Creating
ripples
Corrugated
packaging is creating waves in the food processing industry. Rohit Chawla
tracks this progress and defines the essential quality checks
Corrugated
packaging, whether in a box or a carton, has emerged as a preferred
mode of packaging while transporting processed food products. A large
quantity of processed foods and other industrial produce is transported
from the factory to the market in these cartons, which are not only
cost effective but also a sturdy packaging medium.
Corrugated
cartons have tremendous load bearing and cushioning properties which
make it ideal for packaging products that need to be shipped. The material
is stiff and rigid – a box made out of a corrugated board retains its
shape through all the rigours of transportation. The paper corrugation
acts like a spring; it cushions the packaged product.
The
corrugated board also has the highest stacking strength relative to
other materials like aluminium, cardboard, plastic or solid board. And
it happens to be environment friendly as it is recyclable. The corrugation
industry has grown by leaps and bounds. The latest machines can take
paper from one end and push out a fully formed corrugated board from
the other. High-speed machines and high quality printing processes are
taking corrugated packaging to greater heights.
Impact
on the Indian trade In India, corrugated packaging has established a
sound position in almost every trade, including food processing. It
is however still being used mainly as a shipping and wholesale package.
Many products that were earlier sent in wooden crates and boxes are
now being comfortably shipped in corrugated boxes. Though there is a
visible shift from wholesale packs to corrugated display packs in food
retail stores, this is only a marginal increment as compared to western
countries. Corrugated cartons have made a huge impact in the food industry
as they are used extensively for export of food products.
Most
importantly, the corrugated boxes and cartons are an accepted and approved
form of packaging by the developed countries as they conform to the
environment friendly norms of recyclability and biodegradability. The
other obvious advantages of corrugated packaging are:
•
Packages can be made to suit any size and shape
• Rigid and can take a tremendous amount of load
• Offer a very good cushioning effect to packaged contents
• Facilitate easy opening and closing; time required for packing
and unpacking is considerably less vis-à-vis wooden crates or
boxes
• Lightweight and save on freight costs
• Can be printed as per requirements; save cost and time by eliminating
shipping markings and labelling
• Convey an aesthetic appeal when put on shelves as retail and
display packs.
Rule
41
Since
the introduction of the corrugated board as a packaging material in
the late 19th century, there have been a number of developments in the
West that have attempted to define and set standards regarding the performance
of a corrugated box. The most famous of these developments is the Rule
41, which had its origin in the year 1919.
Rule
41 includes the specifications established as part of the Consolidated
Freight Classification of the Railroads to define the requirements of
corrugated shipping containers to be transported in railroad wagons.
A
companion rule, called Item 222, is a part of the National Motor Freight
Classification and is nearly identical to Rule 41. Rule 41 helped a
great deal in legitimising and adding credibility to corrugated board
in the early 20th century. It also created standardisation of grades.
In the early years, the strength of the combined board was measured
by calculating the bursting strength or mullen of the same. Bursting
strength, commonly referred to as mullen, is a measure of the force
required to break through a given area of combined board as pressure
is applied on one side. Therefore, Rule 41 specifies the minimum weight
of the liners for each volumetric and content weight combination. For
example, for
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