Choosing the right transport packaging for your product is still quite difficult. These four questions will make the search for the best packaging a lot easier. In the video below, our account manager Robert Verboven gives you a sneak preview. Read more in this blog.
Why is that search for appropriate packaging so difficult, anyway? Every product is unique, as is the route the product takes to reach its final destination. At Faes we therefore consider it very important to look not only at the product and its characteristics, but also at the logistical route. What does a package encounter along the way? This is the only way to find the packaging that best suits your application and the product. You are also assured that it complies with all applicable laws, regulations and logistical standards.
These questions will help you find the best transport packaging:
Let’s explore those questions a little further.
Your product is, of course, the starting point. Important points of interest are:
List all the ins and outs of the product, which helps to determine exactly how the transport packaging should optimally protect the product. Weight and size very clearly define the initial prerequisites that the packaging must meet.
For fragile products, proper buffering and damping during transport are vital. There are all kinds of solutions for that. From padding material, pick foam and compartmentalization to custom interiors. Custom interiors are usually preferred because they are the most durable and provide optimal protection for the product. Custom interiors are available in a variety of materials.
Sometimes a product may not seem so fragile. Take metal products, such as a gear, for example. Not breakable during transport you would think. Until moisture gets to it and corrosion occurs. Therefore, climatic influences are also an important aspect to consider when choosing packaging.
The principles help you set direction and clearly define your priorities. Some are set by law, others are individual choices. Do you want to avoid transport damage at all costs? Or, as a buyer, do you have a tight, fixed budget? Two starting points that will both lead to different solutions. Here are some starting points:
There are strict rules for packaging hazardous materials. Do you pack only a drill, or also the battery with it? That makes quite a difference in the choice of packaging.
Looking for packaging that will get your product to its destination without damage? Do you need a presentation case? Do you want packaging that does both? Or are you looking for inexpensive packaging and take the risk of damage for granted? In short, what do you want the packaging to add to your product?
And how important is the look of the packaging to you? Does it matter if the packaging gets a few dents along the way? Or does that also immediately dent the image of the product and your company? Does the transport packaging have aesthetic value (used as a marketing/branding tool)? For example, do you want to have the logo milled into panels of the packaging or have it printed with a logo or text? The choice of materials also plays into the look. For an expensive machine of a few tons, a flight case or profile case still gives a better feeling to the recipient than a wooden crate.
What role does environmental impact play in your considerations? Looking for packaging that is as environmentally friendly as possible? Then choose reusable packaging. Cases and crates are much more sustainable than one-way packaging.
Do you put a limit on the weight of the product and packaging together? Or on the dimensions of the packaging? For example, to save transportation costs? All these criteria guide your choice.
What does a package encounter en route to its destination? This plays an important role in choosing the right transport packaging. Another blog I wrote on this topic is “Why transportation is an important aspect of your product and packaging development.
By land, sea or air, each type of transportation has an impact on what is the best choice for packaging. Each type of transportation, for example, has its own logistics standard to consider. When you map out the complete route your product takes in the transport packaging, you know what you need to protect your product from. And what requirements your packaging must meet.
Do you want to transport packaging that is dust- and waterproof by air? If so, such packaging needs an air valve to prevent inflation or vacuum pulling. Container transport by sea exposes the product and packaging to enormous G-forces and salty air. We know exactly which packaging your product needs for proper protection en route.
Some risks are:
Every means of transportation has its own logistics standards. So you have to take that into account when choosing your transport packaging. If the packaging extends beyond the pallet, you pay unnecessarily high transport costs and you run an extra risk of damage. Or your product may not fit through the door or in the elevator. Not so convenient.
In any case, keep in mind:
How often do you ship the product in the package? A “one way” package for a one-time shipment does not have to meet as stringent requirements as a package that is shipped back and forth on a regular basis. For example, because your customer is using the packaging for a return shipment.
Do you regularly ship products to the same destination? Perhaps you could consider reusable packaging, which you’ll have retrieved for the next shipment. And does your (consumer) product go from destination to destination? Then the obvious choice would be reusable and more sustainable packaging.
Each transport has its own handling requirements:
What is the destination of your product?
In the final choice of packaging, cost price also plays a role, of course. Practice teaches us that some buyers mainly look at the short term; the cost price of the packaging. Our tip is always: look at the total costs of your transport packaging in the chain. That way you avoid incurring additional costs further down the chain and end up being more expensive.
These additional costs are often related to:
What does it cost you if the wrong packaging causes your product to arrive at its destination damaged or unusable? Think of return costs, product replacement, downtime (failure of machines or systems) at the customer and even image damage for your company. Defects-on-arrival (DOA) is customer annoyance number one!
With well-thought-out transport packaging, you’ll make the effective packing and unpacking time a lot shorter. Do you opt for customized packaging with inlays for the various items? Then you can see at a glance whether the packaging is completely filled. So you save time and money immediately. Completely in line with the 5S principle.
‘One way’ packaging is often cheaper than reusable packaging, but is that true in the long run? In my experience, the investment in sustainable packaging quickly pays off. Especially if you often ship products to the same destinations and also have products coming back to you from the destination.
It’s best to ship a calibrated tool in a wooden crate if you want to save costs. But it does not provide optimal protection. If the calibrated tool receives an external impact during transport (by bumping or dropping), it can render the tool unusable immediately. Then you have to take the tool back, recalibrate it and send it to the customer again, which costs an enormous amount of time and money. But trust can also take a big hit. After all, what does the customer really think about you deciding to send a calibrated tool in such a simple package?
Consider the cost of the packaging itself and the cost of the packaging choice across the chain as a whole. Only when you do that will it be possible to determine the right packaging for your product.
Also looking for the right transport packaging? Download the checklist using the button below.
