About that busted TV on your porch

Probably the only thing worse than having an e-commerce package stolen from your front porch is having one sit there damaged. After all, who needs a battered 65-inch TV? It might have been better if had it been stolen, actually.

Needless to say, protective edge and corner packaging for large e-commerce items from electronics to furniture and sports equipment is top of mind for many these days.

And current solutions have met with a certain level of success, says Aaron Sass, new business development director at Great Northern Laminations. In fact, his company offers a solution called VBoard edge and corner protection.

But Great Northern’s senior packaging engineer Corey Nugent says he has an even better mousetrap. And Sass doesn’t disagree.

It’s called EBoard. Now get on a Zoom call with Nugent and Sass, and it can take a bit to sort out VBoard and EBoard. But marketing generalist Terra Niemczyk cuts through the confusion, given the similar sounds of the two protective packaging solutions.

Niemczyk says the best route is to focus on EBoard as a one-piece, edge protector with patented adhesive already applied to it. All the user needs to do is peel back the protective sleeve and apply the V-shaped EBoard to the shipping package.

As Nugent goes on to explain, that integration of adhesive and the paperboard is the heart of this better mousetrap. And he should know, it was his idea.

The problem, adds Sass, is that other edge and corner protectors require a much more complicated process to get such protection secured to the package. Tape and glue and shrink wrap and strapping along with some equipment and at least a two-step process are typically required to attach an edge protector to a package.

Nugent continues on to say “EBoard is ultimately a better way to secure an edge protector to a box. And it creates a nice, smooth edge that isn’t going to get caught on anything.” Furthermore, removal of the edge protector when it’s time to open the package is just as easy as removing a Band Aid.

There’s also the matter of sustainability. We’re talking about recyclable corner and edge protection here. It’s tough to think of a recycling stream that doesn’t take paperboard products—even if it’s been roughed up a bit during that final-mile of delivery.

And while EBoard might be in its early stages as a product, Great Northern has already put it through its paces at the company’s ISTA (International Safe Transit Association) certified test lab.

“Our testing shows that EBoard holds up to the rigors of the shipping cycle,” says Nugent.

“What we’ve got here is recyclable corner and edge protection packaging that provides great protection for large e-commerce items as well as notable savings on materials, labor and equipment,” says Sass. Not to mention the recyclability of it all.

By the way, you can see EBoard at Great Northern’s Pack Expo (Oct. 23-26 in Chicago) Booth W-23036.