At the end of this month, when FedEx and UPS begin charging delivery fees based on package dimensions, delivery costs for companies that use these carriers could increase up to 30%. Since the 1930s, most carriers calculated shipping rates based on a carton’s weight vs. the distance it was being shipped. But FedEx, UPS and … Read more
Wax coatings are being used less frequently in corrugated packaging, according to a new study released recently. Waxed corrugated packaging accounted for just 3% of all volume last year. Since wax usage as first tracked in 2002, wax coated corrugated packaging has dropped 39%. This dramatic decrease is attributed to a wider availability of recyclable … Read more
This year’s Pack Expo — the international packaging and processing trade show held earlier this month at Chicago’s McCormick Place convention center — shattered all-time attendance records and is being hailed by show organizers as the most successful ever. More than 48,000 people attended the trade show, a whopping 6.5% increase over 2012, according to … Read more
For most people, the holidays mean spending time with family and friends, creating new memories and enjoying good cheer. For many e-commerce companies that deal with products that are most popular during the holidays, however, it can mean an enormous short-term surge in business volume. Figuring out an efficient way to deal with such a … Read more
In our consumer culture, we’re obsessed with buying new-not buying new things-just buying things that are new. We’re talking about necessary purchases-in the material handling industry it can mean any part of your packing line. We want the latest and the greatest, which in the past always meant buying new equipment. Supply Chain Digest tells … Read more
Nothing kills production rates like a changeover. The line stops. The changes are made. The tests have to be done. Even if everything works correctly when the line re-starts, you’ve lost that time forever. It would be nice to be able to stockpile product and avoid changeovers that way, but it’s a fat chance if … Read more
Svenska Retursystem, a Swedish packaging company, recently won the Reusable Packaging Association’s prestigious Excellence in Reusable Packaging Award. The company, which was recognized in the category of companies with revenues of more than $25 million, led a program to establish a common pooling system for more than 20 food producers in the Skandanavian nation and … Read more
The expression “Good things come in small packages” is holding true for the office supplies chain Staples. The company was recently awarded the Gold Sustainability top honor from the World Packaging Organization for its innovative program to customize the size of the packages it ships to its customers. The program, called Smart-Size Packaging, has resulted … Read more
Carton board is 40-year-old logistics solution that is the future of now. It’s another Scandinavian obscurity that makes perfect sense on a “normal” level. It’s time to learn more. A greener approach to packing goods How many times have you seen wooden packing crates go into the dumpster? Almost all of them could be re-used-they … Read more
Now that summer has finally arrived, farmer’s markets are popping up in communities coast to coast. At these weekly marketplaces, consumers can gain access to fruit and produce that is at its absolute freshest. In many cases, the produce available for purchase has been harvested that same day. Transporting delicate fruits and vegetables to market … Read more
