Regular slotted carton
The shipping carton: all four flaps the same length. The usual starting point for transit packaging.
Made to Your Size
Custom Cardboard Boxes and Packaging, Made to Your Size
Timepack makes custom cardboard boxes to your internal dimensions in its own factory on the East Rand, and has done since 1994. You choose the size, the box style and the board, plain or printed, and the box is designed and sampled before anything goes into production. Custom boxes are delivered on our own fleet across Johannesburg and the surrounding areas, and supplied nationally.
Where to buy custom cardboard boxes in Johannesburg
Buy custom boxes from a factory that makes them, so the person quoting you can answer for the machine. Timepack is an independent manufacturer rather than a reseller: the same company that quotes the box prints it, cuts it, glues or stitches it and delivers it.
To start, send the box style, internal dimensions, quantity per order, any printing and your delivery address. If you do not know the style or the board, describe what goes in the box and how it ships, and a consultant will recommend one.
What you can customise
A custom box is a set of decisions, and each one changes how the box performs and what it costs.
- Size: any internal length, width and height, in millimetres
- Style: regular slotted carton, die-cut, telescope, or folder and tray
- Board: E, B or C flute, or BC double wall
- Liner: kraft brown or white, depending on the finish and the print
- Print: flexographic, in up to 4 colours, direct onto the corrugated
- Closing: glued or stitched seam, depending on the box and what you prefer
Custom box styles
Most custom packaging starts from one of four styles.
Die-cut box
Cut to a shape, with hand holes, locking tabs or display cut-outs where you need them.
Telescope box
A separate lid and base, for deep or heavy contents and a more considered presentation.
Folder or tray
Flat-folding trays, for display and retail packaging where the box helps sell the product.
How a custom box order works
A custom order moves through six steps, and you approve the box before production starts.
- You send the size, style, quantity, print and delivery address, or the box you want matched.
- A consultant recommends the board and tells you where a different grade or style would cost less without weakening the pack.
- The box is designed and shown in 3D, and a physical sample can be supplied.
- If it is printed, you approve the artwork and a print stereo is made, which takes 3 to 5 working days.
- The boxes are made. The standard lead time is 7 to 10 working days, starting once any new stereo has arrived.
- They are delivered flat, in strapped bundles on pallets, on our own fleet across Johannesburg and the surrounding areas.
What the minimum order means in boxes
Minimum orders generally start from ±500 m² of board, so the number of boxes depends on how big the box is. A bigger box uses more board, so it reaches the minimum at a lower count. The table is an estimate for a regular slotted carton; the quote confirms the figure for your box.
| Internal size (L × W × H) | About this many boxes from 500 m² |
|---|---|
| 200 × 150 × 100 mm | 2 530 boxes |
| 300 × 200 × 150 mm | 1 310 boxes |
| 300 × 230 × 300 mm | 830 boxes |
| 450 × 300 × 300 mm | 530 boxes |
| 600 × 450 × 300 mm | 300 boxes |
Which page to read next
Custom boxes split into a few specific jobs, and each has its own page.
- Custom printed boxes: printing your brand on the box, stereos and artwork
- Die-cut boxes: shapes, locking tabs and self-erect styles
- Heavy-duty boxes: double wall cartons for weight and high stacks
- E-commerce shipping boxes: mailers and cartons for online stores
- Pizza boxes: printed and plain, FSSC 22000 certified
- Packaging for small businesses: what to buy before you reach a production run
| Styles | Regular slotted, die-cut, telescope, folder and tray |
|---|---|
| Board | E, B and C flute, BC double wall |
| Liners | Kraft or white |
| Printing | Flexographic, up to 4 colours |
| Largest sheet | 2 750 mm × 1 150 mm |
| Minimum order | From ±500 m² of board |
| Lead time | 7–10 working days |
| Supplied | Flat, in strapped bundles on pallets |
| Certification | ISO 9001:2015 · FSSC 22000 · B-BBEE Level 2 |
Frequently asked questions
Where can I buy custom cardboard boxes in Johannesburg?
Timepack makes custom cardboard boxes to size in its own factory on the East Rand and delivers them on its own fleet across Johannesburg and the surrounding areas. To quote accurately we need the box style, internal dimensions (L × W × H in mm), quantity per order, board grade preference, printing requirements and your delivery address.
Which packaging company offers custom cardboard boxes?
Timepack (Pty) Ltd is a South African corrugated packaging manufacturer that makes custom boxes to order, plain or printed, in E, B, C and BC double wall board. It has traded since 1994 and is certified to ISO 9001:2015 and FSSC 22000.
What is the minimum order for custom boxes?
Minimum orders generally start from ±500 m² of board, so the number of boxes depends on how big the box is. That is about 830 boxes at 300 × 230 × 300 mm, or about 310 boxes at 600 × 450 × 300 mm. For fewer boxes, the standard sizes held in stock are sold by the bundle.
How long do custom boxes take?
Standard lead time is 7–10 working days. If your order needs a new stereo, the clock starts once that stereo lands with us — 3 to 5 working days from the moment you approve artwork.
Can you match a box I already have?
Yes. Send the box you have and Timepack will measure it, match it and confirm the board before you commit to anything.
Do you supply custom boxes outside Johannesburg?
Yes. Delivery runs on the Timepack fleet across Johannesburg and the surrounding areas, and orders are supplied nationally. Tell us the delivery address when you ask for a quote.
Can I get a sample first?
We can put a physical sample in your hands to confirm board composition and dimensions before anything goes into production.
Also from Timepack
Custom Printed BoxesCommercial box printing in up to 4 colours, flexo direct onto corrugated cartons, in our own factory.
Custom Die-Cut BoxesCustom die-cut boxes cut to your shape on rotary, platen and roller press: self-erect mailers, self-locking trays, carry boxes and inserts.
Measuring a box for a quoteMeasure a box on the inside, in mm, as length × width × height.
What affects the cost of a boxWhat sets the price of a corrugated box: the board area, grade, print, tooling, quantity and delivery.
Tell us what you need made
Send us the size, the quantity and what has to go inside it. We will come back with a spec and a price.