Partitions
Slotted strips forming a grid of equal cells — one per bottle or jar. The standard answer for anything cylindrical shipped in multiples.
Corrugated packaging · Lahore
Partitions & Inserts
Grids and fitted pieces that hold each item in its own place, so bottles, jars and glassware never touch in transit.
Two different things
Inserts
Cut to the shape of a specific product, holding one item in one position. For irregular, delicate or high-value goods.
The box and the grid are one design
A partition only works if it fits the box exactly. A grid that is slightly small moves in transit and lets the contents knock together anyway, which defeats the point of buying it.
So we specify the two together wherever we can. If you already have a box, we need its internal dimensions — measured inside, not outside.
Packing drinking glasses, mugs or a dinner set? The whole set — printed inner box of six, partition, gift box and master carton — is on glassware and crockery boxes.
What to send us
- What goes in the box, and how many per box
- The item's dimensions — diameter and height for bottles and jars
- The box's internal dimensions, if it already exists
- Whether anything is fragile enough to need an insert rather than a grid
How a partition is actually built
A partition is not one piece. It is a set of strips of board, slotted half-way through at regular intervals, pushed together at right angles to form a grid of cells. Nothing is glued and nothing is taped — the slots hold it.
That construction is why partitions ship flat and assemble in seconds, and it is also why the cell count has to be decided before the board is cut. A twelve-cell grid and a nine-cell grid are different tooling, not a setting.
Partition, insert or pad
Three different things, often asked for by the wrong name:
Partition
A slotted grid dividing a carton into cells. For bottles, jars, tins and glassware — anything round or fragile that must not touch its neighbour.
Fitted insert
Die-cut to the shape of one specific product, holding it in position. For irregular items, electronics and anything that must arrive presented rather than merely intact.
Pad or layer sheet
Flat board between layers rather than between items. Spreads weight; does not stop sideways movement. See corrugated sheets.
Corner post
Vertical board at the corners of a carton, carrying stack weight down past the contents instead of through them.
Getting the fit right
A partition that is too tight tears as the product goes in, and one that is too loose lets the product rattle — which is the failure it existed to prevent. The cell needs a couple of millimetres of clearance around the product, no more.
So the measurement we need is the product, not the cell: the widest point of the bottle or jar including any cap or label, how many go in the carton, and in what arrangement. The partition is worked back from that, and then the carton is worked back from the partition — because the grid takes up real space inside the box.
That last point catches people out. A carton sized to the product will not fit the product plus dividers. See how to measure a carton.
Common questions
What is a partition or divider?
A grid of corrugated strips slotted together inside a box, dividing it into cells so each item sits in its own compartment. It is what stops bottles and jars knocking against each other in transit, and it is usually far cheaper than the breakages it prevents.
How many cells do I need?
One per item, arranged to fit the box — a 12-bottle carton is typically a 3 × 4 grid. Tell us what goes in the box and how many, and we will work out the grid and the box together, because the two have to be designed as one thing.
What is the difference between a partition and an insert?
A partition is the slotted grid that divides a box into equal cells. An insert is cut to the shape of a specific product — a tray or a fitted piece that holds one item in one position. Partitions suit bottles and jars; inserts suit irregular or delicate products.
Can partitions be supplied for boxes we already have?
Yes, provided you give us the exact internal dimensions of the existing box. The fit has to be right — a loose grid moves in transit and does not do its job.
Before you specify
Worth reading first
How many pieces per carton?Carton quantity explained — what PCS/CTN means, how to work out how many fit, the counts this trade packs in, and the weight that caps them.GSM and BF explainedThe two numbers that decide how strong a carton really is — what they mean, how burst factor is calculated, and what to ask a supplier for.
No price list, and that is deliberate
Tell us what you need to pack
Every job is specified for one customer, so cost depends on size, board, quantity and print. Describe the product and the journey it makes, and we will propose a specification and quote it.
Request a quote