Holiday Shipping: The Anatomy of a Cardboard Box

[PICTURE LOGISTICS ] ANATOMY OF The shipping box: You might not think of it as much more than a collapsible container, but it's the product of more than 100 years of engineering. Today's corrugated box features three layers of cardboard to withstand the hazards of shipping. However, its performance still relies on how it interacts with the contents you put in it. A CARDBOARD BOX SHIP SMART INSIDE TIP MUSCLE MATTERS Don't overlap the box flaps – this just breaks down the cardboard faster. To ensure your package provides the right protection, follow the UPS Box Strength Guidelines (on ups.com/packagingguide), which will help ensure your package provides the right protection. KEEP IT COOL If you use biodegradable packaging materials, don't store them in excessive SEAL THE BOX PROPERLY heat or humidity, which can cause them to break down more quickly. UPS recommends a "six-strip method" applying pressure- sensitive, water-activated or heavy-duty nylon tape on the cross seam and both side seams (top and bottom of the box). PACK RIGHT The right size box reduces the cost and waste associated with packing materials. It's generally best to cushion a product with at least two inches of protection on all six sides, and be sure there are no empty spaces unfilled. The UPS Package Lab can determine the best fill material. To get specific packing guidelines, use the UPS Packaging Advisor at ups.com/packagingadvisor. REUSE WISELY The more times a box is used, the less rigid it becomes - and up to 50 percent less protective. If you must reuse a box, make sure it is rigid and in good condition (no punctures, tears, rips, or corner damage, with all flaps intact). BOX BITS Corn Flakes In the 1870s, Scottish-born Brooklyn paper-bag maker Robert Gair was printing an order of seed bags when a metal rule normally used to crease bags shifted in position and cut the bag, creating Truly fascinated by boxes? Visit the Musée du Cartonnage et de l'Imprimerie (Museum of the Cardboard Box) in Valréas, France, which traces the history of cardboard boxes back to 1840, when it was used by silk manufacturers for transporting silkworm moths and their eggs from Japan to Europe. Smart packaging not only protects the contents of your shipment, but it also can be a more sustainable choice. In 2010, UPS established an Eco Responsible Packaging Program that assesses customers' Corrugated material – which is made up of three layers of cardboard - was not used as a You can thank breakfast cereal for the ubiquity of the cardboard box. When the Kellogg brothers invented their Toasted Corn shipping material until 1871. It was patented in England in 1856 as a liner for tall hats. packaging, cube optimization and packing materials. Visit ups.com/ecoresponsible. Flakes in the early 1900s, the popularity of the cardboard boxes skyrocketed. what is now referred to as 'semi-flexible packaging." Dimensional weight, also known as dim weight, evaluates the height, length and width of a box being shipped, instead of the gross weight in pounds. Therefore, larger, lighter packages - which take up more space than their smaller, denser counterparts - are charged differently. Learn more about dim weight at ups.com/dimweight. DIMENSIONAL WEIGHT VS. ACTUAL WEIGHT 10 COMPASS FALL 2011 Q411H INFOGRAPHIC: COLUMN FIVE MEDIA