Packing Innovations: Six-Figure Savings with AP Sheets

Advances in packaging technology continue to provide cost savings across the board for manufacturers, distributors, and end users. These latest innovations that protect shipments with lighter, less bulky materials are more important than ever before as freight and warehousing costs continue to rise.

Slimmer Substrate

Listening to concerns from its distribution partners, Badger Paperboard developed a chipboard auto-palletizer (AP) sheet to replace outdated corrugated pallet sheets. Compared to corrugated sheets, AP sheets cost up to 30 percent less per sheet. In addition, this dramatically reduced freight and warehousing cost led to substantial cost savings for end users. 

“We ran our new Badger AP sheets through extensive testing and production trials for about 18 months,” says Chad Kravick, Vice President at Badger Paperboard. 

Flawless Performance 

The results have been extraordinary. “I had a distributor partner call about replacing corrugated pallet sheets with chipboard pallet sheets at a very large dog food company in Kansas City,” says Kravick. “They had been using corrugated sheets on an automatic palletizer and had been doing that for 10 years. I flew out and made a joint call with the rep, and we took samples of our Badger AP sheet. The sheets ran flawlessly, no multiple pick-ups, no line shutdowns.”

Shaving Up to 30% Off Annual Spend

Most importantly, the sheets shaved off significant costs. “The end user liked the fact that we saved over 30 percent on their annual sheet spend,” says Kravick. “For this end user, that resulted in over $120,000 in savings. By introducing this new option to the customer, the distributor rep was able to secure the business and grow the relationship.”

Additional Benefits of AP Sheets

Additionally, chipboard improves sustainability efforts. For example, fewer trucks are required for transport, which reduces the carbon footprint. AP sheets also provide labor savings because there are fewer pallets to unload and put away upon receipt. 

Filing Down Freight Costs 

What about freight and warehousing costs? A truckload of corrugated sheets, which is about 6,000 sheets, currently fits on 22 pallets. In contrast, Badger Paperboard can pack the same number of chipboard sheets onto just two pallets. “Freight costs still remain high since the large spikes in 2020 and mid-2024,” says Kravick, “so reduced shipping costs are a huge benefit.”   

With so many advantages, it’s no wonder that Kravick has seen so much success with encouraging distributors to pitch the switch to end users. “As far as switching to pallet sheets goes,” says Kravick, “it’s really a no-brainer.” 

All four of Badger’s production facilities across the country run AP sheets, which make customized production quick and efficient. AP sheets are cut to spec and available in almost any caliper (thickness). To request a sample AP sheet from Badger Paperboard, click here.

This blog was originally published in 2021 and was updated in 2025.