You can’t get away without a filler while sending anything by courier services. Fillers are not a particular problem unless you need to prepare a few hundred or a few thousand shipments a day and need a constant supply. Then, the ordering and storage of fillers can turn into a serious issue. You can solve it in two ways: by outsourcing your packaging or even the whole dispatch process to an external shipping company, or by purchasing appropriate equipment and producing fillers for your own needs.
The type of filler, and consequently the type of machine you need, depends on the kind of goods you typically send (Don’t tuck newspapers into the box! We choose parcel fillers for pros). The most popular and at the same time the cheapest options include the machines for a production of paper and air void fillers.
Do not store air
The scale of the problem of filler storage is well demonstrated by the example of air cushions. It turns out that the ratio of the volume of material for production and that of the finished product is 1: 1,000. So if you need this type of filler in large quantities, the purchase of machinery for the production of air cushions or mats appears to be necessary.
Obviously, the price of the machine depends on its specification, for example on the size of cushions and filling speed. And the faster the output, the higher the price you pay. So, it is necessary to calculate costs before purchasing. And the cost will comprise of several elements. You have to consider not only the price of the finished filler, but also the cost of storage (including losses to be incurred) as well as the cost of purchase planning and inventory management (ensuring a sufficient amount of filler, which keep the packers working non-stop).
Paper is good for everything
Paper is the most popular and versatile filler which comes in two basic forms that can be produced independently:
- crumpled paper – gray wrapping paper from a roll or in the form of a folded sheet is crushed and formed into a multi-layer “rope” or mat (additionally profiled and perforated to increase its cushioning properties) – the process can be manual or mechanical;
- cut and profiled cardboard – the perfect and ecological solution which uses mechanical cutters to process cardboard packaging in mats of various widths and lengths; such mats offer good parameters such as effective cushioning and stabilisation for goods in a package.
Simple hand crushers are so cheap that it is worth buying them even for a dozen or so items shipped a day. The most expensive are professional, efficient and durable cardboard shredders. They are the perfect choice for businesses where there is the problem of recycling cardboard packaging.
The comfort of no planning
When you have your own machines for the filler production, you can forget about constant planning and ensuring filler delivery. It is much easier to make sure you have got the right amount of materials for production than the right amount of the finished, ordered product.
Possessing your own machine offers you flexibility and cost reduction possibilities in the case where you offer a wide range of products which require different amounts of fillers. You have always got enough filler without the need to hold stocks and precisely plan the orders. Hence, it is easier to plan expenses and create realistic budgets.
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