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Practical strategies to cut packaging costs: optimise formats, eliminate stock, reduce void fill and take control of production with on-demand solutions.
The real cost of packaging is almost always higher than what appears on the invoice. On top of the boxes themselves come stock-holding costs (20–30% of inventory value per year), excess volumetric weight on shipments, and waste from unused minimum-order stock. Here is how to calculate and eliminate them.
The primary source of waste in packaging is empty space. Oversized boxes mean more cardboard, more filler material, more shipping volume and higher transport costs. The solution is to produce custom-fit boxes for each product.
A box maker like the Anypack AB2500 allows you to create boxes of the exact size needed, eliminating waste. On average, switching from standard to custom-fit boxes reduces shipping costs by 20–30%.
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Automatic machine for on-demand custom corrugated cardboard boxes
Ordering large quantities of pre-made boxes to get a low unit price is an illusion of savings. The hidden costs include:
On-demand production eliminates all these hidden costs. You produce only what is needed, when it is needed.
Physical dies cost between €200 and €2,000 each, depending on complexity. For companies with many product variants, the annual die cost can be significant. Digital box makers completely eliminate this cost item, as cutting is managed via software.
Printing labels and packaging in-house reduces costs compared to outsourcing, especially for small batches. A label printer like the Afinia L901 costs just a few cents per label, with no minimum order or setup costs. For cardboard, digital printing with systems like the EDM-650X eliminates flexographic plates.
Companies often use over-specified materials for their product type. A technical review can lead to:
Custom-fit boxes eliminate or drastically reduce the need for filler materials: bubble wrap, polystyrene peanuts, crumpled paper. This reduces material cost, packing time and environmental impact.
Automation reduces labour costs and increases productivity. An automatic box maker replaces manual measuring, cutting and folding operations. An automatic label applicator eliminates manual application. Every minute saved is a cost reduction.
The true cost of packaging is not the unit price of the box or label. TheTotal Cost of Ownershipincludes storage, obsolescence, logistics, labour and waste. Often, a seemingly more expensive per-unit solution turns out to be more economical when considering the overall TCO.
Reducing packaging costs is an achievable goal with a systematic approach. The main levers are dimension optimisation, on-demand production, die elimination and in-house printing. Digital technologies make all of this accessible even to small and medium enterprises.
To eliminate box stock and produce on-demand, discover the Anypack AB2500. For corrugated board printing with no setup costs, discover the GreenBox Evo.
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