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4 reasons why packaging is at the heart of logistics


Moving goods around the world and delivering products requires a highly organised network to orchestrate and coordinate such a feat. At the centre of all goods supply are four key elements, and they are:

Materials handling
Transport
Storage
Production

There is a key element that unites all of these processes, and that is packaging. Choosing the right kind of wholesale packaging supplies is key to the success of a business. It could be said that none of these above elements would be able to be carried out properly without first ensuring that the kind of packaging being used was suitable. A well chosen packaging solution is a key part of any logistics process as part of the means to cutting costs, improving supply and supporting marketing functions.

Let’s take a look at each of these four elements in a little more detail.

Materials handling

When you have well selected packaging, you have goods that are easy to pack, move and load. Good packaging also means you’ll also have a safe workplace, where the work is done effectively and easily. Good packaging in materials handling also allows for you to have accurate and rapid inventory management. In order to ensure that your workplace is safe, you need to make sure that your packaging can be moved around easily and safely, either by hand or with an assisted lift, like a forklift. The packaging you choose should also advertise whether the product contained within is fragile or hazardous, as well.

Transport

Ensuring that you have selected the right kind of packaging is a vital part of the safe and economic transport of goods. If you are going to be sending out items individually, you need to make sure that you are picking packaging that is going to be strong enough to guard the contents against damage. If you’re shipping items overseas, you need to make sure that the packaging protects your items from potential cold, damp and humid conditions. Large quantities of items being dispatched at a time calls for pallets, and ensuring that your chosen packaging stacks well and optimises pallet space will be a lifesaver, as well.

Shipping goods that have a high value means that you need to ensure that the packaging helps to guard against theft, and also allows you to see if the parcel or pallet has been tampered with. This can save you money and give you peace of mind.

Storage

You’ll need to store your items at some point or another and the packaging can play a big role in making sure that this is done safely and effectively. You can store items on high racks or shelves, but in order to do this, you need to make sure that palleted good are stackable, and stacked as closely as possible with the minimum space between them. This reduces the likelihood of items shifting around when moving.

Production

Making sure that your products are packaged quickly allows you to process more orders in less time, and there are any number of products and automation tools that can help you with this. If your current workload doesn’t allow for automation just yet, consider it as a possibility in the future as you grow. Often, automating a task can be a little bit of a financial hit in the short term, for a big financial gain in the long run.

Packaging helps you to carry out all of the functions as a supplier, and to deliver the products safely, and efficiently. You can optimise the kind of packaging that you have as a means to making your service as smooth, safe and cost effective as possible. Packaging really is at the heart of all that is logistics, and it’s up to you how you use it for your business.

Business Daily Media