The Flexible Packaging Blog

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

Blog Feature

The Business of Packaging

By: Nathan Dube
September 15th, 2022

EDITED 10/11/22: Rail union votes down Biden-backed railroad labor deal. National strike is back on the table for consideration. EDITED 9/15/22 8:16 AM: National Railroad Strike Averted! A pending railroad strike that was initially blocked by executive action from President Biden back in July, allowing for a sixty-day delay, may begin on Friday, 9/16/22. The strike, led by the two most essential unions in the railroad industry representing engineers and conductors, has been negotiating on behalf of over 100,000 railroad employees whose responsibilities essentially keep the railroads across the nation running. As of today, it does not appear that the union's negotiations are getting the response they want. This could lead to a national strike starting tomorrow morning. This could cause a rather precarious situation for a supply chain that has already been heavily beaten up by the COVID pandemic, trucker shortages and protests, and continued problems with container ships that sit unopened in ports around the globe to this day. At the moment, there is no guarantee that the strike will move forward but based on current tensions felt by these railroad employees who say that staffing shortages and being on call at all times say that their work lives have become intolerable. The main question everyone is asking themselves at this point is, should the railroad strike occur, what will the repercussions be for an already burdened supply chain? And, in what ways can these events be dealt with to prevent further decline in the availability of various items such as automobiles, consumer goods, and other products threatened by the strike? While only time will tell, in the article below, we will dive deeper into the strike and provide information on what could happen if they proceed and what is being done by elected officials to negate potential problems.

Blog Feature

By: Nathan Dube
September 13th, 2022

Before you buy any packaging machinery, one of the most important items of consideration to get squared away in advance of an installation is predictive maintenance and preventive maintenance. Predictive and preventive maintenance are fundamental dynamics required to keep machinery on your packaging lines running at peak performance. Failure to implement regular predictive and preventive maintenance protocols for your packaging equipment will likely lead to costly downtime, expensive repairs, broken devices, and lost time, money, and labor. Properly implemented preventive maintenance (PM) helps ensure that your packaging machinery can meet and exceed KPIs. Regular preventive maintenance will allow you to stay running better, faster, and longer than your competitors who do not have a regularly scheduled PM program in place. Meanwhile, predictive maintenance will allow you to identify a potential problem so that you can monitor it closely. This would be especially true for roller bearings, bushings, motors, and shafts. The predictive model will point to a potential issue, but you may not always want to replace a part if it's not in a late stage of wear. A combination of predictive and preventive maintenance translates to the least amount of downtime possible while ensuring that your packaging machinery performs at a level that may rival the best packaging lines in the industry. But, what is the difference between preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance? Why is it essential to ensure both are correctly implemented for all of your packaging equipment? What does each type of packaging machinery maintenance entail, and how do they work together to keep your packaging line running in tip-top shape? This article will explain the difference between predictive and preventive maintenance while providing insights into why these are two of the most critical elements of a properly run professional-grade packaging line.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Shipping Protection

By: Nathan Dube
September 8th, 2022

Are you looking to reduce your costs for machine stretch film? If so, switching to steelflex nano stretch film may be the right solution for you. As inflation continues to be a problem while the global supply chain disruptions and the war in Ukraine push prices for practically everything upward, many companies are looking for new ways to cut costs. When it comes to packaging, many businesses are looking for ways to save money on the packaging materials they buy. Many people are trying new packaging supplies, using less material, and downgauging their flexible packaging films. And the same tactics are being employed by countless companies in relation to their stretch film applications. Thousands of businesses realize reduced stretch film costs by switching to a lower gauge of stretch film. And while downgauging is one way to reduce your stretch film costs, new material formulations are paving the way for even better cost reductions. If you are looking to source the thinnest machine film possible while cutting costs and maintaining the best load containment and strength available today, steelflex nano stretch film is a stretch wrap that you will want to consider implementing in your business. Today, we will explore steelflex nano stretch film, explain what it is, review the benefits of switching to this material and go over the other features of the film.

Blog Feature

Equipment | Investment

By: Nathan Dube
September 6th, 2022

Did you know that if you buy packaging machinery before the end of the year, you could get a huge tax break on that purchase? If not, you do now. But, if you want to get that tax break, you are going to want to purchase your equipment as soon as possible. While you may think that is very bold of us and a bit salesy, that is not the case. You will want to purchase packaging machinery today to get this significant tax break on your purchase because lead times for many types of packaging machinery are eight weeks or more in many cases. Waiting a month or two to make a purchase may put you in the sorry position of missing out on these significant tax incentives. And, if that were to happen, chances are, you do not want to be the person responsible for missing out on such an ample opportunity for your company. But what are these incentives exactly? How do they work? Do you qualify for these tax write-offs? And what are the exact benefits that we are talking about here? This article will answer all your questions about these fantastic tax breaks so you can complete your packaging machinery purchase before they are no longer available.

Blog Feature

Equipment | Packaging Materials | Plant Performance | Investment

By: David Roberge
September 1st, 2022

Have you considered upgrading from hand-wrapping your pallets to using a semi-automatic stretch wrapper? If you have, chances are, now is the time to upgrade. There are various reasons why upgrading to a semi-automatic stretch wrapper is a good idea. From cost savings to reducing labor, the are various benefits to switching to a wrapper from hand wrapping your pallets. But is buying a semi-automatic stretch wrapper the right decision for your business? What are the other benefits of upgrading? And where can you buy a semi-automatic stretch wrapper? Don't worry; with the information in this article, you can decide if upgrading to a semi-automatic stretch wrapper is the right choice for your business.

Blog Feature

Packaging Materials | Environment

By: Nathan Dube
August 30th, 2022

Suppose you are looking for a way for your business to go green. In that case, Steelflex bio biodegradable stretch film may be a perfect fit for your business. Today, countless companies are on a mission to become more sustainable. From fortune 500 companies to small mom-and-pop businesses, sustainability is on the minds of everyone. And one way that companies can become greener is by switching from traditional plastic stretch film to Steelflex Bio biodegradable stretch film. Steelflex Bio is an excellent way to start producing less of an impact on our planet. But is Steelflex Bio suitable for wrapping pallets of your products? Is Steelflex Bio as strong as a traditional stretch film? Is it as clear? Is it the right choice for your business and its sustainability goals? This article will answer all of these questions and more. After reading this piece, you will know if Steelflex Bio is the right sustainable stretch film option for your product palletizing and securing needs.