Why Use Edge Protectors (Corner Boards)? Benefits, ROI, and Smart Packaging Choices

Edge protectors, or corner boards, are a small investment with outsized impact. Understanding why to use them helps packing teams, procurement managers, and operations leaders justify adoption and design effective packaging strategies. This article explains the main reasons to use corner boards, the tangible benefits they deliver, how to measure return on investment (ROI), and common mistakes to avoid.

Core reasons to use edge protectors

• Damage prevention: The primary reason is to protect packaging and products from strap-induced cuts, corner crushing, and impact damage. By spreading strap tension, corner boards prevent localized failure of boxes and protect fragile edges.
• Load stability and stacking capability: Edge protectors stiffen corners and edges, enabling safer vertical stacking and reducing the chance of pallet collapse during storage and transit.
• Safety for handlers: Protectors eliminate sharp strap edges that can cause lacerations and provide a safer handhold when moving or steadying pallets.
• Compliance and customer requirements: Many retailers and carriers set packaging standards that include corner protection. Using corner boards helps meet these standards and avoids rejection or additional rework charges.

Financial and operational benefits

• Fewer damage claims and returns: Protecting corners reduces product damage, which lowers claims, returns, and the labor cost of repacking or replacing goods.
• Lower insurance and logistical costs: Reduced incidence of claims can lower freight damage surcharges and insurance premiums over time.
• Improved throughput: Less rework and fewer damaged shipments increase operational efficiency on packing lines and in warehouses.
• Extended packaging life: For repeat-use packaging, using robust corner protectors prolongs the life of crates and pallet assemblies.

Quantifying ROI

Edge protectors are inexpensive compared to the value they protect. To estimate ROI:

1. Calculate current annual costs from product damage and returns related to strap or corner damage (claims, replacements, repacking labor).
2. Estimate the annual cost of edge protectors (unit price multiplied by usage volume).
3. Forecast a realistic reduction in damage after adoption (common reductions range 30–70%, depending on baseline).
4. Compare savings in avoided damage to the protector costs. Many companies find payback within weeks or months.

Non-financial benefits

• Customer satisfaction: Fewer damaged shipments increase retailer and end-customer satisfaction and maintain brand reputation.
• Environmental considerations: Using recyclable cardboard corner boards can reduce waste relative to replacing damaged goods; reusable plastic protectors further lower lifecycle environmental impact when used in closed-loop systems.
• Operational predictability: Consistent protection reduces variability in packing quality and helps standardize logistic processes.

Choosing materials to match ROI goals

Material choice affects upfront cost and lifecycle benefits:

• Cardboard: Low-cost and recyclable; best for single-trip shipments where minimizing per-shipment cost is key.
• Plastic: Higher initial cost but reusable and moisture-resistant; best for returns loops, repeated shipping, or environments where cardboard would fail.
• Wood: For very heavy loads where strength outweighs material cost and reuse is expected.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Under-specifying protectors: Using thin or short corner boards that don’t cover the load height defeats the purpose. Match protector height and thickness to load weight and strap tension.
• Poor placement: Misaligned protectors fail to distribute strap force correctly. Train staff on proper placement and create clear packing protocols.
• Ignoring moisture and environment: Cardboard used in humid or wet conditions can lose strength—choose plastic or treated materials when needed.

Practical examples of benefits

• A beverage distributor cut pallet damage by 60% after specifying double-wall cardboard corner boards for all outbound pallets, reducing monthly claims and saving labor costs from repacking damaged loads.
• An electronics shipper moved to plastic corner protectors for international shipments and reduced returns for cosmetic damage while enabling reuse of protectors across multiple shipments, offsetting the higher initial cost.

Implementation tips

• Set clear rules (by weight, height, and customer) for when corner boards are mandatory.
• Include inspection checkpoints at packing and staging to ensure protectors are in place.
• Track damage claims before and after implementation to quantify benefits.

In summary, edge protectors are a low-cost investment that delivers multiple benefits—damage reduction, load stability, safety, compliance, and measurable cost savings. Selecting appropriate materials and enforcing consistent application ensures a strong return on investment and smoother logistics operations.