Packing a tiered tray so it arrives flat

Tiered trays fail in transit at the joints, not the panels. The fix is board between the tiers and a box that does not let the stack rock.

Multi-tier trays are the most awkward thing we send. They are wide, mostly air, and the load path runs through small welded or slotted joints. A drop that a pen cup would shrug off can splay a five-tier frame.

Board between every tier

We cut corrugated board to the inside dimension and slide one sheet between each tier before boxing. It stops the tiers pumping against each other over a long road journey, which is what loosens joints.

A box that fits

Void is the enemy. A tray with forty millimetres of free space inside the carton will keep hitting the walls for the whole trip. We size cartons to the product rather than keeping two sizes for everything.

Corners take the hit

Damage almost always arrives at a corner, so corners get the extra material. Panels are strong enough on their own.

If it still arrives bent

Photograph it before you unpack further, keep the outer box, and write to us within 10 days. Damage on arrival is our problem to fix, not something to argue about — but the photograph and the outer box are what let us claim against the courier.