Protective packaging is essential for industries that ship products to suppliers or consumers. Whether you ship massive items or sensitive objects, the proper packaging keeps products safe as they move from one destination to another. Many industries use specialized packaging solutions to fit unique product needs. The protective packaging industry manufactures and sells options to shield products of all configurations.
These are five examples of industries that use protective packaging solutions.
1. Food Service Industry Protective Packaging
Food products often require delicate or particular handling. Without proper packaging, food might experience damages like:
- Expiring: Many food items must be kept at a certain temperature at all times or they could become unsafe to eat, like milk or frozen foods.
- Losing their shape: Sensitive textures or shapes need specialized packaging to avoid getting crushed during transit.
- Developing mold or mildew: Exposure to moisture can cause mold or mildew to develop on various food products.
Protective packaging shields food and beverages from these damages. Various materials protect and preserve food as it travels through different supply chain stages. The food service industry commonly uses these types of protective packaging materials:
- Desiccant bags: These bags are filled with desiccants, which are substances that absorb moisture. They remove water from their surroundings, keeping package interiors and products dry. By placing a desiccant bag in a shipping container, you reduce the potential for mold or mildew formation.
- Moisture barrier bags: Moisture barrier bags seal internal components from water, humidity, oxygen, grease and other forms of contamination. These bags are available in many styles and materials, making them able to fit the needs of different food products. They could support anything from sauces and condiments to grains and seeds.
2. Electronics Industry Protective Packaging
Electronic devices require careful handling. Electronic equipment has sensitive components and structures that have to stay precise for proper functioning. For instance, circuit boards have elaborate designs that need to stay protected while in motion. Excessive bumps or vibrations during transport could damage items, making protective packaging essential.
In addition, electronic equipment can build up static electricity during movement. Without containment, static can progress to electrostatic discharge (ESD), which is the flow of electricity between two charged components. ESD could cause devices to fail instantly or after a certain period of use.
Fortunately, you can mitigate static-related damages with static shielding bags. This protective packaging type prevents ESD build-up, creating a static-free environment. They protect sensitive components like:
- Disc drivers
- Memory cards
- Circuit boards
The electronics industry also commonly uses desiccants and moisture barrier bags to eliminate exposure to water during transport. Moisture can cause electronic components to rust by corroding internal components. Even short-term encounters with humidity can have lasting negative impacts. Desiccant bags absorb water from the internal packaging, preventing this damage.
3. Automotive Industry Protective Packaging
The automotive industry uses many parts to assemble different vehicle types. A single car contains thousands of parts, each needing to perform optimally for the car to operate. Because automotive components can form rust if exposed to excess moisture, it’s crucial to shield these parts as they travel to manufacturer sites. Rust threatens the integrity of parts, which also poses hazards for finalized vehicles. A rusty component might fail or work incorrectly, affecting vehicle function.
The industry also has to protect vehicles in storage. Hot and humid environments can damage completed vehicles, corroding the internal parts.
To prevent these damages, the industry uses solutions from the protective packaging market, including options like moisture barrier bags and desiccants. You can package car parts in moisture barrier bags to shield them from exposure to water and humidity. In addition, you can place desiccant bags inside stored vehicles to limit the build-up of moisture. These packaging types preserve car components and help finalized vehicles function correctly when production is completed.
4. Military Manufacturing Industry Protective Packaging
Protective packaging is required and expected of all military-grade products. The term mil-spec packaging refers to packaging types designed to meet United States Department of Defense (DoD) standards. Military specification packaging is available in many variations, such as particular containers or weatherproofing techniques. Manufacturers that produce items for the United States Military must follow the required codes and regulations for shipping to ensure the items aren’t harmed.
Options like desiccants, static shielding bags and barrier bags can be designed to meet the military specification requirements. These packaging materials protect military items like:
- Uniforms: Military uniforms must consist of certain materials and maintain a specific appearance. Uniforms might become damaged by moisture or harsh conditions during shipment to military sites. Various shielding bags and other protective packaging types keep uniforms dry and shielded from external conditions. They can arrive at bases ready for use.
- Explosive materials: Military specification packaging can also support explosive or hazardous materials. These items require durable and precise packaging to maintain stability during transport.
- Sensitive documents: Vital documents need proper shielding from water and harsh conditions as they travel between sites. Military specification packages create a sealed and dry environment, allowing documents to move safely.
5. Aerospace Manufacturing Industry Protective Packaging
Like the automotive industry, the aerospace industry builds elaborate equipment with many separate components. The industry manufactures complex aviation and space exploration equipment, from aircraft to satellites. As parts travel to production sites, they must avoid exposure to humid environments, which can cause corrosion.
The aerospace field uses various protective packaging types to minimize these risks, such as these options:
- Moisture barrier bags: Moisture barrier bags create a sealed and secure environment for aerospace parts. They can stay dry instead of sustaining damage from rust and excess moisture.
- Desiccants: You can also add desiccant bags to shipments to prevent the accumulation of moisture in the air. Sensitive parts, such as missile components, require a dry atmosphere to maintain their integrity.
- Static shielding bags: The aerospace industry also uses many computers and electronic-based equipment to power various vehicles. Static shielding bags mitigate ESD for materials sensitive to static shock, including the electronic tools the industry places in various equipment types.
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These industry examples and many others use protective packaging to move essential items. The global protective packaging market continues to grow and adapt to new packaging needs. You can reduce replacement or repair costs by protecting products during transport, increasing supplier and consumer satisfaction.
If you need protective or military specification packaging, choose Edco Supply Corporation today. As a leading specialty packaging company, we offer a wide range of premier packaging solutions that can meet many shipping needs. Shield your products from corrosion, static, shocks and other damages with our durable materials.
Browse our offerings today or request a quote to get started with an order.
