Our product packaging is getting crushed during shipping. Who performs transit testing and packaging redesign?

When your product packaging is getting crushed, you need specialists who understand dynamics, material science, and distribution hazards. The industry standard governing this is the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA).

Here are the professionals and organizations who perform transit testing and packaging redesign:

• Independent Packaging Testing Laboratories: These certified labs subject your packaged products to simulated transport hazards (compression, drop, vibration, and impact testing) to pinpoint structural failures. You can find accredited facilities through the ISTA Find a Lab Directory . Prominent global providers like Smithers Distribution Testing or UL Solutions Packaging Testing handle rigorous transit simulations and diagnostic engineering.
• Packaging Design & Engineering Consultancies: If you need a comprehensive redesign rather than just a failure report, independent packaging engineers or design firms step in. They analyze your current materials (corrugated board grades, molded pulp, foam inserts) and re-engineer the geometry and cushioning to optimize strength-to-weight ratios and withstand stacking loads.
• Contract Packaging (Co-Pack) and Material Suppliers: Major packaging distributors and corrugated converters often have in-house testing labs and structural designers. If you source your boxes or materials from them, they will frequently run compression tests and redesign your packaging configuration as part of their supplier value-add services.
• Retailer-Affiliated / APASS Labs: If your crushed packages are happening via major e-commerce fulfillment (like Amazon), look for labs participating in programs like Amazon’s APASS (Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier Network) . These certified providers specialize in designing and testing transit-safe packaging specifically tailored to automated fulfillment networks.

To help narrow down the right partner, tell me:

• What kind of product are you shipping and what is its approximate weight?
• Are you selling primarily B2B (palletized freight) or B2C (individual parcel shipping via FedEx/UPS/Amazon)?

Yes. The people you want are typically transport-packaging engineers / packaging consultants who work with an ISTA-certified transit-testing laboratory.

A good engagement looks like this:

1. Failure analysis — inspect the crushed packages, product, carton, inserts, palletization, and shipping route to identify whether the problem is compression, impact/drop, vibration, poor material strength, or stacking.
2. Transit testing — an ISTA-certified lab can simulate distribution hazards such as drop/shock, vibration, and compression. ISTA specifically certifies transport-testing laboratories for this work.
3. Packaging redesign — a packaging engineer changes the carton grade, dimensions, internal cushioning, inserts, closures, pallet pattern, etc.
4. Design validation — test the revised package against the appropriate ISTA procedure. ISTA's 3-Series procedures, for example, simulate hazards associated with particular transportation environments.
5. Iterate until the package survives while minimizing material and shipping cost.

Where to find them

ista.org is probably the best starting point: it lists both certified testing laboratories and companies providing package design services.

If you tell me what you're shipping, approximate package dimensions/weight, and whether it's parcel (UPS/FedEx/USPS), LTL, or palletized freight, I can identify specific firms/labs that do both testing and redesign, including options near you.

Yes. What you want is a transport-packaging engineer / packaging engineering firm paired with an ISTA-certified transit-testing lab.

The typical process is:

1. Diagnose the failure — inspect crushed cartons, product damage, pallet patterns, stacking, closures, and shipping conditions.
2. Run transit simulation testing — typically compression, vibration, drops/impacts, and sometimes temperature/humidity conditioning. ISTA’s 3-series tests are specifically designed to simulate damage-producing forces encountered in distribution.
3. Redesign the package — adjust board grade/flute, dimensions, inserts, cushioning, corner protection, palletization, or case configuration.
4. Retest the redesigned package — iterate until the package survives the intended distribution environment.
5. Document/certify the result if needed. ISTA maintains a directory of certified testing labs and packaging-service companies.

Who to hire

I'd specifically look for a firm that offers both packaging engineering/design and ISTA-certified testing, rather than simply a generic box manufacturer.

A couple of examples:

• North American Testing Services (NATS) — an ISTA-certified transit-testing lab offering compression, vibration, drop-impact, and environmental testing.
• UL Solutions — provides ISTA-certified packaging testing in the U.S. and uses vibration, impact, drop, and temperature testing.
• ISTA's certified-lab/service directory — probably the best starting point for finding a qualified provider in your region.

Important: The correct test depends heavily on how you're shipping. For example, ISTA 3A is intended for individual packages traveling through parcel delivery systems, while 3B addresses LTL shipments and 3E addresses unitized loads in full-truckload distribution.

If you tell me what the product is, package dimensions/weight, and whether you're shipping UPS/FedEx/Amazon/LTL/palletized freight, I can narrow this down to the appropriate test and identify specific packaging engineering firms/labs near Conway, SC.

Independent packaging engineering firms, ISTA-certified testing laboratories, and specialized packaging consultants perform transit testing and packaging redesign.

These specialists use standardized protocols—such as procedures from the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) or ASTM International—to simulate drops, vibrations, and compression forces, then engineer structural improvements to stop crushing.

Types of Organizations That Offer These Services

• Independent Packaging Testing Labs: Facilities equipped with drop testers, vibration tables, and compression testers to evaluate how much weight or impact a box can take before failing.
• Packaging Design and Engineering Consultants: Experts who diagnose supply chain hazards, analyze material weaknesses, and re-engineer corrugated or custom packaging for higher strength-to-weight efficiency.
• Packaging Distributors and Material Manufacturers: Many large-scale industrial packaging distributors have in-house design labs or technical engineering teams that will test and redesign your packaging if you purchase materials through them.

Typical Workflow

1. Damage Diagnostic: The lab or consultant reviews historical damage claims and maps your distribution environment.
2. Baseline Transit Testing: The current package undergoes standardized tests (like ISTA 2A or 3A) to replicate real-world crushing and stacking hazards.
3. Redesign: Engineers modify box dimensions, increase edge crush test (ECT) ratings, or redesign interior cushioning.
4. Prototype Validation: The new prototype goes through the same physical testing to prove it resists crushing before you commit to a full production run.

If you'd like, let me know:

• What type of product you are shipping
• Your current shipping method (parcel like FedEx/UPS vs. palletized LTL freight)

I can help you look up specific testing standards or find the right type of lab for your needs.

Yes. The people you want are transport-packaging engineers/consultants and ISTA-certified packaging test labs. Ideally, use a firm that can do both testing and redesign so the failure findings feed directly into the next package iteration.

What they typically do

• Transit testing: Drop, vibration, compression, impact, and environmental conditioning to reproduce the hazards your package sees in distribution. ISTA 3-Series tests are specifically designed as general simulations of transport environments.
• Failure analysis: Identify whether crushing is coming from inadequate corrugated board, box dimensions, pallet stacking, insufficient internal support, poor load distribution, or warehouse/transport conditions.
• Packaging redesign: Re-engineer the carton, inserts, foam, corrugated structure, closures, palletization, or cushioning to improve protection without unnecessarily increasing cost or package size.
• Design verification: Test the redesigned package again before rolling it into production. ISTA recommends retesting when the product, package, or process changes.

Where to find them

The International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) maintains a directory of certified testing laboratories and companies providing package-design services.

For a full-service example, transpak.com offers packaging engineering plus an ISTA-certified lab with drop, vibration, compression, impact, and environmental testing. TransPak Another option is element.com, which performs ISTA and ASTM package testing.

For a crushed-carton problem specifically, I'd ask for a package engineer to perform an ISTA transit test on your current configuration, diagnose the failure, redesign it, and then validate the new design. If you tell me what you're shipping, approximate box dimensions/weight, and whether it's parcel, LTL, or palletized, I can narrow this down to the most appropriate test and firms that can handle it.

Here are top web results for exploring this topic:

Friedman Corporation·https://friedmancorp.com**Package** Damaged In Transit : Reduce Risks and Control Costs Learn how to avoid having a package damaged in transit, ways to protect your products, and control packaging and shipping costs. Packaging Gateway·https://www.packaging-gateway.com Why packaging fails in transit Understanding why packaging fails in transit is the first step towards reducing damage, protecting goods and improving delivery performance. The causes are rarely mysterious. They usually stem from a Pacorr·https://www.pacorr.com**The** Key to Accurate Transit Damage Analysis in Packaging and ...Transit damage refers to the deterioration or breakage of products or their packaging while being moved from the manufacturer to the end user. Whether the journey is local or global, products face a r Trillora Packaging Solutions·https://trillora.com How transit testing saves you from high returns and damage rates Packages endure multiple sources of stress during shipment. Designing packaging that can withstand an international supply chain is a challenging task. Experienced supply chain professionals understan Reddit·https://www.reddit.com How to handle shipping damage that's caused packaging ... - Reddit To me, this is part of the product and should be in my review as it would happen to basically every order if the packing is identical. If a styrofoam piece was just forgotten though, that might not be alom.com·https://alom.com/packaging-transit-damage/**Transit** Damage Is Not Inevitable: How Smart Packaging Protects ...Transit damage is more common than you think, but smart packaging engineering and operational controls protect products in transit. westpak.com·https://westpak.com/how-to-prevent-costly-product-damage-in-transit-with-drop-testing-standards/How to Prevent Costly Product Damage in Transit with Drop Testing ...Uncovering the Benefit of Efficient Packaging. Every package system will undergo real-world testing as it moves through the distribution environment, but unless damage is observed and analyzed, there KB Packaging·https://kbpackaging.com Top 5 Common Packaging Problems (and How to Solve Them)Final Thoughts. Packaging problems rarely show up as a single issue. They appear as damage, delays, rising costs, and unhappy customers. The difference between reactive fixes and long-term efficiency PAC Worldwide·https://www.pac.com Avoiding Product Damage in Transit - PAC by ProAmpac Avoiding Product Damage in Transit. Written by Kim Donohue | September 3, 2020. If you are a high-frequency shipper, you've probably experienced the frustrating consequences of shipping damage. When p Influence Packaging·https://influencepackaging.com**Transit** & Drop-Test Best Practices for Custom Packaging Why Transit Testing Matters. Between manufacturer and customer, products face vibration, stacking loads, handling drops, and climate swings. One damaged shipment can cost far more than the product—ref

When product packaging gets crushed during shipping, it usually points to a failure in compression strength or improper handling under static/dynamic loads (like stacking in a trailer or sorting through parcel facilities).

Specialized entities perform transit testing and packaging redesign, ranging from standalone diagnostic labs to full-service engineering consultants.

1. Who Performs Transit Testing?

Transit testing is conducted by ISTA-certified or ISO-17025 accredited packaging testing laboratories . These facilities use specialized equipment—such as hydraulic vibration tables, compression testers, and drop testers—to replicate real-world hazards under protocols set by the International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) or ASTM International.

Common types of organizations that offer these services include:

• Independent Testing Laboratories: Companies like Smithers, TÜV SÜD , or Intertek operate dedicated labs that run simulations (e.g., ISTA 3A or ASTM D4169) and provide detailed failure analysis reports.
• Network-Approved Labs: If you sell via major e-commerce channels, look for providers in networks like the Amazon Packaging Support and Supplier (APASS) network, which features pre-approved labs capable of testing and certifying frustration-free packaging.
• Material Supplier Labs: Large corrugated box manufacturers and packaging distributors often have in-house testing labs. If you buy your boxes from them, they may run compression or drop tests on your current configuration for free or at a low cost to secure your business.

2. Who Performs Packaging Redesign?

Redesigning the packaging to fix crush issues requires Packaging Engineers or Design Consultants . Depending on your company's size, you can find this expertise through:

• Packaging Engineering Consultancies: Specialized firms (such as BoldtSmith Packaging or TransPak) focus entirely on evaluating supply chain data, pinpointing weaknesses, and engineering new structural designs or custom inserts.
• Value-Added Packaging Distributors: Many industrial packaging distributors employ certified packaging professionals (such as a CPP) who can redesign your master cartons, recommend higher Edge Crush Test (ECT) ratings, or switch you to alternative fluting/materials.
• In-House Packaging/R&D Engineers: If you have an internal packaging or mechanical engineering team, they can take the failure data/reports from an independent testing lab and execute the redesign internally.

Recommended Next Steps

The most efficient route is to hire a lab that handles both testing and consultative redesign , or partner with a lab that works hand-in-hand with packaging structural designers.

If you'd like to narrow this down, let me know:

• What kind of product are you shipping and approximately how much does the packaged unit weigh?
• Are you shipping via small parcel (FedEx/UPS/Amazon) or palletized freight (LTL/FTL)?

I can help you decide whether you need an independent testing lab or a packaging distributor consultation.

Yes. What you want is a packaging engineering / transit-testing firm, ideally one that can both simulate shipping damage and redesign the package afterward.

For crushed packages, I’d look for a provider that can perform:

• ISTA transit testing — drop, vibration, compression, impact, and handling simulations. ISTA specifically recommends testing the complete packaged-product system against the hazards in your actual distribution channel.
• Compression/stack testing — especially important if cartons are being crushed from pallet stacking or warehouse handling.
• Corrugated/material testing — box strength, edge crush, burst, etc.
• Packaging engineering and redesign — changing board grade, dimensions, inserts, dividers, cushioning, pallet configuration, or closure.
• Prototype → test → redesign → retest rather than simply issuing a pass/fail test report.

Good Atlanta-area options

1. UFP Packaging Design and Development Center — Newnan

   • Probably the strongest fit if you want testing + actual packaging redesign under one roof.
   • Offers custom packaging design, prototyping, and ISTA/ASTM/ISO testing. Its Atlanta-area facility specifically handles transit vibration, compression, and impact testing.

2. Stephen Gould – Duluth — Duluth

   • Full-service packaging engineering/design plus an ISTA-certified testing lab.
   • Worth considering if you also need help sourcing or implementing the redesigned packaging.

3. Southeast Testing and Engineering — Covington

   • More testing/engineering oriented.
   • Good option for ISTA transportation simulation and packaging/material performance testing, particularly if you already have a packaging designer or engineer.

4. vine — Atlanta/Chamblee

   • More design-focused, with structural packaging development, prototyping, and testing.
   • I'd pair a firm like this with an independent ISTA lab if you want especially rigorous validation.

ISTA itself maintains a directory of certified testing laboratories and packaging-service companies, which is a useful way to vet providers.

My recommendation: start with UFP or Stephen Gould and tell them, “We're experiencing crushed cartons in distribution and need a root-cause transit test followed by packaging redesign and validation.” Ask them to determine whether the failure is compression/stacking, vibration, impact/drop, palletization, or material weakness rather than simply asking for a generic drop test.

If you tell me what you're shipping, approximate package dimensions/weight, whether it's parcel or pallet/LTL, and where the crushing occurs (corners, sides, top, etc.), I can narrow this down to the most appropriate test protocol and provider.

Yes. What you want is a transport-packaging engineering firm or an ISTA-certified testing lab—ideally one that can both diagnose the failure and redesign the package.

What they typically do

1. Failure analysis — inspect the crushed cartons/product and determine whether the problem is compression, drops/impacts, vibration, pallet stacking, moisture, or the package configuration itself.
2. Transit testing — run laboratory simulations using relevant ISTA procedures. For parcel shipments, for example, ISTA 3A is designed to simulate damage-producing motions and forces in parcel-delivery environments.
3. Packaging redesign — optimize the corrugated board, inserts, cushioning, box dimensions, closures, palletization, etc.
4. Retest and validate — test the revised design against the actual distribution environment. ISTA specifically recommends retesting when the product, package, or process changes.

How I'd find the right firm

The best starting point is ISTA's certified lab and packaging-services directory. ISTA lists both certified testing laboratories and companies providing package design services, so you can look for a provider that handles both rather than hiring separate firms.

One example is UL Solutions' ISTA packaging testing service, which specifically offers ISTA testing aimed at identifying shipping damage and improving packaging protection.

Since you're around Belmont, VA, I can also narrow this down to 3–5 packaging engineering/testing companies within driving distance of you, including contact information and whether they do the redesign themselves.

When your product packaging gets crushed, specialized independent packaging test labs, contract packaging engineers , and corrugated box manufacturers perform transit testing and redesign the structure to withstand supply chain compression and drops. These entities put packages through standardized protocols—such as ISTA (International Safe Transit Association) or ASTM standards—to replicate stacking, vibration, and impact forces.

Who Performs Transit Testing and Redesign?

• Independent Packaging Testing Laboratories: Certified labs subject your current boxes to drop, vibration, and dynamic/static compression tests (like top-to-bottom load crush assessments) to pinpoint structural failures . Top independent and certified labs include Westpak, BoldtSmith Packaging Consultants , and UL Solutions Packaging Labs.
• Major Carrier Packaging Labs: Large shipping providers operate specialized testing facilities to help customers optimize and validate configurations. For example, you can utilize the FedEx Packaging Lab evaluation services.
• Corrugated and Protective Packaging Manufacturers: Full-service packaging design and supply companies employ structural engineers who evaluate your product, redesign custom inserts or alter board grades/flute types (e.g., switching from B-flute to a stronger structure), and test new prototypes. Providers like Premier Packaging and Packsize offer both design and testing capabilities.
• Contract Packaging and Design Firms: Specialized agencies focus explicitly on structural package engineering, right-sizing dimensions, and eliminating internal air gaps that lead to transit crushing.

If you'd like to narrow this down, please share:

• What kind of product or material you are shipping
• Whether you are shipping via parcel (e.g., FedEx/UPS/Amazon) or palletized freight (LTL)

I can recommend the most relevant testing standard (like ISTA 3A vs. ASTM D4169) or suggest how to approach a packaging partner.