17 reasons to switch to returnable transit packaging

Returnable transit packaging (RTP), such as plastic crates, totes, and shipping boxes, is already widely used in many industries. This includes automotive and aerospace, amongst others. However, this is fast becoming a viable option for other businesses, too.

In this guide, we’ve highlighted 17 compelling reasons why your business should move away from high-volume corrugated packaging and adopt returnable transit packaging instead.

In simple terms, returnable transit packaging can take the form of crates, boxes, totes, pallets, and other multi-trip products made from durable materials (such as plastic) and intended for repeated use.

This extended lifecycle, when compared with single-trip packaging (such as corrugated cardboard packaging), essentially means that they can offer a lower cost per trip.

However, they can offer a much wider range of benefits. This includes improved environmental impact, efficiency gains and even branding options. Using a returnable transit system does have its challenges and considerations, however.

GWP can offer a number of returnable transit container options, including the brand-new Rapitainer, as well as custom Correx® totes and moulded plastic options.

We also offer single-trip corrugated packaging and recognise that different applications call for different solutions. Take a look at our full analysis of single-trip vs. returnable packaging.

So what are these potential benefits of switching to reusable packaging? Well, in no particular order, here are 17 ways in which your business could benefit:

• Lower unit and lifetime costs.
• Minimise secondary packaging.
• Reduce labour costs.
• Lower disposal costs.
• Return journey savings.
• Increased transit protection.
• Protection for neighbours in transit.
• Hygiene and cleaning.
• Reduced shedding.
• Enhanced stacking ability and strength.
• Reduced storage requirement.
• Tracking of containers.
• Bespoke sizes and options.
• Branding potential.
• Environmental benefits.
• Energy conservation.
• Improved company perception.

Secondary packaging can also increase labour costs, as it effectively adds another process to the assembly.

In fact, single-trip packaging requires considerably more manpower at the beginning of its journey – assembly, closures, potentially placing items in bags or liners, etc. – and the end – collapsing, removing tape, bundling ready for recycling, etc.

Therefore, returnable packaging can also improve your staff’s productivity.

A final point to add here is that returnable transit packaging also has a wide range of “dunnage” options – effectively inserts, dividers, layer separators, vacuum-formed trays, and so on.

These can further increase your staff efficiency and product protection, too. These can often be folded flat or nested for return transit.

With single-trip corrugated, there is often a disposal cost once the corrugated has completed its journey.

Whilst a lot of this burden will fall on the recipient of the cardboard packaging, there are costs for your business in terms of buying PRNs under the Packaging Waste Regulations.

Returnable transit packaging will eliminate the need for your customers to dispose of or recycle large volumes of cardboard boxes, along with the associated costs. Instead, your customers can simply collapse them and send them back to you as a return load following their next delivery.

Don’t forget – the majority of RTP containers can also be recycled at the end of their serviceable life.

One criticism of returnable packaging – specifically moulded totes or containers – is that it can often lead to very inefficient return journeys. This is because the containers do not fold flat and still take up a whole vehicle load.

Essentially, you are paying to ship fresh air inside your containers.

Whilst this is fine in scenarios where goods may be delivered, finished, or have some other process applied to them and then returned, it can make a one-way trip uneconomical unless that trip would have been empty anyway.

An easy solution to this, however, is to use collapsible transit packaging. After use, this can be folded down and returned without taking up space on the return trip.

One assembled Rapitainer, as an example, can typically hold 10 collapsed units for the return journey.

Whilst corrugated boxes are surprisingly tough and durable, there are certain environments where they will not perform at their best. For example, if they get wet, their strength is compromised significantly.

This can ultimately lead to items becoming damaged in transit. Expensive and time-consuming returns processes. Organising replacements and disposing of or reworking damaged items.

Perhaps even a loss of confidence in your business if it happens too often.

Both Correx® and moulded plastic totes avoid this by being moisture-resistant and offering much greater rigidity, strength, and overall performance.

A point which is often overlooked is what happens if liquid containers become damaged within their transit container.

For example, if a container of liquid bursts or leaks while inside its outer transit packaging, the liquid could enter the corrugated box and damage surrounding items.

Plastic returnable containers can generally avoid this, as the material is typically resistant to liquids, chemicals, and other substances. This can mean containing the spill and preventing damage to other products within the shipment.

Returnable transit containers usually have smooth sides due to the nature of the material. This, when combined with plastic’s resistance to water, provides a couple of benefits.

Firstly, it means plastic containers can be used in cleanroom applications or in markets that require strict hygiene, such as fresh produce delivery.

Secondly, it also means that, if the totes become dirty, they can be easily cleaned, further enhancing their lifespans.

Shedding is the term used to describe small fibres or particles being lost from the surface of a material. This happens with a number of materials during transit, during handling, or as they degrade over time.

As corrugated cardboard is likely to shed and create dust, it can be unsuitable for certain applications, and even if it is not a problem, it can lead to significant dust and cleaning requirements over time.

Plastics such as Correx® or moulded polypropylene avoid this issue.

The added strength and durability of plastic returnable packaging mean that it can usually be used more efficiently on pallets.

Plastic boxes, if engineered correctly, will have higher burst and edge crush limits. This allows them to be stacked higher and/or with increased weight inside.

This efficiency can lead to fewer trips, in turn reducing both costs and environmental impact.

Whilst moulded returnable transit packaging will take up a large amount of space when not in use, collapsible plastic containers offer the same benefit as corrugated cardboard: they can be stored flat.

A further benefit, however, is that if you are not using a Just-in-Time supply agreement for your corrugated, you will need to keep large amounts on site.

However, whilst you will need some reserves of transit containers to meet peaks in demand, storage will generally be reduced once a successful return loop has been established. A quantity of your totes will be stored throughout the supply chain rather than filling your warehouse.

With modern technology advancing rapidly, you can track your totes or containers using web-based tracking systems.

This can not only help you locate where your goods are in your supply chain, but also help prevent loss or theft of the returnable packaging containers themselves.

Whilst this isn’t really a benefit over corrugated packaging, which can also be manufactured to any size, many people believe that returnable transit packaging is only available in specific sizes, e.g., to fit standard pallets, racking, etc.

This isn’t the case at all. Correx® totes and boxes – including Rapitainer – are available in custom sizes and strengths.

This means the performance and costs can be tailored to your specific requirements.

As with bespoke sizes, it is of course possible to brand corrugated cardboard boxes. In fact, printing cardboard boxes arguably offers much more versatility than printing on plastic items.

So why is this listed as a benefit?

Well, if using a single trip corrugated, having to pay extra to add logos and text to your boxes can soon add up. However, with returnable transit packaging, you pay for your branding to be added once, and it will remain there for the lifespan of the container.

Plus, if your containers are visible at various points in your supply chain, this is a great opportunity to increase your brand awareness.

Although the environmental benefits are listed towards the end of this article, they should not be underestimated. In fact, this is one of the key reasons so many businesses are switching to reusable transit packaging.

Thousands, perhaps millions of tonnes of perfectly good corrugated boxes are effectively baled, pulped, and turned back into cardboard boxes. This is essentially using a lot of energy to reproduce the same product you started with.

And of course, this isn’t taking into account the amount of cardboard that unintentionally ends up in landfill, too. Returnable transit packaging prevents all of this.

Besides reducing waste in landfills, returnable transit packaging can conserve energy in other ways.

For example, cleaning totes for reuse requires far less energy and fewer resources than recycling corrugated packaging.

Besides this, if your returnable loop is set up to operate efficiently, it also reduces the number of miles your fleet drives with empty loads, as return journeys will be used to return your containers.

Finally, it should be noted that company perception is hugely important.

Whilst many people without specific knowledge of returnable transit packaging may simply assume plastics are bad, as portrayed in the media, by educating your customers on the benefits of RTP, you can highlight your environmental concerns and policies.

Couple this with reduced costs, a minimised burden of disposal on end users, and reduced transit damage, and it can result in increased customer satisfaction.