David Madden, President of Container Exchanger, recently reported that, “Since returnable packaging options reduces or eliminates the need to assemble cardboard boxes, associated labor costs are immediately reduced.  This type of lean manufacturing and distribution metric is quantifiable and makes this environmentally sound decision a good business choice as well.”

Container Exchanger is an online marketplace that offers manufacturing and distribution businesses an outlet for procuring or selling used returnable packaging. The product offerings include many standard and common reusable packaging solutions, including but not limited to plastic totes, plastic collapsible bulk boxes, metal containers, wire baskets, and plastic pallets. Launched in 2005, ContainerExchanger.com has empowered companies to reduce packaging acquisition costs through access to used returnable packaging inventories and it has enabled companies to maximize return during disposal of their used packaging fleets.

Returnable packaging reduces waste created by every business. The EarthWorks Group estimates that 30% of landfill waste is created by plastic and paper packaging. The use of cardboard products and other one-time-use packaging products contribute to this waste. The per piece packaging costs for used bulk containers and totes can be as low as 5% of the costs for a comparable expendable solution, depending on shipping volumes.

Folding bulk containers, industrial totes, and metal storage bins are used over and over again within a facility or between a supplier and a customer. They can be used literally thousands of times. These bulk boxes are much cheaper in the long term when compared to buying cardboard boxes and wood crates every time that product is shipped. Savings can be observed in the per piece packaging cost. While the upfront investment in returnable packaging may cost more, savings can be realized quickly through repeated use (the same bulk containers, metal bins, and totes are used over and over), labor (no more box assembly), material handling (fewer moves from stackable containers), quality (fewer rejects due to damaged packaging), and floor space (plastic and metal containers can stack very high).

Container Exchanger (www.containerexchanger.com) is dedicated to the sale and resale of reusable packaging and containers. The firm resells folding bulk containers, metal storage bins, plastic industrial totes, plastic pallets, and used gaylord boxes nationwide. When a company is finished using a returnable packaging fleet, Container Exchanger represents the seller and finds a buyer for the used bulk packaging. Sellers enjoy a high sales price for a better return on investment. Buyers save significantly in comparison to new packaging prices.