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Industry specifics
Manufacturers of sanitary ceramics in the context of packaging their products have quite a challenge – the products are heavy, but at the same time fragile. They are easy to scratch, chip or shatter as a result of shocks or impacts occurring during transportation.
In addition, products of this type are large – after all, sanitary ceramics include sinks, shower trays, toilet bowls, bathtubs, bidets, urinals and the necessary frames for their installation. Given that these products are not cheap, customers expect them all the more to arrive intact.
- How to secure them effectively without overpaying for packaging materials?
Firstly shock absorbing - PE foam and bubble wrap for sanitary ceramics manufacturers
In the first stage of packaging, products in many sanitary companies are protected with bubble wrap (bubble wrap) or PE polyethylene foam. Both materials provide high protection for delicate products, providing excellent cushioning. Among our customers, the choice between PE foam and bubble wrap is mainly a matter of preference and the packaging system adopted.
PE foam for packaging of sanitary ceramics
Polyethylene PE foam is a product that, depending on the thickness (0.8 – 15 mm), can be adapted to the weight and size of the packaged product. As the thickness of the foam increases, it provides better cushioning, but is then also slightly less flexible. The PE foam returns to its original shape after the pressure subsides, making it absorb shocks and impacts. That is why it is very often used in construction. In addition, it prevents scratches and dirt.
This product is available in several variants:
- PE foam roll
Foam of the selected thickness and width ranging from 0.1m to 2m.
- Laminate
Combination of PE foam and polyethylene, HDPE, bubble or aluminum foil. This is a frequent choice of our customers who pack very heavy products – in the sanitary industry it will be a very versatile product that guarantees the highest protection.
- PE foam with perforation
At a certain distance, we introduce perforation on the roll of the width and weight selected by the customer, which makes it easier to tear the product; in this way, the person packaging the product does not need to cut the material, which eliminates potential waste and speeds up the packaging process.
- PE foam sheets
Sheets are foam cut to specific dimensions, packed in bundles. The employee thus does not have to cut it himself. We can produce sheets for you with dimensions:
| Dimensions | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 150 mm | 1250 mm |
| Length | 150 mm | 3000 mm |
Whether a perforated roll or sheets (if you want to streamline your work) is better for you depends on the packaging system you adopt. If, for example, the products are packaged “on the conveyor belt”, it will be faster to grab a sheet. It is worth remembering, however, that the sheets (especially the lighter ones) in the package may become airborne in a gust. Foam in a roll, on the other hand, can be hung on an unwinder, which will improve its retrieval and make it easier to keep the product in one place.
The choice is up to you, and you can be assisted in selecting the best option by our consultants, who visit customers at the packaging site and assist in the selection of materials for a functioning process.
Bubble wrap in the packaging of bathroom ceramics
Bubble wrap is an alternative to PE foam in the protection of sanitary ceramics, but the choice of a particular material for implementation throughout production is worth preceding with tests on a selected batch of products. Then you can be sure that the packaging material in question will work for your situation. This is because under heavy pressure, the bubbles from the film can burst, but you can bet on laminate, which is a reinforced material, or B3 or B4 film.
To choose from within our range of masses: –
- Bubble wrap B1
The most popular wrap and adheres well to the product, but for heavy products it will not be suitable. You can successfully wrap small complementary elements with it.
- Bubble wrap B2
A two-layer film, reinforced in comparison with B1 film, good for packing products of medium weight. This material will also not be the best choice for effectively securing, for example, a bathtub, bidet or toilet bowl, but it will work well for heavier items used for their installation.
- Bubble wrap B3
A three-layer wrap. An extra layer protects the bubbles from bursting. This type of film will work well for heavy products.
- Bubble wrap B4
This is the highest standard of protection. This film is resistant to tearing, so it is a popular choice in the horticultural industr
- Laminate
A combination of polyethylene foam and bubble wrap (or aluminum foil, HDPE or polyethylene). This is the highest standard of protection and our recommended option for protecting sanitary ceramics.
Bubble wrap - not just in the classic roll
Bubble wrap also comes in various forms. You have more than just rollers at your disposal. If you want to optimize packaging time and the amount of materials used, you can order:
- Bubble wrap roll with perforations
As with foam, we can put perforations on the roll of the bubble film of your choice, which make it easy to quickly tear off a piece of material (without using a knife or scissors).
| Diamensions | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 100 mm | 1800 mm |
| Length | 250 mm | no limits |
- Special selected assortment
Roll of selected assortment with transverse perforation at the ordered length packed in a plastic bag.
This is an alternative for sheets that do not fit within the working range of the formatter.
- Bubble wrap sheets
Sheets produced to size and packed in packages. This form speeds up material collection and saves material consumption, optimizing process costs.
| Diamensions | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 150 mm | 1250 mm |
| Length | 150 mm | 3000 mm |
- Bubble wrap sleeves
this is bubble wrap wound on a roll with holes on both sides. Its advantage is that the material can be cut off at any length. It streamlines packaging even when products are of different lengths/heights. The width, on the other hand, you can adjust to your needs by ordering them to size.
Possible dimensions depend on the thickness of the film.
| Diamensions | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 80 mm | 1600 mm |
| Length | 25 m | 100 m |
- Bubble wrap half sleeves
Bubble wrap on a roll that is sealed on one side. Useful when the product cannot be easily put inside a sleeve or bag.
| Diamensions | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 80 mm | 1650 mm |
| Length | 25 m | 100 m |
We also offer bubble wrap bags. The peculiarities of sanitary ceramics mean that bags may not be widely used here for the main product, but in the situation of having to pack small parts for their installation, such as screws, buttons, plugs, etc. – You can successfully pack them in pouches. They are also available with an adhesive strip, which eliminates the need for adhesive tape. By ordering a specific size of them, you also control the amount of material taken from above, reducing potential waste.
Possible dimensions
Depend on the selected film thickness and the selected packaging method (bulk package or perforated roll). You will receive the specification from our advisor.
- Pro tip - a small change that speeds up the packaging process!
One of our clients from the sanitary ceramics and bathroom accessories industry implemented a simple but effective optimization in his company, which consisted in reformulating the way toilet flaps are packaged:
He replaced bubble wrap in rolls, which required cutting the material each time, with bubble wrap bags.
Thanks to this, while retaining the previous packaging material that he was satisfied with, he improved work in the warehouse (it is easier to slide a board into a custom-made bag than to wrap it) and gained control over the amount of material taken by employees!
Packing and strapping tapes for packing sanitary ceramics
Protected from shocks, bumps and abrasions in PE foam or bubble wrap, the products are most often shipped in sturdy cardboard boxes. These, in turn, must be very well secured with packing tape.
For heavy products, the type should be well matched to the conditions of packaging and transportation (temperature, humidity). This is because acrylic tapes can be inadequate especially in autumn and winter, as the tape, based on an adhesive containing water, can come away from the cardboard. Then it is worth betting on tapes with hot melt or solvent adhesive. In addition, for better protection, it is worth choosing tapes that are wider than the standard ones – this way it will not be necessary to make multiple wraps.
In addition to the classic packing tape, it is a good idea to mark the shipment with a warning tape, such as “do not throw”, so that during loading, transportation and unloading the driver is aware that the shipment should be handled with care.
However, packaging tape alone may not be enough to prevent the product from falling out of the carton. Then the packing process is complemented by binding (banding) tapes, which not only keep the products on the pallet, but also secure the shipment even if the carton is torn.
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Automatic PP tape
Automatic polypropylene tape is available in width from 0.5 to 0.9 mm, thickness from 0.45 to 0.55 mm and a length from 4.0 to 7.0.
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Taśma akrylowa
Najtańsze, najpopularniejsze i najczęściej kupowane. Mają niższą siłę klejenia i sprawdzają się w temp. powyżej 0°C.
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Taśma kauczukowa
Charakteryzuje się najlepszą kleistością i wytrzymałością na skrajne temperatury.
At Mac-Graf, we offer banding tapes of various widths and windings – both for automatic and manual banding. You will also buy from us fasteners, cardboard edge protection, as well as accessories for their use, such as a strap tensioner or metal fastener crimper.
Parcel fillers - additional protection for bathroom ceramics
Some of our customers, packing sanitary ceramics in the manner described, additionally use parcel fillers to ensure that the product does not move inside the carton. In this situation, of course, you have many types of such materials at your disposal:
- skropak
- notched paper
- wrapping paper
- wood wool
- paper shavings
However, taking into account the size of parcels and the type of products, we suggest our customers to choose a special bubble film for filling empty spaces – FILL & WRAP. It has more than 3 times the bubbles of classic film, so you use less product to pack the same package, plus the air bubbles provide cushioning reinforcement.
Stretch film for packing sanitary ceramics
Packaging of sanitary ceramics often begins with bubble wrap or PE foam. However, in some packaging systems, the process begins with wrapping the product with stretch film. Of course, this is then one layer of materials, the purpose of which is to protect products from dirt. This is because it will not protect the ceramic from shock or damage. It is also used as an additional layer after it has already been wrapped in bubble wrap or PE foam so that these materials fit tightly around the packaged product.
| Diamensions | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|
| Width | 10 mm | 500 mm |
| Thickness | 9 μ | 30 μ |
SUMMARY
What materials are worth using for packaging bathroom ceramics depends on the packaging system adopted. This one, however, can almost always be optimized – for example:
- By changing the form of the materials used to one that speeds up the process
- Reducing the number of layers of materials used (instead of 2, one reinforced layer can be used, reducing the space required for storage of packaging materials and speeding up packaging)
- Using additional packaging tools like dispensers, tensioners, unwinders, wrappers
If you want to talk about what changes are possible to implement in your business – contact our advisors. In our offer you will find more than 11.000 products, which makes it possible for you to stock up on everything you need comprehensively with us, thus negotiating attractive business terms.
We can help you and optimize the packaging process in your company
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"Often the scale of shipments is so large that the potential savings at this stage of the process are significant amounts that can be spent on business development."
