There are some materials that are more popular for packaging and shipping than others. One material that is very commonly used for packaging all sorts of items across a variety of industries is expandable polystyrene foam. This is such a popular choice for these reasons and more.
It's Great for Absorbing Shock
First of all, you have to think about shock absorption. After all, when you are shipping items, you have to worry about them being knocked around, and you have to worry about the items that are packaged inside being damaged because of it. Some packaging materials are much better at shock absorption than others, and expandable polystyrene foam is one of these materials. Therefore, if properly protecting your products is important to you, this type of foam can be a wonderful choice.
It Provides Insulation
Although you should not rely on expandable polystyrene foam to help keep perishable items at the appropriate temperatures, you should know that this foam can actually be great for insulating. Therefore, if you want to help prevent products from getting too hot or cold during shipping, the foam can really help. If you are going to be using ice packs to help keep items in your packaging cold — such as if you are shipping food or certain types of medicine — then you may find that the foam will help the ice packs do a better job.
It Can Be Used With Pretty Much Any Packaging
Whether you are using small boxes or large ones — or even other types of packaging — you should find that this type of foam can work well. After all, you can purchase expandable polystyrene foam in all different sizes and shapes, such as small pellets or big sheets. You can also easily cut sheets of polystyrene foam, which means that the foam can be easily added to various packages of different sizes.
It's a Very Cost-Efficient Packaging Option
There are a couple of reasons why this type of foam is typically considered to be cost-effective for shipping purposes. For one thing, the foam itself is typically pretty affordable, especially if you find a supplier that sells it in bulk. Additionally, because the foam is so light in weight, you don't have to worry about it adding much weight to your packages at all. This means that you can help keep shipping costs low while making sure that your packages are properly protected.
For more information, contact a company like Sterling Manufacturing.
