So you have decided to buy some packaging machinery. You have done your homework and sent out an RFP to at least three vendors. You have reviewed each of the proposals, met with a representative from each vendor, and negotiated with them. You’re finally at the point where you have chosen a vendor to buy from. You have the exact make and models that you want and have the additional options for each piece of machinery chosen. You are ready to cut a check or finance the equipment. So, you are now prepared to take the plunge and buy the machinery, plan your installation days, and move forward with the closing of the sale, right? Wrong. While you’ve done a monumental amount of work to get to this point and applied your due diligence, there is one thing that you are lacking. What exactly is this one item you have failed to consider as you stand on the precipice of this significant purchase for your company? Questions. Questions, that when answered correctly, could very well save you thousands of dollars and, in some cases, perhaps more. Industrial Packaging has been helping countless clients for decades in the process of not only buying the right packaging machinery and materials for their needs today, but also those needs of the future. A future that all too often comes with unexpected events, complex product changes, black swan events, and a host of other often unforeseen changes and challenges. This article will help you identify a list of questions that are often not even considered until it is too late. With this information added to your research, you will be fully and thoroughly prepared to make the correct buying decision. One of which will ensure your ability to evolve with the changes that the future will almost certainly bring.

There have been many industries hit hard by the pandemic. "Non-essential" businesses of many kinds have had to shut down for weeks, sometimes months on end. And while various different types of businesses have taken a hit during 2020, the restaurant industry was hit particularly hard. Initially, many restaurants were completely shut down. Then various states began staged re-openings across the country. But restrictions and limitations were imposed on the already struggling restaurant industry as it attempted to regain some of the losses that they had accrued. Once back open, most eateries were limited to lower capacities based upon state laws. Even with re-opening opportunities, many dining institutions saw a dramatic decrease in attendance. And while this situation proved quite challenging for this section of the food industry, it was quite another story for others. For example, with many former patrons of restaurants choosing to stay home and cook rather than go out for a night on the town, many supermarkets experienced a massive boost to normal business. Necessities such as food and toiletries in particular flew off store shelves at a rapid pace. And while pre-made or serve-yourself items such as hot-food or salad bars were shut down, pre-packaged foods, particularly frozen foods, ultimately saw a huge boost in sales. This resulted in many supermarkets having to stock up more than usual in an effort to meet the demands of the supply chain. And the story was no different when the pandemic met HEB supermarkets. And while the HEB team was more than happy to work hard to meet the rising demand, they took notice of their fellow food industry professionals in the restaurant scene. And that is when HEB supermarkets stepped up to help out their fellow foodie friends and help them to make ends meet. In this article, we will explore this wonderful story about people helping people and how a kind gesture was able to help some restaurants to stay afloat while they battle COVID.

If your business has a packaging line or a shipping department, you probably go through a lot of stretch wrap (also known as stretch film). If you are starting a new business and are preparing to build out your packaging line and a shipping department, you will be using stretch film when you are up and running. One of the most common questions we get from start-up businesses, and even some seasoned veterans is, what is the difference between hand stretch film and machine stretch wrap? If you are using exclusively human labor for stretch wrapping, you will need to use hand stretch wrap. If, on the other hand, you want to automate or semi-automate the process, you will need to run some form of stretch wrapper, which requires machine stretch film. Industrial Packaging has helped thousands of clients identify the appropriate type of stretch film for their packaging and palletizing needs. This article will explore the differences between hand stretch film and machine stretch wrap (also called machine stretch film) and help you choose the right option for your packaging line and palletizing operations.

As the tumultuous and dare I say downright disruptive year of 2020 winds to a close, the packaging industry is looking at some very interesting trends as we head towards the new year. While there are some hot-button trends that remain from 2020 as we head into the first quarter of 2021 (such as sustainability and environmentally minded packaging materials), there are some huge new packaging opportunities that have come out of the pandemic. For example, the video game industry is experiencing a meteoric expansion of growth as gamers have spent more time at home playing video games and many new gamers are just beginning to experiment with the joy of gaming to pass the time while in quarantine or semi-mandated stay at home orders. More gaming = more opportunities for video game packaging applications. Then, we have the ever-growing expansion of eCommerce purchasing. Purchasing online was already steadily rising prior to the arrival of this pandemic. But it has only grown exponentially more than expected as a byproduct of the virus. Food packaging (particularly frozen food packaging) has also seen a massive growth spurt. More consumers are buying larger quantities of groceries either in person or via online driven delivery services. It’s a lot to keep up with. In this article, we will take a deep dive into the top packaging trends for 2021 so that you are set up to succeed in the new year.

On the day of installing a pallet wrapper in your warehouse, a lot is going on. Old machinery needs to be shut down, decommissioned, and removed from your warehouse. At the same time, the new equipment must be delivered, set-up, and installed. Having helped thousands of companies purchase and install new pallet wrappers, Industrial Packaging is able to ensure that even the most complicated installations go smoothly and without error. In this article, we will break down everything you should expect and be prepared for when the day of installation of your new pallet wrapper arrives.

Up until 2020, many supermarkets and other corporate entities were making it a point to phase out single-use plastics such as bags, cups, and straws. After the arrival of the corona virus, however, many of these institutions backpedaled on these decisions. They once again opted for single-use plastics as they had been proven to be safer options in the battle against COVID. Eventually, this pandemic will be over. And when that day comes, you can be sure that the environmental movement will be going full swing once again. We will likely see consumers once again demanding earth-friendly plastic alternatives to help protect the environment. Lately, we at Industrial Packaging have been getting questions about the various types of shrink films and their more environmentally friendly alternatives. Most recently, we received a rather interesting question from a prospect: Regarding shrink film, which is best for me? Recyclable OR Biodegradable? The honest answer to this question is, it depends! We will answer this questions based upon actual applications. This is case sensitive for each customer based upon their budget, their monthly volume of film used, and a few other different variables. In this article, we explore this question in-depth and help you understand which type of shrink film mentioned above is right for your unique packaging needs and business requirements.