We have been notified that in the next few months, white board could be in short supply. Unfortunately, just in time for the year end, holiday packaging season. More on that below.
This news should not be a problem for “brown box” makers, since in most cases, those are RSC style, kraft boxes, and typically not printed inside. We on the other hand create mostly flexographic printed, die cut boxes, usually printed inside as well as outside. We also produce printed RSC boxes and sometimes, they are also made with white corrugated board, especially for the food and pharmaceutical industries. I am not comparing or critiquing one type of box over the other, but making sure readers understand the difference in board types used by different markets and products manufactured by different producer types.
Complicated supply market for greatly varying customer designs!
This potential shortage may not impact every supplier, but we always try to show customers the bigger picture to minimize possibly serious, potential problems if you can’t get custom shipping containers when you need them. There are many types of corrugated board (sheets) producers from integrated mills to converters who cut and provide board sheets to smaller producers. Those plants serve smaller box makers for smaller customer orders, that frankly the large integrated plants don’t want and can’t afford to run. The most popular types of white board include mottle white, white top, oyster, bleached white and Kemi which is almost always used to digitally print on corrugated board.
The esthetic bar is higher on our type of shipping container because most of them are direct to consumer, with high quality graphics and colors being an absolute requirement. Whether it is solid color flood coat or a reverse print design, both begin with a base of white board. Compared to brown/kraft (see first related post below), white board enables us to provide our customers truer, cleaner colors.
Will this potential white board shortage impact you?
As described above, there are many different printing and board variations, but I would say this shortage is VERY likely to impact you. Keep in mind that the year end holiday season consumes a lot of corrugated board for e-commerce packaging, especially white board. Holiday boxes traditionally feature cheerful, eye-catching colors, so even companies who normally ship kraft boxes all year, may use white for their year-end promotions.
White Corrugated Board Shortage Advice
If you currently use or plan to use white board in the next few months, place your order soon! Review your artwork to determine if it is being printed on white or kraft. If in doubt, ask us and we 
will tell you how your graphic design is being printed, even if we are not the company doing it. This is true, especially on edge-to-edge flood coats and white designs reverse printed.
Normally you might wait until Late September or even early October to place your holiday orders but this year that could end up being a big mistake. It is not the end of the world but a good supplier like Salazar Packaging can help you navigate through these potentially difficult days ahead. Even though the industry just had a 6% price increase, an additional increase based on availability is quite possible.
Ever since our start in 2007, we have always been the source for straight answers and full transparency. Call us at 630-551-1700 or contact us through this web site. We will be glad to discuss your specific year-end needs for an existing or new graphic design.
Related posts:
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/dtc-e-commerce-boxes-the-white-board-or-kraft-board-question/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/can-transparent-inks-improve-your-e-commerce-graphic-design/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/new-e-commerce-packaging-projects-wanted/
https://www.salazarpackaging.com/holiday-packaging-early-buying-perks/
