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The Flexible Packaging Blog

Reviews, trends, and tips covering all things flexible packaging to protect your products and your bottom line.

David Roberge

I am grateful for my 9 years as part of the outstanding Industrial Packaging team. I was able to hang out with some of the most knowledgeable folks in the packaging industry. I feel even luckier that I was able to share that knowledge with you. I love learning, hiking, and growing people and teams both personally and professionally, and helping companies grow better.

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Packaging Materials | The Business of Packaging

By: David Roberge
January 12th, 2023

Protection is probably the most crucial element of our purpose: "protecting people, products, and brands throughout the supply chain." Safety is a hot button topic around here and we consider it as having the utmost importance for the success of our business, our customer's companies and our employees. When it comes to product security, the protection of your product with our packaging is of extreme importance. The NASP has reported that more than 13 billion dollars worth of consumer goods are stolen yearly from stores and other retailers. However, this is only one reason why product security is so important. But how do you keep your products safe? How can you improve your product security? This article will review a few ways to improve your product security with packaging.

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Packaging Materials | Environment | The Business of Packaging | Investment | Packaging Design | Food Packaging | Packaging Psychology

By: David Roberge
December 15th, 2022

A brand’s commitment to adopting environmentally conscious practices has become increasingly important to today’s consumers. As more people recognize the need for environmental awareness, shoppers prefer companies that take steps to reduce their environmental impact and ecological footprint. So, where does sustainable labeling fit into the mix, and how can it help boost trust in your product? In this article, we will explain why sustainable labeling is such an essential part of your labeling process in a world where ever more people are demanding their favorite brands "go green."

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Equipment | Packaging Materials | Environment | The Business of Packaging | Technical Service and Support

By: David Roberge
November 3rd, 2022

One of the most frustrating elements of product packaging is repackaging. When a slew of your products has defective or wrongly applied packaging materials, this often results in hundreds of packages needing to be repackaged. And while many packaging suppliers like repackaging as it results in new material sales, we here at Industrial Packaging would prefer that you don't have to repackage your products. We want to see you save money, not lose it! Repackaging products will cost your company extra time, money, and labor. As such, many companies prefer to avoid repackaging, and we cannot blame them for that. However, many companies do not even consider repackaging a big deal. Often, repackaging a collection of products only costs a few hundred dollars. But, a few hundred dollars here, another hundred dollars there, and suddenly the total cost of repackaging your products increases quickly. Over the course of a year, continually repackaging products can result in thousands of dollars lost. Gone unchecked, repackaging can be a very costly aspect of your business. So, you must understand the true cost of repackaging and do everything in your power to ensure that you do not have to repackage your products often. Doing so will save your company many person-hours, money, and time. This article will explore the actual costs associated with repackaging and help you to understand why you need to be aware of these items.

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Packaging Materials | The Business of Packaging

By: David Roberge
October 20th, 2022

When running shrink packaging on your packaging line, it can be very easy not to notice minor problems that are costing you money. However, there are various metrics of your shrink packaging that, if adjusted, can result in significant cost savings. And while it is easy to miss these minor details, failure to analyze each of these metrics of your shrink packaging could cost you a lot of money in the long run. At first glance, the cost may not seem like much, but day after day, these minor metrics can add up to a large sum of money. Now, it is easy to miss or even ignore these items. But what if you heard a noise every time your current shrink packaging metrics cost you a few cents? Would you take notice and make the appropriate changes to your shrink packaging, then? In this article, we will provide you with a metaphorical situation that will help you understand why these seemingly minor metrics are essential and how you can adjust them to save your company some serious coin!

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Packaging Materials | Supply Chain Services/ Contract Packaging

By: David Roberge
October 13th, 2022

If you are looking for a way to sell more products and add more value for your customers, multi-packs and variety-packs may be right for you. When consumers go into a store to do their weekly shopping, they are not there just to grab a soda and a sandwich. They are there because they are stocking up on supplies for the next week or month. In this situation, consumers are often looking to buy multiple items of the same products. In this respect, consumers will have to grab a product, put it in their shopping cart, and repeat this process until they have enough items for their weekly or monthly shopping. Before the arrival of multi-packs and variety-packs, this took a lot more time and effort and made the shopping experience less enjoyable. The total cost of buying multiple single items is also more expensive, which is just adding insult to injury for the consumer. But, thanks to multi-packs and variety-packs, buying identical bulk products has become much easier for the consumer and more profitable for you as the seller. A customer can easily grab a multi-pack or variety pack, which is often made from bundling film, and place all of the items at once into their shopping cart. This allows the consumer to spend less time and money and improves the shopping experience. After reading this article, you will know if selling multi-packs and variety packs is right for your business. But what are the benefits of multi-packs and variety-packs for you? In this article, we will review these benefits.

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Packaging Materials

By: David Roberge
September 29th, 2022

Skin packaging is part of a family of packaging known as carded packaging. Carded packaging also includes other packaging supplies, including blister packaging and clamshells. But if you are reading this article, it is clear that you are here to learn more about skin packaging. Well, you have come to the right place! Skin packaging is a close relative of blister packaging; they are commonly confused by those new to carded packaging materials. Generally speaking, skin packs have two features. The transparent plastic film (usually either Surlyn or skin poly) and the backer, more commonly known as a skinboard (which sometimes is replaced by another layer of film, see photo below). For the most part, skin packaging has three main applications. In this article, we will review the top 3 applications for skin packs to help you identify if they are the right choice for your product packaging needs.