How to pack parcels? 5 rules of effective packaging

A suitably adapted workstation is an extremely important part of the packaging process. With the use of a professional packing table, packing can be made faster and easier, the amount of filling material used can be reduced, work ergonomics can be increased and mistakes can be reduced.

The workstation must be ideally suited to our way of packing, the materials we use and the products we pack. It should include suitable shelves and handles. The elements must be adjustable in height. So that the most frequently used items are always within reach and at the right height. Packing then becomes much easier and lighter. The packers unintentionally do their work faster and with less fatigue.

What to look for before buying a professional packing table?

• Experience of the manufacturer – this really is extremely important. Would you want to drive a car manufactured by someone who is doing it for the first time and is just starting to learn the trade? Obviously, this is an exaggerated example, but specialists in the production of packaging stations have been doing this for years. They are refining their design. They know the answers to your questions and have completed so many projects that they are able to help you throughout the entire process of designing the perfect workstation. It is easy to verify such a manufacturer by references, realisations, browsing social networks, online reviews and, of course, by assessing the professionalism of the website, which must include all the most important product information but also articles or guides that give credence to the company’s knowledge.
• Modularity and expandability – modularity allows you to tailor the workstation to your needs and expectations. The parcel packing table can be configured a little like a car in a showroom. First you choose the size of the basic version (in the case of a car, the body version) and then the accessories (in the case of a car, the optional equipment) such as shelves or holders. The more accessories a manufacturer offers, the more customisation options we have and, consequently, the better our needs will be reflected. What is also important is that the table gives us the possibility to change it in the future. We cannot predict what will happen in a year, two or five (and a good table is a guarantee of many years of reliable operation). There may be changes in packaging processes, assortment or other aspects. In such cases, it is good to have a packing table that, without modifications, drilling and other complicated changes, will allow us to adapt quickly.
• Durability and guarantee – a good table is a reliable table. Simple. In reality, this can be very different. How to judge it? A table should have a stable steel construction with a minimum of bolted joints. Any place that is bolted is a potential place where play and vibration will occur, which we want to avoid. If the table you order is to come to you in a cardboard box, in the manner of Swedish shop furniture, this may be the first warning sign. Good packing tables usually arrive on a pallet mostly assembled. The customer is left with the ‘cosmetics’. A steel construction, of course, every table has. However, it all depends on what kind of construction it is. Is it lightweight, thin-walled, bent and perforated for strength or simply thick-walled, virtually indestructible profiles in normal use. We should also pay attention to the tabletop itself. Some materials are more durable others less so. In the case of wooden materials, splinters and other damage may occur when working directly on them with a knife, endangering both the products, the parcels and the person working on such a bench. An alternative is aluminium, which is not subject to such damage. Scratches may appear, but they are shallow and safe, even if you cut directly on it with a knife. Disadvantages: Higher price. It is a material that costs significantly more than wood-based materials and requires manual processing. Ultimately, such a table will simply be more expensive, but it is worth considering because it is an investment that lasts for years. The last aspect is the guarantee. Why do some manufacturers offer one year, others two years and still others seven years? As with any other product, the longer the guarantee period, the more secure we are, and the length of the guarantee offered may indicate how good the product is.