Introduction
One of the most important decisions in shipping involves choosing the right packaging container. According to Accorsi et al. (2014) , transportation of commodities is a very important part of the supply chain. Transportation costs apply to all parties involved with the commodities, including those at the consumer level. A costly transportation means the prices of the commodities will have to go up. Otherwise, the companies would experience extreme profit cuts. Companies consider factors such as the cost of transportation, the nature of the commodities, and the shipping conditions when strategizing on the right way to transport commodities. The information is used to arrive at the right shipping containers or packages. Blasco (2009) discusses that aspects such as the environmental friendliness of materials, the durability, the cost, and the convenience of the material in distributing commodity, all influence the packaging materials to be chosen. Shipping companies use the information to choose from paper-based, wood-based, and plastic-based shipping containers. The paper compares the advantages and disadvantages of the three types of shipping containers.
Paper-Based Shipping Containers
Advantages
Paper-based containers are becoming popular by the minute in current times. Companies are continuously using cartons for shipping perishable goods such as fruits. One of the most significant advantages of paper-based containers is their ease of use. Paper-based containers are light and do not occupy too much space, as seen with wood-based and plastic-based containers ( Twede & Selke, 2005). While using paper-based containers, a lot of space is created or left for carrying more commodities as opposed to when using the other two forms of shipping containers. In turn, the cost of transportation becomes very low. The paper-based containers are not reusable, so there are no costs incurred in transporting them back once delivery has been made. Also, paper-based containers do not require any form of treatment, meaning that they are very safe for transporting commodities.
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Disadvantages
Despite all the advantages highlighted above, paper-based containers are not often preferred by shipping companies for a number of reasons. First, paper comes from trees, and using a lot of it means bringing down lots of trees. According to DeMarsc & Mackay (1992) , the fact that the containers are not reusable makes their usage a detriment to the environment. Also, making new containers each time people want to make a delivery can be very costly. The containers perform very poorly in the presence of moisture as the paper is not in the least, resistant to moisture. Transporting goods using the containers attracts very high insurance costs as the commodities can easily get impaired or spoilt if the cartons are subjected to water. A costly transportation means an increase in the costs of commodities, and consumers have to dig dipper into their pockets.
Wood-based Shipping Containers
Advantages
Wood-based shipping containers remain to be the most popular in the shipping business. Specifically, wood-based containers are quite instrumentally for the transportation of perishable goods such as fruits and vegetable. Blasco (2009) claims that the containers are quite flexible and can be easily modified to meet various shipping requirements. This means that wooden containers can be used for carrying multiple and different kinds of commodities. Wood is quite strong and durable and can last for years. Wood also has great insulation properties and offers the required conditions for specific commodities. Wood is also not subject to corrosion and can keep goods fresh and unaltered. Wooden containers are able to withstand bulky goods without bending as opposed to plastic-based and paper-based containers.
Disadvantages
Wood-based containers have great qualities for shipping commodities, but they also pose lots of disadvantages to the shipping companies. For instance, wooden containers can be quite bulky and take up a lot of space. First, the shipping company has to spend more money on transportation due to the bulky nature of the materials. Also, lesser amounts of commodities will be transported due to the reduced amount of space. Accorsi et al. (2014) assert that wood is sensitive to moisture and once subjected to moisture; warping occurs on the materials. In the presence of excess moisture wood leaks. Leaking and warping, both damaged goods under transportation. As the risk of transporting commodities using wood-based containers are quite high, insurance companies charge very high costs on transportation (DeMars & Mackay, 1992). Consequently, transportation becomes very expensive. Like in the case of paper-based shipping containers, using wooden containers for shipping presents as a threat to the environment. Using more wood-base containers means increased incidents and rates of deforestation.
Plastic-based Shipping Containers
Advantages
Probably the best news about plastic-based containers is their reusability ( Accorsi et al., 2014) . The containers have the ability to withstand the rigors of shipping and can be used for years. Reusing means cutting down transportation costs, and also, less waste is discharged into the environment. Plastic containers are quite hard and smooth at the same time. This makes cleaning of the materials quite easy and ensures that commodities are transported safely and reach their destination while still fresh. DeMars & Mackay (1992) state that plastic containers come in different sizes and can be used to carry different sizes of commodities. The containers are also weather-friendly, and people can use them in any weather. In addition, they are resistant to water and are most appropriate for use in humid weather or climates.
Disadvantages
The surfaces of plastic containers are quite hard and can damage goods during transportation, especially the perishable ones, such as fruits. Twede & Selke (2005) argue that liners are often used to counter such possible and prevent the damage of commodities. Using liners, however, increases transportation costs. Plastic containers are almost as bulky as wooden containers, which means increased costs of transportation and reduced space for commodities. Also, unlike the wooden containers, the plastic containers are not flexible and cannot be readily modified to fit the required shipping needs. It means that individuals need to use new containers are occasionally with various types of commodities. Plastic-based containers are relatively more costly than wooden containers and making new ones always make transportation quite costly. The fact that plastic containers are reusable is both advantageous and disadvantageous at the same time. ( Accorsi et al., 2014) . The plastic containers have to be transported back after delivery has been made to be reused. The shipping company must incur the costs of the transportation of the empty, bulky plastic materials.
Conclusion
Selecting the most appropriate shipping container depends on the type of commodity, cost of the material, the durability, the environmental friendliness of the materials, and its convenience of use. Paper-based shipping containers are cheap, easy to use, and occupy minimal space, among other advantages but also comes with several disadvantages. One of the most threating disadvantages is the danger it poses to the environment. Wood-based containers are flexible, durable, and non-corrosive, but they are bulky, sensitive to moisture, and their use poses a threat to the environment. Plastic-based containers are reusable weather friendly and water resistant but are costly, non-flexible, and bulky as well. The nature of the containers and the commodities they are used to carry influence their appropriateness for use.
References
Accorsi, R., Cascini, A., Cholette, S., Manzini, R., & Mora, C. (2014). Economic and environmental assessment of reusable plastic containers: A food catering supply chain case study. International Journal of Production Economics , 152 , 88-101.
Blasco, S. J.,(2009). Reusable shipping container for fragile objects . U.S. Patent 7,540,381.
Twede, D. & Selke, S. (2005). Cartons, crates, and corrugated board: Handbook of paper and wood packaging technology. Lancaster, PA: DEStech Publications.
DeMars, R. A., & Mackay, S. L. (1992). U.S. Patent No. 5,094,359 . Washington, DC: U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
