All Member Forum

Hello Packaging people,

I need some help of anyone dealing with liquid paperboard cartons, or customer keeps complaining about corner tears ( now this was done before I was at the company) putting a frozen smoothie in a paperboard carton. 

When asking evergreen they said it shouldn't be happening but they can not offer any solution.  I have increased the shipper ECT, lowered the TiHi. My last statement was to put it in a HG plastic bottle but we underfill it so I fear that would create more headache.

Thought?

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Kyle Yerdon CPP
Packaging Engineer
Country Pure Foods
Casselberry FL
(813) 283-8025
------------------------------

Kyle, some questions first. 
- does this product ship frozen or ambient? 
- Did the exterior of the shipping case show any signs of compression damage from top load or impact? is there staining in the exterior of the shipping case? 
- how big of an issue is this? One carton in a pallet or multiples? 
- we use to pack millions of 64oz gable carton and it is rare to see this issue coming into your facility with this damage. 
- have you done instections on the production line to see if the issue is caused by something on the line? Potentially a stop or diversion mechanism on line? 
- hive are the cartons packed into the carton? Are they end loaded, wrap around, drop packed etc? 
- have you audited the production line to see if you can find this damage on line? Take a case every so often and 100% inspect for damages. 
- have you go out to the distribution centers and inspected pallet loads of product to see if you can find the issue. 

Overall, Evergreen has been making cartons for a long time and their quality is good. Unless you can see physical damages to the shipping case, my gut would tell me that this is being done by something on the production line. 

hope this helps, Bob 

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Robert Larkin CPP
Retired - Director Packaging and Graphics Development
BL.PKGL LLC
West Des Moines IA
(901) 201-1373
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Thank you Bob

•  does this product ship frozen or ambient? 
  •      Cold Fill and Frozen
• Did the exterior of the shipping case show any signs of compression damage from top load or impact? is there staining in the exterior of the shipping case
  • Some do, but you can clearly see the forks but majority do not just this nick

• how big of an issue is this? One carton in a pallet or multiples?
  • I am trying to get the percent of happening, but it has gone up in August- October, 27 incidents via the 1000s we send I am working on that.
• we use to pack millions of 64oz gable carton and it is rare to see this issue coming into your facility with this damage.
  •  We run cartons all over our company and different SKUs, Mango had 1, green had 5, Strawberry is at 35 YTD
    
• - have you done inspections on the production line to see if the issue is caused by something on the line? Potentially a stop or diversion mechanism on line
  • We do run Hamrick drop packers which I said a point.  I opened up the box to help a little bit, but we do underfill these 61.5oz in a 64oz 
• have are the cartons packed into the carton? Are they end loaded, wrap around, drop packed etc? 
  • see above drop packer 
• have you audited the production line to see if you can find this damage on line? Take a case every so often and 100% inspect for damages.
  • I can stand there for hours and try to recreate it and nothing. Ones I thought were an issue from the drop packer I marked and reviewed at the 3pl and nothing.
• - have you go out to the distribution centers and inspected pallet loads of product to see if you can find the issue. 
  • Not the customers DC but I have went through all our 3PLs to audit and inspect. 

Additionally, I have lowered the tihi, trying to lessen the load. I think it is the right storm of Paper carton, drop packer and Humidity, and freezing. 

Evergreen can offer no support on why and how, of course customer and Sales want it to be zero, but as from 3 years ago it may not be possible. We run 32oz smoothie in a different plant no issues ( with drop packer) that was my solution or HDPE half, but with low filling concern that presents a new problem.

------------------------------
Kyle Yerdon CPP
Packaging Engineer
Country Pure Foods
Casselberry FL
(813) 283-8025
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-22-2025 07:09 PM
From: Robert Larkin
Subject: Brainpower needed: Liquid Paperboard Cartons issues ( Corner Tear)

Kyle, some questions first. 
- does this product ship frozen or ambient? 
- Did the exterior of the shipping case show any signs of compression damage from top load or impact? is there staining in the exterior of the shipping case? 
- how big of an issue is this? One carton in a pallet or multiples? 
- we use to pack millions of 64oz gable carton and it is rare to see this issue coming into your facility with this damage. 
- have you done instections on the production line to see if the issue is caused by something on the line? Potentially a stop or diversion mechanism on line? 
- hive are the cartons packed into the carton? Are they end loaded, wrap around, drop packed etc? 
- have you audited the production line to see if you can find this damage on line? Take a case every so often and 100% inspect for damages. 
- have you go out to the distribution centers and inspected pallet loads of product to see if you can find the issue. 

Overall, Evergreen has been making cartons for a long time and their quality is good. Unless you can see physical damages to the shipping case, my gut would tell me that this is being done by something on the production line. 

hope this helps, Bob 

------------------------------
Robert Larkin CPP
Retired - Director Packaging and Graphics Development
BL.PKGL LLC
West Des Moines IA
(901) 201-1373
------------------------------

Hi Kyle,

Since this is meant to be a 6-ply structure, please check the PE layer thickness. If the PE is on the thinner side, it might be contributing to corner tears

One possibility is that the dieboard tooling used to form the box may be creating very sharp or deep creases.  I have a strong feeling this could be an issue! Under high filling pressure, those creases can become stress points and lead to tearing. After the creases are made, the supplier may be stacking them flat to manage space in pallets, which makes the corners vulnerable and punctures the crease. 

Another factor to consider could be the pH of the juice. If it's causing slight expansion of the pack, that added stress at the corners could be making them more prone to tearing.

Please let me know once this is resolved. 

------------------------------
Nikhat Sayed
Printing & Packaging Engineer
Irvine CA
(714) 548-4383
------------------------------

Thank you. Ill bring these up with the carton manufacturer.

The PH is close to 7

------------------------------
Kyle Yerdon CPP
Packaging Engineer
Country Pure Foods
Casselberry FL
(813) 283-8025
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-24-2025 09:55 PM
From: Nikhat Sayed
Subject: Brainpower needed: Liquid Paperboard Cartons issues ( Corner Tear)

Hi Kyle,

Since this is meant to be a 6-ply structure, please check the PE layer thickness. If the PE is on the thinner side, it might be contributing to corner tears

One possibility is that the dieboard tooling used to form the box may be creating very sharp or deep creases.  I have a strong feeling this could be an issue! Under high filling pressure, those creases can become stress points and lead to tearing. After the creases are made, the supplier may be stacking them flat to manage space in pallets, which makes the corners vulnerable and punctures the crease. 

Another factor to consider could be the pH of the juice. If it's causing slight expansion of the pack, that added stress at the corners could be making them more prone to tearing.

Please let me know once this is resolved. 

------------------------------
Nikhat Sayed
Printing & Packaging Engineer
Irvine CA
(714) 548-4383
------------------------------

Kyle pH 7 is neutral. anything below 7, the acidic level increases 

Thank you; I hope the carton manufacturer is able to resolve this issue.

Happy New Year. 😊

------------------------------
Nikhat Sayed
Printing & Packaging Engineer
Irvine CA
(714) 548-4383
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 12-31-2025 09:47 AM
From: Kyle Yerdon
Subject: Brainpower needed: Liquid Paperboard Cartons issues ( Corner Tear)

Thank you. Ill bring these up with the carton manufacturer.

The PH is close to 7

------------------------------
Kyle Yerdon CPP
Packaging Engineer
Country Pure Foods
Casselberry FL
(813) 283-8025
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 12-24-2025 09:55 PM
From: Nikhat Sayed
Subject: Brainpower needed: Liquid Paperboard Cartons issues ( Corner Tear)

Hi Kyle,

Since this is meant to be a 6-ply structure, please check the PE layer thickness. If the PE is on the thinner side, it might be contributing to corner tears

One possibility is that the dieboard tooling used to form the box may be creating very sharp or deep creases.  I have a strong feeling this could be an issue! Under high filling pressure, those creases can become stress points and lead to tearing. After the creases are made, the supplier may be stacking them flat to manage space in pallets, which makes the corners vulnerable and punctures the crease. 

Another factor to consider could be the pH of the juice. If it's causing slight expansion of the pack, that added stress at the corners could be making them more prone to tearing.

Please let me know once this is resolved. 

------------------------------
Nikhat Sayed
Printing & Packaging Engineer
Irvine CA
(714) 548-4383