Outline icon of an open box with flaps, inside a circular border.

Containerboard

Program Overview

The CTS Containerboard Program traces its origins to the 1969 Collaborative Reference Program (CRP) for Linerboard, originally established with the National Bureau of Standards (NBS, now the National Institute of Standards and Technology, (NIST)). Today, the program remains guided by industry needs and professional technical input. Linerboard, corrugating medium and corrugated board samples are taken from one lot, randomized, and sealed at one time for repeated distribution. Corrugated boxes are selected and randomized in a similar manner. Weekly and monthly testing delivers continuous measurement assessment, enabling participants to consistently monitor performance and take faster corrective action if necessary.

Program Resources

  • Program Catalog

    A brief overview of the Containerboard program, including schedules and testing.

Shop Tests

Schedule

We offer rolling enrollment for participation in our containerboard program. Samples for most tests ship monthly for a total of 12 shipments beginning with the earliest available cycle of testing.

Test 201: Corrugated Box Compression Test participants receive samples for twelve months worth of testing in one shipment and perform testing monthly. Partial year enrollment is available and starts with the next scheduled shipping date. The shipment will consist of a full year's sample materials and the ability to report data for the remaining months of the year.

Enroll Between January 2 – February 1
Samples Shipsecond week of March
Data Duefirst Monday of May
Letter CodeD
Enroll Between February 2 – March 1
Samples Shipsecond week of April
Data Duefirst Monday of June
Letter CodeE
Enroll Between March 2 – April 1
Samples Shipsecond week of May
Data Duefirst Monday of July
Letter CodeF
Enroll Between April 2 – May 1
Samples Shipsecond week of June
Data Duefirst Monday of August
Letter CodeH
Enroll Between May 2 – June 1
Samples Shipsecond week of July
Data Duefirst Monday of September
Letter CodeJ
Enroll Between June 2 – July 1
Samples Shipsecond week of August
Data Duefirst Monday of October
Letter CodeK
Enroll Between July 2 – August 1
Samples Shipsecond week of September
Data Duefirst Monday of November
Letter CodeL
Enroll Between August 2 – September 1
Samples Shipsecond week of October
Data Duefirst Monday of December
Letter CodeM
Enroll Between September 2 – October 1
Samples Shipsecond week of November
Data Duefirst Monday of January
Letter CodeN
Enroll Between October 2 – November 1
Samples Shipsecond week of December
Data Duefirst Monday of February
Letter CodeA
Enroll Between November 2 – December 1
Samples Shipsecond week of January
Data Duefirst Monday of March
Letter CodeB
Enroll Between December 2 – January 1
Samples Shipsecond week of February
Data Duefirst Monday of April
Letter CodeC

*While CTS will make every effort to adhere to the published program schedules, all dates provided are tentative and are subject to change.

Reports