Plan Automation Technology Blog

5 Reasons to Add Corrugated Packaging to Your Product Line

Posted by JP Perreault on Fri, May 16, 2014 @ 08:05 AM

corrugated packagingCorrugated packaging, a tough and more durable alternative to conventional packaging options, is widely used in the production industry due to its reliability and trusted stacking strength. Able to work effectively in any manufacturing and packaging operation, corrugated materials serve businesses large and small in their distribution efforts, and perpetually deliver on the safety and quality management of products.

1. Incredible Reliability and Strength

Corrugated materials and packaging supplies are renowned for their impressive strength over standard packaging options, using wavy ‘flutes’ and board walling to support incredible stacked weight. The flutes and air pockets enclosed in these models give corrugated packaging its high strength, and vastly increase the safety and quality of products in the process from manufacturer to customer.

The strength of corrugated material is measured by the ‘Edge Crush Test’ (ETC) industry standard, which calculates the strength of boxes and packaging through force application. In this test, weight is applied to packaging, and strength is measured in pounds per square inch; this information is stamped onto the packaging material itself for easy identification.

Multiple-layered corrugated packaging features impressive puncture resistance and stacking ability, and U.S. standard flute grades vary in strength and thickness, fitting them for any use. Flute grades range from models with 33 flutes per foot to 128 flutes per foot, with varying thicknesses and applications. The most common corrugation thickness (the ‘C’ flute standard) features 39 flutes per foot, which are four millimeters thick. 

2. Efficient Mass Production

Corrugated packaging, like the models manufactured by Wexxar/Bel Packaging Inc., are also popular packaging options due to their ease of production and efficiency in mass production. An inexpensive and more reliable alternative to standard packaging, corrugated materials can be produced in incredibly high volumes rapidly and easily.

This makes the quality material promptly available for any large production operation; a reason it is a favorite among manufacturers. The combined strength, versatility and ease of production make corrugated packaging options a preferred packing option across many industries and specialized areas. 

3. Customization Options

Already exceptionally strong, corrugated packaging options can be improved upon and additionally strengthened through a variety of techniques and customizations, perfecting and tailoring the material to any required job. Optional board styles and thicknesses can greatly increase the durability and effectiveness of corrugated packaging in particular jobs; these styles and options include:

  • Single face corrugation, where one piece of fluted material is attached to one wall of regular packaging
  • Single wall corrugation, which sandwich one layer of fluted material between two liner walls
  • Double wall corrugation, where two layers of fluted material and enclosed within three layers of liner
  • Triple wall corrugation, which augments double wall options with an additional layer of fluting and liner

In addition to these manufacturing options, corrugated packaging can be tailored to any use and job with numerous strength-boosting strategies. These strategies include vertical fluting, which increases vertical stacking strength, flanges and lugs, which reinforce corner posts and stacking durability, and variable thickness, which can range from A, B, C, E, and F industry fluting standards.     

4. Performance in a Wide Range of Applications

Corrugated packaging options also fit an incredibly broad range of applications, and can perform effective and high quality packing tasks along any product line. The ‘Regular Slotted Case’ (RSC), an industry standard packaging model, can be modified and customized to fit any manufacturing duties and product specifications. These modifications include half-slotted cases and centre special-slotted containers, popular model variations that offer unique packing benefits.

Corrugated materials are also widely available in tray form models, which feature a single piece bottom layer. This style of corrugated packaging is ideal for the food and beverage industries, where it is used to pack soft drinks, fruits, vegetables and packed meat. Glued trays use less material than other tray options, and save on manufacturing costs. Self-locking tray options utilize tabs to fold and lock materials, and can be constructed by hand and automation, depending on intended volume. Corrugated tray packaging comes in many additional styles, including:

  • Display trays
  • Top flap trays
  • Slotted trays
  • Multi-use box (MUB) trays
  • Telescoping trays.

A stronger variation of corrugated packaging, bliss boxes are essentially tray models with additional overlapping layers on the sides and bottom, which are affixed to the model’s main body and bolster its durability. These models, too, can be customized to fit any service need, with some boxes featuring perforations, inner and outer boxes, and inner dividers. These corrugated packaging models are ideal for the agricultural and construction industries, but are truly effective in any industry requiring reliable and quality strength.

5. Impressive Repurposing and Recycling Capability

Corrugated packing materials are highly compatible with any manufacturer or product supplier seeking to lower their business’s ecological footprint, as these materials are easily recycled and repurposed. An ideal source of board pulp and fibers, corrugated boxes are commonly compressed and recycled in hydropulpers, which clean and process the materials for reuse in making new fiber and paper products.

This great ability of corrugated packaging to be repurposed for a vast array of materials makes the option a great alternative for companies seeking to lessen their impact on the ecosystem. High-grade corrugation shredders are commonly used to reprocess corrugated packaging into cushioning and reusable packing material. Recycled corrugation performs and invaluable function in countries without sustainable wood and fiber resource systems, and essentially creates these countries’ paper, pulp and packaging industries.

To find out more about the impressive strength and reliability of corrugated packaging, and what services it can provide for your business, contact us today.

Corrugated Packaging 101- Plan Automation

Topics: Packaging Automation, corrugated packaging