Advantages And Disadvantages Of Paper, Wood, And Plastic Shipping Containers For Supply Chain Use

You are going to compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of a paper- based shipping container, a wood-based shipping container and a plastic-based shipping container for use as a distribution package (a non-retail shipping package). You must consider the entire supply chain in your response.

Advantages and disadvantages of a paper based shipping container

Advantages 

One of the several advantages of a paper based shipping container is due to the comparative low cost of the material and its wide availability. It helps the organization in undertaking bulk packaging functions. The major aspects of the economic packaging that is being undertaken by the organizations are supported by the utilization of this paper based containers.  It affects the supply chain of the product through the cutting off the  costs in production and packaging of the products.

Another advantage of the container is based on the light weight as compared to the wooden crates or the plastic containers. It helps n the distribution process that is undertaken by the organization as a part of their supply chain. The light weight of the container helps in reducing the total weight of the commodities that are being distributed by the organization.

On the other hand, the recyclable nature of the paper container has helped the organization in reducing the cost of packaging. Moreover, as an inexpensive material it helps the organization in maintaining a bulk production of the packaging material for their products. The nature of the paper based packaging helps in determining the proper functioning and the integration of the supply chain as paper can be recycled and the packaging can be done over again.The determination of the different factors while distributing the product manufactured by the organization has helped in determining the high demand of the packaging industry. Therefore, the paper based packaging helps in cutting off cost of the company.

Disadvantages 

The low appealing nature of the paper based packaging affects the image of the product in the market. On the other hand, the proper understanding of the different aspects of the packaging is  based on the development of the needs of the product and the advertisement of the product in the market. The appeal of the products affects the supply chain based on the consumer preference. Not every product can be aligned to the paper packaging as packaging depends on the nature of the contents that are required to be packed by the organization.

The other disadvantages of using the Paper based packaging are due to the split and tear nature of the package. The tenacity of the package plays a major role in determining and retaining the quality of the product that is being marketed by the organization. The interruption in the process of the supply chain is due to the fact of the durability of the packaging system. For instance, if the organization is aiming at distributing its products in the international markets, which requires heavy transportation of the products, the paper packaging is inefficient for keeping the contents safe and sound of any climate and situational change.

Advantages and disadvantages of a wood based shipping container

Advantages 

The advantages of using wooden crates are based on the factor of repairing the package and thereby reuse it. The most intriguing factor that supports the utilization of the crate is because it can be locally managed and fixed. The utilization of the wooden crates in the supply chain helps in ensuring safe passage of the commodities that are being transported to the markets. Alternatively, it can be dismantled after the purpose of packaging the commodity and the distribution is being completed. It helps in determining the reusing capability of the wood crates.

Secondly, the crate that is made of wood is resistant to various changes in the atmosphere and the climate (Wikström et al.  2014). It helps in keeping the vulnerable commodities safe from getting tampered and damaged. This element of the utilization of the wooden crates helps in determining the proper functioning of the supply chain in the market. It helps in the determination of the sustainable nature of the commodity that is being transported for distribution.

Crates offer good ventilation for the commodities that might be degraded due to lack of air. Vulnerable commodities and products like the fruits and vegetables are often transported from one place to another through the usage of the wooden crates (Emblem,  2012). Therefore, the crates offer a good and healthy packaging system for the vulnerable commodities in retaining their freshness while moving as per the supply chain. It helps in retaining the freshness of the commodities while the commodity is moving in its supply chain from the manufacturer to the other distributors to the final consumer (Huang et al. 2013).

Disadvantages 

One of the major disadvantages of utilizing a crate is based on the fact that the untreated wooden crates might give way to the formation of infectious fungi and bacteria on them. It might affect the quality of the product. It affects the products that are vulnerable in nature while moving in accordance to the supply chain. In several events, insects and other pests might affect the vulnerable edible commodities that are being distributed by the producer of the products (Othman, 2014).

Treated wood might also affect the product quality that is being distributed by the manufacturers. Wood treatments like using paints to cover the wood from being damaged might get into the commodities that are being transported through the package (Azzi et al.  2012). It affects the quality of the goods that are being distributed as per the requirements of the supply chain that is being proposed by the organization. The supply chain of the commodities gets affected through the interruptions due to the monitoring of the products in the middle of the chain.

Advantages and disadvantages of a plastic based shipping container

Disposal of the crate is again another factor that affects the proper functioning of the supply chain that is proposed by the manufacturers (Shakerardekani  & Karim,  2013). It helps in determining the biodegradable nature of the crates and their utilization is based on the understanding of the level of the disposal strategy that is being undertaken by the organization. Thereby it affects the supply chain in the market.

Advantages 

The durable nature of the plastic packages has helped the organizations in distributing goods to the farthest corners of the world. It has helped in understanding the basic consideration of the packaging that is being undertaken by the organization in order to fulfill their needs of undertaking the safe distribution of the commodities in the market (Hanani,   Roos  & Kerry,  2014). The usage of the plastic based packaging helps in determining the durability of the packages, which helps in creating an uninterrupted supply chain in the market. As compared to the other packaging systems it helps in determining the safe packaging and uninterrupted distribution of the commodities in the market.

The cheap price of plastic has helped in cutting off the costs that are being incurred by the organization in the market.  The durable and the reusable nature of the material have helped the organizations in diminishing their costs of distributing the goods in the market. Thereby it helps in reducing the costs while undertaking the supply chain of the organization.

Disadvantages 

The utilization of then plastic containers might affect the quality of the commodity in certain cases. The organization must take steps in determining the nature of the commodities, which is the durable nature of the commodities while undertaking the decision of distributing their products in plastic containers. In case vegetables and fruits are being distributed by the organization through plastic packaging, the organization must understand the minimum time that is required by the product to retain its freshness. The freshness of the delivered items or commodities determine the smooth functioning of the supply chain in the market.

The health impacts are also required to be determined by the organizations before undertaking the distribution of the products in the plastic containers. Plastic contains bisphenal A, which is a harmful chemical that affects the health of humans (Haering, 2014). Therefore, the companies are required to determine the nature of the commodity that is being transported to the markets and the market segment to which the product is being delivered. It affects the determination of the supply chain through which the product is being transported to the markets.

References 

Azzi, A., Battini, D., Persona, A., & Sgarbossa, F. (2012). Packaging design: general framework and research agenda. Packaging Technology and Science, 25(8), 435-456.

Emblem, A. (Ed.). (2012). Packaging technology: Fundamentals, materials and processes. Elsevier.

Haering, R. (2014). U.S. Patent No. 8,915,049. Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Hanani, Z. N., Roos, Y. H., & Kerry, J. P. (2014). Use and application of gelatin as potential biodegradable packaging materials for food products. International journal of biological macromolecules, 71, 94-102.

Huang, H. M., Hu, Y. C., Lin, C. W., Cheng, M. D., Liu, C. S., & Chen, C. S. (2013). U.S. Patent Application No. 13/475,674.

Othman, S. H. (2014). Bio-nanocomposite materials for food packaging applications: types of biopolymer and nano-sized filler. Agriculture and Agricultural Science Procedia, 2, 296-303.

Shakerardekani, A., & Karim, R. (2013). Effect of different types of plastic packaging films on the moisture and aflatoxin contents of pistachio nuts during storage. Journal of food science and technology, 50(2), 409-411.

Wikström, F., Williams, H., Verghese, K., & Clune, S. (2014). The influence of packaging attributes on consumer behaviour in food-packaging life cycle assessment studies-a neglected topic. Journal of Cleaner Production, 73, 100-108.