Regulations on packaging materials have changed more in the past two years than in the previous twenty. The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation entered into force on August 12, 2026, replacing a directive that had been in use for nearly 30 years with inconsistent enforcement across countries. Plastic bans are spreading beyond Europe, and large buyers are updating their supplier requirements to match. For businesses still using plastic filler, the question is no longer whether to switch, but how to switch without disrupting the packing line. A cardboard shredder is one of the tools that makes that transition manageable.
Start with what the regulations actually require. The core provisions target plastic packaging, including filler materials like air pillows, foam inserts, and bubble wrap. Businesses that ship into regulated markets have to reduce or eliminate these materials, and the timelines vary by market. Some countries have already implemented bans on specific plastic packaging. Others have set targets with deadlines in the coming years. The practical effect for a packing operation is that plastic filler becomes a compliance risk, and the risk grows over time.
The first challenge in switching is finding a replacement material that performs as well as plastic. Plastic filler has properties that made it popular. It is light, cheap, and easy to use. Paper-based cushioning has different properties. It is denser, it does not compress the same way, and it requires a different packing technique. Operations that try to switch by simply substituting one material for another often find that the results are worse than expected. The solution is to change the packing process, not just the material.
The first thing to understand is that paper-based cushioning comes in different forms. Mesh output, produced by a perforating machine, cuts a pattern into the cardboard so it expands into a three-dimensional structure. That structure absorbs impact and fills voids, which suits fragile and irregular products. Strip output, produced by a strip-cut machine, cuts the board into uniform narrow pieces. Strips wrap edges, separate items, and fill gaps, and they are easier to store because they take less space. A single machine that produces both outputs covers more of the packing needs that plastic filler used to handle. The P50-X uses two sets of cutter shafts to produce honeycomb mesh and strips at the same time. The P50-3 shreds a 550mm board into three equal pieces in one pass, with customizable cut width and quantity, and this function can be applied across the entire Aircosan range.
The second challenge is the supply chain. Plastic filler is bought from suppliers who specialize in it. Paper-based cushioning can be bought from suppliers, or produced on site from cardboard that is already arriving with incoming goods. Operations that produce on site reduce their dependence on external suppliers, which simplifies the transition because the material supply is already in place. The input is corrugated cardboard, and most machines handle standard corrugated cardboard, including single-wall and some double-wall. Suitable paper is generally ≤80gsm, with a paper roll length of about 1700m and a maximum unwind diameter of 500mm.
The third challenge is customer expectations. Some customers have grown used to receiving orders packed with plastic filler, and they may notice the change. Paper-based cushioning looks different, and it behaves differently when the customer opens the box. For brands that market themselves as sustainable, the change is an improvement that supports their message. For brands that have not communicated the change, it may create questions. The practical approach is to communicate the change before it happens, so customers understand that the packaging is different for a reason.
The fourth challenge is cost. Plastic filler is usually cheaper per unit than paper-based cushioning bought from a supplier. The comparison changes when the paper-based cushioning is produced on site from cardboard that would otherwise be disposed of. In that case, the marginal cost is mostly the cost of operating the machine, which is often lower than the purchase price of plastic filler. The comparison also changes when disposal costs are included, because waste cardboard disposal is a hard cost in many countries, with fines for improper disposal and no payment for material delivered to collection points.
The first thing that makes the transition work is the cutter shaft. Aircosan shafts are large, one-piece units rather than thin blades, designed for a service life of over five years and processed through lathe machining, high-frequency treatment, quenching, blackening, and multiple other steps. The material is 40Cr rather than ordinary 45# steel. 40Cr has lower brittleness and stronger impact resistance, and its machining time is more than twice that of 45#. At the same time 550mm width, Aircosan shafts are visibly larger and thicker than thinner competing units and cost about 30% more, which shows in the overall machine weight. A machine that runs reliably is what makes the transition stick, because operations that experience downtime during the switch often revert to plastic filler as a backup.
The second thing is machine selection. Desktop models cover 350mm, 450mm, and 550mm cutting widths at 10 m/min and up to 10mm thickness, with a ZD brand geared motor rated for 8 to 10 hours of continuous work. These are the right choice for small operations making the switch because they are easy to install and operate. Industrial models start at 550mm and reach 900mm and 1200mm, with cutting thickness up to 15mm or 20mm and speeds up to 18 m/min with variable frequency control. Larger operations with high volume use industrial models because the transition affects more orders and the material supply has to keep up. Producing shafts above 500mm is a genuine technical barrier, and Aircosan produces 550mm desktop shafts stably while reaching 1200mm on floor-standing models.
The third thing is overload protection. Aircosan machines use overload protection: when a jam occurs, the machine automatically cuts power and stops, protecting the motor. Many machines on the market lack this, and a jam can burn out a motor while the shaft is stopped. During a transition, operators are still learning the new material, and jams are more likely. Overload protection prevents those jams from becoming expensive repairs that undermine the switch.
The fourth thing is panel fit. Aircosan machines have side sheet metal that fits tightly with no gaps, so paper dust cannot enter the gears and cause abnormal noise or long-term wear. A machine that stays clean internally needs less maintenance, which keeps the new process running during the transition period.
The fifth thing is the regulatory alignment of the output itself. The material produced by a cardboard shredder is biodegradable packaging and degradable packing material, a practical alternative of plastic packing materials, and it supports reuse cartons and paper recycling. That alignment is what makes the switch a compliance solution rather than just a material change. Operations that document the change can show regulators and customers that they have moved away from plastic filler in a verifiable way.
Aircosan runs its own parts processing factory, controlling part quality in-house rather than assembling from mixed outside sources. The company supports logo customization from one piece and color customization from ten pieces. Products carry CE, ROHS, and UKCA certifications and hold an exclusive EU patent. After-sales responds within 12 hours and connects customers directly with engineers.
For a business making the switch, the practical approach is to map the current plastic filler usage, identify which products can use paper-based cushioning, estimate the volume that can be replaced, and plan the machine installation around the packing workflow. The transition is easier when the material supply is already in place, and that is what on-site production provides.