Protective Packaging and

Materials Handling
 Product Characteristics
Physical Characteristics
Density of bulk materials
Ability to withstand exposure to elements
Respiration
Chemical Characteristics
Incompatible products
Products requiring chemicals
Characteristics must be made known to
consumers

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 Product Characteristics
Hazardous Cargo
Explosives
Compressed gases
Flammable liquids
Oxidizers
Poisons
Radioactive materials
Corrosive materials

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 Product Characteristics
Environmental Protection
Reduce packing materials used
Use packaging materials that are more
environmentally friendly with recycled content
Use reusable containers
Retain or support services that collect used packaging
and recycle it

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 Packaging
Building-blocks concept
Smallest unit is consumer package
Each unit is stacked within the next larger one to
protect the product

Promotional functions of boxes

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 Packaging
Protective functions of packaging
Enclose materials
Restrain materials from undesired movement
Separate contents to prevent undesired contact
Cushion contents from outside vibrations and shocks
Support the weight of identical containers stacked above
Position the contents to provide maximum protection
Provide for uniform weight distribution
Provide exterior surface for labeling
Be tamperproof
Be safe for consumers or others

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 Packaging
Package testing
Vibrations
Dropping
Horizontal impacts
Compression
Overexposure to extreme temperatures or moisture
Rough handling

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 Packaging
Designing a package requires 3 types of
information
Severity of the distribution environment
Fragility of the product
Performance characteristics of various cushion
materials

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 Unit Loads in Materials
Handling
A unit load is one or more boxes secured to a pallet
or skid. The term unitization describes this type of
handling.
Basic unit is a pallet or skid
Lumber is expensive so firms want pallets returned
Provides cushioning effect in transport
Quality of pallets varies widely
Chep USA rents pallets in wood or plastic; used in closed-
loop system
Should be less than 50 poundsdifficult with plastic
Metal also used in closed loop systems

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Figure 15-25: The
Building-Blocks
Concept of
Packaging: A
Summary

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 Unit Loads in Materials
Handling
Slip sheet can be used in place of pallet
Saves vertical room
Weighs far less than pallet
Requires more care when moving

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 Unit Loads in Materials
Handling
Advantages Disadvantages
Additional protection Provides large quantity
Pilferage is discouraged that sometimes is of
limited value to resellers
More fragile items can be
dealing in smaller
stacked inside the load
quantities
Mechanical devices can
Must use mechanical or
be substituted for hand
automated device to
labor
move

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Figure 5-19: A Battery
Powered Lift Truck
Used for Stock
Picking

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 Unit Loads in Materials
Handling
An intermodal container holds the unit load
Interchangeable among rail, truck, and water
carriers
Air carriers usually use irregular shaped
containers made to fit fuselage

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Figure 5-21:
Various
Types of
Intermodal
Surface
Containers

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 Materials Handling
Materialshandling refers to how the materials
or products are handled physically.
How the products are handled depends on
whether they are packaged or in bulk
Handling may change the characteristics of
the product

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 Materials Handling Principles
Orientation understand entire Minimum travel
system, relationship to other systems Maximize space utilization
and physical limitations Ergonomics protect workers
Requirements expected from difficult or repetitive functions
performance
Energy efficiency
Integrated system coordination
of all storage & handling systems
Ecology environmental friendly
Standardization of package Mechanization substitute
sizes machines for humans
Just-in-time products not moved Automation very capital
until needed intensive; less flexible
Unit load handling materials in Flexibility
large blocks

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 Materials Handling Principles
Simplification avoid overly Systems flow
complicated systems Layout
Gravity rely on gravity to move Cost
materials when possible Maintenance
Safety Obsolescence
Computerization
Team solution
Systems flow

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Problems in Materials
Handling

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