What makes a high-quality cardboard core? Technical standards for superior core performance

Across different industries cardboard cores are a critical structural component. From film conversion, textile production, flexible packaging, or label printing, the core’s materials and dimensions affect operational efficiency, product protection, and performance.

At Stell, we manufacture our cores to meet the rigorous demands from our customers across these industries. In this blog we share our insight into the key technical attributes which define a high-quality cardboard core, from over 150 years of manufacturing trusted cardboard cores for our customers.

Material composition and ply structures

A high-performance core is made from engineered paperboard grades, selected based on weight (GSM), moisture content, and fibre bonding strength. Our cores typically use multiple plies of kraft and chipboard, optimised in a spiral-wound or convolute wound configuration, to enhance the beam strength and crush resistance of the finished core.

We optimise our cores by following set composition standards:

• Adhesives: High-strength PVA or water-resistant adhesives ensure uniform bonding between layers.
• Consistency of winding: from our highly skilled winding teams, all selected and developed through our bespoke in-house training program.

Dimensional accuracy and tolerance control

Precision is non-negotiable in automated production lines, and many of our customers trust our team to meet these demands. We understand that a deviation of even ±0.2mm in internal diameter (ID) or wall thickness can result in machine misfeeds, slippage, or unwinding issues leading to increased downtimes for production lines.

Crush strength and dynamic load performance

High-quality cores must withstand static loads during storage, and dynamic loads during winding (or unwinding) at high speeds. We regularly carry out testing to maintain the mechanical strength properties of our cores, as part of our quality standards, before they are sent to our customers.

We ensure our cores meet the standards across:

• Crush strength: Crucial for applications involving re-wind of heavy materials or large reels for materials such as papers and cardboards
• Torque resistance: Particularly critical for film, foil and stretch wrap applications where high unwind tension is applied.
• Beam strength: important where wide web width materials such as fabrics are being wound

Environmental resistance

Environmental exposure, especially to moisture or fluctuating humidity, can compromise core performance, which is why we manufacture cores using materials which offer resistance against environmental conditions. Specialist cores are available for refrigerated logistics or outdoor storage environments, to ensure they are protected against changing conditions.

Our cores can offer:

• Moisture resistance: Enhanced using polymer-based or wax coatings where necessary, to suit the requirements of our customer.
• Temperature tolerance: maintains dimensional integrity from -10°C to +50°C, depending on the core’s finish.

Surface finish and compatibility

A smooth, consistent external surface can be essential for preventing paper-join lines imprinting through the re-wound material such as films and delicate fabrics. Application-specific upgrades are also available, such as notching, slitting, bull nosing and wax dipping cores.

With over 150 years of producing high-performance cores for our customers, we have the expertise to ensure our cores run smoothly without causing downtime on our customer’s production lines and are a trusted packaging partner for our customers’ products

Surface treatments such as silicone release covers, polythene covers, embossed surfaces, printed covers and colour-leach resistant coloured papers can all be used to tailor our product to customers’ bespoke requirements.

Customisation and repeatability

At Stell, we can reproduce technical specifications consistently across production runs, which is what helps make us a high-end manufacturer. It’s part of why so many of our customers trust us in partnerships lasting, for many cases, decades.

We can offer:

• Bespoke configurations: Stell offers cores from 8mm to 254mm ID, wall thickness from 1.5mm to 17mm, and cut lengths to any size.
• Batch traceability: All cores are fully traceable via production batch codes for quality audits, so our customers have peace of mind that their cores are consistent.

Sustainability without compromise

High-quality shouldn’t come at the cost of environmental performance. Our cores are made from recycled fibre wherever possible and are fully recyclable after use. Our production process is also designed to minimise waste, energy usage, and transport emissions, while still delivering high-performance cores for our customers.

Need a specification-driven core solution? Get in touch

For industries where efficiency, consistency, and material performance are essential, investing in technically superior cardboard cores is critical. At Stell, we engineer trusted cores that are built to perform.

Contact us today to find out more about how we can support your business.