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Guidelines for storing and handling corrugated

Advice for deriving the most from corrugated packaging

According to industry numbers, corrugated is utilized for 95% of packaged goods, with boxes (i.e. shippers) accounting for the overwhelmingly majority of that volume. This article will use the word “corrugated” to refer to boxes in the KD (knocked-down) position, in contrast to the erected box.

Corrugated is an engineered material, specified by paper grade, flute, style, manufacturer’s joint, and adhesive—mainly. Engineering, however, does not solve every problem that can be encountered with corrugated. Some easy-to-overlook culprits are storage and handling practices.

Weather or not

Because corrugated is hygroscopic, the relative humidity of the storage area should be maintained within favorable tolerances. That doesn’t automatically mean that a company needs to go an energy-intensive route via ambient-control devices.

A simple, effective solution can be to choose an area within the facility that is least susceptible to high-humidity conditions; for example, rather than an area close to the loading docks, with their routine raising of doors and the ingress of humidity, a better area is one that is farther into the interior of the facility. Better yet is to select a location close to where the corrugated is set up and filled.

Humidity varies by region and season, a fact intuitively grasped by all. Those variables aside, if high humidity is harmful, water is ruinous; therefore, under no circumstances should corrugated be stored outdoors, no matter the overhead protection.

What are some specific problems caused by moisture? There are those owing to dimensional changes: the corrugated absorbs moisture causing it to swell, warp, or distort to whatever degree. All of these cause problems as the corrugated is erected into boxes, whether the operation is manual or automated. Manual operations are slowed and automated case erectors are jammed.

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