FEFCO Codes Explained: Choosing the Right Corrugated Box

FEFCO codes give every corrugated box style a four-digit number, so a buyer in Sweden and a box supplier in Poland mean exactly the same construction when they say 0201. The code is published by FEFCO, the European corrugated packaging federation, together with ESBO, and is used across the corrugated industry.

This guide explains how FEFCO codes are grouped, the styles buyers ask for most, how to give dimensions and how to write a box specification that gets comparable quotes.

What are FEFCO codes?

FEFCO describes its code as an official system to substitute long and complicated verbal descriptions of fibreboard case and packaging constructions with simple symbols that can be understood internationally, whatever the language. The code has also been adopted by the International Corrugated Case Association, and the current edition is the 11th.

In practice, the number tells the supplier the construction: how the blank is cut and folded, where the joint is and how the box closes. It does not tell them the size, the board or the print, which you add yourself.

How FEFCO codes are grouped

The first two digits give the series, and the published code of designs groups the styles like this:

FEFCO 0201: the slotted shipping box

0201 is in the slotted-type series: one blank, a glued, stitched or taped joint, and flaps that close the top and bottom. The code marks it as suitable for manual or automatic erection, so it works for hand packing and for packing lines.

FEFCO 0427: the mailer box

0427 is in the folder-type series and is marked for manual erection. Packaging suppliers commonly sell it as a corrugated mailer box, including versions with an adhesive strip for e-commerce. The lid gives a large flat surface for a printed logo or message.

Ready-glued boxes in the 07 series

Codes such as 0711 and 0713 are ready-glued cases. They arrive flat and are set up quickly, which helps when packing staff assemble boxes by hand at volume.

How to give box dimensions with a FEFCO code

Dimensions are where many box quotes go wrong. The code itself says that, unless otherwise specified, all dimensions are expressed as internal dimensions in mm, given as length x breadth x height. Length is the longer side at the opening, breadth the shorter side, and height runs from the opening to the base.

• Measure the product, add room for any inner packaging, and give the result as internal dimensions.
• Write "internal" in your request anyway, so nobody assumes external sizes.
• For telescope boxes, the lid height is added after a slash, for example 355 x 205 x 120/40 mm.

Flutes and board: what FEFCO codes do not cover

The flute is the wave inside the board, and it decides much of the strength, the thickness and how well the box prints. Typical thicknesses given in packaging guides look like this:

• E flute: roughly 1 to 1.5 mm, with a high quality surface for printing, used for smaller cartons and mailers.
• B flute: about 3 mm, a versatile choice for die-cut and regular cases.
• C flute: about 3.5 to 4 mm, with more compression strength than B flute.
• Double wall such as BC: about 6 to 7 mm, for heavier goods and transit protection.

Ask for performance, not just a flute

If boxes will be stacked on pallets or shipped by courier, tell the supplier the weight of the contents, how high the pallets are stacked and how the goods travel. Ask for the board grade or an edge crush value. A supplier can then propose the right board instead of guessing.

A box specification that gets comparable quotes

• Box style number, for example FEFCO 0201 or 0427.
• Internal dimensions in millimetres: length x breadth x height.
• Flute and board grade, or the weight and stacking the box must handle.
• Board colour (brown or white) and print: number of colours, one or more sides.
• Quantity, price breaks, delivery address, date and delivery term.
• Certificate needs, such as FSC-certified board, where you can check a supplier's code in the FSC public certificate search.

With this, every supplier quotes the same box, and differences in price reflect real differences in cost. For the wider picture on materials and recyclability, see what to ask your packaging supplier about sustainability.

Common mistakes when ordering corrugated boxes

Most problems with box orders come from details that were never written down. A few checks before you send the request save a lot of back and forth later.

• External sizes sent as internal: the box comes back too small for the product, so always state which you mean.
• No information about the load: the supplier picks a board that is fine on a shelf but fails when pallets are stacked.
• Print described loosely: "a logo on the box" can mean one colour on one side or full colour on all sides, which is why you should send the artwork or a mock-up.
• No sample before the run: for a new box, ask for a plain sample to test with the real product before you approve the full order.
• Forgetting how the box is packed: tell the supplier whether you pack by hand or on a machine, and how many boxes you use per day.

Sending a photo of the product, its weight and a short note on how it is shipped is often more useful to the supplier than a long written description.

Request corrugated boxes on Flobid

On Flobid you can send a request for shipping boxes with the box style and dimensions, or browse packaging suppliers by country. The request goes to suppliers in that category who deliver to you, and the quotes come back side by side.

Sources

1. FEFCO ESBO code, FEFCO
2. FEFCO Codes of Designs (International Fibreboard Case Code, 11th edition), FEFCO and ESBO
3. Your complete guide to FEFCO codes, Packhelp
4. Corrugated Board Guide, Key Production
5. FSC Public Certificate Search, Forest Stewardship Council