Damaged Product – A 6-Step Process to Resolution

October 31, 2011 by Leave a comment

Damaged product is simply not acceptable. Whether our products are OEM or retail, customer interaction with product packaging and the product is critical. Retail customers, like you and me, do not buy products that have dents, broken shrink-wrap, or torn labels. Likewise, OEM customers do not want to deal with fallen over pallets, banged-up outer cartons or ripped open bags. This kind of damage greatly reduces an OEM’s ability to be efficient and creates questions about the quality of the goods received.

Damaged product packaging and products has negative consequences, both from a brand loyalty perspective and from an internal costing perspective. The cost associated with brand loyalty is decreased revenue opportunity. Often customers do not tell us their problems; they simply quit buying our products. The internal product costs are bit easier to determine through cost modeling. With consequences such as these, it leads us to wonder how product packaging and product damage occurs and how can these issues get resolved?

For More Information

Check out this video to learn more
about how to prevent product damage within the supply chain.

Click Here to learn more about how
ASAP can help you with your
damaged product issues.

The following is a comprehensive process to resolve damaged product.

1.  Document the actual damage that is occurring through samples and photos.

2.  Evaluate the frequency, assign costs and create cost model to understand the financial impact and establish a budget for improvements.

3.  Map distribution channel, noting the various conditions the product experiences as it travels to the end-user.

4.  Examine manufacturing systems to insure products are safely transitioned from operation to operation.

5.  Examine the packaging system including:

    • Primary packaging practices
    • Secondary packaging practices
    • Tertiary packaging practices
    • Pallet patterns
    • Pallet protection materials

6.  Document findings and create an action plan incorporating root cause and budgetary factors.

Naturally, executing and earning the ROI on this 6-step process takes deep commitment from corporate leadership and cross-functional staff members alike. However, embracing a curious approach to problem solving and establishing budgets can make all the difference in resolving issues surrounding damaged product.

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Damaged Product? Modifying Your Pallet Pattern May Be The Solution

January 28, 2011 by 5 Comments

We all have experienced frustrating situations where our product has been damaged while traversing the supply chain. Often our first instinct is to look at the package design for a solution.  While that may help, the solution may lie in simply reconfiguring your pallet pattern.

We have produced a new video that explores how pallet patterns can be modified to eliminate product damage.

To view in a higher resolution, Click Here to watch on YouTube.

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Picking The Right Carton For Product Packaging

November 17, 2010 by Leave a comment

Often in product design, the focus of the design team is on the actual product and its primary packaging.  Although the shipper carton has the important function of making sure the product makes it in perfect condition through the distribution channel, the design of this package can become a rushed afterthought when entering into the launch phase.

Choosing a carton that maximizes your product’s protection without paying extra for an over-specified solution requires that you understand corrugated box construction.  The first place to find out how the carton was designed is to understand the Box Certificate that is printed on most cartons.

 

Bursting Test – This measurement is an indication of the quality of the box.  This number is determined from the Mullen test, which measures the pressure (pounds per square inch) required for the corrugate to rupture.  This measurement is a good indication of how effective the carton will be at maintaining its structural integrity when dropped or loaded with heavy contents that exert pressure on a small area of the carton.  Certification with this test requires the corrugate to be constructed within specific parameters.

Edge Crush Test – This is a new standard that is sometimes used in place of the Bursting Test.  This measurement indicates the stacking strength of the carton by measuring the minimum pounds per linear inch needed to compress the edge of the corrugate board. This method of measurement allows manufacturers to use less expensive, lighter weight board than what is required for a Burst Test certified carton.

Minimum Combined Weight On Facings – This measurement is an indication of the stacking strength of the carton certified with the Burst Test.  This number is the weight the sides of the carton can hold up when a load is applied to the top.  This measurement is generally indicated in pounds per square foot.

Size Limit – This number indicates the maximum carton size allowed for the corrugate board used to construct the box.  This is determined my adding the length, width and height of the carton.

Gross Weight Limit – This value indicates the maximum weight that can be loaded into the carton.  Although this is the specified maximum weight, consideration should be given to the type of product loaded into the box and the mode of transportation to determine what weight should actually be loaded into the carton.  A carton loaded to the weight limit with an irregularly shaped item may not be adequately protected.  Also, a carton at the weight limit may be adequately protected when palletized but prove inadequate when shipped as an individual parcel.

The goal of protective packaging is to get your product through the distribution channel and into the end user’s hands in pristine condition. Understanding the Box Certificate is a great starting point to knowing if your carton will be adequate to achieve this goal, and put you on your way to achieving your larger goal of bringing your product successfully to market.

Box Maker’s Certificate
All About Boxes
Technical Notes On The Use Of Corrugated Paperboard Boxes
Box Manufacturer’s Certificates
Understanding the Box Maker’s Certificate

 

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Great Product Packaging

August 27, 2010 by Leave a comment

We know it when we see it.  It triggers a curious feeling, an impulse to pick it up, to touch it, and to bring it home with us.  No, it is not a puppy!  It is a great product -packaged with great care – in great packaging materials.  Often, in the buyer’s eyes, the package the product is in, is synonymous with the product. People associate the quality of the product and the experience using the product with the packaging (marketing) the product is in. With packaging playing such an important factor in a product’s image and ultimately sales, here are five elements of packaging that helps to create a connection with the buyer.

Materials
Material choice is an important factor in package quality. Material quality ought to reflect the value of the product being sold.  Material choice may include the gauge of shrink wrap; paper weight of a retail box, the mil thickness of a poly bag  or the flute size best suited for graphics reproduction and stacking strength.  Materials selected needs to endure the distribution channel and the retail environment while accurately reflecting brand attributes.

Product Protection Systems
Packaging needs to protect the product from elements within its manufacturing environment and distribution channel.  A product that is well protected may have many layers in its packaging system, such as a primary package that is sealed, a secondary package to reduce movement and a tertiary package.  A retail package’s tertiary packaging may be the retail box placed on the shelf for purchase. An OEM package’s tertiary packaging may be the distribution box that is stored at the distribution location.  Finally, how the product is unitized, its pallet pattern and pallet protection all contribute to how well the product is protected.

For More Information

Check out this video to learn more
about how to prevent product damage within the supply chain.

Click Here to learn more about how
ASAP can help you with your
damaged product issues.

Processes
Packaging processes need to be complimentary to the product’s manufacturing processes, sequenced correctly and given as much attention as the creation of the product itself.  Packaging processes requiring employees to double and triple handle product are inefficient.  Inefficient process can lead to quality problems, such as missing components.

Ease of use
Ease of use factors for the end user include the ease of opening the package, the layout of the product and its accessories and handling for distributors.

Branding
From a brand prospective, packaging needs to communicate both emotional and rational information about the product.  Colors, font choice, images and logo placement on the package creates an emotional response to the product. Text and other content inform the user of product features and benefits.

As consumers, buyers and end users, we have difficulty differentiating the product from its package.  We tend to believe the image communicated in the packaging is the product we are buying.  With this knowledge, It is important to develop great packaging to promote and protect our great products, make connections with our target market, increase sales and help consumers feel good about their purchase decisions.


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Product Packaging & Palletization – Ending Well Matters

July 22, 2010 by 1 Comment

“Seeing is believing, and perceiving creates realities“

The condition of how a product arrives at its destination and it’s interaction with end users is where packaging has the greatest impact.  Painstaking concern is directed at designing the primary packaging and secondary packaging.  Often neglected is the distribution carton and pallet pattern along with the specifications for properly securing and protecting the system for transit throughout the distribution channel. Poor execution of the system creates in the mind of the end user low brand value impressions.

For system clarification, product packaging methods are thought of as levels or layers, such as immediate, intermediate and outer shipping carton.  These package layers and levels are also referred to as primary packaging, secondary packaging and tertiary packaging.

Immediate/primary packaging is the packaging that comes in direct contact with the product and is typically the smallest salable unit.  For instance, the bottle the shampoo comes in.

Intermediate/secondary packaging is the packaging that is in direct contact with the primary package and is also used to group primary packages for better handling.  For instance, the box the toothpaste comes in or the shrink wrapped set of thank you cards.

Outer shipping carton/tertiary packaging is the bulk packaging whose purposes include consolidation, handling, transit, storage and product protection.  This level of packaging can be considered as an individual carton or a unitized pallet. For instance, the outer carton packed with multiple sets of greeting cards or the pallet stacked with outer cartons.

Determining product consolidation and unitized load strategies requires an understanding the packaging system goals.  Based your goals, design strategies such as: component based, system based and compliance based, can be employed.

For More Information

Check out this video to learn more
about how to prevent product damage within the supply chain.

Click Here to learn more about how
ASAP can help you with your
damaged product issues.

Each strategy requires intimate knowledge of distribution channels, as well as unique product attributes, such as climate sensitivities and weight restrictions.  Some important factors in the distribution channels include:

  • Destination locations
  • Modes of transportation
  • Truck, rail or container sizes
  • Atmospheric conditions
  • Storage conditions

Understanding environments within distribution channels helps to determine the kind of distribution cartons, pallets, stacking patterns and pallet protection needed to safely deliver products to market.

With all the complexities inherent in packaging systems and methodologies, it becomes easy to understand how and why the tertiary details are often overlooked.  However, if we take the next step in the process, often we can avoid costly product damage.  If there are current issues with product damage, perhaps the first places to look are unitization, pallet patterns and pallet protection.  Sometimes using different stretch wrap materials and methods, banding, slip sheeting, edge protectors or reconfiguring a pallet pattern can easily solve these problems.

Here are a few great resources for more informationon this multifaceted subject:

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