Printer Packing Guide - Box or Pallet Collection

Printer Genie mascot holding a printer ready for safe shipping

Sending your printer to us? Here’s how to pack it so it arrives safely.

Follow these Printer Genie packing standards for any boxed shipment or pallet collection for a repair or service. Haven’t got a box? We can send you one — see below.

No suitable box? Add our Printer Return Packaging Kit (£24.99) and we’ll send protective packaging to your door before you ship.

Your booking details

  • Send to: Printer Genie Ltd, Unit C, Ordnance Road, Buckshaw Link, Buckshaw Village, Chorley, PR7 7EL
  • Job reference format: PG-[ORDER NUMBER]-[YYYYMMDD] (example: PG-123456-20260928)
  • Booking a courier: use any insured, trackable courier. For convenience you can also book via DPD.

What you’ll need

  • Double-wall carton (or a heavy-duty pallet carton for multiple units)
  • Closed-cell foam or honeycomb board, 50–75 mm each side — avoid loose fill on its own
  • Reinforced tape (H-taping) and edge protectors
  • Poly bags to seal any toner or ink you remove
  • An A4 address label plus a job-reference sheet inside the box

Before you pack

  1. Power off and unplug; let hot parts (e.g. the fuser) cool for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Remove paper from all trays; secure or remove optional accessories (extra trays, finishers).
  3. If advised for your model, remove toner or ink and seal it in bags to prevent leaks.
  4. Immobilise moving parts (ADF, scanner lid) with soft padding — never tape directly onto a display.
  5. Include a note with your order number, model and serial, contact details and a short fault description.

Boxing a single unit

  1. Wrap the printer with 50–75 mm of protective foam on all sides — aim for a tight fit with no voids.
  2. Place the wrapped unit in a double-wall carton and add dense side and top fill so it cannot move.
  3. H-tape the top and bottom seams and add edge protection to the long edges.
  4. Mark it “THIS WAY UP” and “FRAGILE”.
  5. Put the address label on the outside and the job-reference note inside.

Palletising multiple units

  1. Stack boxed printers on a sound pallet, heaviest at the bottom, within the pallet footprint.
  2. Use corner posts or edge protectors and shrink-wrap tightly, including the pallet base.
  3. Add a top sheet and banding if you have it, and keep the overall height within courier limits.
  4. Attach a pallet label with the total unit count and job reference.

Heavy models — how much cushioning

Printer weight Cushion each side Notes
Up to 20 kg 50 mm Fine for most A4 printers and MFPs.
20–35 kg 75 mm Typical mid-size A3 units; reduces tip and drop risk.
35–50 kg 90–100 mm + reinforced corners / pallet Palletise where you can.
50 kg+ Pallet or crate only Do not ship via the parcel network.

Keep a few photos for your own records

Before it leaves, it’s worth photographing the printer from each side, the wrapped unit, the box with its fill before sealing, and the sealed box with labels showing. If a courier claim is ever needed, that record makes it far easier.

Liability, claims & transit damage

Customer-arranged shipping: you are the shipper of record, so any loss or damage claim is raised with your courier — keep your packing photos and courier paperwork. Our box & collection service: follow this guide and photograph the packed box before collection. We cannot accept liability for damage caused by inadequate packaging or undeclared pre-existing faults.

Ready to book a repair? See our printer repair guides to find the right fix for your model, or add the Return Packaging Kit if you need a box.