The right foam packaging will do two things for your shipping operations: decrease costs and better protect your products. When products are properly packaged and protected, your customers will be more satisfied, you will deal with fewer returns and damage claims, and your business will be better served.
But correctly using packaging foam requires more than simply wrapping your product and stuffing it into a box. Delicate, oversized, and expensive products require something more. Custom fabricated foam can help in this regard, but there are still several mistakes you can make that will put your products at risk and inevitably increase the cost of protecting them.
Mistake: Choosing the Wrong Type of Foam
There are hundreds of types and classifications of foam. Some are similar; some are vastly different than one another. Simple chemical changes within a piece of foam can change its density, tensile strength, compression creep, and the cost/time it takes to fabricate it.
Choosing the correct type of foam for your packaging relies heavily on what you need it to do (besides protecting the item from damage). Some products require foams to be non-abrasive, meaning they will not scratch the item’s surface while in transit. Other products need insulation from high or low temperatures or protection from electrostatic discharges or moisture/humidity. The list can go on.
Outline what protections your item needs before choosing a packaging foam.
Mistake: Not Using the Right Amount of Foam
Whether we’re talking about custom cut foam or protective packaging and dunnage, using the right amount will increase its effectiveness and decrease your costs. Keep in mind that using too much packaging and foam will increase the cost of materials and the weight of the package itself, which will increase the shipping costs. But don’t go overboard in the other direction. Cutting corners for protective foam may save you in material costs, but it will also put your items at risk. This can, in turn, increase your expenses as you deal with damage claims, reverse logistics, and dissatisfied customers.
Mistake: Not Using Custom Fabrication for Valuable Items
While less expensive items can be shipped with standard packaging materials, custom fabrication can and should be used for high-value items. Foam fabrication allows you to provide the most amount of protection by using the least amount of material. Since the pieces of foam are cut perfectly to house your items, there are no wasted materials and the items are always protected as best as possible.
At Amcon, we can take the specifications of your item and shape a piece of foam to fit it. We can also help you choose the right type of foam based on the protection you need and your budget. We can work on your production schedule, delivering the amount of foam packaging parts on time, keeping your supply chain moving and your customers happy. Get in touch with us today to talk about the foam solutions you need for your products.