The Flexible Packaging Blog

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

Nathan Dube

As the Digital Marketing Specialist at Industrial Packaging, I am honored to create content for such a phenomenal company and work with one of the greatest teams in the Packaging Industry. Whether creating a video, writing blog posts or generating other pieces of content and multimedia, I am always excited to help educate and inspire our prospects and clients to reach their highest potential in regards to their packaging processes and needs.

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Equipment | Plant Performance | Investment

By: Nathan Dube
February 18th, 2021

If you buy shrink packaging machinery or upgrade older equipment, your mind probably goes to one of two places. Shrink tunnels or sealers. Those are the two pieces of shrink packaging machinery that come to mind for most buyers. This is a common starting point when beginning the buying process for shrink packaging machinery. But, there is another important element to consider, conveyors. As for which type of conveyor is right for your packaging line, well, that all depends on various factors, the size, weight, and shape of your products will all play a part in determining this. The Industrial Packaging crew has been working with shrink packaging machinery for generations. Along the way, we have learned a lot about shrink machinery. And conveyors are no exception to the rule. This article will explore the different types of conveyors currently available. We will discuss the applications for this type of packaging equipment.

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Supply Chain Services/ Contract Packaging | Plant Performance | Fulfillment

By: Nathan Dube
February 16th, 2021

You are probably wondering, if Industrial Packaging is simply managing the supply chain and packaging line elements of our client's business, can't we do that anywhere in the country? Well, yes. We could do that. But, for us at Industrial Packaging, we think that it is best for us to deliver an excellent experience for a small amount of people versus a mediocre experience for a much larger audience. Another thing that was glaringly obvious to us about our geographical region was that there is about thirty billion dollars worth of contract packaging business going on in our own backyard. That is one very good reason to stick to servicing this area of the United States. But, it is not the only reason why we have chosen to stick to the Northeast. Providing our world-class packaging supplies and service to this area just makes sense. In this article, we aim to explain why we have limited ourselves to this geographical area. By reading this article, you should have a good idea if you are a good fit for Industrial Packaging as a contract packaging client or not.

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Supply Chain Services/ Contract Packaging | Fulfillment

By: Nathan Dube
February 1st, 2021

Perhaps you have found yourself in the position of having to find a solution for packaging your products. You have been doing research about setting up a packaging line. In addition to that, you are studying the many different types of packaging machinery and materials. You are also trying to calculate the cost of the labor required to do your packaging in-house. Maybe you are frustrated with the potential cost of all of these items. And to compound these issues, there is the thought of warehousing to consider. Can you fit all the required pieces of your packaging line and supply chain needs at your current location? If not, will your company be able to justify the purchase of a warehouse? And, even if you can, will the warehouse be large enough to fit all the machinery, laborers, and packaging materials in that space? Or, do your space requirements exceed that which you can afford? When mulling over all of these items, it becomes quite clear what a big responsibility and cost running a packaging line and managing your supply chain can be. If only there was some way to outsource all of this stuff! I mean, wouldn't it be great if you had a partner who could take all of this responsibility off of your plate and help you to finance the cost? Well, that is where a contract packaging company (also known as a co-packer) comes in! Handing your supply chain needs over to a contract packaging company takes much of the work off your plate. This allows you to focus on what your company does best, making your products and consistently optimizing them. With a co-packer like Industrial Packaging on your team, you end up with a partner for your business. One who can handle all aspects of your supply chain. By handing over your supply chain infrastructure to a contract packaging company, you ensure that your packaging line is being run properly. In this article, we will discuss what a contact packaging company is. We will also discuss the responsibilities that such a company can take off your plate.

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Equipment | Packaging Materials

By: Nathan Dube
January 28th, 2021

So, you are sitting at your desk. The final quotes from the potential vendors you have sent an RFP to are staring you in the face. One of them has the best price. One of them has superior service options. And yet another option has benefits the other two do not. You are expected to make a decision within the next few days. You have everything you need to proceed with a purchase. But, you are nervous. It's not because you are lacking any information that you need. You know in your heart which brand makes the most sense based on the quotes before you. The only problem is, you have not seen these machines run your product. You really don't know how your product will fare with any of this equipment. Sure, the video demonstrations all looked great. One of them even featured a product similar to yours. However, you still have not seen this process in action for your own products. And so, you wonder. Should you get a test run from these vendors? Do they even offer that as an option? I get it. I'd be stressed too. That being said, just relax. There is good news! Industrial Packaging can test your products on the type of machinery that you are buying. After that, you will know if your products are a good fit for this type of packaging or not. While we can't speak for the other vendors you are considering, we can promise you that Industrial Packaging can get your products tested on the type of machinery that you are buying. After that, you will know if your products are a good fit for this type of packaging machinery or not. In this article, we will discuss how to go about getting a test run of your products.

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Packaging Materials | Environment | Packaging Design

By: Nathan Dube
January 21st, 2021

Are you a seasoned veteran in packaging or a start-up getting ready to package your products? Either way, finding the appropriate packaging for your products, is essential. Today, there are thousands of packaging materials to choose from. You have rigid packaging, flexible packaging, and specialized options in between. There are countless packaging supplies to consider. You will likely have more than a few reasons for looking into using shrink film (also known as shrink wrap). There are many reasons why you would want to choose shrink wrap. Shrink wrap (which is different from stretch film) is commonly chosen over other materials. Industrial Packaging has sold hundreds of thousands of rolls of film. We’ve coached thousands of happy customers on how to select the right type of film. It may seem like a simple process to buy rolls of shrink wrap. But, there is a lot to consider before choosing shrink wrap as your packaging material. This article will help you understand why you would want to package your products in shrink film. First, we’ll dive into three primary considerations. These are things you need to be thinking about when it comes to using shrink wrap. Then, we’ll talk about the pros and cons and where it’s best to buy this material.

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Equipment | The Business of Packaging | Investment

By: Nathan Dube
January 19th, 2021

When you buy packaging machinery, it can be tempting to try and buy the machinery with the lowest price tag. But, this kind of practice can often lead to spending more money. How is this possible? Four words. Total cost of ownership. The TCO (or total cost of ownership) is the full price you pay for a piece of machinery. This price includes all the associated costs. For example, things like materials, parts, and labor all affect the total cost you’ll pay. A more affordable machine that has unforeseen extra costs can be more expensive in the end. Having helped many clients buy packaging machinery, Industrial packaging is uniquely situated to assist you in buying the right machine for your products and packaging line. In this article, we will teach you how to calculate the total cost of ownership so that you can compare these costs directly - versus just the sticker pricing. This will prepare you to make the best buying decision that you can.