5 dunnage options and returnable packaging inserts

Inefficient handling of parts can play a significant role in the success (or otherwise) of your manufacturing.

It can waste time, lead to product damage, slow down production operatives in finding the parts they need or prevent them from quickly seeing when they are going to run out of something.

If your business is experiencing any of these difficulties, a range of returnable packaging inserts and dunnage options can prove invaluable.

But which should you choose? Which insert type is most suitable for your business, industry, products, or application?

In this guide, we’ll analyse the most commonly used options:

• Correx® dividers and inserts
• Foam dunnage
• Vacuum-formed inserts trays
• Custom inserts
• Single-trip corrugated

The number of different dunnage options can initially seem quite daunting. How do you select the correct returnable packaging inserts for your business or specific application?

Several factors can influence which option is most likely to succeed.

Considerations can include, but are not limited to, the volumes, sizes, shapes, and values of the items you are transporting or handling, the environment in which the inserts are used, and, of course, your budget.

Before analysing which insert options would be best for your specific application, it’s essential that you consider why you would use them.

Arguably, the key benefit of using packaging or container inserts of any type is to minimise any movement within the outer container during transit or handling. This movement is the most common cause of damage to parts, components, and products, either during movement within your production facility or along the wider supply chain.

All available options, including foam dunnage, Correx® divisions, bubble-board inserts, and vacuum-formed plastic insert trays, can prevent this movement (and the resulting damage) by housing each item in its own recess or “cell”.

Doing this has other benefits too.

For starters, it makes loading and unloading the parts and components easier. It makes moving multiple parts much more efficient. It allows for quicker visual stock checks “at a glance” and prevents totes or outer containers from being overloaded (aiding health and safety).

Ultimately, as well as preventing damage to parts during handling or transit (and the associated costs), the right dunnage can significantly improve your productivity too.

Correx® dividers are an excellent all-round solution for virtually any application.

Tooling and unit costs are relatively low compared with other options, though you may incur additional costs due to longer assembly times (compared with some of the other insert options).

Plastic container dividers are available in various configurations, different colours and even ESD-safe (e.g., anti-static) versions.

A key benefit of foam dividers and similar dunnage is that they incur no tooling charge (although there is usually a small machine setup cost, which is insignificant compared with tooling).

Foam dunnage also provides excellent levels of protection, offering cushioning protection against impact or mishandling.

If you have very delicate (or expensive) parts or components, engineered foam inserts or trays provide the highest levels of protection.

Foam can achieve this by engineering precise levels of cushioning protection into the insert using advanced software, drop-test data, and various foam grades.

As with other forms of foam dunnage, the material can be susceptible to some fibre shedding, making it unsuitable for some medical or clean-room applications.

They are also relatively expensive (certainly compared with other dunnage options), though eliminating damage to expensive parts or componentry often offsets this.

Corrugated cardboard dividers (and other paper-based inserts) are the lowest-cost option for dunnage.

As with Correx® dividers, cardboard inserts can be supplied in many configurations and help with organisation and damage prevention in transit.

Due to the nature of corrugated cardboard (which is less hardwearing than plastic), it is less reusable and is generally used only for single-trip applications.

They can also shed particles (similar to foam) and are not moisture-resistant. However, they can benefit from various coatings to add water resistance, VCI corrosion inhibitors, and anti-static properties.