Packaging and Materials

Handling
PHAM THI TRANG, PH.D
Learning Objectives
• To illustrate how product characteristics affect packaging and
materials handling
• To discuss packaging fundamentals such as packaging functions
and labeling
• To identify select issues that affect packaging such as
environmental protection and packaging inefficiencies
• To learn about unit loads and the unit load platform
• To explain materials handling principles and materials
handling equipment
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Contents
Product Characteristics

Packaging Fundamentals

Issues in Packaging

Unit Load

Materials Handling

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Introduction

Material handling is concerned

with the movement of
material/goods within the
storage space, and goods into
and out of each facility.
Packaging is the science, art
Managing logistics must plan the best ways to load, offload, move,
and technology sort and
of enclosing
select products or protecting products/
materials for distribution,
Logistics personnel must work closely with engineers storage,
to designsale,or
andselect
use.
packaging materials that facilitate materials handling
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Product Characteristics
Physical Characteristics
 Substance form (solid, liquid, and gas)
 Density of bulk materials
 Ability to withstand exposure to elements
 Respiration
Chemical Characteristics
 Incompatible products
 Products requiring chemicals
Characteristics must be made known to
consumers
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Packaging Fundamentals
Packaging refers to materials used for:
• the containment,
• protection,
• handling,
• delivery,
• presentation of goods

Building-blocks concept
• each unit is stocked within the next larger one
to protect the product

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Packaging Fundamentals
Functional Tradeoffs
– Packaging serves three general functions
• To promote
• To protect
• To identify (label) the relevant product
– Packaging design decisions involve a number of departments
within an organization
-Engineering -Quality Control
-Manufacturing -Transportation
-Marketing -Warehousing

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Packaging Fundamentals
Package Testing and Monitoring
A package system requires 3 types of information to design
o Severity of the distribution environment
o Fragility of the product
o Performance characteristics of various cushion materials
Package testing
 Vibrations
 Dropping
 Horizontal impacts
 Compression
 Overexposure to extreme temperatures or moisture
 Rough handling

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Packaging Fundamentals
Labeling
Some information that labels will present itself

Retro reflective
Batch numbers Weight
labels

Information to
Instructions for
Specific contents allow passage
use through customs

One- or two-
Compliance Smart labels or
dimensional bar
labeling RFID labels
codes
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 Examples of alert labels
Why we need alert labels?

Kaiser Aluminum’s Moisture-Alert Label

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Issues in Packaging
Environmental Protection
1. Reduce packing materials used

2. Use packaging materials that are more

environmentally friendly with recycled
content

3. Use reusable containers

4. Retain or support services that collect used

packaging and recycle it
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Issues in Packaging
• Metric System
– U.S., Liberia, and Myanmar (formerly Burma) are the only 3 countries
in the world that do not use the metric system of measurement
– Increasing pressure on U.S. exporters to market their products
overseas in metric units

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Issues in Packaging
• Identifying Packaging Inefficiencies
– Building-blocks concept is useful for analyzing packaging
inefficiencies.
– Packaging inefficiencies can have a number of undesirable logistics
consequences including:
• Increased loss
• Increase damage
• Slower materials handling
• Higher storage costs
• Higher transportation costs

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Issues in Packaging
• Packaging’s Influence on Transportation Considerations
─ Carrier’s tariffs and classifications influence the type of packaging
and packing methods that must be used
─ Carriers established classifications for two main reasons:
• Packaging specifications determined by product density lead to the best use of
the equipment’s weight and volume capabilities
• Carrier specifications for protective packaging reduce likelihood of damage to
products thus reducing the loss and damage claims filed against the carrier

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Unit Loads in Materials Handling
A unit load (unitization) refers to
consolidation of several units (cartons
or cases) into larger units, in order to:
Improve efficiency in handling
Reduce shipping costs.
Handling efficiency can be facilitated
by mechanical devices (pallet jack or
forklift) as well as by using a pallet or
skid.

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Unit Loads in Materials Handling

•Pallet material
•Pallet weight
•Pallet height  slip sheet  shrink-wrap

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Unit Loads in Materials Handling
• Beyond the unit load
– Use of load-planning software
– Bracing
– Inflatable dunnage bags
– Load is subjected various forces including
• Vibration
• Roll
• Pitch
– Weighing out

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Unit Loads in Materials Handling (8 of 9)
FIGURE 11.6 Computer-Generated Load Plan

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Unit Loads in Materials Handling (9 of 9)
FIGURE 11.6 Computer-Generated Load Plan
Source: Courtesy of TOPS Software Corp

FIGURE 11.7 Inflated Dunnage Bags between Pallets

Source: Courtesy of Sea-Land Service Inc.
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Materials Handling
• Materials handling refers to the “short-distance movement
that usually takes place within the confines of a building such
as a plant or DC and between a build and a transportation
service provider.”
• How the products are handled depends on whether they are
packaged or in bulk
• Handling may change the characteristics of the product

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Materials Handling
10 Material Handling Principles Include:
1. Planning
2. Standardization
3. Work
4. Ergonomic
5. Unit load
6. Space utilization
7. System
8. Automation
9. Environmental
10. Life cycle cost
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Materials Handling Equipment
Two categories of handling
equipment
oStorage
• Shelves
• Racks
Lift trucks Bins
• Bins
Conveyor systems
oHandling
• Conveyor systems
• Lift trucks
• Carts
• Cranes
Carts

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Cranes