The corrugated packaging industry is seeing considerable success, as they are adapting to the changing needs of retailers and consumers. Both of these parties are seeking more dynamic and convenient forms of packaging that enable them to run practical and flexible supply chains.
Putting consumers at the heart
There is the age old saying that the customer is always right, but actually being able to adapt your service to cater for their requirements can help businesses to grow. This has proven to be of benefit to corrugated packaging suppliers, as they have an extremely versatile product. According to data from the Global Market Study on Corrugated Packaging: Global Industry Analysis and Forecast to 2020, the global market is estimated to grow 4% by 2020 to be worth £113 billion. This will also boost the supply of specialist packaging machinery, such as strapping machines, which enable these packaged goods to be effectively transported and stored.
One of the benefits of this type of packaging is that it will work with any size or shape of product, allowing it to become a critical element in the logistics industry. Corrugated packaging can be used at the point of sale, such as a tray for takeaway food, as well as being utilised for transit, storage and display purposes.
Meet individual needs
The changing face of the average consumer is adding to the growth of the corrugated packaging industry, due to the need for goods to be packaged in more flexible ways. For example, there has been an increase in the amount of single households living in this country, which has seen a need for products to be packaged smaller to cater for one person. Corrugated packaging can meet these customer needs and also helps to reduce waste, by providing products in the right sized packs.
Environmental benefits
Corrugated packaging is also useful for its environmental benefits. It can be completely recycled once retailers or suppliers have finished using it. This reduces the amount of CO2 emissions and the need to use natural resources. Sustainability is a key issue for the majority of businesses and consumers, as they look to limit their individual impact on the environment. Figures released as part of The Future of Sustainable Packaging to 2018 report, highlighted that the sustainable packaging market is set to grow to $244 billion globally by 2018.
As well as the recyclable elements of corrugated packaging, it also helps to limit the environmental effect of the industry during transportation and storage. This form of packaging can be produced in a variety of pack sizes, enabling the amount of space required in lorries and warehouses to be reduced. The packs can easily be stacked on pallets and secured using specialist strapping machines, available from suppliers such as packaging-machines.co.uk.
With convenience and flexibility set to be growing features of the consumer packaging market, corrugated forms should further increase their share of the market over the next few years.