FedEx lab offers creative shipping package solutions - PackagingDigest.com

FedEx lab offers creative shipping package solutions

As more products are shipped from China to the U.S., the FedEx Packaging Lab designs cost-efficient packaging alternatives to protect products during their hazardous journey.

Lab engineer Yongquan Zhou observes a package undergoing a compression test.

China's presence in the package-shipping business is expanding rapidly, reflecting the country's export explosion, estimated at $1 trillion annually—up 200 percent in just four years—and its strong double-digit, annual domestic packaging growth. According to information from Chinese manufacturers and shippers, their goal is to provide packaging solutions that rival those found in fully developed countries.

But no two packaging concepts are alike. For the Chinese, quality control persists as an issue because of unique problems with their packaging materials. One dilemma is that in China, unlike in the U.S. and elsewhere, there is a shortage of virgin tree-fiber material that can be used to make boxes. Instead, the Chinese must turn to other less durable sources of fiber, including nonwood fibers such as wheat, bamboo and rice straw. These nonwood fibers account for nearly 85 percent of the pulp the country produces.

Another issue is that because expanded polystyrene foam (EPS) is a low-cost and easy-to-manufacture material, most Chinese companies use it as the main cushioning material to protect fragile products during shipping. Unfortunately, not only does EPS have a negative impact on the environment, but it also provides less-than-adequate protection for many heavy, fragile products.


However, alternatives to EPS are either cost-prohibitive or hard to find. Most packages sent from China to the U.S. must absorb some degree of shock, vibration and compression and must withstand other distribution hazards during transportation. These may not appear to be significant issues during the initial phases of the distribution cycle, when products are bulk-transported to the U.S. in sea containers. But many problems arise after these shipments arrive at U.S. ports and are broken down and shipped individually or in small quantities through small parcel express or other distribution environments. Each of the above distribution hazards can lead to damage if a package isn't strong enough or if there is not enough cushioning. One solution to these problems would be to put the package inside another, larger and stronger box with additional packaging protection. But this, of course, adds to packaging and shipping costs.