RISING COSTS, SUPPLY CHAINS, BOXES, PACKAGES AND YOU

Save money and overcome today’s challenges with these easy, effective strategies 

• Inflation has impacted nearly every aspect of every business.
• Taking specific, intentional steps can reduce costs, save valuable storage space and overcome supply chain issues.
• Many of these actions do not require anything more than simple discipline and planning to make work.

There’s no part of a business that has not been impacted by inflation – and the corrugated packaging industry is no different. From the electricity we use to the packing materials used to ship goods, prices have increased dramatically over the last year and a half.

However, we at 3D Corrugated have implemented several measures that can help keep the inflationary beast at bay. Here are five tips that will help save you time and money while achieving your shipping and storage needs. 

ORDER IN BULK
It sounds counter-intuitive but spend more now, but if you already own the product you need, you’re protected from a cost increase later. Likewise, if you increase your order the law of scale will apply. The cost difference between 500, 1000 and 2000 boxes is dramatically different — as are the savings for buying in bulk. If you budget for the year accordingly, the savings can be great.

ORDER STOCK PRODUCT WHEN POSSIBLE
Whenever possible, order stock products as stock products are often simpler and less expensive than a custom die creation. If you didn’t know, many boxes are what is called, “die cut,” which means the boxes are stamped out of a larger piece of corrugation. If there’s no need to create the die, there’s a savings there.

STANDARDIZE BOX SIZES
If your business allows for standardizing box sizes, do it. At 3D Corrugated, we’ve seen many companies with box sizes a barely more than 1-inch in difference. In those instances, simply going to the shared size or dimension can result in substantial cost savings. 

If you’re worried about shipping, just ask us. We ship items all the time and can prescribe how you can save on both shipping and box sizes.

SURPLUS OR ODD LOT BOXES
Surplus and odd lot boxes are another way to save substantially on your packaging needs. Odd lot sizes typically are “over run” from a larger order but are perfectly fine for use.

For example, if a company were to order 100,000 of a particular size, there’s a standard overrun of 10% that’s accepted. That 10%, while in new condition, may not be accepted by a company, leaving corrugated packagers to discount them heavily and you can take advantage of these savings.

Surplus and used boxes also present savings opportunities. Some boxes go from point to point and are eventually resold. These may withstand a better crush test (read more about crush tests here) and can be priced less than half that of new boxes. You may need to be flexible on size, but if you can be flexible, you can save big!

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF FREE
Our business at 3D Corrugated is selling you (and storing) boxes. However, there are great opportunities with many shipping companies to ask them for shipping supplies. There’s no easier way to save money on shipping supplies than getting a freebie.

WORK WITH A SAVINGS EXPERT
There are tons of ways to save on corrugated boxes; it just requires discipline and planning, both of which are part of expertise at 3D Corrugated. Whether discounts in bulk or surplus, it’s still possible to fight inflation and pack up some savings if you take advantage of a few cost-effective tricks. 

Need additional help with your corrugated shipping and storage needs? Simply drop us an email at info@3Dcorrugated.com or call us at (513) 241-8126.