Video: Inside the UPS Package Design & Test Lab

The secret life of packages: Learn what happens at the UPS Package Design & Test Lab.

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When a package arrives at this unique UPS facility in Chicago, you can bet that it is going to be vibrated, pressed, heated, soaked and generally handled thoroughly.

But that's entirely the point. The facility is the UPS Package Design & Test Lab, and its purpose is to make sure other packages will arrive safely at their destinations.

When UPS customers want to find out how their product packaging will hold up during shipment, they first ship it to the Package Lab for testing. There, technicians put packages – containing anything from candy to air-conditioning units – through their paces, simulating the vibrations, external pressure and environmental changes they may experience in real-world transit. The right packaging protects its contents without adding unnecessary bulk or weight, saves money, helps protect the environment and ultimately improves customer satisfaction.

To see for yourself what goes on at the Package Lab, watch the video.