Secondary Packaging’s Quiet Revolution

Secondary packaging can become a competitive advantage rather than a mere commodity when manufacturers view packaging technology, machinery and materials holistically. © romaset – stock.adobe.com

How new materials, machinery and mindsets are transforming the invisible layer of the supply chain.

By Christine Wetzler, Guest Author

When we talk about packaging innovations, primary packaging gets all the attention. It’s the part that touches the product, catches the eye on the shelf, and carries the brand’s voice. It’s where creativity runs wild — and let’s be honest, it’s usually the most fun to design and talk about.

But those of us in the industry know there’s another layer doing the heavy lifting. Secondary packaging might not get the glossy photos or design awards, but it’s essential. It protects products through the chaos of transit, keeps automated lines running smoothly, and plays a direct role in both cost control and sustainability metrics. It may not be flashy, but it’s foundational.

That is why, as sustainability messaging becomes increasingly saturated, and the issues of waste mitigation and pollution remain front-and-center, secondary packaging materials are not just being reconsidered, they’re being given a new spotlight. Where historically secondary packaging operated behind the scenes — it’s now emerging as a critical area for innovation.

Secondary Packaging Is Getting Smarter and More Scrutinized

In times past, secondary packaging decisions were fairly straightforward. You chose based on durability, cost, and how easily the material fit into your existing line. Corrugated ruled for boxes, polyethylene films for shrink-wrapping, and molded foams for dunnage or stabilization. However, as the broader supply chain comes under pressure to reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions, this unseen part of the packing and shipping process is being reevaluated.

For many companies, the reevaluation started with cost, especially after the sharp material price spikes of 2021–2022, and the turbulent economy following the pandemic. But it quickly became more than that as companies started sharing more environmental reporting information.

Brands and manufacturers are now tasked with explaining the impact of all their packaging, not just what ends up in the consumer’s hands. That includes pallets of shrink-wrapped multipacks, plastic strapping, filler trays, and everything else between the warehouse and the shelf. Companies are including both secondary and tertiary packaging in their sustainability reviews, reflecting an increased focus on comprehensive lifecycle assessments.

Sustainability Without Sacrifice: Can Materials Keep Up?

When change demands alternatives, the first question asked is usually “Can the alternative deliver the same performance?” The answer is increasingly yes, but with caveats.

Recycled-content corrugate has come a long way, and many manufacturers are transitioning to higher post-consumer percentages, especially for display-ready cases. The challenge is consistency. As any line manager knows, corrugate with inconsistent structure or moisture resistance can wreak havoc on automated case erectors.

Paper-based alternatives to stretch wrap and shrink film are also emerging, particularly in Europe. For example, Mondi’s Hug&Hold and similar paper wraps offer paper-based bundling with high tear resistance, aiming to replace PE film in some multipack applications. Smurfit Westrock has also announced a recyclable paper pallet wrap to replace LLDPE stretch film, which is available in Europe. However, they may require machinery retrofits or entirely new systems, and they aren’t suitable for all environments, especially where moisture or friction are issues.

Bioplastics are another area of interest, especially compostable films for shrink-wrapping. Widespread adoption is still hindered by cost, lack of consistent industrial composting infrastructure, and limited mechanical performance compared to low-density polyethylene (LDPE).

One of the more promising materials developments is molded fiber and formed pulp trays. Some manufacturers are now designing fiber-based stabilizers that can replace expanded polystyrene (EPS) or thermoformed plastic entirely in stacked unit packs. These innovations hold real promise, especially when combined with ongoing advancements in automation and manufacturing processes, but, again, scale and cost can still be challenges.

The Role of Machinery in Material Success

This brings us to machinery. A material might check every sustainability box, but if it can’t run smoothly on existing equipment — if it requires excessive changeovers or causes jams and downstream delays — it won’t make it past the pilot stage.

Fortunately, secondary packaging machinery has made meaningful strides. Today’s systems are more flexible and better equipped to handle the variability that has dogged recycled or alternative materials. Servo-driven technologies, in particular, enable more precise control over movement, allowing for gentler handling of sensitive products and reducing stress on the material.

In pharmaceutical applications, for example, servo-driven tray loaders are used to gently group sealed glass vials into trays for shipping, minimizing the risk of damage and preserving product integrity, which is critical in such a highly regulated space where secondary packaging is as much about protection as it is compliance.

At the same time, AI-assisted vision systems are making on-the-fly adjustments possible. These systems can detect slight misalignments, shifts in placement, or irregularities in packaging material and adjust machine behavior in real time. That kind of intelligence helps maintain speed and accuracy even when working with less rigid or highly variable substrates.

We’re also seeing secondary equipment evolve to support changeover efficiency. Modern case packers, for instance, offer dynamic flap folding that adapts to minor variances in corrugate stiffness — an issue often encountered with high PCR content.

Automated palletizers are being configured to maintain stack integrity when switching from plastic strapping to fiber tape or stretch wrap alternatives. These might sound like small adjustments, but in fast-paced environments, they’re often the difference between a successful material transition and an abandoned trial.

Quick, tool-less changeovers are becoming more common, especially in contract packaging operations where multiple formats run through the same line. As machines become more intuitive and adaptable, they’re enabling teams to be more agile in how they approach sustainability, without sacrificing speed, safety or product protection.

Data-Driven Decisions and System Integration

One of the most underestimated tools in evaluating and selecting secondary packaging solutions today is data. As line monitoring and cloud-connected equipment become more prevalent, there’s a real opportunity to use data to make smarter packaging decisions. Some forward-thinking operations are integrating packaging equipment data directly into their Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) or Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), allowing them to evaluate not just the material cost, but the system-level impact, from downtime and rework to shipping and returns.

Integrating this data loop means materials and machinery are no longer siloed decisions. Packaging professionals can now assess trade-offs in a way that’s more holistic, and frankly, more aligned with business and environmental outcomes. This is so important, especially since much of this information, including aspirational environmental goals, are now publicly available for the general public to respond to.

A Balancing Act: Material Innovation Meets Operational Reality

It’s easy to get caught up in the latest material innovations or regulatory pressures, but at the end of the day, most operations are managing real, daily-changing constraints. Labor shortages, equipment limitations, cost and supply pressures, and production quotas are all going to shape what’s feasible.

That’s why the most successful shifts in secondary packaging aren’t just about swapping one material for another. They involve rethinking how packaging fits into the overall operation and where changes made can enable smarter, faster, and more sustainable processes.

In practice, this often looks like a phased approach: running side-by-side tests of new materials, working closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to modify equipment parameters, and investing in operator training for handling variability. Some companies are even setting up internal testing specifically to trial new solutions before deploying them across lines — a sign that secondary packaging is finally being treated with the strategic attention it deserves.

As materials evolve and machinery becomes more capable, there’s a real opportunity for packaging professionals to drive meaningful change without compromising performance. It’s not about choosing sustainability or efficiency — it’s about designing systems where achieving success in both is possible. And for the teams who get it right, secondary packaging can become a competitive advantage rather than a mere commodity.

About the Author

Christine Wetzler has spent more than 20 years helping companies in the packaging and industrial sectors communicate innovation in materials, machinery, and sustainability as founder of Pietryla PR & Marketing. She is a frequent contributor to B2B trade publications and a regular contributor to Forbes and Entrepreneur.