While the recycling rate of cardboard boxes is an impressive 96.5 percent, 940,000 tons of cardboard was dumped in landfills in 2018 according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Cardboard releases methane as it decomposes, contributing to global warming. A Connecticut manufacturer is reducing this environmental damage by creating reusable and recyclable corrugated cardboard containers.

“The unfortunate reality is that cardboard boxes are often only used once,” said Rodger Mort, COO of Packaging and Crating Technologies, LLC (PACT), a family-owned company in Watertown, Conn., that offers a comprehensive line of durable, lightweight, and sustainable shipping, crating and packaging systems for the commercial, industrial and military sectors. “Cardboard that gets wet or has oils or other contaminants on it, can’t be recycled. What’s more, when contaminated cardboard is placed in the same bin as clean cardboard, the entire contents are rendered useless for recycling.”

PACT has solved this problem by developing a specially designed, corrugated crate that is strong and able to withstand extreme pressure. In fact, some of PACT’s customers have been able to use their original crates over one hundred times.

Mort reveals that PACT’s patented process consists of cross-core lamination with triple-wall, double-wall or fiber board to produce a superior corrugated container. In addition to its strength and durability, the bins offer a variety of sizes that can safely transport anything from fine art and glass to motorcycles and furniture. 

“The inherent cushioning embedded in our corrugated will buffer any vibrations during transit whether it be by boat, plane or truck, so that the goods arrive in perfect condition,” Mort adds.

In fact, PACT has taken every protection precaution in the design of its crates from the ground up as it has created special corrugated spiral feet consisting of three layers of the strong material for additional shock absorption, as well as a patented, customized J-Crate that protects merchandise in the event of a tip over, while eliminating dust throughout the supply chain.

PACT’s comprehensive line of eco-friendly shipping products includes:

• LiftVan- a large, durable container that comes in 5 sizes to accommodate the transport of heavy-duty items up to 2,000 pounds, while easily stacking 3 bins high.
• PleatWrap- a sustainable paper bubble wrap that has an engineered pleated center sandwiched between a tissue and a Kraft paper layer. PleatWrap gives superior corner protection as compared to plastic packaging and can be recycled after use.
• J-Crate-a lightweight, corrugated crate that is quick and easy to assemble, pack and unpack and offers a parcel 360-degree protection from shock, vibrations and dust accumulation.
• MP40- a special packaging crate that contains 4 built-in dividers to ensure safe transit of fragile items such as plasma TVs, framed wall art, and glass and marble tabletops. It can also be used as a resilient dolly-free bin.

PACT’s corrugated container systems are able to be stacked flat, thus reducing shipping weight and subsequent pollution caused by transportation. Additionally, when they are ready to be disposed of, PACT’s products can be taken to any recycling center or eco-friendly dumpster, unlike traditional wood crates, which can seldom be recycled and often come with hefty disposal fees.

“Our corrugated crates are half the weight and take up half the space of a full wooden pallet, which saves the customer hundreds of dollars in shipping costs per load,” Mort notes. “Equally important, there is no compromise in stack-ability of up to 4,000 pounds and reusability, which helps preserve the environment with less waste.”

Adopting corrugated shipping crates company-wide addresses another pressing issue: the protracted labor shortage facing not only the logistics industry, but many other sectors worldwide. With companies looking to do more with less manpower, the corrugated crate’s simple fold-out process significantly mitigates labor-intensive crate construction.  For a demo on the ease of assembling a PACT shipping container, visit: https://www.pactww.com/products/custom-crates/.

“Just like our entire product line, we are a lean and green manufacturing machine,” concludes Mort. “As more businesses realize the massive benefits of corrugated not only to their company’s bottom line, but to the overall health of the environment, we know that the sustainable packaging revolution will continue to skyrocket across the world, and we’re excited to be a key player within it!”