Corrugated Industry Terms

Your guide to corrugated packaging, materials, manufacturing, and design terminology.

50 terms
AGeneral

Anilox Roll

An inking system utilized by flexographic presses. Comprised of a metal anilox roller that has been engraved with a fine cell pattern and coated with ceramic. A rubber roller or blade then regulates the amount of ink applied to the printing plates.

BGeneral

Bale

A unit typically containing compressible materials enclosed in a fiberboard box and bound with straps under tension.

BGeneral

Banded Unit

A package or pallet that has been bound, usually with plastic.

BGeneral

Bending/Folding

When referring to bending quality, the capability of a piece of containerboard or combined board to be folded along score lines without tearing of fibers or structural weakening.

BGeneral

Bleed

To print a space beyond the scored edge to allow for the design to be cut or folded.

BGeneral

Box Manufacturer’s Certificate (BMC)

A statement printed within a bordered shape on a corrugated or solid fiberboard box that identifies the manufacturer and guarantees that all applicable construction requirements of carrier classifications have been fulfilled.

BGeneral

Box Style

Unique design of a box; does not indicate size.

BGeneral

Burst Strength

The force necessary to break combined board or linerboard. Usually measured to determine the box’s ability to withstand internal or external pressure and to securely contain the contents during rough or careless handling. Burst strength is usually measured a Mullen Tester, but cannot be performed on triple wall combined board and is of limited dependability for double wall. When considering certain specifications regarding the carrier classifications, minimum burst strength must be rated and certified.

CGeneral

Cardboard

A generic term for any heavy pulp-based paperboard.

CGeneral

Carton

A folding box, also called a folding carton, made from boxboard and used for consumer quantities of product. It is not recognized as a shipping container.

CGeneral

Chipboard

A term for paperboard made from reclaimed paper stock.

CGeneral

Compression Strength

A particular corrugated box’s resistance to uniformly exerted external forces.

CGeneral

Containerboard

Paperboard used in the manufacturing of corrugated fiberboard.

CGeneral

Corrugated

Any material featuring parallel folds or ridges.

CGeneral

Cutting Die

A customized manufacturing tool used to cut or shape material using a press.

DGeneral

Display Ready

A floor or pallet display that can be positioned in-store without assembly or filling.

EGeneral

Edge Crush Resistance/Short Column Compression (ECT)

The level of force necessary to cause compressive failure of corrugated board configured to specific dimensions. A primary factor in predicting the compression strength of a completed box. When following certain specifications in the carrier classifications, minimum edge crush values must be certified.

EGeneral

End-loading/Opening Regular Slotted Container (RSC)

An RSC configured to be filled from the side by sliding the product into the container. The direction of the flute is typically vertical when the box is in an end-opening position.

EGeneral

Extrusion

The process of pushing material through a cross-sectioned die that enables easier, more complex production.

FGeneral

Fiberboard

An engineered product made from wood fibers; commonly seen in particleboard and in the furniture industry.

FGeneral

Flexo Folder-Gluer

A machine that in a single operation, prints, scores, slots, and folds a box blank, then glues the manufacturer’s joint resulting in a completed Knocked Down Flat (KDF) box. After this phase, the KDFs are typically bundled for stacking and banded into a palletized load for shipment to a box customer.

FGeneral

Flexography or Flexo

A printing method that utilizes raised type or plates made of polymers or rubber. Water-based, fast-drying ink is directly applied from the plate or type to the printing substrate.

FGeneral

Fluting Profile

Varying degrees of fluting width and spacing that enable greater cushioning or structural strength depending on need.

FGeneral

Folder

One or more pieces of combined board provide an unbroken bottom surface and are scored to fold around a product.

FGeneral

Four Color Process

In order to create full-color graphics, four halftone plates use the subtractive primary colors: cyan, yellow, magenta, and black.

IGeneral

Inner Packing

Die cut corrugated that is used to support irregular products from below or lock them into place from above.

IGeneral

Inner Packing Pieces

Corrugated in any form that is used to cushion, separate or fill voids.

IGeneral

ISO

International Organization for Standardization; a group of representatives from other national standard-setting organizations with political links; awards the coveted ISO certification. 10/7/26, 12:53 PM Industry Terms – Corrugated Concepts and Packaging, Inc.

KGeneral

Knocked Down Flat (KDF)

A flat, unopened box that has had its manufacturer’s joint sealed or has been partially or completely disassembled for packing and shipping.

LGeneral

Linerboard

The flat part of corrugated that adheres to the medium or fluting.

MGeneral

Manufacturer’s Joint

Where the two ends of a box blank must be fastened together with tape, staples or glue.

MGeneral

Medium

Another name for the fluted part of corrugated.

OGeneral

Overlap

A design element that features top and bottom box flaps that do not join, but extend over one another. The amount to which a box features overlap is measured from flap edge to flap edge.

PGeneral

Packaging

The art, science and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, sale or storage; also, the process of design, evaluation and production of packages.

PGeneral

Pad

A plain piece of corrugated that is used as padding or to separate products.

PGeneral

Partition

Dividers that provide different cells for each product in the box; most frequently used with glassware.

PGeneral

Perf Score

A scoreline in which recurring cuts have been made either partially or completely through the material to aid in folding.

PGeneral

Pulp

A dry fibrous material made from the chemical or mechanical separation of fibers from wood, fiber crops or waste paper.

PGeneral

Puncture Resistance

The ability of a material to resist progressive tearing once it has been pierced or cut.

RGeneral

Regular Slotted Container (RSC)

A box style made from a single sheet of corrugated that has been scored and slotted to allow for folding.

RGeneral

Rigid Box

The three pieces of the rigid box style include two identical end panels and a body that folds to form two side panels, an unbroken bottom and top. Flaps used to form joints can be on the end pieces or the body or both. End panels are attached to the body with special equipment, and six or more joints must be sealed to set up the box before it is filled. Once the six or more joints are sealed, the box is solid.

SGeneral

Self-Erecting Box

Typically a regular slotted container fitted with unique folds at the bottom or sides that allow the box to form quickly when needed.

SGeneral

Shelf Ready

Containers filled with products that have been configured to allow for immediate placement on a store shelf, usually to serve as a dispenser, and without the need to remove each item individually when restocking.

SGeneral

Shell

A solid fiberboard or corrugated sheet that has been scored and folded to form a joined or un-joined tube open at both ends. Frequently used as inner packing.

SGeneral

Slot

Any rectangular area that needs to be cut away from a sheet of corrugated. the point where one side panel and one end panel are brought together. When the box is needed, the box user squares up the box, inserts product and closes the flaps.

SGeneral

Stacking Strength

The maximum compressive load a container can uphold without breaking over a length of time and under certain conditions.

TGeneral

Tensile Strength

The maximum tension a material can withstand before breaking.

UGeneral

U-Liner

A protective layer typically made from single wall corrugated in the shape of the letter U.

WGeneral

Wax Cascaded

Combined board that has been treated by cascading molten paraffin wax or wax blend over vertical box blanks ensuring that it flows down the flutes and over the facings.

WGeneral

Wax Curtain-Coated

Combined corrugated board that has had its surfaces coated on one or both sides with a molten wax blend. 10/7/26, 12:53 PM Industry Terms – Corrugated Concepts and Packaging, Inc. https://www.corrcon.com/industry-terms-2/ 2/2