Last week, we got a comment on our blog post about types corrugated cardboard from a student:
In this theoretical example, durability is pretty important. The longer the corrugated cardboard lasts, the more times it can be shipped, and the better it is for the environment. A box that is shipped twice doubles its value over a box that is shipped once. If durability was the only factor that mattered, you’d want to go with the strongest corrugated possible—and there are some pretty strong options here. One of the strongest types of corrugated we offer is called 275 Mullen BC.
Let’s quickly break down that name and what it means: BC means that this is a double-wall corrugated, stacking B-flute and C-flute on top of each other. 275 Mullen means that this type of corrugated can withstand a whopping 275 pounds before it bursts. So it’s pretty strong. However, a box that can be shipped twice isn’t very valuable to you if it costs ten times as much as a normal box. And this is where we start to run into trouble. The price of corrugated cardboard is sort of like the price of a car—it’s negotiated with a salesperson and isn’t set in stone. Two companies could be paying completely different prices for corrugated.Since I can’t say with certainty how much more a company would pay for 275 Mullen BC versus 32 ECT B (one of the most common types of corrugated), It’s not possible to say whether the extra cost would be justified. That would have to be determined by an analysis from the company itself.
Hi! I am doing a project for my school and wondered which of these [types of corrugated cardboard] would be best for a shipping company that reuses their boxes until they become damaged? We are interested in price, durability, and practicality for transport.My main goal when writing this blog is to always be helpful. Anyone that submits an honest question to the blog can expect an reply, and if I don’t know the answer, I’ll research it and get back to you.This is a good question, and it’s a tough one. I’ll do my best to give a detailed response below.
Durability vs. Price

