That’s a Wrap! All About Packaging.
A typical manufacturer’s shipping and receiving department handles thousands of crates, cartons, boxes and pallets every year. For most of us, what matters is what’s inside the box. The packaging is an afterthought — ripped away and discarded like the wrapping paper from a birthday gift.
But veteran shipping workers know the truth. Packaging is an art and a science. Careful thought and care goes into ensuring that a product moves from Point A to Point B safely, securely and intact.
Let’s think about the elements of packaging. First, consider how a package travels through the distribution chain. Depending on the point of origin and the final destination, a package might travel by any or all means of air, ship, rail, truck, forklift and dolly. It will be jostled, bumped, stacked, packed and unpacked and maybe dropped. The packaging must be sturdy enough to withstand all kinds of bumps and bruises with no damage to the goods.
So we start with the package itself — anything from a simple shipping envelope to cardboard boxes and tubes to wooden crates and pallets. Shippers use the smallest feasible container, taking into account the size, shape and weight of the product and any special handling needs.
That’s only the beginning. The next step is the actual packing. For example, an air compressor might be wrapped in thin sheeting to shield the finish from scratches and encased in molded for a snug fit inside the box. Instructions, spare parts and assembly tools or hoses will be packed with nylon ties or in plastic. The outside corners of the container might have bumper guards for added rigidity. The container is stapled or taped shut. Parcels containing hazardous, flammable or fragile contents are marked with special handling tape. The packing slip is inserted into a clear plastic pouch attached to the carton. A bar code sticker is added for routing by the carrier. Multiple cartons might be strapped to pallets with wire or shrink wrap. The packaging process can be manual or performed by robotic systems.
No shipping department would be complete without cutters, knives, tape, tape measures, weighing scales and bar code scanners.
Next time you unpack that new jigsaw or power drill, take a moment to admire the art of the package. And remember to recycle that packaging material.
Our trained professionals at BlackHawk Industrial are happy to help you with any of your Tape and Packaging questions.
We welcome you to contact us here: https://www.bhid.com/forms/emailus or call us TOLL FREE at (855) 610-1001.