What Are The Benefits Of Incorporating Corrugated Cardboard In The Packaging Industry?
If you’re looking for packaging solutions, consider corrugated cardboard. It’s been popular for decades, because it has many advantages. Lightweight, yet strong, it saves on shipping costs.
Additionally, with Australia’s 2025 National Packaging Targets on the horizon, it’s an eco-friendly packaging solution, because corrugated cardboard is reusable, recyclable, and compostable.
Many companies use cardboard for shipping single products; for combining several products into one package; as well as to protect fragile products. Gateway Packaging offers cardboard rolls in various sizes and weights so you can construct the best protection for fragile products.
What is corrugated cardboard?
It’s a form of paper packaging which is manufactured in layers of cardboard. In its basic form, this consists of a two layers: liner layer, plus a three dimensional fluted layer, in which the cardboard is pleated.
Various configurations are possible. A fluted layer can be glued between two liners. Several fluted layers with their liners can also be glued together — this configuration offers additional strength, and enhances protection for your products.
Fluted layers can be also be manufactured in various sizes of flutes, with the larger sizes offering more product protection. Companies use corrugated cardboard with 5mm flutes to package fragile items, such as glass, or electronics, for example.
Let’s look at some of the advantages of using corrugated cardboard in your packaging.
1. Strength: corrugated cardboard securely products your products
It’s frustrating when products are damaged in shipping. Not only does product damage increase your costs, your customers are disappointed.
Today, many companies want to design new methods of shipping, so that they can meet 2025’s targets. You may be wary of cardboard, considering it flimsy, but corrugated cardboard can be very strong and reliable.
An additional benefit: it can save on shipping costs.
2. Lightweight corrugated cardboard saves on shipping costs
The best form of packaging for your products is lightweight, yet strong enough to protect your products from rough handling. The dangers including crushing, and impact shocks if a package is dropped.
It’s worth testing your current packaging against corrugated cardboard and assessing the weight. Will cardboard save you money? It’s definitely eco-friendly.
3. Eco-friendly: reusable, recyclable, and compostable
The manufacturers of industrial packaging are designing innovations to help companies to meet their eco-friendly targets. Although corrugated cardboard is a traditional material, it’s also versatile, and eco-friendly, often manufactured from up to 90% of recycled paper materials.
Cardboard is also favoured by the circular economy. An entire industry has grown around recycling cardboard to be used again and again. Originally trendy, circular packaging is now chosen by some global companies, for its low costs. It also enhances their eco credentials.
Another major benefit: cardboard is paper, so it can be printed.
4. Printable: corrugated cardboard offers marketing opportunities
Many companies print on their paper packaging; it’s an easy form of advertising.
Corrugated cardboard is well suited for marketing. Not only can you print your company logo on this packaging, you can also add promotional offers, and change your offers as needed.
4. Choices: corrugated cardboard is available in many different sizes
Awkwardly-shaped products are a challenge to package and ship. If you’re not using corrugated cardboard rolls, consider this option, because not only are rolls available in various sizes and weights, the packaging can be shaped around your products.
Discuss corrugated cardboard packaging with your customers. You may find they’re amenable to this form of packaging, because it can be recycled, or even reused in their own packaging.
5. Corrugated cardboard is an energy-saving option
Paper is a renewable resource, and today, both the Australian government and businesses are looking at the overall energy costs in manufacturing and packaging. Some forms of paper products, including corrugated cardboard, are made of 100%, fully recycled materials.
This offers energy-saving benefits, for you, as well as for your customers.
6. Flexible and versatile: rethink your packaging
Are you looking at new designs for your packaging? Investigate the potential of corrugated cardboard. You may find that you can package several products together, saving on space and shipping.
Alternatively, perhaps you can construct smaller packages; this also saves on shipping costs.
However, although corrugated cardboard has benefits, it also has challenges.
Challenges when using corrugated cardboard
Although corrugated cardboard is strong and durable, it has disadvantages too, especially for products which are large and heavy.
A primary disadvantage is that cardboard is easily damaged by moisture. If your products will be exposed to the environment during shipping, or in storage, cardboard isn’t a good choice. However, packaging manufacturers are aware of this, and treated cardboard (with a plastic coating) may become more common in future.
Contact Gateway Packaging to discuss your needs
Unsure on what’s best for you? We’re happy to discuss corrugated cardboard solutions and the packaging’s potential for you: contact us today.