As a Brand Manager, Packaging Designer, or Production/Plant Manager, your primary focuses are safe and effective packaging as well as your bottom line. Packaging affects so many aspects of your product line, and with that, your business. Growth, revenue, and reducing costs can all be tied directly into the way you package and ship your products. So, while your industrial packaging products need to adhere to certain standards of quality and safety, how efficiently they are executed is just as important to your business.

When it comes to packaging your products, shrink wrap, aka shrink film, is often the ideal type of material for meeting quality and protection needs while remaining cost-effective. But, what is shrink wrap, and what is it that makes it so versatile for multiple packaging applications? How can you use it to your brand's advantage and make a positive impact to your total cost of packaging? Why is a packaging specialist important? I've broken up the answers to these questions below:

Deciding how you will package your product is one of the most important decisions to make in branding (or rebranding) your company. After all, few things can make or break a sale like presentation, and packaging is the most critical part of your product's presentation to your customers. Additionally, packaging must protect your product against damage, be cost-efficient, and properly advertise your brand. With so much riding on your product's packaging, here are the top three things you should consider before choosing a packaging design:

Environmentally friendly packaging design can give businesses a competitive advantage on the market. Eco-friendly business practices demonstrate compassion and awareness, which can be a persuasive factor in helping customers choose between you and the competition. In addition, companies who invest in green packaging also stand to save money in the form of shipping costs, material costs, and reduced waste. Studies by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) show that companies that actively seek out ways to make their operations more eco-friendly see their ROI increase by as much as 18% over companies not making these efforts.

Packaging is often the first impression customers have with a product. It is important to consider exactly what your packaging is saying about your product. Since the new year is traditionally a time for reinvention, here are some interesting packaging trends to consider for 2017.

This past October, Walmart held the Walmart Sustainability Summit and launched the new Walmart Sustainability Playbook. As a manufacturer of consumer goods, see how you can fall in line with the Walmart plan and how flexible packaging can provide you with increased sustainability in the year ahead and beyond, whether you are directly affected by Walmart or not.