Smarter packaging cuts costs by up to 45% while simplifying heavy stone packing

Discover how we helped Boulder Creek Stone develop a more effective way to package heavy veneers

Making stone veneers for the building and construction industry just outside Minneapolis, Boulder Creek Stone has a unique (and heavy) product that's challenging to contain. Once veneers are made, they're loaded into large, corrugated boxes that are later stacked in a warehouse. When the customer reached out to us, the corners of its boxes were failing since they weren't designed to handle the weight of stacking. Warehouse workers were stapling wooden pegs in the corners to try to make them work, adding to materials costs and labor.

The Challenge

Boulder Creek needed our packaging experts to design something new because there was no solution in the market built to handle the weight of their product. Each box holds approximately 90 pounds (just over 40 kg) worth of veneers. The new design needed to have strong corners to hold the product and allow stacking, but it also needed to handle moisture and varying temperatures. When stone veneers are made, they're cured, and the product is hot (over 100 degrees) when it leaves the process. It cools slowly over time, releasing heat moisture as it does so. Since the product needs to breathe, boxes need to provide ventilation as well as handle heat and moisture.

The Approach

Our packaging designer created an innovative one-piece design that could be shipped flat and then assembled in approximately 30 seconds. The corners of the box fold up into triangular supports that serve the same purpose as the wooden pegs, providing the stacking strength that the stone veneers need. The box has die cuts for proper ventilation, a double-walled handle to help with lifting. A wax coating on both sides helps it resist both moisture and heat.

The Result

The new corrugated design is not only providing Boulder Creek with peace of mind, but also a 45% reduction in costs for labor and materials. Boxes are stacking successfully without the need for reinforcement, so the company no longer needs to purchase wooden pegs or waste time and labor installing them. The Boulder Creek team is also exploring the possibilities of automating the assembly of the new box in the future and using WetTech corrugated medium. After seeing the success of the new design, other companies with the same or similar products are now interested in exploring its use.

Products used by this client

Corrugated Boxes

Corrugated Boxes Built for Your Product and Supply Chain

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Water Resistant Packaging | WetTech

An ideal option for cold chain packaging needs, WetTech® water resistant packaging provides a durable, recyclable solution that delivers optimized protection and performance in wet and humid environments.

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