Industrial packaging is an integral part of the product supply chain. From the point of production, it secures products and keeps them safe as they are transported to the warehouse, stocked in the warehouse, and then delivered directly to the doorsteps of consumers. Without industrial packaging, these products would be susceptible to damage throughout the process, a factor that can drastically reduce their quality and shelf life.
The defining feature of industrial packaging is that it has to meet specific and varying requirements, both for a single item and for large batches of items as they are shifted between points in the supply chain. These can be as simple as a pallet load of bottles, or they could involve a crate full of chemicals or metals. In the latter case, the crates must be designed to meet specific transport and storage conditions, such as being resistant to extreme cold or high humidity.
Despite the fact that industrial packaging needs to be highly durable and functional, this does not mean that it should be bland or unattractive. On the contrary, a well-designed and eye-catching piece of packaging can help with brand recognition across all the touchpoints in the supply chain. This is especially important for industries with multi-channel sales, as a well-designed packaging solution can help them build brand familiarity and loyalty even with customers who do not purchase directly from them.
As the market for industrial packaging grows, so does the need to find solutions that minimize cost and waste. This is especially true for industries that need to ship multiple small batches of goods to the same destination, such as chemical and pharmaceutical companies. In such cases, custom boxes can be used to reduce the amount of material needed to protect each individual bottle or container. This can lead to significant savings in the overall supply chain, especially if these boxes are used repeatedly for multiple batches of the same product.
Another major challenge in the industry is that of meeting regulatory and safety requirements for storing, handling, and transporting industrial goods. This includes the need to ensure that all packaging is properly labeled, and that any risks posed by a given product are clearly documented. It also requires that any industrial packaging is designed to withstand shipping and handling, while remaining secure, stable, and leak-proof.
The global market for industrial packaging is growing due to a number of factors. These include a rise in building and construction activities across the world, growth in the food and beverage industry to meet the demands of an ever-growing population, and increased exports which require superior packaging standards. In addition, the need to maintain product quality during transportation and storage is also driving the market. The report analyzes the global industrial packaging market by product (intermediate bulk containers, sacks, pails, drums), material (paperboard, plastic, and metal), and application (building and construction, chemical & pharmaceutical, oil & lubricant, agriculture & horticulture, and others). The report also analyzes the market by geography, with a focus on North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA.