Corrugated board has been able to conquer many areas of application in recent years. The multifunctional material scores mainly in sustainability and environmental compatibility. What is less obvious is that corrugated board can be used flexibly. Have you already discovered the advantages of corrugated board for storing items? In this article, we introduce you to the other side of corrugated board.

Corrugated board: what positive properties does it bring?

Corrugated board is often a very inconspicuous material. It forms the basis of transport boxes, archive containers and, more recently, furniture and other accessories.

These diverse applications are made possible by the properties that this product has. Whether sustainability, recyclability or flexibility, there is a suitable corrugated board for almost every purpose. In the overview, corrugated board primarily convinces through these advantages:

• The waste paper ratio of corrugated board is high. It is usually at least 80 percent.
• Corrugated cardboard products can be recycled.
• The carbon footprint is optimized in the production of corrugated board today.
• Corrugated board insulates and protects.
• The material can be printed and flexibly shaped.
• It is stable and tear-resistant depending on the selected thickness.
• Corrugated board can be combined over and over again, even with other paper qualities if desired.
• In relation to its stability, corrugated board is light.
• Corrugated board is available in waterproof and oil-resistant grades.
• For various areas, corrugated board can be madeflame retardant by coating.
• Corrugated board is relatively inexpensive.

Cartons for storage

The storage of goods and products, as well as documents and other items, is an issue in a wide variety of commercial as well as private sectors. With all efforts towards a paperless office, documents still need to be archived.

This is where corrugated board comes in: it is the optimal material for storage boxes of any size and shape. A particularly practical feature of these boxes is that they can remain folded until they are needed. This means that they themselves do not take up storage space until they are filled. This is also advantageous because you can keep larger quantities of the storage boxes on hand without needing your own warehouse for them.

The boxes can be used several times depending on the purpose.

Another advantage of the boxes is that they can be folded again after use. Corrugated cardboard storage boxes are easy to print, label or glue. They can be adapted to the dimensions of shelf space. Depending on the quality of corrugated cardboard, they can help preserve stored goods and products.

Corrugated board can be adapted to the conditions in warehouses. Certain types are suitable for humid or fire-prone environments.

Storage cartons made of corrugated board can also be used due to their low dead weight can be shifted and moved again and again. This also makes them suitable for storage in preparation for later transport.

Inlays to help with storage

Many storage items must be stored carefully and separated from each other if they are to remain in the warehouse for a long time. Here, too, corrugated board offers an appropriate solution: inlays made of the material can be used to create breakers in storage cartons that separate different goods from one another.

This function of corrugated board is made possible by its great flexibility in strength and rigidity. Soft corrugated board materials that enclose goods and products are suitable for inlays. These inlays can also be kept in large numbers in a warehouse so that they are always to hand when they are needed.

Once again, the comparatively low price of corrugated board is convincing when a large number of inlays are needed for storage.

Corrugated board makes an excellent interleaving paper and inlay in larger storage units.

Corrugated cardboard as an intermediate layer for stacking sensitive objects

At this point, we will go into the subject of interleaving paper in greater depth once again. Here we also think about storage and layering on pallets. Corrugated board shows its qualities particularly as a base and as an intermediate layer for sensitive goods. Compared to interleaving paper, interleaving card board with higher strength is mainly used on pallets.

This function of corrugated board is appreciated not only in the commercial sector. It is also known in private life, for example, when storing items in the basement or preparing for a move. An intermediate layer of corrugated cardboard protects against shocks and slipping.

You can choose between single, double and triple wall qualities for the intermediate layers. The interleaving paper and interleaving cardboard boxes can have different faces. They can be perfectly adjusted to the desired size and dimension.

Conservation corrugated board

The storage of particularly sensitive goods such as works of art can be handled professionally with corrugated board. Conservation corrugated board is available for this purpose. This is resistant to aging. The qualities of this corrugated board comply with DIN standards such as DIN EN ISO 9706 and DIN ISO 16245.

Conservation corrugated board has another special feature: it is made entirely from virgin fiber cellulose. This makes them one of the most expensive and highest-quality grades of corrugated board. If you've only ever associated corrugated board with waste paper, conservation corrugated board will surprise you. It is another example of how flexibly corrugated board can be processed and designed.

Which flute for which claim?

The shafts and their distance from each other are responsible for increased load capacity. 

When you take a closer look at corrugated board, you can see one important detail: It depends on the flute . This refers to the corrugated paper as a layer between smooth paper layers. Different types of flutes are distinguished here, which have variable values for flute pitch t (distance between flute trough and flute tip) as well as flute height h:

• A-flute is considered a coarse shaft with t: 7.9-10.0 mm; h: 4.0-5.0 mm
• C-flute is considered a medium wave with t: 6.5-7.9 mm; h: 3.1-4.0 mm
• B-flute is considered a fine wave with t: 4.8-6.5 mm; h: 2.2-3.1 mm
• D-flute is also considered a fine wave with t: 3.5-4.8 mm; h: 1.9-2.2 mm
• E-flute is considered fine or microwave with t: 2.6-3.5 mm; h: 1.0-1.9 mm
• F-flute is considered a mini-wave with t: 1.8-2.6 mm; h: 0.6-1.0 mm
• G-Welle gilt als Miniwelle mit t: 1,8 mm; h: <0,6 mm
• N-flute also a mini-shaft with h: approx. 0.40 mm
• K-flute is considered a special flute with t: > 10.0 mm; h: >= 5.0 mm.

The different flutes represent different product properties of the corrugated board. The most widely used is C-flute with average support and cushioning properties. The A-flute , which is produced less frequently today, provides particularly intensive cushioning and support.

Fine flutes are suitable for packaging where the most accurate dimensions are required and for small storage items. They are easier to print than the coarser flutes.

Corrugated board and no end?

The German corrugated board industry accounts for a significant share of total paper production. With sales of over 6 million t in 2021, Germany leads Europe in its demand for corrugated board.

Corrugated board has been increasingly in demand for years. A comparison of the years 2020 and 2021 alone shows an increase of over 8 percent in sales of the material. Sales have increased by 17 percent in the same period.

Corrugated board prices are dependent on the price of recovered paper. This results in price fluctuations in some cases. The growth in e-commerce and online mail order is also significantly boosting demand for corrugated board.

The sustainability factor of corrugated board

In times when sustainability aspects and environmental compatibility are playing an increasingly important role, corrugated board continues to assert itself on the market. This material is characterized by a high recycled paper ratio. Especially in the area of transport packaging, corrugated board is indispensable without endangering market segments such as e-commerce.

The material has also become indispensable for storage. One would almost like to say: Those who love the environment rely on corrugated board. However, this statement does not go far enough. Apart from the sustainability aspects, it is the many possible applications that make corrugated board attractive. Worldwide, corrugated board is therefore just as much in demand, especially in China.

Conclusion: Corrugated board is perfect for storage and transportation

Corrugated board adapts individually to the respective requirements for storage and archiving. Due to the many material variants in corrugated board, the possible applications here are almost unlimited. Anyone who chooses corrugated board for storage is choosing a sustainable and environmentally friendly material.

Corrugated board has also been available to the market in large quantities up to now. This is unlikely to change much in the foreseeable future. The more corrugated board is used in transport cartons, for example, the more corrugated board will also find its way back into recycling processes.

However, the price of the material fluctuates as global demand for recovered paper varies.

FAQ

1. Why is corrugated board suitable for storage and archiving?
   Corrugated board is a very flexible material that comes in different qualities. In storage, it is valuable not only as a storage board, but also in the form of intermediate paper and intermediate cardboard. Special qualities are suitable for very sensitive storage items such as works of art. One type of corrugated board even has conservation properties and is resistant to aging.

2. Does the type of flute matter for corrugated board?
   The flute is one of the distinguishing features of corrugated board. It is decisive for strength, cushioning effect and stability. Therefore, when choosing corrugated board, you should also pay attention to the type designation of flute . It ranges from A for a coarse flute to micro and mini flutes in the E to N range.