Whatever you are dispatching, you need to ensure that it is well packaged and given the absolute best chance of reaching the destination intact. A variety of tools and products are available to help you speed up the packaging process, improve it, and provide extra stability and security for your goods. In this article, we’ll be highlighting our top recommendations.
Workbench
The first thing you need is a decent space to pack your items. Unless you are shipping whole pallets or large furniture/white goods, you can’t go wrong with a proper workbench. Make sure it has a sufficient load capacity to support the kinds of products you ship and any additional tools and pressure that might be exerted during the packaging process. For the surface material, you’ll want either a laminate/plastic or a metal bench – they’re easy to clean and provide a good level of stability and longevity at a reasonable price.
Scales
Scales let you weigh your package and thus calculate shipping costs accurately. You can find industrial-grade scales that can weigh whole pallets of goods to table-top versions that are more suited to smaller parcels. A benefit here is that if you sell by weight, your scales can serve a dual purpose and help speed up and streamline the whole process.
Dispensers
However you pack, you’ll find that dispensers can help keep your packing area neat and speed up the process by providing improved accessibility to a range of products. Tape dispensers let you easily peel and cut tape lengths, while stretch wrap, packaging, and bubble wrap dispensers offer an easy way of getting what can be large amounts of the required material into the right place.
Heat sealers
If you are using stretch wrap – particularly effective for smaller, lighter products – you’ll need a heat sealer to shrink and seal the wrap. Options available include small, light-duty models right through to heavy-duty, industrial-level sealers; be sure to pick the one that suits your application.
Strapping
Steel and plastic strapping keep goods firmly on pallets and make sure furniture and white goods are kept secure. As well as the strapping itself, it would help if you had a dispenser, tensioner, and a cutter. Be sure not to overtighten, as this kind of strapping is strong enough to cause damage to your goods if misused. Corner pieces are available to protect your items from over-tightening.
Vacant space
Vacant space refers to any room leftover in a box when you have placed your items in. This could allow your goods to move around in transit, which could cause damage and result in returns and lost customers depending on the type of product. You can fill vacant space with bubble wrap, air cushions, or paper filler to reduce the problem.
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Knives
No packaging station is complete without a knife. Look at box cutters and safety knives built for the purpose and usually incorporate suitable safety measures to prevent accidents. These features include grips, ergonomic handles, and retractable blades.
Labelling
The finishing touch on any packaging is the labelling – you can easily find label printers in both handheld and desk-top versions, and, often, you can customize with your logo or message.
Author Bio: First, Mats started life as a safety matting specialist but has since expanded to become an industrial and commercial supplies company. The focus of First Mats is to provide safety-focused products that improve the wellbeing of staff through quality-approved products backed up by extensive knowledge.