Category: Shipping Boxes and Corrugate

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Branded Packaging That Makes Cents

Whether you’re a B2B or B2C company your company’s reputation keeps them coming back. When it comes to that reputation the easiest leave behind is within the branding itself. How do you know if branded packaging is right for you? It’s a common phrase of manufacturers, retailers, and industrial packaging wholesalers: “If you have a competitor in the marketplace, it’s right for you.” But, you want packaging that makes sense (and cents). Here are our easiest packaging upgrades to take advantage of this year when working with your marketing and operations departments:

Printed Boxes
We love these bold examples of printed RSCs and tuck tab boxes. The creative use of negative space can give your brand a bolder look with less ink coverage!

One color logos and branding look memorable pre-printed on cartons and are an easy upgrade with reasonable quantities. Can’t do all of your boxes? Consider stocking your highest moving box with your logo for the best ROI. Or, do you have different ordering methods like indirect (through a retailer) or direct (through Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, etc)? Deciding to tackle the direct sales first can give you the highest level of ROI. Plus, we now offer full color printing for orders of 250 or more without printing die plate charges. Our partnership with a leading box manufacturer allows us access to an 80 ft printing press – the only one currently operational in the United States with short lead times.

 

Printed Tape
1-2 color tape print with bold fonts or large imprint logos direct the eyes of customers straight to your package!

Bold coloring, font, and logos make any kraft or white carton pop in shipping and on the doorstep. To gauge the popularity of printed tape ask yourself, “When was the last time you saw a box on your front step without it?” One way to do that is through one of the most popular options – Water Activated Tape (WAT). But, did you know “back in the day” water-activated tape had all but died off in the packaging industry during the 1970s? It was actually invented by Thomas Edison in 1912 and was a replacement for twin when holding boxes closed. It was revolutionary for a long time until acrylic and hot melt tape technology took over. But, because of Amazon, WAT tape made a huge comeback 10 years ago and is now one of the most popular ways to brand a box easily and effectively. We offer low 5-case minimums for both WAT and hot melt custom printed options!

 

Master Carton Messaging
Our partner Matthews Marking shows three of their top marking technologies clearly with this example of piezo, thermal and DOD inkjet. Line sharpness and custom warehousing scalability make Matthews a top fit for small to x-large companies.

This is a great option whether you work directly with your end-user or through a third party shipper. Craft your customer service experience to your audience with QR code surveys, additional product info, or current promotions/product releases with multiple inch print. Or, if you are a co-packer, increase your value by quickly changing customer messaging based off who you are packing for. Marking and coding on demand has been revolutionized in the last few years from the inks and equipment to the technology capabilities for usability. Pre-program messages based off the line you are running or work with our partnered engineers to scale your messaging based off database information. Master carton messaging has been a game changer for food manufacturers, building suppliers, agricultural, and more in particular.

 

Printed Stretch Film
How is your brand standing out in the racks? Printed stretch film can make your wrapped pallet a sitting billboard in an otherwise crowded space.

We’ve seen an increase in popularity for printed stretch film for top packaging suppliers to wholesale clubs, manufacturers that ship on flat beds, and for building and landscaping products that sit outside fully wrapped until use like mulch and bricks. That material is your free billboard space on the road and in the racks. Thinking of printed stretch film, we also work with companies that want to quickly identify products on their floor for returns, hazmat, or other specialty considerations through tinted films like red or green. Whether it be hand film or machine film we have the options to get the messaging you want across internally and externally.

Industrial branding looks different for everyone, and these are just a few examples we offer solutions on. We can help elevate your branding from the label to the pallet. Give your salesperson a call to start the discovery process – your competitor already has!

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THIS or THAT: Our Top Packaging Alternatives During Supply Chain Shortages and Beyond

The last couple of years the supply chain dilemma every industry has faced has had us thinking creatively and reminding our Sales Reps of that initial customer call where the drawing board is a little empty and ready for development. Our industry experience and longevity in the field have lent itself well as Colony Packaging & Machine navigates the future and recommends alternative packaging solutions. Fluctuations in pricing continue and lead times across industries shift at any given time, but these alternatives can help you think more creatively and broadly about your packaging applications to give you back power in the sourcing and decision-making process. Here are some of our top THIS or THAT options – packaging edition.

Strapping OR Bundling Stretch Film, Titanium Stretch Film

Titanium stretch film is a top-rated banded stretch film to help with ultra-heavy loads. This film can replace certain types of strapping for hard to manage loads.

When it comes to bundling products or strapping uniform skids modern stretch film can be a key alternative. Bundling stretch film comes in high gauges and is a compact, easy substitute to strapping. Similarly, we offer a high strength stretch film which is newer to the market. This titanium stretch film has heavier bands that create a strapping-like retention to the pallet which creates a stable load for shipping. Customers who have tested this film admit they haven’t seen anything like it on the marketplace.

Corrugated Cartons OR Mailers & Branded Mailers

Between our in-house carton stock, drop ship program, and custom box capabilities we offer a large range of solutions for customers seeking out shipping boxes. However, as e-commerce continues to boom many top packaging suppliers offer products in ready-to ship boxes that could be slipped into a mailer versus additional corrugated boxes. Mailers can be custom printed similarly to boxes while avoiding UPS and FedEx DIM weight hang-ups. Plus, many options come pre-padded with bubble or paper to add an extra level of protection during the shipping process.

Printed Cartons OR Printed Tape

The growth in e-commerce sales has exploded the custom printed tape industry.

Higher minimums for printed cartons can sometimes get in the way of budgets and space. Consider instead printed water activated or packaging tape to get your box brand-ready. Another consideration? Low-volume case sealer is available at affordable prices to guarantee appropriate tape placement and predictable, consistent tape usage giving you better forecasting for shipping costs.

Custom Labels OR Printing on Demand

Marking and coding equipment has come a long way and the MPERIA series from Matthews allows for custom printed messages up to multi-inch height on demand by production line all maintained by one controller. Yes, one controller for a full plant of production lines and multiple printing needs (we are offering free demos now, just contact us). Custom labels are a great resource for consistent messaging but for co-packers or companies looking to change out messaging quickly the downtime of changing out partial rolls can be cumbersome, wasteful, and overall a bad deal.  Similarly, this can be a great option for companies that need to change dating, nutritional components, or other legally-driven information on the fly without wasting pre-printed labels.

EPS OR Hexacomb

More customers have approached us in recent years seeking a recyclable, compostable alternative to foam cushioning. Our answer has consistently been hexacomb. Hexacomb can be manufactured or scored on the floor to custom fit products being shipped. Similar to EPS, hexacomb can come with right-sized wells within the framework to create the best fit possible for products. EPS is still a top option and one we recommend often, but we recognize some companies are looking for a more sustainable-option to get them in line with their customer expectations and this is it.

Wooden Crates OR Ecorrcrates

Versatile, safe, and strong – ecorrcrates are a perfect substitute for heavy, cumbersome wooden crates.

We’ve talked about them before, and we’ll continue talking about them because they are just that great. Ditching the wooden crates has saved our customers time, resources, and potential workers’ comp claims. Forget the nails, tools and heavy lifting – plus your end user will be thanking you when they don’t waste valuable time opening and discarding the crate. Ecorrcrates are giving customers the durability they need without sacrificing shippablity domestically or internationally. Ecorrcrates can be custom made by shipment or modular for small-piece combined shipping. The possibilities are endless. We take your product to the design lab for maximum benefit. Plus. Ecorrcrates deliver flat and compact to you with easy set-up to save space before use. There is no losing when it comes to Ecorrcrates.

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When the Olympics Give the World a Lesson on Corrugated

This weekend marks the start of the Olympics and like most things these last couple years the Olympic Village, or more specifically, the beds the athletes will be sleeping in look completely different than past games. If you haven’t heard throughout the media the athletes were supplied with corrugated bed frames in Tokyo’s mission to make these games the most eco-friendly yet. It’s no surprise athletes like volleyballer Kelsey Robinson have been putting those beds to the test in durability by jumping and body slamming themselves into the frames to really test the claims.

https://www.tiktok.com/@kelseymarierobinson/video/6986977403016973574?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6987454114985428485&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0
https://www.tiktok.com/@thelibero/video/6986784711423053062?sender_device=pc&sender_web_id=6987454114985428485&is_from_webapp=v1&is_copy_url=0

It instantly made us think about our Ecorrcrates® offerings because of its durable, eco-friendly, and cost-effectiveness compared to regular wood crating. Ecorrcrates® take a patented approach to crating materials by layering corrugated into custom configurations to meet the durability need of the product. Our current customers using this product have found success in customizing the sizes to meet their production needs.

The following are highlights from a case study done by the manufacturer which outlines the true benefits of switching to Ecorrcrates®.

Background:

In Wichita Kansas, a leading company fabricates high cost, sensitive parts and assemblies for shipment to First Tier Aerostructures Manufacturers domestically and internationally.

Previous Method:

Shipping protocols in aerospace often require use of a crate. For many years, the only cost
effective option was to use a traditional wood crate. The shipping manager of this large
machine shop set out to find a better option because wood crates were an expensive hassle.

The company’s leading challenges concerning wood crates:

  • Wood crates are bulky and take up too much
    room.
  • They are heavy and difficult to move.
  • Constantly concerned about safety and the
    potential injuries associated with the handling
    and use of wood crates.
  • Parts damaged if they make contact with
    the wood, so a lot of extra
    packing materials used.
  • If there is any issue with the wood in Export, it
    can delay the shipment anywhere from a week to
    10 days, and no one can afford that.

New Method:

After a successful initial test, the customer began ordering the Ecorrcrates® in “knock down” form to store easily before use. This also allowed production to load the product first and build the crate around the product, or load the product into the crate depending on the application. The company saved more than $100,000 per year and now has a safe, durable and easy way to get high value products to customers.

Straight from the Customer:

“Now that we have made the switch to Ecorrcrates®, I can’t see us ever going back to using wood crates”. Not only was there a cost savings in the crate cost, the Ecorrcrate® cost is not volatile like wood crate pricing. We were constantly having to choose between paying more or going with a lower grade wood crate to control costs. With Ecorrcrate® we receive a consistent, high quality product and are better able to plan our budgets with stable pricing.

Floor space in Aerospace manufacturing is scarce. Ecorrcrates® storage density is 2 or 3 to 1 as compared to premade wood crates, saving on the floor space needed for storage. This was a big cost savings and stress reliever for us!

The parts we ship are relatively light weight. The wood crate alone weighs 2-3x our product weight. Because the Ecorrcrate® weight is around ½ the weight of a wood crate, we were able to trim an average of $100 per shipment from our shipping costs. That is HUGE savings! The Ecorrcrate® is easier and safer in handling, so our shipping department can pack in a fraction of the time it took to pack in the wood crates. Being a busy shop, this adds up to a lot of labor savings very quickly!

Ecorrcrates® are more durable for re-use. We were only getting 5-6 turns out of our wood crates but now we have Ecorrcrates® that have been in use for more than a year and we are able to continue to re-use them. Ecorrcrates® really resist damage including careless forklift drivers. Also, we believe that freight carriers are more careful with items that appear to be packaged in boxes. Little do they know, that although Ecorrcrates® are constructed from the same base material as boxes, they are NOT boxes. They are robust, shipping containers constructed from a bidirectional, crossed-strength corrugate building material. And, if a part of the Ecorrcrate is damaged beyond use, we are able to purchase the replacement component only, rather than replace the entire crate.

In addition to being 100% recyclable, all of the materials used in Ecorrcrates® are earth friendly and made from renewable Resources. We are better able to meet our sustainability initiatives. This has the added benefit of being a great shipper for Export. Other than the wood pallet, the Ecorrcrate® is made from all corrugate material. This is a significant benefit to our Export customers and partners as we receive more and more push back on the use of all-wood crates. In many countries, including all of Europe, it is difficult and costly to dispose of wood crates. But, it is easy to dispose of and recycle corrugated boxes without added cost.”

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Understanding Packaging Boxes and Corrugated Cartons

Understanding cartons can make or break your product – literally – by the time it gets to your customer’s door.  For instance, recycled corrugate is not created equally, and there are several ways to determine what kind of box you need besides the actual carton type.  Depending on the application companies can save money when it comes to changing the way their box is configured or even manufactured (for custom cartons).  Check out Colony Packaging & Machine’s top 4 points when looking into corrugated boxes.

Strength

The strength of a corrugated box starts with its material. A corrugated sheet consists of two major components – linerboard and medium. Linerboard is the flat paper that covers both sides of the sheet and the medium is the “fluted” or arched paper found between both liners. The flute, when anchored to the linerboards with a starched based adhesive, resists bending and pressure from all directions. When placed vertically on its ends, the flutes form vertical columns, capable of supporting considerable amounts of weight.

SingleWallCorrugated2
Single Wall Corrugated

DoubleWallCorrugated2
Double Wall Corrugated

TripleWallCorrugated
Triple Wall Corrugated

Material

The amount of virgin pulp fibers and the length of those fibers in a corrugated sheet substantially contribute to box strength. For example, the difference between a 200# test box and a 275# test box is that the latter has more pulp fibers in its corrugated linerboard. The 200# test box is rated to hold up to 65 lbs. of  contents while the 275# box can hold up to 95 lbs. A 350# test box is rated to hold up to 120 lbs. of contents.

Flute

Flutes come in five basic heights and shapes – the most common are “B-Flute”(used for die-cut boxes) and “C-Flute” (used for RSCs – regular slotted cartons and the most common of carton types). B-flute is compressed and appears thinner, but don’t be fooled. It is made with more paper to provide stronger side wall protection from blows and punctures during shipping.

C-flute is taller, with more air space, but offers enhanced stacking strength. For excellent graphic reproduction, consider E-flute because of its smooth surface and ability to hold up well during printing.

Flute Comparison

Measurements

Measure a box using the inner dimensions of an assembled box – Length (L) x Width (W) x Depth (D). Looking at an assembled box, the longer of the two sides is considered the length, the shorter of the two sides is the width, and the side perpendicular to the length and width is the depth of the box.

How to measure a box

The “Manufacturer’s Joint” is where the two ends of the side panels meet to form the box. At that point, the panels are fastened together with tape, staples (double or triple wall) or glue (single wall). This description applies to regular slotted shipping cartons (RSCs). The side panel thickness and content weight determine the type of seal used for the manufacturer’s joint.

Right-sizing your package is even easier nowadays with multiple, competitive options for custom and stock sized boxes.  We offer thousands of stock sizes and have relationships with several custom corrugated boxes manufacturers, which can decrease the amount of cartons you need to order – usually minimums start at 15 – 25 per size.  Browse cartons now!

Looking to take your cartons to the next level? Consider custom printing or custom printed tape to give your brand that wow factor when it hits doorsteps. Printing plates and die-cut charges don’t have to break the bank for mid-size and up companies. Not sure if your box usage would meet the minimum? Contact Colony Packaging and ask us. Quotes are free!