Whether glass, metal or varnish - sensitive objects and surfaces require special protection during storage and transport. A proven material for this is cardboard packaging. This article shows what corrugated board can do.

Examples of fragile items

Sensitive items are items that can be easily damaged during transport or storage. These are, for example, products made of glass, which are fragile. Glasses and bottles must be protected all around so that they do not break during transport or in storage.

Other delicate items are characterized by a sensitive surface. This is painted, for example, and damage to the paint can quickly occur during transport and storage. In this case, too, it is important that the object is well protected all around and does not come into contact with sharp corners, edges or the like.

Also delicate is the transport of medical and other complex and expensive equipment, which must be well protected during transport. Any items that can be damaged during transport by weather, shock, pressure, vibration and other external factors are considered sensitive.

What must packaging for fragile items be able to do?

As a rule of thumb for packing delicate items:

1. The right packaging provides as much protection as necessary and creates as little packaging waste as possible.
2. To ensure that sensitive items get from A to B safely, the outer and inner packaging must be ideally matched. The packaging is rounded off by a transport-safe closure. Too much packaging causes unnecessary costs and annoys the recipient, who has to dispose of the packaging.
3. The packaging material for sensitive items must provide sufficient stability for the contents. It is recommended not to use boxes that have already been used a second time, as they may no longer be stable enough.
4. The packaging should be protected against moisture. If the contents are particularly heavy, additional strapping is advisable.
5. Corners and edges should be reinforced. A sturdy outer carton should be placed around the primary packaging. Fragile goods such as glass should always be wrapped individually as well so that they do not break.

Corrugated board as a damping and resilient material

Due to its corrugated structure, the cardboard as a packaging material is a dimensionally stable lightweight construction. The more paper layers and flutes there are, the stronger the corrugated board. Inside, the flutes act like cushions that provide even pressure distribution. Depending on the product requirements and transportation method, a different type of corrugation and height of the cardboard can be selected.

Corrugated board fixes the contents during transport, cushions mechanical loads and protects against falls and crushing. If the package ever falls down, corrugated board acts as a buffer. Inside a package, the shipped goods should be individually packed in corrugated cardboard, the padding of which is sufficiently thick. This protects the shipped goods from direct contact with each other, which could damage them. Roll corrugated board is ideal for this purpose.

What are the corrugated packaging for fragile items?

There are different types of waves, which differ according to wave height and pitch. Wave types are defined and developed for different requirements.

Some types of corrugation have been around for a long time, others have been newly developed within the last 25 years. For example, they help to make optimum use of cargo space or meet the requirements of high-quality flexographic printing. A distinction is made between the stackability, printability and buffering effect of cardboard as a packaging material.

The oldest type of flute is the A-flute or coarse flute, which is nowadays produced only to combine with other corrugated board. It is a component of the multi-flute corrugated board and bounces very well. The C-flute or medium flute has displaced the A-flute from the market. It can be produced faster and requires less paper in corrugation.

The B-flute or fine flute is thinner than the C-flute. As a result, it saves storage and freight space. This flute is used for packaging less sensitive items. The smaller flute pitch makes its surface flatter, allowing better printed images.

The E-flute is also known as the microwave. Its introduction to the market has opened up numerous new areas of application. It is used as aesthetic sales packaging or as a display with multicolor printing. Similarly, the F-flute is also used, covering the cardboard sector.

Corrugated board is ideal for packaging delicate items, such as glass. It is robust, space-saving, inexpensive and, above all, sustainable.

Corrugated board inlays and interlayers

Cardboard inlays and intermediate layers made of corrugated cardboard ensure safe transport of several fragile items in a common shipping carton.

Inside the carton, they safely separate the goods from each other. They also securely fix jars and other containers at height. Inlays and layer pads are suitable for packaging:

• Glass j ars of any kind (for example, food jars, screw jars, spice jars or jam jars)
• small bottles
• Cosmetic packaging and jars
• Decorative and gift items
• breakable articles of any kind to be safely transported or separated from each other.

What are the advantages of corrugated board packaging?

Packaging made of corrugated board are:

• space saving
• tailor-made
• easy to print
• sustainable
• promotional
• the most frequently used transport packaging

Cardboard packaging can be precisely adapted to the product. So the space can be used perfectly and no empty space is left during storage. Since corrugated cardboard is stable, the packaging can be stacked well.

During transport, the cardboard impresses with its low dead weight. Corrugated board can save logistics costs. This is possible due to the precisely adjusted size, stackability and stability. Corrugated board is also easy to print. Whether notes on storage and transport or information for the buyer - all relevant details are quickly printed on the packaging.

Corrugated board consists of renewable raw materials. No trees are felled for its production. When forests are maintained, thinning and broken wood accumulates. These serve as theprimary raw material for paper production .

In addition, the recycling rate of corrugated board is almost 100 percent. A few simple steps are required to turn a cardboard package into an attractive sales package. This makes it a strong advertising medium. In addition, corrugated board is the most popular transport packaging that can withstand many stresses.

Interesting facts about corrugated board

Corrugated board was developed in 1856 in the fashion industry. Two Englishmen wanted to use corrugated board as an insert for high hats. It took another 25 years for corrugated board to find its way into the packaging industry.

The Dutch company "Fiction Factory" built an entire house from corrugated cardboard, the walls of which consist of 24 layers of cardboard. These are glued together in such a way that they insulate well and retain their shape.

To prevent the house from soaking at the first rain, the engineers covered the walls with wooden cladding, on top of which a water-repellent and breathable film was laid. The house is expected to last 100 years and costs from 25,000 euros. In terms of size, however, it would have to be described more as a cottage.

Conclusion

No other packaging is used as frequently for transport as corrugated board. It is used especially for the packaging of sensitive objects. In addition to safe transport and reliable storage, it provides further arguments that explain its popularity as a packaging material.

Corrugated board is thus a sustainable and inexpensive alternative. As a lightweight, it is ideal for logistics because it saves costs and space. At the same time, it is still sufficiently robust to protect sensitive items.

Inside a carton, the sensitive goods to be transported can be packed individually in corrugated board or separated from each other by special inlays and intermediate layers of corrugated board. In this way, even jars and bottles reach their destination safely and without breakage.

FAQ

1. What is corrugated board?

   Corrugated board is a light and strong construction, which consists of several layers of paper and has a hollow volume of air. During production, at least one smooth and one corrugated paper web are glued together. Up to nine paper webs are used to produce one corrugated board.

   Corrugated board is called "cardboard" because gluing used to be called "cardboard". There are different types of corrugated cardboard. Which one is best for shipping a particular item depends on the item itself. The heavier or more delicate the item being shipped, the sturdier the corrugated cardboard should be. For light goods, a box made of single or double wall corrugated board is often sufficient.

2. What should I consider when packing delicate items?

   Choose the smallest possible package size and make sure there is still enough room to cushion the items you are shipping. When shipping items of different weights or sensitivities together, place the heavy items on the bottom and the light items on the top. Sensitive items are best placed on the inside.

   Be sure to pack your goods tightly, but do not squeeze them. Voids can easily lead to crushed packaging. If you are shipping glass goods, they should not touch each other, nor should they be in contact with the outer packaging. You can cushion mechanical stresses with appropriate cushioning material.

   Spatially separate identical packages in the carton. It is best to cushion light goods softly and heavy goods hard. Glass and other products that are susceptible to breakage must be padded all around. Transport the goods according to their construction. This means, for example, that you transport bottles upright.