Introduction to Corrugation: The Basics

       Corrugated Cardboard has been around for more than a century, first being patented in England in 1856. The original use for corrugated cardboard - also known as pleated paper - was for the inside of hat boxes to keep tall hats protected.
       Corrugated Cardboard consists of one to four flat sheets of liner paperboard glued to fluted paper. Corrugation falls under different categories based on thickness and whether one or four liner paperboard is used. The following is the structures of the few most common types of corrugation.

SINGLE-FACE CORRUGATED
       Single face corrugated is constructed of one flat layer of linerboard glued onto a sheet of fluted cardboard or "medium". Single face corrugated comes in rolls of various sizes and can either be purchaed in kraft or white, although kraft is the more popular choice. If you are looking for a different color other than the industry standard, there is the option of custom ordering the color of your choice. Single face corrugated is a main commodity in packaging utilized in a wide range of industrial, decorative and structural applications.



SINGLE WALL
        Single wall - also known as double-face - corrugated consists of one sheet of fluted paper glued in between two linerboards. This is the most common form used for corrugated boxes.


DOUBLE WALL
      When you add another sheet of corrugating medium and a third flat liner sheet, you will have what is called a Double Wall sheet. Double wall is stronger than its single wall counterpart as well as heavier and more expensive. This thickness is mainly used for heavier items such as furniture, appliances, heavy breakables, etc.


TRIPLE WALL
      Triple wall consists of four sheets of flat liner board and 3 sheets of corrugating medium. This makes for a heavy and durable corrugated sheet used for large and/or heavy items. This thickness is also very expensive in comparison to its thinner counterparts.


        With all that said, corrugation does not stop there. A major component in the construction of cardboard corrugation are the different flutes. What are corrugated flutes anyways? Flutes are the inverted S-shape arches or waves of the corrugational medium which gives it rigidity and crushing (stacking) strength. When these flutes are applied to a linerboard with a starch-based adhesive, it resists bending and pressure from all angles. There is much to be said about the different flutes and their uses which we will discuss in our next blog in continuing the series of "Introduction to Corrugation: The Basics".

Introduction to Packaging: Industry

           The packaging industry is a large and diverse market with approximately $433 Billion in sales globally and approximately $126 Billion in the United States. Europe is the leading packaging producer in terms of global market percentage with 30% of the market share. North America comes second in the industry with 28%, Asia is 27%, Latin America is 7%, and other is 8% of the global packaging industry. The packaging industry can be divided into 4 segments based on the type of material used – Plastic, Paper & Board, Glass and Metal. According to economywatch.com, the paper and board segment is the largest amongst the four segments which shares 36% of the packaging industry. A close second is the Plastics Industry, which shares 35% of the packaging industry. The Food & Beverage Industry shares approximately 40% of the total market where beverages alone reach 18%. The Metal Industry takes 17% of the market share, the glass industry takes 10% and the other occupies 3%.


           There are plenty of employment opportunities in a number of challenging and fulfilling careers in the packaging industry. Many of the different packaging industries depend on skills and educational ability in structural and graphic design, production, sales and customer service, accounting and management information systems as well as managerial expertise in sales management, finance and general management. With this being said, there are multiple industries to choose from. The following is a basic list that only skims the surface of the different industries one can work in: Distribution, Manufacturing, Printing, Custom, Advertising, Graphic Design, Contract Packaging, Packaging Equipment, Pharmaceutical Packaging Industry, Food and Beverage Packaging Industry, Plastic Industry, Paper and Pulp Industry, Glass Industry, Metal Industry, and list goes on. As you can see, there is plenty of opportunity within these industries. The list does not include the necessary jobs such as accounting positions, managerial positions, and office/warehouse/driving staff.

           This is just a basic overview of the packaging industry and does not even make a dent in all of the topics I can discuss about the industry itself. Next Monday’s blog is “Introduction to Corrugation: The Basics” where I will be going over all of the basics of corrugation and terms you should know about corrugation. In the meantime, check out our corrugated section at www.expresspkginc.com to get an idea of what we will be discussing.

Introduction to Packaging: PRODUCTS

           When most people think about packaging, they think about shipping products like the free boxes you can get from the post office. What they don't think about is how packaging has become such a huge part of our daily lives. Many take for granted all of the time, money and resources it takes to create much of the packaging we see everyday. Packaging is such a large industry with so many products it would take a series of novels just to cover the majority of it. My point is, when you see the outer wrapper of a cigarette box, the grocery bags you take home with you from the store, or the cup used for the soda you bought from McDonald's, that is all a piece of packaging.
           Today we are covering the different products in the packaging industry by category. We will go in depth about each category but will leave the individual products to be discussed in the coming weeks.
           CORRUGATED:
               Corrugated products are the most popular packaging being used today.
           Not only is it versatile but it is also sustainable. It is very cheap in comparison
           to other packaging products and can be used as a great marketing tool.
           Boxes are one of the main items used in corrugated packaging. There is such
           a huge market for boxes that many companies focus primarily on this one item.
           When you see displays at your grocery store, that is a corrugated item.
           Corrugated comes in sheets or it can come in rolls known as Single-faced
           Corrugated.
           PLASTICS:
                Everyone knows what bubble wrap is from when we were children. It is the
           fun sheet of bubbles we jumped on that made a bunch of popping noises. What
           we didn't know as children was that the piece of fun is a very important item
           used to protect our valuable items in transit. Plastics also include Stretch
           Wrap, Heat Shrink, Poly Bags, Zip-lock Bags, Poly Strapping, Food Packaging
           and the list goes on. We will cover Plastics extensively in the next coming
           weeks.
           FOAM:
                Foam Packaging has been used for void fill, to keep items stationary in
           transit, and for surface protection. It is used as a great shock-absorber inside
           boxes and wood crates. There are many different types of foams being used in
           the market today but the few that stand out from the pack is Expanded
           Polystyrene (EPS), Polyethylene, Polyurethane and Urethane. Foam can come
           in rolls, sheets, planks, pouches, tubes or as loose-fill. It can be convoluted,
           perforated into small cubes, adhesive, cohesive or antistatic. It can be slit and
           perforated to whatever preferred size. It is also highly resistant to tears,
           impacts, and punctures.
           ADHESIVES:
                  What is packaging without adhesive materials. We have to close our
           packages some how right? Tape has been the most popular way to close
           boxes and such. It is cheap and versatile. It can be used as a great
           marketing tool. With tape there are so many variations such as Acrylic, Duct,
           Masking, Rubber, Paper, etc. Tape is not the only adhesive products on the
           market. Labels, Spray Glue and Velcro are popular items as well.
           WOOD CRATES:
                    Wood Crates are very popular products with export and large transit
           orders. Wood Crates are the best item to be used for protection if someone
           has a very valuable item to be shipped such as a motorcycle, furniture or
           machinery. It can be Pre-assembled according to spec or be delivered flat
           to be assembled on-site. Wood Crates are made with plywood or lumber.
           Most common used lumber is softwood such as pine which is used to make
           light duty crates.

       There are so many areas and sub-areas of packaging that we just cannot cover all aspects of packaging in one blog. We will be covering everything packaging every Monday so you can be more informed about what is out there in the world of packaging. Next Monday's blog is "Introduction to Packaging: Industry" where we will be discussing the packaging industry and any current issues/news. In the meantime, please stop by www.expresspkginc.com.

Introduction to Express Packaging Solutions, Inc.

About Express Packaging Solutions, Inc.

Express Packaging Solutions, Inc. is a family-owned and operated company that launched January of 2009. EPS, Inc. was started by Brittany Kohlschmidt (President) with the help of family members: Wendy (Secretary, Office Manager, Mom) and Jason (Vice President, Warehouse Manager, Fiance). Here at Express Packaging Solutions, Inc., they are taking a different approach to business. They stick by a simple code of conduct which is:

"Put the needs and well-being of the people we serve first"

At Express Packaging Solutions, Inc. they believe in helping others in and out of the work environment, they believe in bringing high quality products at competitive prices, and they believe treating their customers more as family than a number. Their focus is on bringing exceptional quality service that you can count on. They live by their word and speak by their actions. You will be seeing more of Express Packaging Solutions, Inc. in the future as their sole principals will make them a company to be sought after.

A Bit Of History

In 1984, Boxes Express Paper Company had just been started by Bill Kohlschmidt selling moving boxes and supplies to homeowners who were moving. Working two jobs, this "side business" - which was started out of a garage - was proving to be profitable. Bill began putting all of his time into growing Boxes Express Paper Company into what it is today. As the years went on, he began selling more diverse products and growing with every customer he was working with.

In 1986, a new addition came into the world by the name of Brittany Kohlschmidt. Her dad would take her on deliveries with him every chance he had. Little did Brittany know that what her dad had been doing her entire life was introducing her to an industry that would soon become her life.

About The President

Brittany Kohlschmidt is a young business-woman who has grown up in the packaging industry. It has been practically integrated into her being. From climbing in and out of boxes and playing hide-n-go-seek to owning Express Packaging Solutions, Inc., packaging has been an everyday part of Brittany's life. She knows this industry better than most and is an expert in her field.

In 2000, her freshman year of high school, the learning process of how to run a business began. She would learn from her father about all different sorts of packaging supplies from stock to custom. She would learn how to run the "control center" of the business. She worked as an office assistant answering phones, placing orders, working on customer orders, and working the will-call in the warehouse. This helped lead her to becoming a sales representative for Boxes Express Paper Company in 2004.

From 2004 to 2008, Brittany was a sales representative for her father. Still helping with her role as an office assistant, she began working out on the field visiting clients, working more closely with vendors, learning to listen to what her customers wanted and executing their needs. Throughout the 8 years of really plunging into working at learning all she could about packaging and the industry, there came a point when she was ready to go on her own and start her own company. Bill wanted to retire but not fully. He wanted to maintain control over Boxes Express Paper Company but saw it heading into a different direction. He made the decision to have Brittany start her own company. This is when Express Packaging Solutions, Inc. was created.

A Different Company

Express Packaging Solutions, Inc. opened in January of 2009. Armed with 24 years of knowledge and family to back her, Brittany ventured into the world of entrepreneurship and started Express Packaging Solutions, Inc. She had a simple vision that she wanted to continue from Boxes Express Paper Company: To treat people well and with respect, provide quality products, provide exceptional service, make a fair profit, and always maintain the company in a postive light. This is a company where the people stick by their words, take responsibility for their actions, and will remember your name.