet many industries overlook the potential of this humble device. By taking a closer look at each and every cardboard box used for each of your products could decrease damages, save money on extra packing which may not necessarily be required and therefore increase profitability. Stay ahead of the game by getting box clever with your packaging.

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Buying Boxes in Bulk?

Cardboard boxes can be bought at any time through a bulk retailer or by mail through any office supply catalogue. To do this, simply visit a store and purchase a cardboard box at your convenience, but be sure to examine the cardboard box for integrity, quality, and ensure that it will be able to store all your precious or valuable goods.

Integrity of cardboard boxes
Although many consider cardboard menial, it can mean the success of your enterprise. For example, a box with a leaky bottom will clearly not serve its purpose in, perhaps, two or three years of use. One must always test a box for integrity and check that it will be able to sit in a warehouse for years and years if need be.

Quality of a box
The strength of the lid and the sides are all vital parts when choosing a box for the company's use, or for other industrial purposes. Check on the box at regular intervals so that goods are not damaged during transport and that when they arrive at the customer if the business is mail-order goods they are in good condition and usable. If not, the customer will be quite furious and will want a replacement of the product at the expense of the company and this will always require a new box.

The usage of a box
Remember to prepare the box before packing any goods that may be costly into it; using duct tape and industrial staples, one can strengthen the walls of the box and the base, often the most critical part. If this is not done properly, the bottom can give out and all the valuables may spill onto the floor. This alone will not protect the box. Using the right delivery service will ensure that the box will arrive in the condition it was meant to come in.

A tracking number and a close relationship with customers can be helpful to maintaining a vigilant eye on the quality of boxes sent and received at the company's warehouse. A quality specialist will not be necessary, but a good provider of cardboard boxes should always be on hand in the company's phone book.

In short, custom cardboard boxes are a vital aspect to good business practices, especially when delivery is a key issue. When in doubt, always use duct tape and industrial staples to secure the weaker boxes, and to begin with, do not buy flimsy, soggy or used boxes that do not seem strong enough to hold weight when objects are placed within them.

 

 

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