As a small- to medium-sized business (SMB), you have hundreds of things on your mind. Reducing costs and being more environmentally friendly are likely to be high up on your list (after the never-ending daily demands), but you might not have considered the place of packaging within this (although you should; be sure to check out this article on implementing enterprise-wide packaging optimization, if you haven’t already). Finding an alternative packaging solution can save resources and reduce your carbon footprint — this is where box-making machines come in.
Box-Making Machines
As an SMB, you might find yourself selling unique products or small quantities of items. It can be hard, if not impossible, to find the carboard box that fits perfectly or a company who can sell small quantities of the right box on demand – and get it to you quickly. A box-making machine enables you to create your own corrugated boxes. Rather than having to outsource your packaging materials, you can produce them in-house. It allows you to make custom boxes that are tailored to the shape of your product, reducing the chance of breakage as well as optimizing storage and transport. They come in a range of varieties for different sizes of operations and for different demands. More recently, lines have been designed specifically for SMBs.
These machines have no minimal output; you can make short runs or even single boxes as and when you need them. A good machine will allow the creation of a massive variety of different carboard boxes, require no training to operate, and be much smaller than a standard, industry-grade box-making machine.
Logistical Benefits
The logistics of delivering products is complex even for large, established businesses that have the warehouse space for shelves of cardboard boxing. This is ten times harder as an SMB, as you may have less predictable sales and demand, particularly when you have less space for storing packaging that’ll be needed at some point in the future.
Making custom boxes on demand reduces the warehouse space needed to store packaging. The reduced size of a box-making machine designed for smaller businesses means that this space isn’t simply filled by the machinery; you can continue to grow your business without being limited by storage space.
It also means that those one-off sales or products in low demand can be sent off to the customer without first having to source appropriate packaging. There’s no packaging company in the middle of your trade, so the process of sale to product delivery isn’t slowed down and your customer is kept happy.
Money-Saving Benefits
When you can create bespoke boxes that fit your product perfectly, there’s no need for extra padding, such as packing peanuts. This small reduction can make a massive difference to the cost of packaging, particularly in the long run. You’ll also no longer be buying (and hoarding) boxes that you may not use, waiting for the moment that you need to send something of the right size.
Creating your own boxes saves money as it cuts out the middleman. Simply put: it’s cheaper to make your own than to buy. On average, it takes around 18 months to see return on investment from a box making machine, with companies seeing savings of at least 30% on their box packaging expenses.
Environmental Benefits
While saving money is likely to be a higher priority that being environmentally friendly, as a business owner, your environmental responsibility is bound to be in your mind. Saving money and reducing your carbon footprint often come hand in hand.
Cutting down on excess packaging and the need for package fillers reduces waste and is better for the environment. Many customers love packaging that is clearly less wasteful, and it often comes up in reviews! (Companies, such as Amazon, have begun asking their customers whether the packaging was appropriate for the product – making more people aware of it.)
Box-making machines can also reduce transport. By creating packaging that fits, you can fit more of your product in every van and transport vehicle. This reduces transport costs, simplifies logistics, and reduces you carbon footprint.
Running an SMB is both demanding and rewarding with hundreds of logistical strategies and everyday responsibilities to take into consideration. Using a box making machine is one place where you can simplify logistics, save money, and reduce your carbon footprint.
Barry Tabor is the Managing Director of BCS Boxer, a company who specializes in box-making machines for small businesses. BCS has been operating for over 30 years, providing packaging solutions to hundreds of companies. Visit www.bcsboxer.com for further information.
