When Cardboard Packaging Needs a Stronger Box Design
Corners Crushing After Stacking
Crushed corners after a stack of boxes have been dropped off a pallet indicate that the cardboard box material chosen was too light for the weight of the products above it. Upgrading from single-wall to double-wall corrugated boxes almost doubles the stacking resistance for only a marginal increase in cost.
Bases Dropping Under Load
Bases that bow or even collapse when a box is opened usually indicate a box design that is not suitable for the products that are being packed. A crash-lock base or even a simple 1-2-3 style of closing a box automatically locks together to form a solid structure that will hold much better than a simple tuck-in style of a flap.
Walls Buckling After Moisture Exposure
Cardboard Packaging made of kraft can lose a significant portion of its compression strength when damp. Therefore, if boxes are travelling through chilled warehouses or by road through wet weather, consider a moisture resistant liner or a wax coated version instead of kraft.
Ask for Strength Ratings When Ordering
Most suppliers will be able to give you an ECT reading (Edge Crush Test) for any cardboard board combination, or a BCT reading (Box Compression Test) for a complete box. These figures allow you to match the cardboard packaging strength to your own stacking height and product weight.
Add Internal Fitments for Heavy or Awkward Items
Partitions or cardboard fitments within a box will spread the weight of heavy products such as bottles, tools etc. within a box, avoiding contact with the side of the box and therefore preventing damage. This type of product will often move within a box during transit and consequently batter the sides of the box until a weakness appears.
The cost of small design changes to a failing box design will always be less than the cost of damaged goods or repackaging at a warehouse.
