Packaging solutions for industrial packaging differ as they mainly cater to providing shipping protection to the cargo from the manufacturing site. Ideally, industrial packaging involves the usage of durable, eco-friendly, and cost-efficient packing materials at the production site, right after production, but it can also be applied at any point in the supply chain of the cargo. This type of packaging is for products that are sensitive relying heavily on stability or hazardous and bulky, making it essential for manufactures to choose their packing material wisely to avoid accidents or losses due to damage during transit.
Packaging is essential for any product but when it comes to industrial packaging, it needs to be customised to meet the manufacturer’s needs. The primary purpose of industrial packaging is for the protection of cargo and to meet international standards. They need to protect the cargo from vibrations, moisture, and rough handling during transportation.
The usage of industrial packaging can be seen in various end-use industries like building, construction, chemical, automotive, technology, machinery manufactures, and many more. Increased globalisation and trade have put pressure on manufactures for the safe transportation of cargo, thus leading to an increased requirement for effective industrial packaging.
Basic Materials Used in Industrial Packaging
Materials such as wood, formed stainless steel, other metals, corrugated cardboard, paperboard, shrink wrap, and many more can be used in combination to create the perfect industrial packaging solution.
- Wood Packaging
Wood packaging is used to package heavy-weight cargo due to its high durability and low cost. Wood packaging comes in different forms like crates, boxes, and pallets. It is considered to be a more environmentally friendly packaging material when compared to other packing materials.
- Plastic
Plastic packaging materials are cheap to manufacture, easily mouldable to suit a variety of shapes and sizes, lightweight, survive extreme environments, and do not degrade easily. It protects cargo from moisture, oxygen, dust, light, and odours.
- Steel
Steel packaging offers great barrier protection against light, water, and air and is known for its versatility, durability, and reusability. It is an ideal packing material to store pressurized aerosol products. The magnetic property of steel helps to increase the filling and packing process with greater accuracy thus reducing potential spillage and waste.
- Cardboard
The most commonly used material in the packaging industry, cardboard is low-cost, low-weight, recyclable, customisable, easy to store, and strong material. Cardboard corrugated packaging can be die-cut to perfectly fit the product and is bio-degradable, thus leaving a low carbon impact on the environment.
- Foam Packaging
Foam packaging is a clean, soft, and lightweight packaging material. It is an ideal packing material for cushioning and protecting fragile products from scratches and abrasions. This material is available in various forms like rolls, packaging peanuts, in blocks, in sheets, or even as foam bags.
Industrial packaging is designed to allow businesses to comply with the laws and regulations that govern how cargo needs to be stored and transported. With the availability of a wide variety of materials, industrial packaging can provide the best protection for any transport mode.