Packaging's primary role is to protect the products it packages. But it can also streamline logistics and reduce costs along the way. In today's supply chains, multi-material packaging is gaining popularity for its ability to combine the strengths of multiple elements into a single, optimized solution. Whether for consumer products or industrial applications, multi-material or mixed-material packaging helps businesses strike the right balance between cost efficiency and product protection.
Multi-material packaging combines two or more materials into a single packaging solution. Common examples utilize two or more of the following materials: wood, corrugated, metal, plastic, foam, and paper. While this packaging is widely used in retail and consumer products, it is also becoming increasingly common in industrial applications due to its advantages.
Examples of consumer multi-material packaging include nut and refrigerated dough cans, which combine metal, foil, cardboard, and plastic. Toothpaste tubes are another example, made with both plastic and aluminum.
In industrial settings, multi-material solutions are just as versatile. These include hard cases that incorporate wood, aluminum, steel, and foam, as well as spools constructed from both metal and wood. Even traditional wooden crates are often customized with materials like metal, plastic, corrugated, and foam, making them a mixed-material packaging solution.
Multi-material packaging offers numerous benefits, which explains its growing popularity. Businesses opt for mixed-material options due to their cost-effectiveness, protection, and shipping efficiency. Let's explore each benefit:
Optimized Bottom Line: By utilizing the proper materials where they add the most value, mixed packaging helps reduce overpackaging, lowering material costs without compromising performance.
Enhanced Product Protection: By combining the strength of rigid materials with cushioning elements, such as foam, film, and strapping, a more effective protection for the product is achieved. This product placement reduces shifting during transit, minimizing the risk of damage.
Efficient Shipping & Handling: Modular, lightweight packaging designs optimized for stacking enable faster and more efficient transportation and warehouse handling. Replacing rigid materials with lighter alternatives makes this possible.
Many industries require or could benefit from multi-material packaging solutions. Here are a few examples:
Technology: Sensitive equipment, such as medical MRI machines, requires secure, cushioned packaging to protect it from damage. A reinforced wooden crate with galvanized metal corner protectors and hinges for easy access, combined with interior foam and strapping, provides reliable protection during transport.
Automotive: Delicate parts such as car windowpanes require maximum protection. Metal crates with foam-lined interiors offer the ideal balance of rigidity and cushioning, enabling them to withstand the demands of industrial shipping and storage.
Mixed-material industrial packaging solutions are quickly emerging in the market. Strip Pak® crates are a great example of this type of packaging. Combining corrugated material with wood framing to create stackable containers, Strip Pak is a lower-cost alternative to all-wood designs, while still delivering durability and protection with a completely enclosed structure.
As supply chains evolve and shipping demands become increasingly complex, multi-material packaging solutions are proving to be a reliable and cost-effective choice for various industries. From electronics to automotive, combining materials delivers greater protection, cost savings, and easier handling. Choose a packaging partner with packaging engineers who specialize in creating custom industrial packaging solutions. By doing so, you will receive a mixed-material packaging solution that safeguards your products and supports your business goals.