Corrugate

If you look around any business you will see corrugated packaging being used for a wide variety of different purposes. Corrugate boxes are at the very core of the packaging industry, but it’s easy to forget what a versatile board it is and the journey it takes from raw material to finished product.

There are three key stages to the production of the material; corrugating of the flutes and securing the single liner, adding the outside liner to make the board rigid, and cutting of the board to the desired size. The corrugation is achieved by pressing the sheet under heat through grooved metal rollers, giving the board its typical fluted shape and the material its unique properties of lightness and strength.

Corrugate is measured using letters – the thinnest being recognised as O-flute and the heaviest, D-flute. The most common grades are E, B and C-fluted boards. The outer layer is made from Kraft, a natural higher quality paper suitable for both printing and presentation purposes. These materials are interchangeable and can be brown, white or even laminated with pre-printed sheets.

Corrugated board is extremely versatile for printing and we regularly produce packaging products for the fashion, retail, luxury and e-commerce sectors using screen, flexo and digital print processes. Sampling and prototyping is carried out using CAD cutters to create dummies and artwork templates. This process allows additional features to be added to enhance the useability of the packaging, including securing tabs, handles and crocodile tear-strips.

See more of our projects featuring corrugate packaging for Vaara and Atea Oceanie.