Tag Archives: supply chain

Differences in Stretch Film

There are many kinds of stretch film that offer a variety of uses. The varieties of this do address some common problems including the size of the load, the weight of this, and the like. There are also stretch films that you can get that are used to protect the UV rays from getting into the product, reduce the static, which is great for electronics, reduce condensation of the product, and the like.

There are two major types of stretch film, the blown stretch film, and there is the cast stretch film. Here, we’ll talk about these types, and other common ones.

Blown Stretch Film

This is one that’s created through blown extrusion and that process utilizes a vertical sort of die that extrudes out the plastic, melting it to create a tube that’s thin. The air then gets blown directly into the center portion of the tube, forming air bubbles with this.

The amount of this that’s blown does determine the width overall of the film that’s finished. They constantly rotate the film, so the speed of this and how it gets pulled in an upward manner determines the film’s thickness.

While it travels upwards to the nip rollers at the top, this film starts to cool down. Once that bubble is then collapsed onto a tube that’s flat, they then move this to the next set of rollers, and from there, they then are woven to the core, and for larger ones, one side of this sits to create a large width of stretch film.

The advantages of this are that you can use this for higher loads and it has a better stretch capacity. It’s also considered better for the load retention that you need. It’s also better in terms of memory, so it’ll stay in a tight manner for a much longer time period. It’s also resistant to tearing, and it’s great for loads that have edges which are sharp.

This tends to be more expensive though, so the costs of this do tend to be a problem for others. It’s also got a chance that it might not be as clear, due to the crystallization that happens with this.

Cast Stretch Film

This is made with cast extrusion, and in this process, they utilize a die that’s horizontal, and from there, they melt the plastic, force this through that horizontal die, and from there, it then sits flat, and it comes out in a shape that’s flat. The size of this does determine how thick it is.

It then goes through some nip rollers that are chilled, and then, the trim is then made in a way that’s a specified type of width, and this is done after they cool this film. The film then gets pushed over the other chilled rollers, and further cooled. Then, at the end of this, is where the film gets placed, and they get packaged into cases so that they can be shipped.

It’s much cheaper, and it usually costs a lot less. It’s also better for clarity and optics too, since the film gets cooled down faster during cast extrusion, and the crystals are far less here.

They also have better tear resistance too. The biggest disadvantage is that over time, it doesn’t really hold the shape, so it’s bad for load retention. So if you’re going to be using this for a long period of time, you may want to consider using the blown options, rather than cast, so that it keeps the same integrity that it’s had up to this point too.

How to design a good Packaging Strategy

The functions of packaging is really important, and most of the time, the packaging operates at above a tactical sort of level, and usually, the activities get addressed, and success happens for the long term due to goals. Packaging needs to look at the way that the function of this improves the organizational goals, and that’s where a packaging type of strategy comes in. This is in fact, essential for building this.

Departments that are trying to do this without a good idea do fail, because they’re not properly aligned, and no objectives are met with this, and you have to understand the objective and goals of such. There are certain steps for you to take, and we’ll go over the three major ones here.

Discovery

This is where you look at what’s currently happening, and also, it determines the overall goals that the organization might have as well. This is usually the goals and missions, and they tend to be known. Plenty of companies make it very easy to see the statements, and what’s carried through.

To create a good packaging strategy, you need insight, and you need to understand the right industry, and the strength of what’s going on within, and you must understand the stakeholders and also the goals that are there too.

Understanding all of this is vital, and it also requires an industry analysis too, looking at the different nuances of each industry, and what’s important for each.

The statement of goals

This is the point where you’ve done an analysis, looking at what matters to the organization, the goals of this, and the needs of such.

This is where goal statements get made, and of course the idea of mission and vision statements are utilized.

Vision statements of course, are the big types of pictures of what the organization is supposed to accomplish, with the mission statement being a more general aspect of this.

At this point, there also might be other mission statements put in place too. Some of them include the business processes to manage this, the equipment and resources that are used, the engineering services that are there and also the technology that’s being used to reach all of these goals. They all come together, to build the vision statement, the big picture, and it helps with developing a strategy.

Determine the objectives

Finally, once you’ve got the statements that are there the goals of the organization, the next step are the activities that are used to create goals. This flows through different parts of the organization, and the activities since then become more precise and further defined too. There are also other tactics that occur too, in order to help reach this.

Every single organization utilizes different types of forces so right now, there is no specific standard for this. the experience from different organizations and their types might be helpful with determining the overall objectives that are there.

You essentially need to set up the exact processes that are needed to fix these issues, and also other protocols that’ll hit these goals.

The objectives will discuss the roles and responsibilities, along with the tactics.

This is a lot, and it might be a very long road to go on, but when you do this for your packaging strategies, you’re building the focus that you want to, in order to meet those objectives and success that you want for the long-term, and also building that organizational competitiveness that puts you over the others, and gives you that vital edge over the other people that may offer similar things.

Considerations for laminated standup pouch types

Pouches that stand up and are laminated are a unique way to both display and also store the products of your choice. You can choose the size of the packaging, the color, even the lamination you wish to add to make it creative and fun. What should you determine when you’re choosing this kind of packaging? Here is what you need to know.

How it’ll Show off the brand

Being able to recognize the brand is super important. If the product justifies purchases that are repeated, it’s important to make sure that you offer pouches that are customized, in a manner that offers a packaging that customers can see, and then choose the product that you have.

How you want to Sell and Promote It

The biggest focus of a pouch is making sure that you use it in the manner that you want to. There are smaller pouches which we call sample or promo pouches, which are basically a way to get people to try out the product before they decide to buy it. Your ultimate goal with this, is to get customer favor, and usually, this alone will sell the products that are there.

The Way they’re displayed

Pouches are used for display reasons that show the products that are there.

Sometimes, pouches that are made in smaller, simplistic ways earn the favor of others, because instead of something huge and obnoxious crowding the shelf, this can stand neatly on its own, making it easier for you to showcase the product, allowing you to improve the makeup of this.

It also prevents packaging that’s distracting too, since they usually are made in ways that are simpler, so customers can see those, and there is ultimately far less demand. There is now more emphasis on the way that the products work, and the actual item inside.

Preserve and Protect

The main goal here is to protect this pouch, preserving it.

This gauge is the main factor for ensuring that the product protects everything in a way.

If you have objects that are sharp, or even big and bulky, you might want to choose the gauge that’s bigger for this.

You also might want to consider this factor when you’re looking to freeze the items.

The right gauge and the features of the bad, and also materials and additives are great for ensuring that everything that’s frozen is preserved and protected over time as well, ensuring the proper freshness for the item, no matter how long it’s on the shelf.

You may want to consider this factor for those products that do need freshness. One example of this is coffee. Some of these pouches offer what’s called degassing valves, so that all of the excess gas that’s in there, and it offers a chance to keep the beans nice and fresh.

There are a lot of great ways to use this, not just with coffee, but other means too. If you’re choosing a product that’s good for you to enjoy, and one that’s important to sell, you should always make sure that you start with the needs that are important, and you should also focus on these features that are custom as well.

A lot of people can benefit from this, and the cool thing about these pouches is how easy they are to use. With these standup pouches, the future is here, and you’ll be able to, with this, offer the top experience that you can to customers of all types.

Pouches are the future of packaging, and something to keep in mind as well.

How to Make the Perfect Holiday Packaging

Looking to create the ideal packaging this holiday season? You’re not alone. Packaging is made to make the thing look better for customers and increase their interest. There are tons of packaging that you can look at too, including paperboard, boxes, mailers, tubes, and a whole lot more. Packaging is a way to look different for companies during the holiday season, communicating the package contents, the volume of this, and really get the festive feelings going. The right packaging is great, and there are a lot of great printed kinds of packaging that’ll help to celebrate the season and impress those around you.

First, find the Prints and the Budget

Your first step, when designing holiday packaging, is to find the ideal image for your product, and how you’d like to print it. Some packaging looks good with it on there, others may look better with the packaging being more holiday themed.

You also need to look at the budget too. Your budget may include the amount allocated to the custom packaging, the cost for a unit of this, how complex it is, and the like. Make sure that you fully clarify all of these before you set the number and order anything, as it’ll help you get the most that you can from this.

Look at Your Products

You also need to look at the types of products that you’re selling and consider their packaging too. We mean any sorts of small items that you are going to be selling. For instance, let’s take cosmetics.You can sell these in the normal packaging, but if you’re looking to create sleeves that do fit over this, it can help to boost the way that this looks. You may want to consider different kinds of packaging though, and unique boxes and the like.

This is a great way to improve the exclusivity of the product. If you’ve got holiday collections, you need to have exclusive packaging for this.

Types of Boxes

So you’ve also got the boxes to factor in as well. Mailer boxes are a good base point if you’re someone who doesn’t want to spend too much, but also would like something that looks good. Have a bit more money in the budget? Consider rigid boxes. They even come with lids too, and they also come in unique kinds. This is much more premium, compared to the other kinds of packaging, so it’s best if you make sure that you consider this for any luxury products.

You can also look at different additives that you want on this. For instance, do you want something that’s got a unique shape? Maybe some magnetic locking on this? Or maybe, inserts that are made of foam.

These are much more high-end, but for the big tag products, you’ll want this.

Finally, create it

Finally, you want to just create the box. Follow the composition basics that go into this. You’ll want to balance images with figures to create better symmetry within the designs, and also, you’ll want to look at colors too. Contrasting colors make it look better. For different colors, this is much more appealing visually.

Artwork and designs are some of the biggest parts of this, especially when creating the holiday packaging. To make stuff stand out and offer the right connection, make sure that you mix all of these together in a unique way.

Master this, and you’ll create holiday packaging that really shines, and you’ll get customers who will want more and more from you, and want to get extra packages, even outside of the holidays.

All About Void Fillers

For packaging and shipping, you’ll want to make sure that you fill the box correctly as well. Void fill is something that’s used to aid with this, especially when it comes to both shipping, and packaging the products correctly.

What they Are

They’re basically a kind of material that’s used for one reason: to fill those gaps that are left within your packaging, used to protect your products as they’re transported, and to protect them from moving about, and being a natural shock absorber. When you see this for a practical use, you’ll notice that it also offers a natural aesthetic too to the packaging.

The right void fill must be determined by how you’d like it to be cushioned, and the protection along with the padding that’s needed, and the packaging weight.

Paper Void Filling

This is very cost-effective, and it’s more than just using paper. Even packaging or newspaper, or crinkled paper or tissue paper is a kind of void filler. While it’s not as strong as the rest, this is the most eco-friendly of the items for the sole reason that it can break down, so if you want to utilize older scraps this is the best way to do this. It also isn’t as visually appealing, because it can look dirty and messy.

Filler Wraps

This is a filler wrap that allows for your products to be protected. The most common one of those is bubble wrap, and it’s used as a protective and cheap means. It’s got the downside however, of this is not as sustainable as the paper options, so it’s why some people don’t really like it.

Craft or corrugated paperboard is another one, and this is a more eco-friendly sort of means, and they’re much prettier than bubble wrap, but they don’t absorb the shock as well, and they’re not very malleable.

Foam Sheeting

These are sheets that aren’t around just the product, but within the box, and they’re basically a type of protection that’s there between the box itself, and the product that’s in there.

It’s absorbed in the shock, and while it’s usually good for fragile cookware and glass, this can sometimes cause scratches and dents in some cases.

Another big thing is that they aren’t very eco-friendly, and they tend to be a waste after you’ve used them once. They also tend to make the packaging much bigger, so if you’re trying to save some money on shipping, you may want to look elsewhere.

Peanuts

Peanuts or packaging peanuts are usually known as packing popcorn and are basically loose-fill kinds of packaging that fill up those empty gaps, especially ones that don’t feel uniform.

They tend to be made either through Styrofoam, or biodegradable options, and are made from cornstarch and wheat types, and they’ve become a new, popular way for you to use this type of filling.

The packaging peanuts tend to be a lot more eco friendly when made this way, and also cost less energy for you to make them. They also dissolve in water bodies easily, so you don’t have to worry about polluting anything.

The biggest downside, however, is that they tend to be a lot more costly, so if you want to use this, discuss it with your business, as they can sometimes take a lot more out of your budget.

It’s good to get void filling but making sure that you have the right one will help improve your chances of the packaging being safe, and worth it, so assess your options and make a decision from there.

The Little Differences that Make Packaging Shine

With more and more people opting for custom packaging, and innovative along with creative packaging designs, you have to remember that it does take a bit of money and time to master the quality of this. Offering consistent designs for the boxes are really good, and there are certain things that can make your packaging massively stand out.

Multiple Uses for Boxes

If you’re going to have packaging that’s on display in stores, you want to make sure that the customers utilize the products without taking time to move this to other kinds of containers, and also make sure that you find packaging that fits this.

This makes the life of a customer a lot easier. For example, nutrition bar packaging works like this. They have a box that is used to ship out the bars, but that same box is opened up, and then put on display.

Saves you time, money, and saves the employees time opening it too.

Stop with the Void Fillers

While it may be good to protect the items, the thing is, it can be really bad for packaging. Part of it is due to too many void fillers, which end up taking up too much space and it also is work for the customer to dispose of this.

But not only that, the type of void fillers matter too. Bubble wrap and foam pellets are not going to be recyclable, and they’re not biodegradable, so it’s seen as wasteful.

If you’re going to use it, you should go for Kraft paper.

Or, if you’re ready to say goodbye to these, consider custom box inserts. You can build these inserts out of cardboard or foam, and everything fits well in there. the customer can take it out, and then there they go, they have the product!

Make it Personal

If you’re looking to make your custom packaging stand out, you want to personalize this. A small note, thanking them in the box, even a branded message makes a huge difference. Little notes are personal though, and it’s something that gives it a humanlike touch in a transaction that’s otherwise done over the internet.

It can build returns, and also produce loyal customers, so make sure that you do include this. Messages, notes and the like are exactly what customers may do, and it’s something that benefits the brand.

Use Creative Stickers

This is something that definitely is great for making a big impact on the brand. Plus, it can be fun. But the problem is, these get pricey over time, and they take a while to design. The best way to overcome this, are stickers that are custom, as they improve the branding without changing the way that the box looks, and they’re simple, but effective. This is great for when you want to use holiday packaging and other means.

Go Green

Green initiatives are something that you should work on. This is one of the best and easiest ways to change the packaging. Giving them tips on how to dispose of this in ways that are environmentally friendly shows that you care about the planet, and you can even include this on your website.

You can change the designs that are on there to signs that are green, and you should make sure to incorporate these too.

The small changes that are there offer a major impact on the packaging that’s otherwise not really different from others. Change your packaging just a little bit, and you’ll notice that this creates a magical packaging that customers will love and want to buy once again.

The Costs of Packaging

When you’re looking to budget out your packaging, you should also look at the options that you have. Custom packaging is something that’s become super popular, but that doesn’t mean that it has to completely destroy your wallet.

It’s important to make sure that this is part of the costs of your product. With about 10-40% of the price of packaging being what people spend on this, it can definitely cost a lot. Here are some factors that you may want to consider when you’re choosing packaging, and how you can prevent this from totally wrecking your budget down the road.

Fixed Vs. Varied Costs

Fixed costs are going to be what the manufacturer will charge no matter how much you’re going to be printing.

These include:

The setup of the machinery
The printing plate costs for flexo and litho printing
The mound costs for foil stamping, die cutting, embossing, and other types of means
The costs for renting if you don’t have the equipment

This ratio is usually based on the units that are produced, based on the type of options and the volume that’s there.

Now the varied costs include those that change over a period of time. larger volumes tend to have a larger cost of variation.

These costs include:

The costs of the materials
The production wages for those making it.
The lamination and ink.
The shipping costs

The costs that are fixed and the costs that are varied are what come together to make the packaging.

While there are simplistic ways that come with this, most of the time, fixed costs can definitely make up a lot of the costs, especially if you don’t have too much variation.

Scaling Economies

Have you ever noticed that suppliers give you prices that are lower when you have more items, and a lower volume means a higher cost. This is because of the scale economy that goes with this.

The scale reduces the costs of this, since the fixed cost is spread through more and more units that are there.

So let’s say that you are going to have 100 different units printed. Maybe your cost is $1 for every unit. But let’s say you 10X that, and then, it’s 1000 units. This will then cost about 10 cents for every single one.

If you ignore the variable costs, you will see that the 1000 units does mean that it costs lower.

Now, let’s say that we take this, and you also factor in the variable costs too, which may still be the same, but the fixed cost is lower, as it’s spread out.

While it may seem a little bit textbook, the variable costs do change, as the more production means that it’s more efficient. Yes, you’re saving money if you purchase more.

This also allows for your brand to use the cost that’s reduced into other types of functions, or even step this up, with the way that the printing is included, or the other packaging materials that offer a competitive advantage for the business.

There is also the factor of the returns that are there, which means that when you increase the volume within the short run, it gets the optimal capacity. Before this, it meant smaller price increases. However, when it’s done optimally, it starts to even out.

This is helpful for you to learn, because it can play a major part in the packaging that you put together, the state of your packaging needs, and also lets you get a full feel for the type of result that you want to get from this.

What Paperbubble Is

Papabubble is a new type of material that’s become super popular around the world, especially in the realm of packaging. For many, this has a wealth of advantages that other kinds of packaging does not simply have. It’s also a great alternative to those that are plastic based as well.

Comping it To Bubble Wrap

Initially when you look at these, they look almost the same. There is a reason for this. They both include materials which are layered together on this to protect and transport this. But what’s different about them, is what’s within.

Paper Bubble is made directly from paper that’s recycled, and it utilizes a design that’s a honeycomb style, and it’s a bit flatter than the plastic type of wrapping. This can be used in a lot of situations where regular bubble wrap is not going to cut it.

The Usage of Paper Bubble

The usage of this is pretty similar to regular bubble wrap. The main function is basically ensuring that the items which are valuable get some good cushioning. This is great for anything that’s fragile, including chinaware, any glass items, and anything that needs to be handled with care, as it may be broken and damaged by being too rough with them.

This is actually really good for these items because it basically can do the same thing that normal bubble wrap does, but it’s more eco friendly.

It also works well as void fill, so if you’re looking to wrap and actually protect items, this is the best way for you to do it.

The Benefits

Paper Bubble is something that actually has a ton of advantages that normal bubble wrap doesn’t give it.

This is great for those who are looking to improve their ability to use their business to their advantage, and for a lot of people, especially those that are choosing to utilize different packaging products, this has a ton of great benefits that can help you.

First and foremost, it’s actually way more eco friendly. The problem with bubble wrap is well, it’s not very eco friendly.

This is natural, you can recycle this again and again, and it can reduce the consumption of plastic. If you as a company are looking to be greener, this is the best type of packaging to use.

It’s also quite compact and small. It can store and handle easily. It’s much smaller than bubble wrap too, so it’s easier to use and then set up.

Once you’ve interlocked it all together, it also doesn’t stick the same way that regular bubble wrap tends to do. That means, you can actually stack this in ways that allow you to use a lot of it, without the drawbacks of such either.

Probably one of the best additives that this has, is the interlocking functions, which is great if you want to connect this together. It doesn’t require adhesives either, so you’re not only saving lots of money on the costs of these adhesives, but you’re also saving time too. You just have to push these together and you’re good to go! This is also ideal too for anything that has an oblong or weird shape, as it can be quite easy to work with.

For a lot of people, Papabubble is the way to get the green alternatives to bubble wrap that are out there. It’s basically the same as bubble wrap, but without the detrimental effects to the environment that it has, so it’s one of the best types of things to use when you’re sending out packages and need something that’ll hold its weight as well.

Why Get Packaging Now

If you’re looking to figure out whether or not buying packaging is good to do right now, the short answer is yes. This is something that should’ve been purchased otherwise. While it may seem lie you can’t, cause you can’t turn back time, but buying packaging at the last minute is not something that’s encouraged by many.

This isn’t just a bad idea, it’s a costly one, as this is one that causes a ton of headaches that you don’t want. Plus, if you’re struggling to get things sent out, the last thing you want is some packaging to not be there. We’ll go over why this is important now, and also the best ways to buy in our current world.

Why buy it Now?

If you’ve been living under a rock, you probably haven’t heard of the supply chain and labor shortages. But for most of us, we know about all the shortages, the conflict that is happening internationally, and a sea of other issues. The packaging that you need for the future should be grabbed today.

This is something that may seem like a bold claim, or just a cheesy marketing tactic, but that isn’t the case. You should get the packaging that you need for the future today, up to about 12 months or so.

The reason for This

The pandemic, the war with Ukraine, and other black swan events have been causing a lot of problems with the materials and machinery that is needed. In many cases, the supplies and equipment that you need have a ton of lead times which can impact when you get it. That’s why, you need to buy the materials that you need today, and this is something that prevents it from getting off weeks, even months too late. So what are the factors that are causing all of this.

The availability of packaging and the materials for packaging are important. This is one that’s become a major snafu due to the major material shortages, and right now, the current machinery has practically no availability. The demand for this is starting to increase, but if you get the future purchases done now, you can avoid paying the premium prices down the road.

How do you know what’s availible though? Well, talking to someone to help you with this can help you find alternatives if there is nothing, or where to buy the actual packaging that you may need.

The second thing is the lead times. While the materials and machinery may have lead times that seem normal, some items are so out of stock that it can take up to 13 months to get these. But if you talk to someone to help you find the right packaging that you need, you can get the best packaging based off the lead times and the feedback that’s there to ensure when you’re ready for this. Ignoring this does impact the ability to get items when you absolutely need them.

Before Buying

With that of course, you should also make sure to ask questions about the machinery used for packaging and get all of the information that you need right away to make the purchase possible.

Plenty of people benefit from this, and there are a lot of great ways to find packaging ahead of time. lots of times, the right packaging is there, you just have to go and look for it. With that said, if you think that there is a chance that something is going to be out of stock, then you should make sure to get it to them sooner than later.

Using Tamper Evident Packaging

If you want to improve the security along with the shelf life of a package, then tamper-evident packaging is the best option. Product security along with protection are super important, and since more and more counterfeit are impacting the world, you want packaging that protects your goods. Not to mention, the shelf life is also a big part of it, and tamper evident packaging is great for improving the shelf life, security, and even the safety of this.

How this improves shelf life

Some of these tamper evident packaging, including flexile films, will drastically improve the shelf life of an item, and it includes lidding films, and also modified atmosphere packaging as well.

Along with this, there are a lot of benefits that come with this. If the product is sold based on weight, including produce and the like, this also helps with improving the revenue, since the weight will not change this. This of course, helps to retain moisture and freshness.

There are tons of benefits for improving the shelf life, so you’re not sitting here having to replace everything.

Product Security

If you’re someone who is worried about others coming in and ruining your packaging, you’re not alone. I mean think about it, there are people who have opened up tubs, licked it, and then put it back. Super gross right?

Well, tamper evident packaging is a great way to show when something has been messed with, in the most obvious manner.

The most common ways to improve this include the following:

Shrink film
Seal bands
Sealing tape that shows a mark when it gets taken off.
Overwrap that’s hard to put back
Flex pouches
Lidding films

There are tons of great ways to protect it, and for customers that see this on their packaging, they’ll know something has been compromised, which is great for prevention of the product getting messed up.

If you are worried about the possibility of the product being compromised, then try to create tamper-evident packaging that works well, and also is something that is perfect for the person to use so that they can keep their items safe and secure.

More abut this

Tamper evident packaging is one of the best packaging things that you can add, and it offers a ton of benefits to the materials used to package stuff.

What are some of the different kinds of materials through? How can it benefit the people?

Well, it can help in a lot of ways. Providing the best and most secure packaging to the people who buy your product is important, and it’ something that, if you use a lot of packaging that involves you possibly having the freshness compromised, this saves you money.

In our world with items getting more and more expensive, having the proper packaging to help and assist with this is very important. Lots of people struggle with putting together the right packaging means that’ll help them, and luckily, with this, you’ll definitely get the proper protection that your packaging needs.

Tamper evident packaging also doesn’t look unseemly or ugly either. It can be used as a first lay er for packaging, since it can close it, and then the overwrap of this is something that also is really good for a lot of people that are looking to improve their packaging abilities.

For a lot of people, tamper evident packaging isn’t just a suggestion for their business, it’s vital, and we went over why in the world that is here and why it can be good for freshness, and for protection.