The Bottom Must Carry the Load
A motor placed inside a heavy corrugated box transfers its weight to the bottom panel long before the carton reaches a pallet or delivery vehicle.
When the packed carton is lifted, the bottom must support the contents. A weak panel, unsuitable flap arrangement or poorly distributed load can cause the base to bow even when the sidewalls remain intact.
Custom Heavy Duty Boxes are intended for industrial products that place greater demands on ordinary corrugated packaging because of their weight, density or handling requirements.
For MRO packaging, typical applications include motors, heavy replacement components, tool assortments, mechanical assemblies and dense maintenance supplies.
The first consideration is how the product's weight reaches the supporting structure. Selecting thicker corrugated board without understanding that relationship can leave the original failure point unchanged.
Concentrated Weight
Two products with identical weights can behave differently inside the same box.
A rectangular assembly with a broad, flat base may distribute its weight across much of the bottom panel.
A motor supported by four narrow mounting feet concentrates its weight at four contact points. Those points can press into the corrugated board and cause localized deformation.
Where the supporting footprint is narrow, a suitable load-spreading pad or support may be needed.
The pad must have sufficient stiffness and strength for the intended load. Adding another sheet of corrugated board does not automatically solve the problem if the combined structure still bends under the component.
Bottom Flaps and Seams
The bottom closure is another potential failure point.
In a conventional regular slotted container, the major flaps meet at the center. The suitability of that arrangement depends on the board construction, packed load and closure method.
Heavy contents can place considerable stress on the bottom closure during lifting and handling.
Full Overlap Boxes (FOL) use major flaps that extend across the full panel, creating additional board coverage at the top and bottom.
That construction can be considered when the flap arrangement contributes to the required reinforcement.
However, additional coverage does not establish an unlimited load capacity. The complete structure and closure must be appropriate for the packed product.















