Today, globalization and digitalization allow any company to take the leap and offer its products beyond its borders. The barriers of communication, logistics and transportation, and costs have been overcome thanks to new technologies, making exports more and more important. That is why it is so important to know the packaging requirements for exporting.
The packaging process plays a fundamental role when selling outside the country, as it ensures that the products arrive at their destination in perfect condition, ensuring that the buyer is satisfied.
Tailor-made packaging is an ideal alternative to provide products with a higher degree of protection, while facilitating the work of transport or courier company operators.
What characteristics are essential for export packaging?
We have various types of fasteners that are used throughout the world both to protect goods from damage in transit and to improve safety in traffic, flight or shipping.
We must not forget that a moving load can cause an accident, which, although more frequent in road transport, also occurs on ships and airplanes.
Evaluate the product
Before packing a product, it is necessary to make an assessment of the product. A number of very important criteria must be taken into account in this assessment:
- Weight and dimensions. Weight and dimensions are two key factors when selecting the ideal packaging for an international shipment. It is necessary to select boxes with sufficient capacity and strength to hold the products, withstand their weight and do not represent a significant increase in shipping costs.
- Fragility. For weaker products, it is necessary to use special packaging elements to prevent them from deteriorating or breaking during the entire transport and storage process until they reach their final destination.
- Special conditions. Some products have special conditions that require a specific type of packaging. A clear example is food products that may require isothermal packaging, for example.
Select packaging materials
There is a wide range of specially designed packaging materials available on the market that add greater protection and consistency to packages. This is one of the key points of export packaging requirements.
Among these types of packaging materials we can highlight:
- Cardboard boxes. One of the most versatile and useful materials to prepare a good international shipment are cardboard boxes. There are many types of special shipping boxes, such as corrugated cardboard boxes, which offer a higher level of protection, or bottle boxes, which are ideal for shipping this type of products and prevent them from breaking during transit.
- Bubble wrap. Bubble wrap is one of the star materials when it comes to export packaging. Its low cost, ease of adaptation to the shape and size of any product, as well as its high level of protection, make it a priority when preparing an international shipment.
- Wrapping paper. Wrapping paper is usually used to cover the package and give it greater strength and consistency. This packaging element has a low cost and improves the visual appearance of shipments.
- Other materials. There are many alternatives when it comes to packing a product well for international shipment. We can highlight as interesting materials for this type of shipment of packages or food products the desiccant bags, inflatable bags, stretch film, VCI solutions or honeycomb plastic. Depending on the type of product, it will be interesting to use these other materials to increase the security of shipments.
Sealing of packages
When exporting products, it is important to ensure their integrity, i.e. that they reach their destination without being tampered with. In this aspect, the sealing of packages plays a fundamental role, i.e. sealing during the packaging process.
The packing tape is used to close cardboard boxes and other protective elements to prevent them from opening accidentally during transport or by simple movement or vibration during transport.
Good sealing of shipments should be a priority in any packaging process, both for domestic shipments and for exports to other markets.
Tagged
Labeling is essential to ensure timely and proper delivery. The main losses and misplacements of shipments are caused by mislabeling or by an error in the label data.
It is important to place in a visible part of the packaging, the corresponding label that includes important information about the shipment, especially the delivery address correctly filled in.
In the case of food products, it is important to indicate this on the outside of the packaging, to remind logistics and transport operators of their special conditions (if they need refrigeration, avoid exposure to the sun or high temperatures).
Good packaging is key for any company to be successful in exporting its products. It is necessary to know the key points when packing products to ensure that they arrive in good condition at their destination.
If you need an optimal industrial packaging solution or want to know more about export packaging requirements, contact us and we will analyze your specific needs to offer you the best packaging alternative for your business imports.