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Fragile goods can be damaged during transportation or even while they are being produced. Product handling of consumer goods that fall within this bracket has to be done with extra care to guarantee their quality. Often, manufacturing companies that produce retail ready packaging for consumer goods treat the production of fragile goods separately. In these companies, you may find that the production of fragile goods occurs under stringent control by qualified employees or efficient machines.
Packaging materials are supposed to protect the products they carry. These materials should be strong enough to withstand considerable impacts.
The cartoning of fragile products began with the use of natural materials such as leaves. There is evidence suggesting the mass production of packaging containers using wood and metals as far back as 5000 years ago.
With consistent innovation, paper became a choice material for packaging purposes. Corrugated cardboard was invented in the 1850s and quickly replaced wooden boxes in carton packaging. Corrugated boxes have proved their worth in being lightweight and cheap to produce. When used for packaging fragile items, corrugated boxes can absorb shock and are rigid enough to be transported in shipping containers.
It is always a good bet to assume that any product you ship will be tossed, dropped, and rough-handled. Manufacturers that don’t invest in good packaging solutions will risk not only losing the integrity of the packages and content they carry, they also risk losing the trust of their users. While a speedy delivery of consumer packaged products is a good result of a vibrant product fulfillment team, It means nothing if the product you are selling does not reach your end user in good shape.
The risks associated with improper packaging are evident from the factory or place of production. Fragile consumer goods can be damaged if the system of packaging used by the manufacturer is not safety-conscious. In some cases, even employees may sustain injuries.
Employees involved in the packaging of fragile consumer goods face the peculiar challenge of destroying the products they are packaging before they ever get to the end user. If your company makes use of manual labor, your losses in the packaging process may be higher than when good product handling and packaging automation is employed. Employees easily get tired from handling boring repetitive tasks that may cause them to lose attention; giving room to accidents and silly mistakes.
While it is important to have attributes such as good point of sale impression and sustainability, your packaging needs to first protect the goods it’s carrying. Depending on the nature of the product, you may need rigid containers. Delicate products that get damaged easily need sturdy exterior packaging. Although this may not be the only requirement, it’s a good place to start. Other beneficial steps include:
Cartons with snuggie interiors are easier to handle. They are also not likely to allow the products inside them to juggle around. While packaging a fragile product, ensure you stuff any opening inside and around the product with packing paper, bubble wrap, or any cushioning material for extra protection.
The boxes you use should not be flimsily folded so as to ensure their rigidity. This can be achieved by using robotic packaging automation such as wrap around case packer and cartoning machines. If you intend to pack small fragile products in a single box, use a packaging box that has compartments. Placing each product in its compartment will help stop damage caused by contact within the box.
Using extra strips of tape and good folding will help protect your packaging from splitting open under the weight of the products you are handling. This should be a key step in your end of line packaging. A sealed packaging facilitates effective product handling during transportation and increases the trust consumers have in your product’s safety.
Another way you can secure the openings of your packaging is by using a soft packing material that stretches across its bottom side. Cartoning systems that use this technique can protect products from being damaged by rough handling.
Assuming you have a foolproof packaging system that uses state-of-the-art packaging automation technology, such as cartoner machines and wrap around case packers, taking the time to label your product is still an important step to ensuring that fragile products safely reach consumers.
Labeling a fragile product will help to communicate its delicate nature and ensure that it’s handled with care.
When done well, your packaging for fragile products will not only serve as a protective covering to their contents; it can serve as an indication of your attention to detail and drive to meet your customer’s needs.
Good packaging for fragile consumer goods will save you a lot of money in the long term as you will not need to deal with product returns and dissatisfaction from customers.
BluePrint automation offers exceptional robotic packaging automation solutions to help with your product handling and packaging processes. Contact us today.
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