When industry-wide corrugated prices increase, it’s natural to look for ways to control cost quickly. The good news is you don’t always need a major packaging overhaul to make an impact. In many cases, small adjustments in how your packaging is designed or specified can help offset rising costs dramatically.
Here are a few simple things you can do:
1. Look at your highest-volume boxes
Start with the packaging you use most often. Even a small cost reduction here has an outsized impact because it applies across your entire shipment volume. These are typically your “baseline” SKUs, and they often haven’t been re-evaluated in years simply because they run so consistently. If there’s anywhere to focus first during a price increase, it’s here.
2. Review Sizing
Extra space in corrugated packaging means extra cost. If products aren’t tightly matched to the box size, you’re likely paying for unnecessary material and higher freight costs. When corrugated prices increase, oversized packaging becomes even more noticeable because every inch of extra board is now more expensive. Many boxes also evolve over time—products change slightly, packing methods shift, or protective padding gets added—but the box size often stays the same. That gap between what’s needed and what’s used is where avoidable cost builds up.
3. Review Strength
Some corrugated boxes are stronger than they need to be based on the product and shipping conditions. Right-sizing board strength can reduce material cost without changing how the product is protected in transit. This often happens when packaging specs are set conservatively or never revisited after changes in carriers, handling methods, or product durability. You may be carrying extra strength that no longer adds value.
4. Review Packaging Specs
If a box design hasn’t been reviewed in a while, it may not reflect current materials or shipping methods. Even if nothing has changed internally, corrugated grades, production capabilities, and distribution environments often have. Over time, packaging can become “locked in” based on old requirements, even though more efficient options now exist. These legacy specs are a potential source of avoidable cost.
5. Review Internal Packaging
Inserts, partitions, or filler materials that were added for past issues may no longer be necessary. These components often remain long after the original problem is gone, quietly increasing cost per unit and assembly time. What once solved a damage or handling issue may no longer be relevant, especially if product design or shipping conditions have improved.
If you’re not sure where to start
When corrugated prices rise, the goal is to reduce unnecessary packaging cost wherever possible. Right-sized design, right-strength corrugated, and removing unnecessary components are usually where the savings come from.
This is exactly the kind of situation where a second set of eyes helps. If you’re seeing packaging cost increases, our team at Titan can review your current corrugated packaging and help identify where efficiencies may be gained—without compromising performance. Start a conversation with your Sales Representative to see how we can help.
