Corrugated Plastic Boxes
Corrugated plastic boxes are storage and shipping containers that are made out of corrugated plastic. Corrugated plastic is any plastic product that involves a rippled or fluted piece of plastic. In the construction of corrugated plastic containers, in particular, that rippled sheet is usually sandwiched between layers of flat plastic sheets.
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Applications of Corrugated Plastic Boxes
Corrugated plastic is highly preferred to cardboard in applications where exposure to spilled liquid and sticky debris is likely. Corrugated cardboard containers are used in waste management, food transportation and packaging, medical products packaging, and a variety of other applications. Cardboard boxes, particularly corrugated cardboard boxes, are among the most popular shipping and storage utilities. They are inexpensive, lightweight, and recyclable.
However, there are shipping and storage needs that cannot be met by cardboard containers. This is true in the transportation of heavy objects that cannot be supported by cardboard, such as certain food and medical products. Recycle bins generally cannot be made of cardboard, as it degrades easily and cannot be cleaned after exposure to liquids, which limits the working lifespan of a recycle bin made of cardboard; hence, the use of corrugated plastic.
Manufacturing Process of Corrugated Plastic Boxes
Corrugated plastic boxes are constructed from a range of extruded, twin-wall plastic sheet products. Extruded plastics that may be used include high-impact polypropylene resin, polyethylene, and vinyl. The boxes are constructed in a way similar to that of corrugated paperboard. Two sheets of plastic surround an inner, fluted sheet.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Corrugated Plastic Boxes
The air pillows created by the fluting provide impact-resistance and strength. Corrugated plastic boxes come in a variety of shapes and sizes, and they offer advantages over corrugated paperboard in some situations. Plastic is moisture and mold-resistant, stronger than paperboard, and can resist some chemicals. Plastic boxes can be locked, whereas paperboard boxes are not as secure. They can also be stacked easily and can be folded flat for storage, though this is also true of many cardboard containers.
Plastics can also be recycled, although not as easily or completely as paperboard. Corrugated plastic boxes also have some disadvantages. Up-front and replacement costs are much higher for plastic than paperboard. Corrugated plastic boxes are also heavier than cardboard containers of similar size. Choosing paper or cardboard as a container material should involve anticipating all of the demands to which the material will be subject in its application.