It looks like a torture chamber for cardboard and bubble wrap. At a lab in suburban Chicago, UPS Inc. tests new packaging designs by dropping, shaking and smashing boxes with brutal-looking equipment.

This is a story about a box. That's it, just a box. "It's not rocket science," said Rudy Youell. "It's almost so stupid it's ridiculous. But it's saving so much money it's amazing." His simple box ...