Time-saving packaging

Time is money! This is certainly true in the logistics world. It is important that you prepare the number of orders per hour and shift. At every step of the order preparation process, our experts will advise you on how to save exactly THOSE precious seconds and conserve exactly THAT energy of your warehouse operation that you need to pack, protect and seal your parcels more efficiently.

This guide will deal with the issues of packaging:

Choose the right packaging materials

Protect effectively where less is more

Sealing parcels, quickly and securely

The central packing platform, the packing table

Before we get started, think about your own packing operations and read our two discussion topics: “The Delivery Promise: An important issue!” and “Does seasonality affect your business?”

The Delivery Promise: An important topic!

A disappointed customer is a customer who may not return to buy from you again. All your sales and marketing efforts will be in vain if your customer expectations are not met in this crucial step. Clearly, you need to deliver fast and you need to deliver safely. This guide advises you at every stage of the packaging process and offers a range of solutions depending on your business and your costs.

The first and important step has been taken: the customer has come into contact with your brand, his journey has begun. In the following purchase decision process, he will have different points of contact with your company; until at the end of the “customer journey” there is (hopefully!) the purchase. And then it fails at the last hurdle, when the delivery expectations are not fulfilled?!?

A disappointed customer means that, for whatever reason, he or she had a bad experience with you or your company. Because of this, he/she is unlikely to come back to buy. The customer’s journey may have gone smoothly and without problems up to that point: Unfortunately, all that is immediately forgotten if the promised delivery expectation was not fulfilled.

Does seasonality affect your business?

In both B2B and B2C, the Christmas season means that our customers have to prepare differently than at other times of the year. For example, the rapidly expanding board game manufacturer IELLO has two key periods that need to be carefully planned by its logistics team.

From May to June, they distribute their best-selling products in anticipation of the Christmas sales. They ship pallets and large boxes in bulk to retailers over a short period of time to prepare for this busy time.

The other “business pillar” is direct sales on their e-commerce website at the end of the year. This is pure B2C logistics with a focus on fast delivery to the consumer. They need to deliver quickly and ensure that the package gets to its destination, and in good condition, otherwise the customer could be lost to another board game manufacturer.

Packing speed affects delivery times

Pack, protect and seal your parcels. As you improve efficiencies in your packing team, multiply those efficiencies by the number of orders; the savings and overall gains for your team and company become quite significant.

Choose the right packing materials

The choice of packaging affects the speed of order preparation. Certain choices may seem trivial, but for the packaging team it can save seconds, meaning more orders are packed per hour while less effort is required. With the energy saved, more time can be spent on other areas of the packaging process for each delivery, such as the quality of each package and reducing packaging errors.

Swap your boxes for envelopes and mailing bags

If possible, think about how you can optimise your packaging materials. If possible, replace your boxes with Envelopes or mailing bags. We will tell you two advantages why this will pay off for you:

• The speed of execution: time is saved, mailing bags are ready to use, whereas boxes and cartons often require manual assembly.
• The cost of transport: shipping bags are lighter, the weight and volume of your shipments will decrease, which means that overall transport costs are reduced.

Some may think that envelopes and mailing bags are limited to low-value goods, but in fact their only limitation could be size or type of product. The mailbag is a good core product, while Cartons and boxes are also a reliable option. For example, for international shipments, you should still Buy cardboard boxes. Most retailers prefer cardboard packaging, especially the popular 2-wall shipping boxes, as their first choice.

This ecological paper alternative will certainly surprise you: not only does it have an adhesive strip that saves you having to apply tape, as we know how important it is to save time, but it is also surprisingly strong and tear-resistant thanks to FSC 10gsm Kraft paper with a tensile strength of 9.5kN/m – and you can find Kraft paper mailing bags here in our online shop!

Choose environmentally friendly packaging alternatives or call our packaging specialists to find out how you can go green!

The flash bottom box will revolutionise the work of your packaging team

We see three key benefits to switching from standard cartons to flash bottom erect cartons:

• Time saving: the box is assembled on average 2.5 times faster than a standard box
• Energy saving: It can be 2.5 times faster to assemble, at the same time it is 2.5 times easier to assemble. Your packaging team will thank you for switching to flash floor erecting boxes! Just take a look at our Blitzboden video to learn more…
• Space saving: our customers have commented that they used to have to assemble standard boxes in batches, but now packers can simply ‘build’ the boxes with the Blitz bottoms on demand, saving storage space.

Protect effectively where less is more

Protective packaging is something you need to think about to protect your products during transit. Here are some solutions to help reduce the time and resources you have previously invested in this part of the packaging process.

Perforated protective packaging

One way to save time on protective packaging is to reduce the use of tools. Perforated protective packaging eliminates the need for a cutter. Watch the video for a direct comparison of perforated bubble wrap and standard bubble wrap!

The bubble wrap with adhesive tape

Not only does a bubble envelope completely encase products, the easily accessible adhesive strip also secures the product in the envelope. No additional tape is required, nor is the use of additional bubble wrap. The packing speed speaks for itself, as you can see in this video!

Top tip: Bubble wrap bags with adhesive strips are perfect for bulky, awkward items. Just pop them in, and packing, padding and sealing is one step away

If you have bulky items, is custom packaging an option?

If you have a high volume of similar orders and your product doesn’t have a standard box shape, it’s ideal to use packaging that fits your products well, like a glove. Custom and bespoke packaging not only saves a lot of padding and fixing material, but also some packaging time.

Three good reasons for customised packaging

Packaging that “fits” closer to the product is best because it avoids movement and reduces damage. Tailored packaging fits like a glove, reducing the amount or need for protective packaging. Here are three important arguments in favour of customised packaging:

• Environmental responsibility: take every opportunity to pack in a more environmentally friendly way: Customised packaging reduces the use of unnecessary protective materials
• Save shipping costs: Efficient packaging materials mean lighter shipments and optimised packaging pallets for reduced overall transport costs
• Always be ready: For a fast turnaround where no time is wasted, pack your order with ready-to-use customised packaging

Discuss your needs with our customer advisors on 0800 20 77 000 for a free no-obligation quote!

Protective packaging systems

Protective packaging machines are ideal for e-commerce businesses that handle similar orders in large quantities. In these cases, a packaging system will pay for itself very quickly in terms of the speed of orders processed by the packer.

We understand that deciding on and purchasing one can be a daunting prospect. If you’re not sure what you’re looking for, contact our machine specialist – or try the free, interactive Rajasystem Machine Guide – no registration required!

For advice and information on whether a packaging system is right for your business, or to improve the efficiency of your warehouse operation, contact a machinery specialist on 0800 20 77 030 (free).

Sealing the parcels, quickly and securely

The process of sealing is crucial to ensure your parcels are safe in transit. We have put together a few suggestions to ensure the safety of your deliveries and save time at the same time!

Sealing a parcel without using tape?

Yes, it is possible not to use packing tape and will certainly save you time and money. Tape takes up space to store stock and you need to keep track of your stock. But it depends on what you are packaging, what packaging you need. Envelopes and mailing bags are available with built-in tape. You increase your packaging speed with the ready-to-use strip and save space by not having to keep stock. So look out for packaging with the self-adhesive closure strip!

How to benefit from gummed paper tape

You may not be aware of this packaging product, but gummed paper tape is one of the most effective and environmentally friendly ways to secure your packages. Amazon, one of the largest e-commerce retailers, uses paper tape on all shipments, and it’s also custom printed with their branding, two brilliant benefits!

Top tip: We recommend applying any tape with a tape dispenser – for gummed paper tape, use a paper tape dispenser – and to speed up the process even more, use an electronic Wet tape dispenser.

The gummed paper tape has a natural adhesive, it is almost invisible on your package, tamper-proof (it cannot be peeled off and replaced unnoticed thanks to its excellent adhesive strength) so you can see if the tape has been removed from the box and most importantly,: it is environmentally friendly and can be recycled with the box thanks to its single-material solution.

Closing the box

Often one of the first machine investments made on the way to high volume storage and an excellent “time saving factor”:

A Case sealer!

The central packing platform, the packing table

Some might call it a workstation, a Packing table or a packing station. Whatever the term, it is the central place and area where you can pack and prepare parcels to be able to send them out. This platform allows you to work in an organised, efficient and structured way and is more than a standard workbench or table. It provides a clear workspace with dedicated areas to reach all your components and equipment you need to pack, cushion or seal.

For information on workstations and finding a solution that suits you, discuss your needs with a packaging specialist on 0800 20 77 000. Perhaps, for a first clue, our ? Online help on the subject of “packing table?

More about working on and with a packing table? How to design an ergonomic packing workplace, how to find the right packing table for you and why both employer and employee benefit from purchasing a suitable packing table? In the blog: Ergonomic packing workplace.