Air freight is often used when speed matters.
Electronics, machine parts, automotive components, medical products and other high-value goods may need to reach customers quickly.
But air freight also makes packaging weight more important.
Every pallet, box, protective board and internal support becomes part of the shipment.
If the packaging is heavier than necessary, the exporter may be transporting extra weight that does not add value to the product.
The answer is not to remove protection.
It is to design packaging that provides the required protection with less unnecessary weight and space.
For Malaysian manufacturers and exporters, lightweight paper-based transport packaging can provide another option for suitable air freight shipments.
Why Packaging Weight Matters in Air Freight
Air freight pricing can be influenced by both weight and shipment volume.
IATA explains that air freight may be charged according to actual weight or volumetric weight. The higher figure may be used as the chargeable weight.
This means exporters need to think about two things.
First, how heavy is the complete package?
Second, how much space does it occupy?
An oversized but lightweight package can still create high volumetric weight.
A compact package made with unnecessarily heavy materials can increase actual gross weight.
Good air freight packaging should therefore consider weight and dimensions together.
Your Product Is Not the Only Weight Being Shipped
Imagine a manufactured product weighs 200 kg.
That is not automatically the final shipment weight.
The shipment may also include:
– A pallet
– An outer transport box
– Internal supports
– Cushioning
– Edge protection
– Strapping
– Wrapping
– Other securing materials
All of these become part of the complete transport package.
Eltete Malaysia states that packaging materials contribute to total shipment weight and highlights lightweight paper-based packaging as one way to create transportation savings, particularly for air freight.
This does not mean that every lighter packaging solution will reduce freight cost by the same amount.
Actual results depend on the shipment dimensions, total weight, route, carrier, freight rate and packaging configuration.
But reducing unnecessary packaging weight gives exporters another area to optimise.
Start With the Complete Packaging System
A common mistake is to focus on only one component.
For example:
“We need a lighter pallet.”
That can help.
But the pallet may not be the only source of unnecessary weight.
The outer box may be oversized.
Internal supports may use more material than necessary.
The package may contain several layers that perform the same function.
A better question is:
Which parts of this packaging are necessary for protection, and which parts can be redesigned?
Eltete’s transport packaging approach looks at the complete system and combines products according to the product, handling method and destination.
This is especially useful for air freight, where both weight and space deserve attention.
Lightweight Packaging Does Not Mean Less Protection
Reducing packaging weight should never mean sending a fragile product with inadequate protection.
Air freight cargo still goes through several handling stages.
The package may be moved through:
– Factory areas
– Warehouses
– Trucks
– Cargo terminals
– Airports
– Aircraft loading operations
– Destination facilities
During this process, the shipment may face impact, vibration, compression, stacking and repeated handling.
Protection is still essential.
The goal is to use material where it performs a useful function.
Instead of making every part of a package heavy, the design can strengthen the areas that actually need support.
This is where lightweight structural materials can help.
Use Honeycomb Board for Lightweight Structural Protection
Eltete Honeycomb Board uses a hexagonal cellular paper structure.
This structure provides rigidity and compression strength while keeping the material lightweight.
Honeycomb Board can be used for different functions within an air freight package.
It can form:
– Product supports
– Dividers
– Cushioning components
– Void fillers
– Weight spreaders
– Pallet bases
– Protective panels
– Heavy-duty box walls
It can also be cut or shaped according to the product.
This is important for weight optimisation.
Instead of adding the same amount of protective material around every surface, the packaging can place stronger components around the areas that need them.
For example, a product may have several heavy support points.
Honeycomb Board can be developed to spread those loads across the package.
Another product may need protection between two sensitive components.
A customised divider may provide the required separation without filling the complete box with unnecessary material.
The principle is simple:
Use material where the product needs protection.
Reduce Empty Space as Well as Weight
Air freight packaging should not focus only on kilograms.
Dimensions matter too.
IATA’s air cargo guidance explains that volume weight is based on shipment dimensions. A large package can therefore result in higher chargeable weight even when the physical package is relatively light.
This makes right-sizing important.
If a box is significantly larger than the product, the exporter may be transporting air.
The extra space can also create another problem.
More void space may require more cushioning and filling material to stop the product from moving.
Customised packaging can help reduce both problems.
A package designed closer to the actual product dimensions can require less empty-space filling and create a more compact shipment.
Consider the Weight of the Pallet
The pallet is another area worth reviewing.
Traditional wooden pallets can add significant non-product weight to a shipment.
For suitable applications, Eltete provides Paper Pallets made using paper-based components and PallRun® pallet runners.
Eltete identifies lower weight and transportation savings, especially for air freight, among the benefits of its Paper Pallet solutions.
This makes Paper Pallets particularly relevant when exporters want to reduce the weight of the load carrier without removing the pallet format entirely.
The pallet can also be customised according to the application.
Factors may include product dimensions, load weight, weight distribution, forklift handling and destination.
Paper Pallets Still Need the Correct Design
Switching from wood to paper is not simply a material replacement exercise.
The pallet still needs to support the shipment safely.
A pallet carrying evenly distributed cartons has different requirements from a machine sitting on four concentrated support points.
The design should consider the actual loading condition.
Eltete states that its Paper Pallets can be developed according to the product, handling method and destination, with different sizes and heights available.
This is why exporters should not select a pallet based only on its empty weight.
The correct question is:
Can this lighter pallet provide the support required by this specific shipment?
If yes, reducing the load carrier weight can improve the overall packaging system without reducing protection.
PallRun® Can Be Integrated Into the Packaging
In some applications, a completely separate pallet may not be necessary.
Eltete PallRun® is the paper-based pallet runner used as a basic component within Eltete Paper Pallets.
It can also be combined with carton board or Honeycomb Board and can be attached directly underneath suitable packaging structures.
This allows another approach to lightweight design.
Instead of:
Product
Heavy box
Separate pallet
A suitable design may integrate the transport base directly into the package.
The exact design depends on the product and handling requirements.
But this demonstrates why transport packaging should be designed as one system rather than several independent layers.
Review Heavy Wooden and Plywood Boxes
Large or high-value products may need stronger packaging than a normal corrugated carton.
This often leads companies to use wooden or plywood transport boxes.
These materials remain suitable for many applications.
However, they may also add substantial packaging weight.
For suitable products, Eltete offers The Box, a paper-based transport packaging system developed using components such as Honeycomb Board, packaging profiles and PallRun®.
Eltete describes The Box as lightweight and suitable for air freight applications. It can also provide an alternative to plywood and similar transport boxes where the required performance can be achieved with the paper-based design.
What Is The Box?
The Box is not simply a large carton.
It is a transport packaging system.
Depending on the application, its structure can include Honeycomb Board panels, protective profiles, corner components, internal supports and a PallRun®-based load platform.
The construction can be adapted according to the product dimensions and required protection.
Eltete states that The Box was developed for suitable light and heavy products and can be delivered as a kit.
This can help manufacturers create a stronger paper-based outer package without automatically using a heavy wooden or plywood structure.
Why The Box Can Be Relevant to Air Freight
The Box brings several air freight considerations together.
Weight
Eltete identifies The Box as a lightweight transport packaging solution.
Dimensions
The structure can be tailored around the product instead of relying only on a standard box size.
Protection
Honeycomb Board and packaging profiles provide structural and protective functions in different areas of the package.
Handling
PallRun® runners can form part of the supporting transport base.
Storage
Eltete states that The Box can be supplied as a kit, meaning components can be assembled when required rather than every empty package always occupying its full assembled volume.
These characteristics make it worth evaluating when an exporter is currently using a heavy transport crate for an air freight shipment.
It does not mean The Box can replace every wooden or plywood crate.
The product and transport conditions must still be assessed.
Do Not Replace Strength That the Product Actually Needs
There is an important limit to weight reduction.
Some products genuinely require strong structures.
A heavy machine with concentrated support points may need more material than a lightweight electronic component.
A sensitive product may require specialised cushioning.
Certain shipments may require moisture barriers, anti-static protection or other materials that perform functions beyond structural protection.
These should not be removed simply to make the shipment lighter.
Weight optimisation means removing unnecessary material, not necessary protection.
Eltete’s guidance on reducing packaging material follows the same principle: use enough packaging to protect the product while avoiding material that does not provide a required function.
Check Both Actual Weight and Volumetric Weight
A useful air freight packaging review should measure the package twice.
First, calculate its actual gross weight.
Then review its dimensions.
For example, replacing a heavy pallet with a lightweight alternative may reduce actual weight.
But if the outer package remains oversized, volumetric weight may still determine the air freight charge.
The reverse can also happen.
A compact package may have good dimensional efficiency but still contain a very heavy pallet or crate.
The best result comes from improving both.
Lower unnecessary weight + better space utilisation = more efficient air freight packaging.
Compare the Complete Packaging Before and After
Before changing the packaging system, exporters can record a simple baseline.
Measure the current:
Product weight
Pallet weight
Outer packaging weight
Internal packaging weight
Total packed weight
Length
Width
Height
Then compare these figures with the proposed packaging design.
This creates a much more useful comparison than simply asking whether paper packaging is lighter than wood.
It shows the difference for the company’s actual shipment.
The commercial impact can then be checked using the real freight rate and chargeable weight calculation.
This avoids making fixed saving claims that may not apply to every route or shipment.
Protection Performance Must Also Be Compared
Reducing weight is only successful if the product still arrives safely.
The proposed packaging should therefore also be evaluated for:
Product movement
Impact protection
Compression
Load stability
Forklift handling
Stacking
Load distribution
Humidity exposure
Storage conditions
Transport duration
A lighter package that causes more product damage is not an efficient packaging solution.
The objective is to find the correct balance between protection, material, weight and space.
A Better Way to Think About Air Freight Packaging
Instead of asking:
“How can we use less packaging?”
Ask:
“How can we make every part of this packaging perform a useful function?”
A heavy component should be there because the shipment needs it.
A structural panel should be positioned where strength is required.
A pallet should match the load.
The box should match the product dimensions.
Internal supports should control movement and distribute weight.
This approach allows weight reduction to come from better design rather than weaker packaging.
Eltete Solutions for Lightweight Air Freight Packaging
Eltete Malaysia provides several paper-based solutions that can form part of an optimised air freight packaging system.
Honeycomb Board can provide lightweight structural support, cushioning, separation and reinforcement.
Paper Pallets can reduce load-carrier weight for suitable shipments while maintaining a pallet-style handling system.
PallRun® can create paper-based pallet structures or be integrated directly into suitable packaging.
The Box can provide a lightweight paper-based transport structure for suitable products that would otherwise require heavier outer packaging.
These products can be customised and combined according to the product, weight, dimensions, handling method and destination.
Reduce Weight Through Better Design, Not Less Protection
Air freight makes every kilogram and every centimetre worth reviewing.
But reducing packaging weight should never mean accepting greater transport risk.
The smarter approach is to remove material that provides no useful function while keeping the support and protection the product actually needs.
For some shipments, this may mean changing the pallet.
For others, it may mean replacing heavy internal supports with Honeycomb Board.
A large product may benefit from a customised paper-based transport box.
And in many cases, the biggest improvement may come from redesigning the complete package rather than changing one component.
The goal is not simply lighter packaging.
The goal is lighter packaging that still protects the shipment throughout the journey.
Eltete Malaysia can develop paper-based transport packaging according to your product, load, handling requirements and destination.
Learn more at www.eltete.com.my
