Most packers need three sizes, not thirty. The size set that covers a typical export operation is a light corner piece for cartons, a mid size for palletised loads and one heavy size for banded or dense loads. Everything else is a variation that adds inventory without adding protection.
Size set data
| Size | Leg | Wall | Typical use |
|---|
| Light | 40 x 40 mm | 3 mm | Cartons, light pallets |
| Mid | 50 x 50 mm | 4 mm | Export pallets, panels |
| Heavy | 60 x 60 mm | 5 mm | Banded and dense loads |
| Narrow | 25 x 25 mm | 2.5 mm | Frame profiles |
| Wide | 80 x 80 mm | 5 mm | Steel bundles, out of gauge |
| Unequal | 80 x 40 mm | 4 mm | Panel face plus edge |
The three sizes that cover most work
A 40 x 40 mm leg with a 3 mm wall handles cartons and light pallet loads. A 50 x 50 mm leg with a 4 mm wall covers most palletised export loads and panels. A 60 x 60 mm leg with a 5 mm wall covers banded and dense loads and anything that will be double stacked.
Lengths are separate from the size set: 300-500 mm for carton corners, load height for pallet verticals, and panel length for board stacks. One leg size can serve several lengths, which is why stocking by leg size rather than by full size keeps inventory small.
Where a standard size is the wrong answer
Narrow frame profiles need 25-30 mm legs, and a standard 40 mm leg will not sit on the face without reaching the glass or the seal. Heavy plate needs a doubled board rather than a bigger single size. Very tall loads need two pieces with an overlap rather than one long piece that is expensive to freight.
Custom sizes cost no more per meter than standard ones on a plain profile, because there is no tooling. The only reason to accept a standard size is availability, not price.
Stocking logic for a packing line
Two leg sizes and three lengths usually beat five leg sizes and one length, because the operator can pick a length without thinking. Where the line is busy, colour coding or printed item codes on the bundle reduce mis-picks more than training does.
Keep one bundle of the heavy size for exceptions. When the heavy size is the only thing in stock, the line uses it on everything and the cost per pallet creeps up without anyone noticing.
Questions buyers ask before ordering
What is the most common size?
50 x 50 mm with a 4 mm wall, in load height lengths, is the single most quoted size.
Do custom sizes cost more?
Not per meter on a plain profile. There is no tooling for leg, wall, length or angle.
How many sizes should a packer stock?
Three leg sizes and two or three lengths cover most operations without excessive inventory.
Can sizes be mixed in one order?
Yes, and the total counts toward the 3,000 meter minimum.
What is the smallest size you make?
25 mm legs with a 2.5 mm wall, in lengths from 300 mm.
Mail the dimensions you need, the number of pallets per month and the destination port to mona@hengnicepacking.com for a costed offer.
