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Returnable Plastic Packaging: Thermoformed Plastic Trays and Pallets - 10 Money Saving Tips
Heavy gauge thermoforming is as much a staple to the returnable
plastic packaging industry as Chevy is to General Motors. It's
always been there, not known for its cutting edge design but
more because it is solid, durable, and dependable. Thermoforming
plastic trays and pallets can also be misunderstood. It remains
one of the longest lasting and reasonably priced returnable
packaging products available yet customers are reluctant to try
it. Why?
Research has shown that many people assume plastic trays and
pallets made via heavy gauge thermoforming have the same high
priced tooling as injection molding. Further, many folks are
convinced the tooling takes just as long to produce. This is not
true. Returnable plastic trays and pallets come with a moderate
tooling charge (usually less than $7500) and can be made in 4
weeks or less, depending on the design.
Here are 10 tips regarding thermoformed plastic trays and
pallets your salesman would rather you not know about:
1. Provide the actual product you need packaged to your
supplier. This allows the supplier to see, touch, and feel the
product and design the plastic tray or plastic pallet
accordingly. You'll get a better initial design and a firmer
price quote.
2. Assess if your actual product can be stacked upon and support
weight. If this is possible, your returnable plastic trays will
not need to be as deep which means a smaller plastic tray and a
lower price per tray.
3. Design returnable plastic trays and plastic pallets that are
stackable and nestable. This means that the plastic trays and
plastic pallets can stack when fully loaded and nest inside each
other when empty. Nested thermoformed plastic trays and plastic
pallets take up less space and save on both storage and freight
costs.
4. Consider having the thermoformed plastic trays marked with a
stripe at least 1 inch wide and running either the entire length
or width in a different color than the plastic trays. These
stripes help your operators know when the plastic trays are
loaded or empty, saving in labor costs and storage efficiency
5. Ask for concept sketches with overall dimensions of your
plastic trays or plastic pallets before proceeding with a
production order. This helps everyone remain clear on how the
plastic trays or plastic pallets need to look and function.
6. Make a production
tool for your thermoformed plastic trays
instead of a wood prototype tool if possible. Prototype tooling
is very rough and takes about 2 weeks to make. Production
tooling can be modified and adjusted, within reason. This speeds
up the overall design and production schedule and saves on the
additional cost of a prototype tool which is worthless after it
is used once
7. Evaluate different thicknesses of plastic once your
production tooling is done. If a thermoformed plastic tray or
plastic pallet could be made using thinner material this will
save money. It is also possible a thicker material will perform
better after thermoforming. You can see the difference and make
an educated decision before running a large quantity.
8. Mark your thermoformed plastic trays or plastic pallets with
an identification stamp or insert plate that has your company
name, address, and any other important information such as
Property of XYZ Corporation. This will help assure that the
plastic trays or plastic pallets are returned to the correct
address when empty.
9. Ask your supplier if they will purchase your thermoformed
plastic trays or plastic pallets for recycling if and when they
become obsolete. The price paid will be a scrap value but it is
better than nothing.
10. Consider purchasing 10-25 extra plastic trays or pallets
with your initial order for emergencies. Most companies misplace
plastic trays and pallets and it is much more cost effective to
run them in a larger quantity than having to pay for a special
run later on.
Thermoformed Plastic Trays and Pallets Conclusion
If shipping parts to a dedicated customer or destination on a
regular basis, consider thermoformed plastic trays and pallets
as a packaging solution. While they aren't indestructible, they
can handle normal abuse and easily pay for themselves within 1
to 1 ½ years. As always, rely on your packaging professional for
guidance and direction.
About the author:
David Marinac is President and CEO of American Built Containment
Systems (ABC Systems). ABC Systems is the only company that
custom designs specialty packaging via the Internet without
having to meet with a client face-to-face. This allows them to
respond faster than any other company at the Total Lowest Cost.
http://abc-packaging.com
Written By: E. David Marinac