Dunnage Materials for Protecting Industrial Parts
Shipping loads can fall victim to the law of inertia: what’s in motion tends to stay in motion.
Inside a trailer or shipping container, anything that isn’t properly secured, contained or protected is vulnerable to load shift. Turns, sudden stops and braking forces can set loads into motion, leading to colliding products, collapsing stacks and damaged shipments.
The result, a chain reaction of mounting costs: replacement products, reverse logistics, freight claims and even lost customers.
Preventing load shift damage starts with road-worthy dunnage solutions that stabilize loads and keep products contained and protected throughout transit.
What Is Dunnage in Industrial Packaging?
Industrial dunnage generally serves one of two functions:
- Minimize or prevent movement inside the load
- Absorb shock and impact during transit
To minimize movement and stabilize loads, these are the types of dunnage solutions commonly found inside stacks and shipments:
- Bins and racks to contain and organize shipments
- Partitions, inserts and dividers for part protection
- Pallet dividers to stabilize stacked loads and help prevent shifting into neighboring pallets
To absorb shock and reduce impact from neighboring stacks, exterior load protection solutions help shield shipments during transit:
- Impact panels and buffer boards placed between stacked loads to absorb contact during transit
- Protective wraps for pallets, lumber, industrial spools, and large shipments such as equipment and machinery
- Bulkhead panels to separate and stabilize cargo zones inside trailers and containers
- Protective top caps and pallet covers to help shield loads from compression and surface damage
Key Factors When Choosing Dunnage Materials
The ultimate goal of selecting the right dunnage material is reducing damage, waste and expense in industrial shipments. Whether you’re evaluating corrugated plastic, foam or corrugated cardboard as dunnage, these are some of the most important performance factors.
Impact resistance
A material’s ability to withstand collisions, punctures and repeated handling helps prevent failure in transit and cuts down on replacement frequency.
Durability and lifecycle
How many uses can you expect under ideal conditions? You’ll also want to consider whether environmental conditions, such as drops, collisions, moisture or cold temperatures, could shorten the material’s expected lifespan or even cause it to fail on the job.
Cargo weight
Fuel costs and load-weight compliance are ever-present factors in transportation costs. Every pound of freight that enters the trailer matters. Lightweight materials can help you make the most of your load capacity.
Moisture resistance
Evaluate how the material performs when exposed to rain, snow, humidity or spills. Some dunnage materials resist moisture. Others absorb water and humidity, resulting in premature breakage.
Customization and fit
Consider how cost-effectively the material can be cut, fabricated and fit to specific dimensions. Proper fit and tighter tolerances can create more stable loads and reduce shifting during transit. For frequently replaced dunnage materials, fabrication and replacement costs can become a significant hidden expense.
Cost versus long-term value
Lower-cost dunnage materials offer immediate cost benefits. However, those savings disappear if the material requires frequent replacement due to a short lifecycle or premature failure. These are just the direct costs. Dunnage failure also introduces new expenses, including reverse logistics, product replacement and even customer loss.
Comparing Common Dunnage Materials
Foam Dunnage (PU, PE, EPP)
Expanded polypropylene (EPP), polyethylene (PE) foam and polyurethane (PU) foam are commonly used as packaging inserts to cushion and protect smaller, more delicate items during shipping.
Pros:
- Lightweight protection for delicate and fragile items
- Exceptional cushioning, especially EPP foam, against impact and shock
- Can be custom fabricated to cradle parts to their exact contours, effectively limiting movement during transit
- Reusable options, such as EPP foam, can support multiple cycles in returnable dunnage systems
Cons:
- Open-cell foams absorb liquids easily
- Cushioning performance and compression resistance degrade over time, especially under heavy loads
- Custom fabrication can increase replacement costs
- Difficult to clean and remove spills or debris
Best for:
- Sensitive components, such as electronic sensors
- Protecting delicate finishes from scratches, scrapes and abrasions
- Limited-lifecycle packaging applications
Corrugated Cardboard Dunnage
Corrugated cardboard has applications beyond the shipping box. It’s a versatile dunnage material used for layering between products, filling gaps and voids, protecting pallet edges and corners, and separating items in bins and containers. It can be procured in either sheets or roll, or die-cut into custom grids, dividers and inserts.
Pros:
- Provides cushioning against vibration and minor load shifting
- Cost-effective and widely available in bulk
- Fully recyclable and often manufactured from recycled content
- Easily customized with die-cutting
- Available in convenient formats such as rolls, sheets and pads
Cons:
- Absorbs humidity, moisture and contaminants, weakening when saturated
- Typically a single-use material requiring frequent replacement and disposal
- Less durable than plastic or foam alternatives, puncturing and tearing with less force
Best for:
- One-way shipping applications, such as e-commerce
- Dry environments with limited exposure to moisture or weather
Molded Plastic Dunnage
Injection molded and thermoformed plastic dunnage systems use CAD-engineered trays, partitions and dividers to protect components during shipping. These systems are commonly used in automotive, electronics and industrial manufacturing environments where parts require precise and stable positioning while they’re in transit.
Pros:
- Provides reliable protection against load shift and part movement
- Resistant to moisture, chemicals and temperature extremes
- Durable with a long operational lifespan
- Available in collapsible or nesting formats to improve storage and return-shipping efficiency
Cons:
- High upfront tooling costs cost-prohibitive for low-volume, short term runs
- Longer lead times with limited flexibility for rapid design changes
- Can be heavier and bulkier than alternative dunnage formats
Best for:
- Returnable packaging systems
- High-volume manufacturing environments
- Components with delicate surfaces or tight dimensional requirements
Best for:
- Returnable packaging systems
- High volume, high scale applications with delicate finishes
Corrugated Plastic Dunnage (HDPE & PP)
The advantages of corrugated plastic overlap with those of foam, cardboard and injection molded materials, making it an ideal hybrid solution for dunnage applications. HDPE and polypropylene (PP) corrugated plastics are commonly used as dividers, trays, pallet pads and returnable packaging systems to immobilize products and protect them from impact during transit.
They’re available in sheets, rolls and customized formats, including bins, dividers and partitions.
Pros:
- Lightweight with reinforced strength from its fluted core design
- Durable and resistant to moisture, chemicals and impact
- Can be die-cut and customized into dividers, partitions, inserts and protective wraps
- More versatile with the ability to add reinforcements, fasteners and specialty coatings such as slip-resistant surfaces
- Washable and easy to sanitize between uses
Cons:
- Higher upfront cost than corrugated cardboard
- Performance characteristics vary between HDPE and PP materials
Best for:
- Returnable packaging systems
- Industrial and high-impact shipping environments
- Custom part protection and bulk shipment stabilization
Why Corrugated HDPE Dunnage Stands Out for Industrial Applications
Once you evaluate the performance demands of industrial dunnage, corrugated HDPE plastic stands out as a long-term solution for demanding applications.
Compared to foam, corrugated cardboard and many polypropylene (PP) systems, HDPE delivers a longer service life, stronger impact resistance and better performance in harsh environments.
Superior impact resistance
HDPE offers exceptional puncture and tear resistance thanks to its high tensile strength and strong strength-to-weight ratio. That durability helps corrugated HDPE withstand repeated handling, collisions and in-transit impacts without adding excessive weight to the load.
Environmental resistance
While corrugated plastic already performs well for outdoor storage and wet applications, HDPE bests PP in terms of cold-temperature durability. Unlike PP, HDPE won’t become brittle and break when exposed to freezing temperatures and ice.
Longer lifecycle, lower costs
While PP may offer a lower upfront cost, HDPE typically delivers more turns and a lower failure rate in returnable packaging systems. Over time, that longer lifecycle can significantly reduce replacement frequency and operational costs.
Customizable
HDPE can be engineered for different levels of rigidity, flexibility and impact resistance depending on the application. Whether the need is flexible returnable wraps, reinforced divider systems or heavy-duty protective boards, HDPE offers versatile fabrication options.
Long term value
Though the upfront costs are higher than other dunnage systems, HDPE’s performance pays dividends in long term value. Longer service life, better shipment protection and fewer in-transit failures reduce replacement costs and customer complaints. Over time, opting for HDPE contributes to a stronger stronger customer retention and lower cost of ownership.
Foam vs Corrugated Plastic Dunnage: Which Is Better?
Foam and corrugated plastic both play important roles in industrial packaging because they each solve different problems.
The right choice for your product depends on the level of protection, operating environment of the shipment and expected life cycle of the dunnage material.
Foam dunnage: Best for cushioning and delicate part protection
Foam dunnage is designed to absorb shock and vibration around sensitive components. Materials such as EPP, PE and polyurethane foam are commonly fabricated into fitted inserts that cradle individual parts and minimize movement during shipping, mitigating the effects of load shift.
Best for:
- Electronics and sensors
- Delicate finishes and coated parts
- Short-cycle or limited-use packaging applications
Corrugated plastic dunnage: Best for structure and repeated industrial use
Corrugated plastic dunnage combines lightweight construction with structural durability. HDPE and PP corrugated plastics are commonly used for dividers, trays, pallet pads and returnable packaging systems designed for repeated use.
Best for:
- Returnable packaging systems
- Industrial and high-impact shipping environments
- Bulk part protection
- Shipment stabilization
Choosing the Right Dunnage Material for Your Application
The best dunnage material comes down to product type, the shipping environment and whether the packaging system can be reused.
For fragile parts: Foam or hybrid solutions
Foam dunnage is often the best fit for sensitive components that require cushioning against vibration, shock and surface damage. EPP, PE and polyurethane foams can be custom fabricated to cradle individual parts and protect delicate finishes.
For industrial or metal parts: Corrugated HDPE plastic
Heavy-duty industrial components call for dunnage material that can handle high impact shipping environments. Corrugated HDPE is puncture resistant and delivers better structural integrity than foam or cardboard solutions. Its fluted structure reinforces its strength without adding shipping weight.
For outdoor or wet environment: Corrugated HDPE plastic
Cardboard soaks up humidity and moisture, causing it to weaken and break apart. Corrugated HDPE plastic is better suited for outdoor storage and shipping because for its water-repelling properties.
Compared to corrugated PP, HDPE holds up under a broader range of outdoor temperatures, particularly freezing weather and ice. HDPE can also be formulated with UV-resistant additives to help withstand long-term outdoor exposure.
One-way shipping: Corrugated cardboard
Returnable packaging isn’t always practical. Corrugated cardboard is a readily sourced and economic solution.
Reusable packaging system: Corrugated HDPE plastic
Closed-loop logistics system call for long lasting dunnage material that can protect against collisions, drops and rough handling
HDPE as reusable dunnage provides industrial strength and durability for the toughest tasks. Compared to corrugated PP plastic, its higher tensile strength and greater strength-to-weight ratio results in a more reliable on-the-job performance, with fewer replacements and lower overall costs.
How Better Dunnage Improves Packaging Performance
The right dunnage material can improve packaging performance across the entire operation.
Opting in to a higher performance dunnage system like HDPE can help you recoup the upfront costs through its long term benefits:
- Better protection against load shift
- A reduction in product damage and fewer freight claims
- More reliable performance with higher turns
- Longer lifespan with fewer replacements
Even improvements in packaging performance can add up to a meaningful operational savings over time.
Custom dunnage solutions for industrial packaging
HDPE is a highly adaptable material that can be customized to fit your dunnage application. Whatever needs shielding and containing on the road, Liberty Plastics is here to help you design a solution.
Our Wave-CoreTM custom dunnage offerings include:
- Scalable solutions for distributors and high-volume industrial operations
- Custom-fit inserts and trays
- Dividers and partitions
- Stabilizing layer sheets
Explore Corrugated HDPE Dunnage Solutions
Looking for durable, reusable dunnage solutions? Liberty Plastics designs custom corrugated HDPE packaging for industrial-strength performance. Talk to an expert today to start the discussion.