PLASTIC, PAPER AND WOOD-BASED SHIPPING CONTAINTERS2Plastic, Paper and Wood-based Shipping ContainersThe supply chain involves a network of activities, technology, individuals and resources in themanufacture and sale of products from the supply of raw materials to the delivery to consumers.Raw material and finished products are transported from origin points to consumption points.Proper logistics management ensure the products are not delayed during delivery and they arealso delivered in good conditions and hence the company costs are kept down. Successful andtimely delivery of products helps to boost consumer service. Shipping containers are used totransport, store and handle merchandises and inner packages. Products are packaged for safetransportation, sale, logistics and end use.Shipping containers have different sizes shapes andare made from different materials. Packages transported ranges from machinery, liquid, drygoods and containers. Different shipping containers play different roles in the shipping industry.In this context, the paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of plastic, wood and paperbased containers used during the distribution process.Plastic based containers are designed with the use of polypropylene alongside high densitypolythene (HDPE). The use of polyethylene provides better scratch resistance and lowdecomposition by ultraviolet energy hence the strength to plastic based containers. The strengthand rigidity of plastic bases containers makes them reusable and can therefore be used for severaljourneys reducing the cost of distribution. Also, plastic based containers can be modified intodifferent shapes and sizes that meet the needs of customers hence can be used for thetransportation of both tiny and large products. Additionally, these containers are strong andresistant to changes in weather conditions and can be utilized during hydro cooling and in humidareas. Moreover, plastic based containers can be manufactured in bulk making them cheap andeasy to acquire. The cost of maintenance associated with these containers is also low.
