What industrial packaging means

Ask ten people what packaging is and most will describe something from a store shelf: a cereal box, a bottle, a printed carton. Industrial packaging is the other side of the same field. It is the packaging that moves parts and products through plants, warehouses and trucks, and most shoppers never see it. This post gives a plain definition for new buyers, plant staff and anyone who orders or handles it.

A working definition

Industrial packaging is packaging designed to protect, hold and move goods during manufacturing, storage and shipping. Its job is to get a product from one point in the supply chain to the next without damage, at a reasonable cost, and in a form people and equipment can handle.

The industrial packaging guide from Packaging Digest says that industrial packaging is designed mainly for behind the scenes work and is seen mostly by manufacturers, distributors and supply chain handlers. A box of machined parts on its way to an assembly line, a pallet of cartons wrapped in stretch film and a drum of liquid in a warehouse are all examples.

How it differs from retail packaging

Retail packaging and industrial packaging use many of the same materials, but they are built for different readers. Packaging Digest sums up the difference: consumer packaging focuses on brand communication and shelf appeal, while industrial packaging emphasizes protection, durability and logistical efficiency.

That shift in priorities changes almost every decision. A retail carton is judged on how it looks and how it opens. An industrial package is judged on whether the parts inside arrive undamaged, whether it stacks well, whether it fits the pallet and the truck, and whether the person receiving it can unpack and count the contents quickly. Printing, if there is any, is usually labels and handling information rather than graphics.

The three levels of packaging

Packaging is often described in three levels.

Primary packaging is the material that first wraps or holds the product. Secondary packaging sits outside the primary packaging and groups primary packages together. Tertiary or transit packaging is used for bulk handling, warehouse storage and transport shipping.

In practice, industrial buyers deal with all three levels at once. A plant shipping finished parts to a customer may need bags or wraps on each part, a corrugated case to hold a set number of parts, interior pieces inside that case to keep the parts apart, and pallets and stretch film to build the cases into a load that a forklift can move.

What industrial packaging has to do

The Wikipedia article on packaging and labeling lists the common functions of packaging. They apply here, but with more weight on protection and handling.

Physical protection means guarding the contents against mechanical shock, vibration, electrostatic discharge, abrasion, compression and temperature. Containment means holding loose parts, powders and liquids so nothing escapes. Information means labels and markings that tell people how to handle, store and route the package. Convenience means features that make distribution, handling and stacking easier.

When several parts share one box, they can rub or knock against each other in transit, which is where abrasion and contact damage come from. Interior packaging, such as partitions that divide a box into separate cells, is one of the ways shippers keep parts from touching.

Common materials and types

Industrial packaging covers a wide range of materials. Packaging Digest groups the options into rigid and flexible types. Rigid packaging includes drums, pails, crates, pallets and intermediate bulk containers. Flexible packaging includes flexible intermediate bulk containers, industrial sacks and films. Polyethylene is common in bags, liners and shrink film, and paper and corrugated board are used throughout.

Across all containers and packaging, the US Environmental Protection Agency counted 82.2 million tons generated in 2018, which was 28.1 percent of total municipal solid waste generation. The recycling rate for containers and packaging that year was 53.9 percent. Corrugated boxes made up about 40 percent of that packaging tonnage.

Who works with industrial packaging

Industrial packaging touches a lot of people inside a business. Purchasing staff source it and compare quotes. Engineers specify sizes, materials and strength. Production and shipping staff pack and load it. Warehouse staff store, count and pick from it. Receiving staff at the customer unpack it.

Manufacturers and distribution warehouses are the main users. Box makers are also part of the picture, since many industrial packages combine a box from one supplier with interior pieces or other materials from another.

Putting it together

Industrial packaging is the packaging that protects, holds and moves goods between plants, warehouses and customers. It is judged on protection, durability and efficiency rather than shelf appeal. It spans all three packaging levels, from wraps on individual parts to cases, interior pieces, pallets and film. And it is handled by many people along the way, each of whom needs it to do a specific job.

Later posts in this series will look more closely at the main types of industrial packaging, the materials they are made from and the part interior packaging plays in keeping products safe.