FAQs About Corrugated Cardboard Boxes
Read frequently asked questions (FAQs) about Corrugated Cardboard Boxes, Packaging, and Wertheimer Box.
“Will this be on the test?”
Don’t worry. It won’t.
These FAQs can help you learn more about corrugated packaging if you’re interested.
However, we understand you may not be as passionate about packaging as our team. You see, it’s not “just a box” to us.
If you’re wondering, “Do I really need to know all this?”
The answer is, “No, you don’t. ”
That’s because we’re corrugated experts with decades of experience, and we do.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact one of our corrugated box experts.
Table of Contents
Click on any heading below to read frequently asked questions about that topic.
Corrugated Packaging Availability
FAQs About Corrugated Packaging Availability
Are your boxes or their components made overseas?
No, our products are manufactured entirely in the USA. Our corrugator is located in Wisconsin. Our headquarters and manufacturing plant is in McCook, IL, a near southwest Chicago suburb. We make all our products in the USA, and we’re also able to cost-effectively and efficiently serve you—no matter where you are in the USA.
Is my order too small? What’s your minimum order size?
No. No order is too small or too big for Wertheimer Box. We have a 303,000-square-foot facility, extensive equipment, and the expertise to help you. Our philosophy is that we serve every customer regardless of size.
That’s because we understand that your “small” order of 250 boxes or more is not “small” to you.
With our tremendous growth, our Custom Solutions are best manufactured in orders of 250 boxes or more.
We also offer On-Demand boxes for orders of 250-1,000 boxes. Currently, these are all mailer-style boxes available for customization.
Is my order too big?
No. No order is too small or too big for Wertheimer Box. We have a 303,000-square-foot facility, extensive equipment, and the expertise to help you. Our philosophy is that we serve every customer regardless of size. We have numerous printers and machines. Learn more about our APSTAR HG2 1628 flexographic printer. We simply call it MIC, a multicolor ink on corrugated. It can print 15,000 boxes an hour.
We’ve also helped our customers with their business growth.
Investigate our WEcommerce Packaging Solutions™ for retailers selling online.
Or read a story about a local Kansas retailer that ships nationwide.
What kind of turnaround time do you need?
Of course, we prefer some lead time to deliver your custom order. However, we’ve been known to produce boxes within a very short turnaround time—as soon as the next day.
We have a dedicated sales force, structural design team, and customer service representatives ready to meet your needs. Plus, we have our own corrugator to produce boards with a short turnaround.
What’s more, we run 15 high-capacity machines, most of which perform multiple elaborate steps. This includes our APSTAR HG2 1628, a state-of-the-art flexographic printer. The customized layout of our plant also gives us great flexibility and efficiency.
Buy wholesale packaging for or in the Chicago Tristate Area? Request a Sample Box. See what our flexographic printer can do for you.
FAQs About Three Box Types
What materials can boxes be made of? And what are these boxes called?
Boxes are made from:
- Paperboard
- Strong paperboard overlaid with paper, fabric, or leather
- Corrugate
Paperboard Boxes
Simple paperboard boxes are also called chipboard boxes. Sometimes they are also called folder boxes, but this can be confusing. Some corrugated boxes are also folder boxes.
Rigid Boxes
Rigid boxes are made of strong paperboard and, as noted above, can be overlaid with designed paper, fabric, or leather. These are often used for luxury products, such as high-tech devices.
Corrugate
Corrugated boxes are made of:
- Flat linerboards
- Fluted media
The linerboard and fluted medium are glued together. Both of these (the board and media) are made of a sturdy kraft paper called containerboard. (This is the same kraft paper used in paper grocery bags.)
Is a chipboard, rigid, or corrugated box a cardboard box?
People outside the box industry often use these three terms interchangeably.
However, cardboard boxes and corrugated boxes are not the same thing.
Cardboard boxes are made of a variety of pulp paper. It is thinner and weaker than a corrugated box.
Stiffer chipboard is typically used to make boxes such as shoe boxes. Thinner chipboard is used to make folding cartons such as toothpaste or cereal boxes. Both of these are true cardboard boxes.
By contrast, corrugated boxes are stronger than cardboard boxes. They are made of a combination of flat linerboards glued to a fluted medium. The linerboard and the fluted board are made of a sturdy kraft paper called containerboard.
Are corrugated boxes and cardboard boxes used in the same way?
They aren’t. Corrugated boxes can be used as shipping boxes for individual items. They can also be packed with multiple cardboard boxes (i.e., chipboard boxes) or smaller corrugated boxes.
On the other hand, cardboard (a.k.a. chipboard) boxes aren’t strong enough to be used as shippers. Instead, they need to be packed inside a corrugated shipping box.
FAQs About How Corrugate Is Made
What are the different types of corrugate?
Learn about the grades, flute sizes, and types of containerboards.
Wertheimer Box experts can help you obtain the right type of corrugate for your product and brand.
What are other names for corrugate?
Combined board, corrugated fiberboard, and corrugated board are other names for corrugate. Cardboard is not a name for corrugate, although people often refer to corrugated boxes as “cardboard boxes.” On our website, we may refer to corrugated boxes as “corrugated cardboard boxes.”
FAQs About Wertheimer Box Corrugated Box Sizes
Are there standard box types and sizes?
Yes, these standard box types are usually referred to as stock boxes. Wertheimer Box manufactures both stock-size boxes and custom-size boxes.
If you need stock-size boxes, we can easily produce these for you.
However, we are experts in providing custom boxes to fit your unique products. Perhaps your product will be displayed on a shelf.
Maybe you need a die-cut insert in your box or display.
Or perhaps your carrier requires a box liner inside your shipper. See examples of various box types.
Additionally, we know the special sizing and packaging requirements mandated by both carriers and retailers, such as UPS, FedEx, Costco, Walmart, Target, Amazon, and others. We’ll ensure your products will fit and/or stack on your pallets and help ensure products safely arrive at their final destination.
Do you sell standard-size boxes?
Yes. Standard-size boxes are often referred to as “stock boxes.” Wertheimer Box designs and manufactures corrugated boxes in a range of styles in both custom and standard sizes.
What size box do I need?
Many considerations impact the size of the box you’ll need. Four of these include:
- Size of your products
- Number of products per box
- Shipping considerations (e.g., too many products per box might significantly increase your shipping costs.)
- Board grade and thickness
You’ll want a box that is slightly larger than your products. This allows room for packing material.
Our team of corrugated experts will help you choose the optimal box type, size, thickness, and grade to meet your needs.
Download: 17 Key Corrugated Considerations
How do I measure a box?
Measure the inside dimensions of the box. In a box that measures L” x W” x D”:
- L is the length of the box (the longest part inside the box measured in inches).
- W is the width of the inside of the box in inches.
- D is the height or depth of the inside of the box.
What’s the smallest corrugated box you make?
We manufacture corrugated mailer boxes as small as approximately 4″ x 3″ x 2″.
If you’re wondering if we can make your small box, we can make a sample box for you.
What’s the biggest box you make?
We manufacture boxes as large as refrigerators or compact cars.
If you need a large box, we can make a sample for you to see.
FAQs About Wertheimer Box Colors and Printing
Are all of your boxes brown?
No, kraft (brown) boxes are simply one color of corrugated boxes. We manufacture corrugated boxes in all sizes, types, and colors. We commonly print on kraft, oyster white, and bleach white boxes.
Do you print on boxes?
All the time. You have many options.
Wertheimer Box can produce all types of colored boxes and finishes. For example, we can manufacture and print many colors on the traditional brown corrugate, called kraft board.
We can also provide white corrugated boards. Oyster white corrugated boards are made with an off-white color, while bleach white is brighter. Our four-color printing process often uses Bleach white corrugated boards to achieve brighter colors.
Furthermore, unique finishes such as water-resistant and grease-resistant applications to the board are available. These applications are usually applied when the board is being made.
This Packaging Considerations Checklist will help you and your packaging supplier to better understand your printing needs.
Your product, brand, budget, and carrier will dictate the final color, finish, and printing you choose for your corrugated boxes, trays, or point of purchase (POP) displays.
What might I print on my boxes or POP displays?
Your options are nearly limitless on a box. However, customers often choose to print some or all of the following:
- Your company logo or messaging
- Your product logo or messaging
- Bar coding
- Product info or instructions
- Box instructions (e.g., this end up, fragile, etc.)
- Sustainability or recycling message (e.g., why your company chooses corrugated instead of bags)
- Product messages or instructions outside or inside your box
- Required regulatory or hazardous material messaging or icons
For POP displays, we’ll need to know which retailers you’re collaborating with. Not only do different retailers call the same retail display type by different names, but they also have very specific requirements. We’re aware of these requirements and can assist you with making sure your retail display meets specifications. Get tips for attractive retail displays that sell more products.
Learn about MIC, one of our flexographic printer that can print outside and inside your boxes.
Request a sample box to experience high-quality, flexographic printing on both the inside and outside.
FAQs About Wertheimer Box Manufacturing
Do you manufacture cardboard boxes?
Wertheimer Box manufactures strong corrugated boxes and displays of all strengths. Corrugated boxes can be shipped full of products or hold a single item.
We do not manufacture chipboard boxes, such as cereal or shoe boxes. We also do not make rigid boxes.
However, we collaborate with strategic partners who make chipboard and rigid boxes and other packaging materials. With 85+ years of experience, we have relationships with many other trustworthy packaging suppliers.
Do you manufacture anything besides shipping boxes?
Absolutely. We manufacture corrugated boxes and retail displays, trays, and partitions.
With more than 85 years in the packaging industry, we’re familiar with many other industry manufacturers. Our corrugated experts work with strategic partners for other types of internal packaging (e.g., shredded paper, chipboard, etc.).
FAQs About Corrugated Sustainability
Are corrugated boxes recyclable?
Yes! Nearly 80% of corrugated boxes are recovered for recycling. Additionally, we recycle 100% of our corrugated trimmings. We are certified to the Sustainable Forest Industry Initiative (SFI) for Responsible Fiber Sourcing. Read about our corrugated sustainability initiatives.
Wertheimer Box can also help you achieve your company’s corporate responsibility goals for sustainability.
What's better for the environment shipping boxes or bags?
Paper or Plastic? Plastic shipping bags, poly bags, poly bag mailers, or polyethylene (or PE) are synonymous. They are sturdy plastic shipping bags. Some contain bubble-lined interiors; others consist of woven polyethylene fibers.
When it comes to the environment, corrugated boxes are the clear winner, according to environmental experts. Moreover, responsible corrugated packaging manufacturers, such as Wertheimer Box Corp., take additional measures to prioritize environmental sustainability.
Read our in-depth article about the overall sustainability of poly bag mailers vs. corrugated boxes. If you’re not concerned with sustainability, also consider these polybag packaging facts.
FAQ About Wertheimer Box Prices
How much do corrugated cardboard boxes cost?
Pricing is based on many variables. These include the order volume, box design, printing, and corrugated board strength.
We have numerous machines with flexographic printing capabilities that help to minimize the cost of your stock and custom-size boxes. We can also print on the outside and the inside of your boxes.
Generally, a plain kraft box will cost less than a highly customized box.
Additionally, we offer six types of mailer boxes, unprinted or printed with one or two colors on oyster white or kraft. Prices are listed on the individual pages for each mailer box type:
- The Burly Box™
- The E-tailer™ Boxes
- The MEGA Mailer™
- The Mighty Mailer™ Boxes
- The Slim Jim Boxes
- The Welcomer™ Boxes
See a General Box Pricing Chart.
Is there a difference between the cost of a first-time order and a reorder?
Yes, sometimes. First-time custom orders typically require both a print die and a shipping die.
Our On-Demand Boxes only require a print die for your custom printing. (We already have the mailer box tooling die.) This print die enables high-quality printing. For unprinted On-Demand boxes that are white or kraft (brown), no printing die is necessary.
Besides cost, what other factors should I consider when choosing my box supplier?
Download a Checklist of 17 Key Corrugated Considerations.
Also, consider the company’s reputation and customer service. Do their values align with yours?
At Wertheimer Box, we are dedicated to delivering customer satisfaction and fostering continuous improvement.
To achieve that mission, we are committed to four core principles:
- Perform at the highest level of integrity in all transactions.
- Ensure customer satisfaction at all levels of interaction.
- Foster a positive environment.
- Assure a “safety first” environment throughout the entire company.
FAQs About Wertheimer Box Delivery
Can I pick up my finished boxes?
Yes, if you prefer, you can pick up your boxes from our McCook, Illinois, plant (near La Grange, Illinois). Most of our customers prefer to have their boxes delivered to them.
What delivery areas do you cover?
Most of our boxes are delivered in the Chicago Tristate Area (i.e., Northeastern Illinois, Southeast Wisconsin, and Northwest Indiana.
This ensures your shipping costs are not exorbitant.
We also work closely with a national network of corrugated box manufacturers throughout the United States. Therefore, we coordinate the manufacturing of boxes outside the Chicago Metropolitan Area, as needed.
FAQs About Wertheimer Box Quality
What certifications do you hold?
We have 20+ certifications. Among these are:
- ISO 9001-2015 Quality Management Systems
- SUSTAINABLE FORESTRY INITIATIVE® Standard for Certified Sourcing
See all our certifications.
Do you have an internal quality department?
Yes, Wesley Kucera heads up our quality department.
Our Quality Department verifies the accuracy and quality of your boxes from pre-order to post-sale. The Quality Department helps ensure the correct board grade and thickness, box size, artwork, and production of your boxes.
What types of package testing do you do?
We conduct basis weight and edge crush testing (ECT) at our Wertheimer Box plant.
Basis Weight Testing
Basis weight testing checks the weight of specific paper or paperboard cut to a standard size. This measurement indicates the thickness and durability of the paperboard. It can also impact the print quality, finish options, cost, production, and the perception of value or luxury.
Edge Crush Testing
We also conduct edge crush testing (ECT). Edge crush testing is a resistance test. It determines how much force a corrugated board can withstand or resist. To conduct the test, weight is applied perpendicularly (when the board is standing on its edge). Weight is applied to the corrugated board to see how much it can resist without collapsing.
ECT helps ensure that during shipping, handling, storage, and when being stacked on a pallet, the corrugated boxes and the products within them remain protected.
ECT is reported as a number, such as 32 ECT or 44 ECT. The higher the number, the greater the compression the box can withstand.
Read more about package testing.
What is the difference between ECT and Mullen testing?
ECT or Edge Crush Testing indicates how much weight the corrugated board can resist without collapsing (being crushed).
A Mullen test doesn’t test for crushing. It determines if the packaging will burst or puncture. It simulates the rough handling, sorting, and transportation of corrugated packaging.
FAQs About Choosing the Best Box
How do I decide what type of box is best?
Fortunately, you don’t have to! Our corrugated team members have decades of experience and will happily guide you, if you’re not sure.
There are many factors to consider.
For example, the weight of your product and whether or not it’s perishable are two important considerations. Your branding guidelines and budget are also important considerations.
Your box type, size, and strength are key factors to consider. Also, your shipping costs to your end-user are key considerations that may impact how many products are optimal to ship per box. Or if you’re selling to retailers, they may have requirements.
Our corrugated experts are seasoned professionals who can guide you.
What else should I consider besides a box's type, size, and strength?
If you are shipping a box to a retailer, such as Amazon, Target, The Home Depot, Lowe’s, or Kroger, etc., they often have specific requirements for you.
Similarly, your carrier, such as UPS or FedEx, may have specific requirements.
These considerations may impact the size and quantity of boxes or the configuration of your point-of-purchase displays.
What else should I consider besides quality and cost when buying boxes?
Consider the quality, experience, integrity, and service level of your manufacturer.
Wertheimer Box is one of the only corrugated box manufacturers that dedicates both an account manager and a customer service person to your account.
This means you always know who to call.
Our customer follow-up surveys reveal that nearly all customers rate us a 9 or 10 on a satisfaction scale.
Get In Touch
Wertheimer Box Corp.
Location
7950 Joliet Rd #100
McCook, IL 60525
Corporate Hours
8:00 am - 5 pm (M-F)