Packaging & Container Load Optimisation
Retail-ready box design, FBA-compliant labelling, and container load planning — coordinated at the factory before a single unit ships. We design packaging dimensions to maximise container utilisation, reduce CBM waste, and lower your landed cost per unit.
Packaging Decisions Made at the Factory Affect Your Freight Bill
Most buyers think of packaging as branding. Volume buyers know it's also a freight and margin decision. The dimensions of your retail box — and the master carton that holds them — directly determine how many units fit in a 20ft or 40ft container.
Poor packaging design leaves 20–35% of container space empty. That wasted air costs you the same freight per CBM as product does. At 500+ units per order, that's the difference between 2 containers and 3 — and thousands of dollars in unnecessary freight.
We plan packaging dimensions at specification stage, before tooling or production begins — because once production starts, carton dimensions are locked. This is when the decisions that protect your landed cost margin get made.
Illustrative. Actual utilisation depends on product dimensions, weight limits, and carton design.
Packaging Services — From Design to Delivery
Every service below is coordinated at the factory — not at destination. This is what keeps your timeline clean and your landed cost predictable.
CBM Planning & Carton Design
We calculate cubic metres per SKU at packaging specification stage, then design master carton dimensions to maximise units per layer, layers per pallet, and pallets per container. Dimensions are locked before production.
Container Load Planning
Full 20ft and 40ft container load plans produced before shipment — unit count per carton, cartons per layer, total layers, and gross weight confirmation against container payload limits. Mixed-SKU load plans available.
Retail Box & Print Management
Custom retail box dieline design, print-ready artwork coordination, and factory print management. Matte, gloss, and spot UV finishing. Multi-language variants for EU markets (EN/DE/FR/ES).
FBA Labelling at Factory
FNSKU labels, suffocation warning labels, polybag requirements, and all Amazon-required carton markings applied at the factory before shipment. Products arrive FBA-ready — no re-labelling at destination.
Barcodes & Compliance Labels
EAN-13, UPC-A, and ASIN barcodes coordinated and applied to packaging. CE marking, REACH labelling, country of origin, and Prop 65 warning text applied per target market requirements.
Private Label & White Label
Full private label packaging — your brand name, logo, and product claims — applied at factory. Consistent with your brand guidelines or developed from scratch as part of OEM development.
Standard Container Specs — Know Your Load Limits
Planning starts here. These are the physical and weight constraints your packaging must work within.
| Container Type | Internal L × W × H | Usable Volume (CBM) | Max Payload (kg) | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20ft Standard (GP) | 5.89 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | ~25–27 CBM | ~21,700 kg | Mix of light & Heavy goods — bands, fitness gloves, dumbbells, plates, kettlebells |
| 40ft Standard (GP) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.39 m | ~55–58 CBM | ~26,500 kg | Mixed SKU loads — fitness + pet, larger volume |
| 40ft High Cube (HC) | 12.03 × 2.35 × 2.69 m | ~65–68 CBM | ~26,500 kg | Lightweight bulky goods — pet products, furniture, accessories |
| LCL (shared) | Per CBM booking | From 1 CBM | Per booking | Smaller orders, samples, mixed trial shipments |
Heavy goods note: Free weights hit payload limits before CBM limits. A 20ft container loaded with cast iron dumbbells will reach the ~21,700 kg payload ceiling well before filling 25 CBM. We calculate both constraints for every order — whichever hits first determines container count.
How We Plan Packaging for Volume Orders
Container load optimisation isn't something we do after packaging is designed. It's the starting constraint that determines how packaging gets designed. Here's the sequence:
Product Dimensions & Weight Confirmed
Gross weight per unit and finished product dimensions confirmed at specification stage. This is the input to every packaging and load calculation that follows.
Retail Box Dimensioned for Master Carton Fit
Retail box dimensions are designed so that an integer number of units fills a master carton without gaps — no half-empty cartons, no awkward packing patterns.
Master Carton Dimensioned for Container Fit
Master carton outer dimensions are chosen to stack cleanly in columns and layers inside a 20ft or 40ft container, floor to ceiling, with minimal void space. Carton stacking strength rated for the required stack height.
Payload vs CBM Check — Both Constraints
For heavy fitness equipment, we calculate gross weight per container against the payload limit. For lighter pet and furniture products, CBM fills first. We confirm which constraint limits your load and plan accordingly.
Load Plan Issued Before Production
A container load plan — unit count, carton count, layers, gross weight, and CBM — is issued and approved before bulk production begins. No surprises at the loading dock.
Factory Loading & Documentation
Loading is supervised at the factory. A loading report with photos, packing list, and container seal number is issued before the container leaves the gate.
Rubber Dumbbell Set — 20ft Container
Illustrative. Actual figures depend on confirmed product weights and carton specs.
Cat Tree — 40ft High Cube
Light products fill the container by volume, not weight. A 40ft HC is the right choice — more CBM than a 40ft standard.
FBA Packaging — Applied at Factory, Not at Destination
Everything Amazon requires is handled before goods leave the factory. No re-labelling fees, no compliance holds at the fulfilment centre.
FBA requirements change frequently. We align with current Amazon guidelines at the time of your order confirmation. Always verify requirements directly with Amazon for your specific marketplace and product category before finalising your order.
What Packaging Format Is Right for Your Product?
| Format | Best For | CBM Impact | Retail Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colour retail box | Dumbbells, resistance bands, accessories | Medium — box adds dimension | Retail shelf, FBA, e-commerce |
| Flat-pack / PDQ | Mats, benches, flat fitness accessories | Low — stackable, efficient | Retail pallet display, wholesale |
| Polybag + hanging card | Resistance bands, skipping ropes, small accessories | Very low — minimal packaging | Retail peg, FBA multi-pack |
| Bulk / master carton only | Gym operators, B2B wholesale | Lowest — maximum density | Direct to gym / warehouse |
| Gift / premium box | Dumbbell sets, kettlebell sets, premium range | Higher — structure adds CBM | DTC, premium retail, gifting |
| Blister / window box | Small pet accessories, resistance tools | Medium | Mass retail peg/shelf, FBA |
Packaging FAQs
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