Green Spacer Protective Barriers: features and benefits

Cart-One was pleased to host the annual Sales and Board Meeting of Blue Box Partners in Parma. 28 participants shared a unique goal: to grow in Europe and to increasingly become the point of reference for innovation, quality, and service for our clients.

The Covid-19 pandemic has substantially changed our purchasing habits and people's freedom of movement, requiring many businesses to adapt their services to remain competitive on the market. With successive lockdowns over time, several companies have had to reinvent themselves in some way: just think, for example, of the catering sector, which found itself with the sole option of selling its specialties through takeaway and home delivery. E-commerce, on the other hand, experienced a surge in requests at a time when shopping was not easy to secure various types of products, from groceries to technology, always at the best prices. What are the effects of the pandemic on the production sector? In the long run, this health emergency situation turned into a production emergency. In fact, the price of raw materials is rising, with a substantially significant impact on the cost of the final product. A striking example is waste paper, which went from an estimated 11 euros per ton in February 2020 to the current 140 euros per ton. Pure cellulose has also recorded a significant increase. In addition to the higher demand for packaging products within the paper sector, especially from the pharmaceutical and food sectors, we also note a difficulty in sourcing raw materials. The climate of uncertainty has triggered a rush for supplies that is forcing recycled paper suppliers to reduce their production capacity. An increase is also recorded in the costs of the finished product, as these factors have forced paper mills to raise their prices by 5% to 10%.  The price increase does not only affect paper, but also plastic, wood, copper and, in the food sector, wheat. Why does the crisis in the packaging sector affect all production sectors? It is impossible to think of a product without packaging: the latter is an integral part of a supply chain. Indeed, packaging is fundamental for various sectors, such as Food & Beverage, pharmaceuticals, and industry. The increased demand for corrugated cardboard boxes is also correlated with the growth of e-commerce. Demand has increased for products that allow for easy and safe transport. Paper weight and its resistance are the most sought-after characteristics. What are the effects of price hikes on packaging paper? Unfortunately, price tensions regarding waste paper and other materials contribute to increases in the cost of the final box and intermediate products. This price hike then translates into a general increase in prices, which are passed on to the final consumer, affecting the product's competitiveness and also impacting its shelf life. We must not forget that the pandemic has also reduced the purchasing power of many people, so a sequence of price hikes could make a product less appealing and limit or cancel its purchase, especially if it is non-essential goods. Intervention is needed to ensure that the paper sector maintains a sustainable production that can remain competitive. This is the challenge facing the Italian market, so that it can maintain a high level of quality and accessible costs.  The hope is that the holiday months themselves will act as a driving force for the recovery of consumption, making paper for recycling more available and mitigating the prices of waste paper.

In the case of relocation, transfers, or simply sending a gift from Italy abroad, it is always necessary to equip yourself adequately and follow a few simple tips. How to ship household appliances: suitable packaging. Do you need to ship a small or large household appliance but don't know where to start? Well, then it's time to learn how to distinguish between the various products and understand the different packaging methods, provided they are always safe, resistant, and of high quality. Let's find out all the details in this article. Read also: “How to pack a television and special objects for a move” Small or large household appliances The world of household appliances is truly vast. Therefore, it is first necessary to distinguish between small and large household appliances. Depending on the specific classification, the shipping method, process logistics, and, of course, the packaging system will change as well. Shipping small appliances If you need to ship one or more small appliances, you must always remember that the more delicate they are, the more adequate filler material you will need to use to avoid potential impacts and damage to the item. In this case, the best advice is to use corrugated cardboard boxes (American type), especially triple-wall ones. Generally, fillers are employed to protect and fully safeguard the item being shipped from vibrations, impacts, and jolts that normally occur during transport by vehicles. Bubble wrap, for instance, is among the best-known filler materials—a polyethylene sheet featuring air bubbles. Furthermore, since these are small and lightweight appliances, they may be shipped via standard couriers along with other types of goods. In the latter case, the important thing is to adequately protect each appliance using reliable packaging materials, for example by wrapping it in bubble wrap and then completely lining it with polystyrene sheets 2-3 cm thick. Complete the operation by placing everything inside a highly resistant cardboard box, leaving no empty spaces between the inner wrapping and the box. Let's now discover the best packaging according to the small appliance to be shipped: electronic equipment, such as computers and monitors, hairdryers, microwave ovens, and kitchen tools: double-wall box, which is not particularly heavy or bulky; small electronic devices, such as cables, phones, intercoms, small emergency or alarm devices: die-cut boxes with reinforced closure, which are secure, sturdy, and reusable. Shipping large appliances If, on the other hand, you need to ship appliances with large dimensions and significant weight, such as washing machines, refrigerators, dishwashers, dryers, vacuum cleaners, and so on, you must opt for triple-wall boxes and pallets (wooden platforms) that allow heavy packages to be handled with specific loading and unloading equipment (such as forklifts). The pallet, therefore, is a wooden platform on which the goods to be transported are placed and secured; the best on the market, safe and approved under European law, is the EURO and EPAL pallet. For greater security and to better immobilize the corner guards, wrap your appliance in bubble wrap, but also use organic packing peanuts or paper void filler before loading it onto the wooden platform. If there are fragile parts (such as glass shelves in refrigerators), it is preferable to remove and pack them separately with sheets of bubble wrap, to be then inserted into a cardboard box and placed inside the appliance itself or on the pallet. Next, you will need to arrange the appliance inside the triple-wall box, such as semi-ready triple-wall boxes, featuring staples on the sides to provide greater support and resistance up to 500 kg, with a maximum size reaching 120 x 80 x 80 cm. In addition, you can also decide to use polystyrene profiles or corner protectors to shield the corners, which are the most delicate parts of your package. To find out more: “GIFCO Conference 2022: corrugated cardboard figures in Italy in 2021” If you need valuable packaging with high-quality products and cutting-edge technologies, choose CART-ONE. Discover all our products and ensure the best performance. Contact us to receive all the information you want.