Why does your business need the right packaging solution? Besides keeping your business operations running smoothly and efficiently, it’s important to protect your products during storage and transit to ensure that your goods reach customers in perfect condition.
To optimise cost-effectiveness and meet specific workflow demands, it’s important to find packaging solutions that can streamline the overall process, reduce unnecessary waste and help manage your budget more effectively.
Types of Packaging Products and Warehouse Consumables
Before going any further, let’s clarify what a packaging solution is. The term refers to a comprehensive approach or more specifically, a set of products used to safely package, protect and present goods during storage, handling or shipping. From boxes and cartons to tapes, adhesives and anything in between, these practical packaging solutions ensure that products remain intact throughout their journey.
Boxes and Cartons
Boxes and cartons are the foundation of a good packaging solution. They help businesses safely store and ship goods, ensuring protection against damage.
You can find these packaging supplies available in a range of sizes and materials, designed to accommodate different product dimensions. Depending on your specific business needs, you can use corrugated boxes, which are quite popular for their strength or use smaller cartons for lighter items.
Regardless, it’s important to choose the right box or carton, as the right packaging is supposed to reduce product movement during transit to minimise the risk of damage.
Packaging Tapes and Adhesives
Whether you own a warehouse or a smaller business, tapes and adhesives are essential supplies necessary to securely seal boxes and packages. If you’re preparing the goods for shipping or need to reorganise them on the shelves, frequent handling can cause an item to break or open, and the goal here is to provide a strong seal that can withstand handling and transportation conditions. That’s why tapes and adhesives are the staples of every well-chosen packaging equipment.
Shrink Wrap and Stretch Film
Shrink wrap and stretch film are materials used to secure products both individually and on pallets. Shrink wraps are very good at protecting the products from moisture, dust and damage, as they tightly conform to the shape of the products when heated. As such, it creates a tight and secure seal and acts as a protective layer against external damage.
Stretch find, on the other hand, is used for wrapping and stabilising the products on pallets. It’s used to ensure that the good remains are securely bundled during transit and storage. Both materials are especially important for protecting items in large-scale shipping operations.
Protective Packaging Materials
Protective packaging materials typically include bubble wrap, foam and packaging peanuts but can also extend to other products such as void fills and air pillows, load angles, egg trays, silica gels, etc.
These protective supplies are designed to provide cushioning to the items and prevent damage from shocks, drops or vibrations. The materials are used to fill voids within boxes to stop products from shifting during transit.
Labels and Labeling Systems
Clear and accurate labels play a key role in the efficient identification of products. Barcode labels, address labels and product information labels are commonly used to organise warehouse operations and facilitate shipping. They help avoid eros and misplacements and that’s why every warehouse or business of smaller scales needs labels and labeling systems as a staple in their packaging supply assortment.
Strapping and Tying Supplies
Strapping and tying materials such as plastic or steel strapping are used to bundle or secure heavy loads and large shipments. They provide extra support and ensure that the packages remain secure during transportation.
For smaller packaging needs, you can go with twine or cord, as they can add an additional layer of stability to boxes, enough to prevent them from shifting or opening during transportation.
Protective Wear
If you own a warehouse, you want to equip your employees with protective wear for their on safety and well-being. You should provide your employees with gloves, aprons and safety goggles to protect workers from hazards that can come from either packaging materials, machinery or products being handled. Protective wear will keep your workers safe, reduce accidents and improve their overall productivity.
Mailing Bags and Envelopes
Mailing bags and envelopes are typically used for smaller, non-fragile items such as clothing, documents or accessories. They come in various sizes as well as padded and non-padded options, made from lightweight but durable materials and are ideal for postal services and e-commerce businesses.
Warehouse Consumables
Warehouse consumables refer to items necessary for maintaining an organised and functional workspace. The products that fall into this category range from pallet wraps and labels to packaging paper, cleaning supplies and more. Consumables ensure that products are properly packed and stored, and this way, they help reduce downtime caused by a lack of essential materials.
