For manufacturers of products that require sterility, packaging can be quite a risky business. Clean room requirements and the unique chemical properties of certain products, particularly those in the pharmaceutical industry, demand that the manufacturing environment remain a sterile environment in order to avoid product contamination.

For years, the packaging industry was dominated by paper and cardboard corrugated products that are not only dirty, but also break down when exposed to certain elements, such as acids, chemicals, detergents, oils, and even water. These products cannot be cleaned or sterilized, and when they do begin to break down, they can start to emit harsh sulfur and dust particles, which could render some environmentally sensitive products completely unusable single face corrugated plastic.

Enter plastic corrugated, a durable material designed to take the place of the conventional paper and cardboard corrugated products which once dominated the packaging industry. Corrugated plastic is formed when two plastic liners made from high impact polypropylene copolymer resins are fused together on either side of a sheet of wavy plastic known as fluting. Together, these three layers create a weather and chemical-resistant material whose properties offer a superior alternative to traditional packaging methods. For added low temperature performance, plastic corrugated returnable packaging can also be produced using the even more durable high density polyethylene known in the industry as HDPE.

Corrugated plastic is chemically inert to nearly all acids, chemicals, detergents, grease, and oils, and has a NIL pH factor. At normal temperatures, most oils, solvents, and water have no effect, allowing it to perform well in poor weather conditions or during exposure to harsh chemicals. In addition, plastic corrugated returnable packaging can be cleaned and sterilized repeatedly, and does not have to be replaced as often as cardboard. It is a contaminant-free, lightweight alternative to wood, corrugated paper, and chipboard.

Medical giants such as Allegiance Healthcare, Baxter Health Care, Kaiser Pharmacy, and National Health Labs have all adopted plastic corrugated in their packaging operations, where cleanliness is of the utmost importance. Because of its chemically inert properties and the fact that it meets clean room requirements, provides excellent cushioning, heat insulation, and vibration and shock dampening, it is the ideal packaging material for use in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and food manufacturing and storage industries.

If indeed cleanliness is next to godliness, then plastic corrugated must be the keeper of the keys to heaven’s gate!