Why is industrial packaging important?

Packaging is everywhere. It’s an important component of the consumer-led lives we lead. Whenever we make a purchase online or in the shops, our products are contained in some form of packaging. But while we are all too familiar with packaging in supermarkets, industrial packaging is often overlooked – and it’s one of the most important links in the supply chain. Industrial packaging includes everything from blue plastic drums to cardboard boxes, all of which help products to arrive safely and in perfect condition. In this article, we take a look at why industrial packaging is so important. WHAT IS INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING? To understand why industrial packaging is so important, you first need to understand what it is. The goal of industrial packaging is to protect industrial goods while they are being stored or transported. It’s often heavy-duty and versatile, and is designed to store large quantities of goods, from hazardous waste to foodstuff. Industrial packaging is different from the commercial packaging you find in shops in terms of scale and materials used. Common types of industrial packaging include blue plastic drums, steel drums, cardboard boxes, intermediate bulk containers (IBC) and fibre drums, among many more. HEALTH AND SAFETY In an industrial capacity, the most important role that industrial packaging plays is in terms of health and safety. Indeed, many laws and regulations require stringent health and safety standards to be reached and procedures to be followed. Industrial packaging helps businesses to meet their requirements. It’s designed specifically to store industrial goods, although it’s vital that you select the correct type of packaging for the goods you need to store. Industrial packaging keeps goods safely stored while they are in the warehouse or in transit to their destination. Packaging such as blue plastic drums, for instance, is certified to hold hazardous waste and chemicals. Containers such as steel drums are certified to hold petrol and other types of fuel. In the event of an accident, if your goods are stored in the correct containers, the packaging helps to minimise danger to health and safety. PROTECTION OF PRODUCTS As well as proving essential for health and safety reasons, industrial packaging protects products from damage or contamination during storage or transport. Products that need to be sold in a supermarket, for instance, can be boxed up in industrial standard cardboard boxes that offer protection when they are in transport from the wholesale warehouse to the shop floor. Industrial chemicals can be transported in UN-approved plastic drums, where they will be protected from contamination. Drum liners can help to avoid any cross-contamination while making the drums reusable, too. Industrial packaging will prevent liquids from spilling, and it will protect goods from being damaged or broken while they are in transit. ADVERTISING AND BRANDING As well as playing a role in health and safety and protecting goods from damage or contamination, industrial packaging plays an important role in advertising and branding. Just as commercial packaging is branded informing you which products you are buying and from which company, industrial packaging can be similarly designed. Drums, boxes and containers can all be custom-painted with a company’s colours or labelled with their logos. While in storage or transport, extra branding can be a great opportunity to advertise products or services to potential buyers. LAWS AND REGULATIONS Industrial packaging is purposefully designed to allow businesses to comply with laws and regulations that govern how industrial goods need to be stored and transported. It must be UN approved and meet stringent regulations if chemicals, hazardous waste, or any other potentially dangerous goods are stored inside. Many types of packaging, such as plastic drums, have this capability. If industrial packaging needs to be used for storing foodstuffs, then it must be made from food-grade materials. This prevents any contamination between the materials and the food that is being stored. CONTACT ITP PACKAGING FOR MORE INFO ON INDUSTRIAL PACKAGING ITP Packaging stocks a fantastic range of industrial packaging, from blue plastic drums to cardboard boxes and everything else in between. We can offer help and support to ensure that you pick the correct industrial packaging for your needs. Our team is on hand to help you with all of your industrial packaging needs and to answer any further questions you might have about industrial packaging. Contact ITP Packaging today to find out more.

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