Think Inside the Box! The Benefits of Using Corrugated Shipping Boxes

In the past, transporting goods from one place to another was a difficult proposition due, among other things, to the difficulty of storing goods for a long time. Ever since the corrugated box's prominence in the 1960's, however, not only could industries keep their cargoes safer, but they could also already transport them in bigger quantities. Below are just some of the benefits of the highly adaptable corrugated shipping boxes in the modern world.

Affordability

Since they are mostly made from paper, corrugated boxes are cheap enough to be bought in bundles, which, as a result, greatly reduces shipping costs. Advances in paper making technology have further reduced the cost of manufacturing them in recent years. Using recycled paper to make these boxes, for instance, maximizes their cost-effectiveness.

Versatility

Due to their light weight and ease of use, these boxes are standard packaging materials for hauling huge quantities of food, clothes, medicine, and the like not only by sea but also by air or by train. Clients can choose from a host of pre-cut sizes to accommodate their varied packaging needs. Furthermore, by using additional packaging materials like bubble wraps, shrink wraps or rolled stretch wrap film, corrugated boxes can also be used to pack fragile items like glass panes, electronic equipment, and porcelain plates prior to transport.

Re-usability

As of December 2012, disposal of these shipping boxes have decreased by 55 percent in the US. This is due to concerted efforts to recycle them into disposal bins, cardboard furniture, window covers, dividers, and even basketball nets. This re-usability takes you back to corrugated boxes' original storage and transport purposes when you take them apart to act as cushions to large yet fragile pieces of cargo like art sculptures and paintings. They can also be used as soil compost and as raw materials for making linerboards. Perhaps more importantly, scientists from China and Germany have found out that corrugated boxes can also be used in batteries. If properly carbonized, the layers of a box can be used as an electrode material for microbial fuel cells.

Environment-Friendly

Aside from the aforementioned re-usability, being made from paper also means that corrugated boxes aren't toxic like plastics. Likewise, manufacturing these boxes don't use up much energy and materials, and therefore, do not strain natural resources. A company that uses corrugated boxes can therefore claim that they're doing their part in preserving the environment.