Chapter 5 Protective Packaging and Materials Handling

Packaged goods Vs. Bulk materials handled by the package Bulk materials free flowing or loose rather than packaged handled by pumps, shovels, or conveyor devices

Topics Related to Packaging Handling Materials requirements planning (MRP) obtain more efficient management over the flow of all materials & products in a firm’s production system Robotics physically handling both packaged and bulk materials

Product Characteristics Physical Properties Density of bulk materials Exposure to the elements Temperature indicates form solid liquid gas

Physical Characteristics May change while good is moving through the logistics channel

Chemical Characteristics Affect the manner in which goods should be handled Consumers must be made aware of the various properties of goods so as to make a correct buying decision and to care for the product properly

7 Categories of Hazardous Cargo Explosives Compressed gases Flammable liquids Oxidizers Poisons Radioactive materials Corrosive materials

Hazardous Commodities Specific requirements differ but involve: Labeling Packaging and Repackaging Placing warnings on shipping documents Notifying carriers in advance

Hazardous Cargo Shipping documents must indicate if cargo is hazardous in nature Additional documentation is required Packages, containers, trailers, and railcars must display proper signs or placards identifying the hazard

Environmental Protection Many packaging materials can be RECYCLED The use of disposable packing materials is wasteful and costs for dumping in landfill sites is increasing

Problems to Environmental Protection Each nation’s regulations differ regarding which packaging is acceptable Regulations differ because different areas of the world view environmental problems differently & enact regulations that address the issue of current concern to them

Environmentally Friendly Packaging Strategies Reduce the amount of packaging materials used Using more environmentally friendly packaging materials Use reusable containers Retain or support services that collect the used package and recycle it

Packaging - Building-blocks Concept Smallest units are the retail packages on the shelves of stores The small units are packed into boxes of 1 to 2 cubic feet Rectangular shape usually Each of the different building blocks is inside another & their total effect must be to protect the product

Promotional Functions of Boxes Primary job of boxes is to protect but may contain sales orientation Promotional and Protective Conflict Attractive promotional message on the outside of a box makes it easier for a thief to determine what the box contains Code numbers on the box slow the thief down

Protective Functions of Packaging Enclose the materials to protect them and other items from them Restrain them from undesired movements within the container when the container is in transit Separate the contents to prevent undesired contact

Cushion the contents from outside vibrations and shocks Support the weight of identical containers that will be stacked above it as part of the building-blocks concept Position the contents to provide maximum protection for them

Provide for fairly uniform weight distribution within the package Provide enough exterior surface area that identification and shipping labels can be applied along with specific instructions Be tamper-proof to the extent that evidence of tampering can be noticed

Be safe in the sense that the package itself presents no hazards to consumers or to others

Carriers’ Tariffs & Classifications Influence or Control the type of packaging and packing methods used

2 Reasons For The Different Classifications Carriers Have Packaging specifications determined by product density encourage shippers to tender loads in densities that make best use of the equipment’s weight and volume capabilities Specifications that deal with protective packaging reduce the likelihood of damage to products while in transit

Package Testing Usually done when new products or new packaging techniques are about to be introduced Packages endure all the expected shipping hazards: vibration, dropping, horizontal impacts, compression, overexposure to extreme temperatures or moisture, and rough handling Computer software now used

Shippers should: Keep records on all loss and damage claims Perform statistical tests on this data to determine if damage pattern is randomly distributed If data is not randomly distributed, additional protection for the package can be made

Types of Labeling Words Code Numbers Retroflective Labels Batch Number read by optical scanners Batch Number

Labeling Point Good time to take a complete inventory of all the packages, packing materials, and labels that will be used Necessary to label inbound items so that their location can be monitored Leading firms are moving toward two-dimension bar codes that hold more information

Unit Loads in Materials Handling an extension of the building-blocks concept to very large quantities Basic unit is the pallet or skid Handled by mechanical means such as a forklift Unitization describes handling of unit loads

Pallet Vs. Slip Sheet Pallet Slip sheet 40- by 48-inch wooden structure height a problem because space occupied is unproductive Slip sheet a sheet of flexible heavy plastic or fiberboard material handling time increased because forklift operator must use more care to avoid damaging the product

Advantages of Unit Load Additional protection to the cargo Pilferage is discouraged Enables mechanical devices to be substituted for hand labor Disadvantage Represents a larger quantity of an item than a single box

Materials Handling A branch of engineering that deals with the short distance movement of the material between two or more points

Materials Handling - Building-Blocks Concept Products are packed in individual containers Containers are packed inside fiberboard cartons Cartons loaded on to a pallet referred to as a unit load in a process called unitization

Materials Handling - Building-Blocks Concept (contd.) Mechanical devices load pallets aboard a trailer, railcar, or ocean going container

Bulk Cargoes - Handling Characteristics Density Angle of Repose the size of angle that would be formed by the side of a conical stack of that material the greater the angle, the higher the pile of materials that can be placed on a specific land area

Bulk Liquids - Handling Characteristics Resistance to flow measured as viscosity can be lowered by increasing the temperature

Bulk Gases - Handling Characteristics Most handled within enclosed pipeline Liquefied natural gas (LNG) exception cooled and compressed into liquid form that is 1/630 of its volume in gaseous state transported by oceangoing vessels in special tanks

Handling of Bulk Handling process may change the characteristics or quality of the product Ideal equipment configuration for one bulk cargo may not be able to handle another Particle size must be considered in that there are costs in pulverizing to a uniform size so it can be transported by pneumatic or slurry devices

Principles to Guide the Design of Materials Handling System Read pages 162-163 in the text

End of Chapter 5