Every packaging material an operation stocks is a SKU. Bubble wrap in three widths is three SKUs. Air pillows in two bag sizes is two SKUs. Foam inserts in four shapes is four SKUs. Each SKU has its own reorder point, its own storage location, and its own supply relationship.


The SKU count grows quietly. A new product line requires a new cushioning format. A customer request requires a different width. A supplier discontinues a size, and the replacement size becomes a new SKU. Over time, the operation is managing a dozen SKUs for a category that should be simple.


What Multiple SKUs Cost


The cost of multiple SKUs is not the material itself. It is the management. Each SKU has a reorder point that has to be tracked. Each SKU has a storage location that has to be maintained. Each SKU has a supply relationship that has to be managed.


The cost is also the space. Twelve SKUs need twelve storage positions, and some of those positions hold material that is used rarely. The rare SKUs sit in storage for months, taking up space that could be used for something else.


How a Single Paper Roll Replaces Multiple SKUs


A honeycomb paper machine replaces multiple cushioning formats with a single input. The operation stocks paper rolls rather than finished cushioning. Suitable paper is ≤80gsm, and both virgin kraft paper and recycled paper work. A paper roll length of about 1700m, with a maximum unwind diameter of 500mm and a paper core inner diameter of 75mm, supports a long production run.


The single input produces multiple outputs. The operator shapes the material to match the product, rather than choosing between pre-formed formats. The same roll produces void fill, wrapping, and separating layers, depending on how the operator shapes it.


Why the SKU Count Drops


The SKU count drops because the formats are produced on demand rather than stocked. The operation no longer needs a SKU for each cushioning format. It needs one SKU for the paper roll, and the roll serves all the formats.


The reduction is significant for operations that handle mixed products. A bureau that packs on behalf of multiple clients may have reduced a dozen SKUs to one. The simplification shows up in the reorder points, the storage locations, and the supply relationships.


How Adjustability Supports the Simplification


The machine's adjustability is what allows a single roll to serve multiple formats. Die-cutting width is adjustable between 200 and 500mm, so the output matches the carton size. Die-cutting speed is adjustable between 5 and 18 m/min, so the output matches the packing pace.


The operator changes the settings rather than changing the material. The change takes seconds, and it does not require a new SKU.


What the Machine Delivers


A honeycomb paper machine that simplifies SKU management delivers output without the inventory complexity. Power requirements are modest: 1.5kW total power at AC220V/50HZ, with no compressor, heating element, or adhesive system. A compact footprint of just over 1 cubic meter, dimensions around 950x1150x1260mm and net weight near 502kg, means the machine can sit at the packing bench. A die that lasts about 1.0~1.3 million meters keeps the cells uniform across the entire run.


The output is biodegradable packaging and degradable packing material, a practical alternative to plastic packing materials, and it supports reuse cartons and paper recycling. A simplified SKU list is what makes that output easier to manage.