1st August 2024

Getting the right supply chain packaging

Corrugated plays a vital part in global supply chains.

Choosing the right packaging from the right supplier can, quite simply, make or break the process and help businesses understand the rocky landscape of global supply chains.

Matt Herd, Commercial Director, Cardboard Box Company explains a few key points to help you understand what’s needed from packaging in supply chains and how we can deliver.

Good design is essential

Corrugated is a lightweight yet super sturdy material, and through innovative design it can protect, ship, and sell products across all transport methods such as sea, air, road and rail.

Our team of constructional designers utilise their skill, knowledge and experience of dealing in corrugated board to create solutions that allow effective shipping and maximise how the space and the material is used, which can help to reduce shipping and transportation costs.

Furthermore, good design helps to protect the product at all pinch points across the supply chain, all the way from production line packing, to unboxing by the end user. Reductions in terms of fuel, emissions and waste can also be achieved through good designs helping to mitigate the pressure supply chains, and businesses, are under to become more sustainable.

Complementary to good constructional design is graphic design. Our skilled team, which has won several awards for the print designs and finishes it produces, work with customers to design inner and outer print as required ranging from complex six colour solutions to a simple black print on kraft corrugated.

Further down the process, our design team engage with our sales team, our production team and our despatch team to ensure clarity is achieved at all steps of the process and success is achieved.

Material matters

In addition to the functionality of the design, our team advise on the correct material to be used depending upon the type and weight of the product, the shipping requirements, how they will stack, whether they require, or benefit from, fittings and dividers etc.

Our team will understand each element of the supply chain and the product to ensure the best possible material is specified to meet customer requirements.

This will include understanding:
• How the product is packed after manufacturing has taken place
• Whether it requires internal boxes, fittings, dividers, external boxes etc
• How they are to be stacked in warehouses or shipping containers
• Understanding journey times, and storage times at destination, to ascertain if moisture resistant board is required
• Any legislative requirements depending upon the product

Winning at warehouse Management

Good packaging that is fit for purpose can also have a positive impact on warehouse management.

Product that is placed in corrugated solutions is easier to stack and easier to mark with brand and product information ranging from production descriptions, quantities, and QR/bar codes that help with stock management, inventories and customer replenishment reporting.

This is of great use in either the warehouse at the production facility, or at any third-party facility such as a 3PL provider. And, by choosing a 3PL provider that stores and manages product safely and efficiently and tackles onward processes such as freight forwarding with professionalism, movement of stock and its packaging through the supply chain will become a seamless operation. Reassuringly simple, with corrugated packaging solutions designed by our team of professionals.

Understanding the complexities of both the supply chain and how packaging works within it is key to achieving success. Working with our team of packaging professionals, who have the right knowledge, experience and equipment will undoubtedly achieve that success across all types of packaging that a customer may require.

To source your supply chain solution with us simply chat to a member of our team. You can do this by calling us on 01254 232223 or dropping us a line on info@thecardboardbox.co.uk