Purpose:

Outbound packaging is a critical activity in manufacturing logistics, as it directly influences handling efficiency, space utilisation, and overall logistics performance. In manufacturing environments, suppliers impose fixed minimum order quantities, while customers order variable quantities based on their individual needs. This mismatch, combined with the absence of standardised packaging guidelines, leads to process variability, increased handling effort, poor space utilisation, and a higher risk of product damage. The purpose of this study is to analyse the outbound packaging process from order processing to final dispatch, with a focus on order quantities and their influence on logistics performance, in order to identify improvement opportunities to enhance packaging efficiency.

Methodology:

The study adopts a single-case study design, with Industrilås in Nässjö AB serving as the empirical case. Data are collected through five direct observations of warehouse operations, five semi-structured interviews with warehouse employees, and analysis of internal company documents such as order records. The theoretical framework is constructed from literature on minimum order quantities, packaging system structure, sustainable packaging logistics, and packaging optimisation. Empirical findings are analysed through inductive coding triangulation.

Findings: Order quantities function as a structural determinant of outbound packaging operations, affecting performance across four dimensions simultaneously: handling efficiency, space utilisation, time and labour, and damage risk. These consequences are driven primarily by the absence of system-level specifications.

Practical Implications:

Three improvement opportunities are identified: standardised order multiples linked to preassigned box sizes, documented box selection guidelines in the ERP system, and a tiered pricing mechanism to steer customers toward operationally efficient quantities.

Value:

The study provides an empirically built study of the relationship between order quantities, packaging decisions, and logistics performance, an area that has received limited attention in existing research. Findings are considered transferable to manufacturing companies facing similar challenges.