Corrugated cardboard boxes are ubiquitous in the world today. They are used as shipping boxes all over the world. A corrugated box has many qualities that make it a necessary go-to supply for millions of people and businesses. What is a corrugated box? How are these boxes made, and why are they so popular?
Corrugation refers to the wrinkly, or wavy layer that is found inside the structure of a corrugated box, and it is what gives a corrugated box its’ strength. A corrugated box is made by taking paperboard and creasing it so that a wavy pattern is created. This wavy paperboard is then sandwiched between pieces of cardboard, known as linerboard, and glued together. This creates a piece of corrugated cardboard. The strength of the cardboard depends upon the number of layers of paperboard and linerboard used in its’ construction. When one layer of corrugated material and two layers of linerboard are used, it is referred to as single wall corrugated cardboard. If two layers of corrugated material and three layers of linerboard are used, it is double wall corrugated cardboard, and similarly, three layers of corrugated material and four layers of linerboard make the cardboard triple walled. The corrugated cardboard is then shaped into a box.
This method of construction is what gives corrugated boxes their desirable qualities. Strength is one of these desirable qualities. Heavy items can be placed in triple walled corrugated boxes without constant concern that the box will give way and spill its’ contents. Used properly, corrugated boxes offer excellent protection to the contents of the box. The strongest variety of a corrugated box, the triple wall, is especially designed to withstand weight put on top of it, and will not readily collapse or crush under the weight. The strength of construction also helps make corrugated boxes very durable. This durability means that they do not need to be thrown away after their initial use. Corrugated shipping boxes can be used multiple times, and this makes them even more attractive because new corrugated boxes do not have to be purchased every time a need for one arises. When a new corrugated shipping box becomes a necessity, another quality of these boxes is showcased, as they are very inexpensive to acquire. The low cost makes corrugated boxes very desirable to businesses keeping an eye on the financial bottom line. They are very economical, and readily available to all who need them.
Corrugated boxes are typically rectangular in shape, and this makes them very easy to stack. If larger boxes are placed at the bottom of the stack, and smaller ones on top, there is minimal risk that the stack will fall. This is an attractive quality to anyone that needs to use multiple boxes at one time. Businesses that move thousands of boxes rely on being able to safely stack them. Corrugated boxes are also readily recyclable, so when these boxes reach the end of their useful life, they don’t have to take up space in a landfill. These qualities of strength, durability, cost, the ability to be stacked, and eventually recycled make corrugated shipping boxes an obvious choice for millions worldwide.
Sueye Joston 