Packaging Materials Taiping: Prepare Parcels for a Clear Handover

Match thermal stock to the printer

A label that looks faint or is cut off can slow down scanning and create avoidable rework. Before ordering thermal stock, check the printer model and the roll dimensions it accepts. Roll width, outside diameter and core size all affect whether a roll fits; the printable side and stock type matter too.

Thermal media is not one universal format. Direct thermal printers use heat-sensitive stock, while thermal-transfer printers use a ribbon to transfer the image. Check the printer manual for the required media type, then print a sample and inspect the smallest text, barcode lines and postcode. PACKSECURE HOLDINGS SDN BHD lists thermal paper rolls; its listing does not by itself establish compatibility with a particular printer.

• Record the printer brand and model, required media type, roll width and core size.
• Print one sample label and check that the full address and barcode appear within the label edges.
• Scan the sample with the device used at dispatch before ordering multiple rolls.

Give the address and barcode a flat, clear surface

Choose a broad, relatively smooth face of the parcel for the label. Avoid corners, curved bottle shoulders, carton folds and joins between two box panels: a barcode that bends around an edge may be harder to scan. On a courier bag, press out large wrinkles before applying the label and keep it away from the bag’s sealed edge.

Keep clear tape off the barcode and address whenever possible. A strip across the code can add glare, wrinkles or a raised edge; tape over a seam can also distort the label if the carton flexes. If the parcel needs extra tape, seal the package first, then apply the label on a clean, dry area. PackSecure lists courier bags and OPP tape among its products, both relevant to parcel preparation.

Make handling instructions visible without relying on them for protection

A fragile sticker tells handlers that an item needs care, but it does not cushion the contents or prevent a parcel from being stacked. Apply the sticker where it can be seen on the outside, with the address and barcode left unobstructed. For a box that may be turned during handling, a visible mark on more than one face is easier to notice than one hidden underneath.

Keep different messages distinct. A shipping label identifies where the parcel should go; a handling sticker signals how it should be treated. For example, on a carton containing glassware, place the address label on a broad side and a fragile sticker on a visible side panel. PACKSECURE’s listed range includes fragile stickers and OPP tape; the packaging still needs to suit the item and the carrier’s handling requirements.

Run a parcel-by-parcel handover check

The last check is a simple reconciliation between the packed parcels and the dispatch record. For a three-carton order, confirm that all three cartons have a readable destination label and, if the carrier or your process uses sequence marks, that the set is identified consistently as 1 of 3, 2 of 3 and 3 of 3. Keep completed parcels separate from those still waiting for a label so an unfinished carton is not swept into the collection.

Use a short check at the bench: scan the barcode, read the postcode, count the parcels and look for any label that crosses a fold or is partly covered. If the label will not scan, reprint it rather than adding a second sticker over the first; overlapping codes can send a scanner to the wrong one. A quick check of a few seconds per parcel is easier to repeat than correcting a mislabelled shipment after it leaves.

• Scan each label and check the postcode against the order record.
• Count parcels against the dispatch list; mark multi-parcel sets consistently.
• Move only labelled, checked parcels into the completed collection area.
• Reprint labels that are faint, folded, damaged or covered.

Frequently asked questions