Custom length is the cheapest form of customisation available on a paper edge protector: the profile and wall stay standard and only the cut changes. That means no tooling, no minimum beyond the normal 3,000 meters, and a price per meter that barely moves. What does change is how the pieces are bundled and how much waste the cut creates.
Custom length data
| Length | Cut approach | Note |
|---|
| Under 500 mm | Short cut from offcut | Nest with longer lengths |
| 500-1,200 mm | Standard stop setting | Most common carton pieces |
| 1,200-2,400 mm | Standard stop setting | Pallet and panel work |
| Above 2,400 mm | Two pieces with overlap | Cheaper than long freight |
| Mixed set | Nested plan | Label each bundle by length |
Why length is free and width is not
Leg width and wall are set upstream when the board is laminated and folded, so changing them means a production run. Length is set at the cutting station, which is the last step, so any length in the range is a matter of setting a stop.
This is why a buyer who needs a 1,180 mm board should ask for 1,180 mm rather than accepting a 1,200 mm stock length and trimming it on site. Trimming by hand produces ragged ends, and ragged ends are where a profile tears.
Nesting cuts to reduce waste
When an order has several lengths, we can plan the cuts so that offcuts from one length become the short pieces for another. A 2,400 mm board cut for a 2,000 mm load leaves 400 mm, which is a useful carton corner piece rather than waste.
Tell us the full set of lengths in an order and we will advise on nesting. It commonly saves a few percent of material, and it keeps the waste out of your freight.
Bundling and identification
Mixed lengths are bundled by length, strapped and labelled. Without labelling, a mixed order becomes a sorting job on the packing line, which costs more than the board.
For high volume lines, a printed length mark on the board itself saves the operator from measuring at the point of use.
Bundle size should follow how the line consumes the board, not how the factory finds it convenient to pack. A line that uses forty pieces a shift is better served by a bundle of forty labelled pieces than by a bundle of a hundred that has to be split and re-strapped beside the packing bench.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
Is there a minimum order for a custom length?
3,000 meters per size, and mixed lengths can count together toward the total.
Does a custom length cost more per meter?
Only marginally, because the change is at the cutting station rather than in production.
What tolerance on length?
A working tolerance with square ends. Tell us whether the piece is hand fitted or machine fed.
Can you nest cuts to use offcuts?
Yes. Send the full list of lengths and we will propose a nesting plan.
Are bundles labelled?
Yes, by length, with an item code if you provide one.
For a specification sheet, post the load weight, pallet footprint and band type to mona@hengnicepacking.com; we reply with a drawing and price.
