Are you entering the world of product packaging? If so, there are many items to consider and educate yourself on. One of the essential things to consider during this time is choosing the right type of packaging materials. When you are looking to package a product, you need to decide which type of material you want to use. But, what material should you choose? Plastic, metal, cardboard, paperboard, foil, shrink film, bio-plastics, boxes, clamshells, or something else? Once you have explored your options, you can choose the best material(s) for your packaging needs. But, you need to understand which supplies are appropriate for your applications. Industrial Packaging has been selling, running, and consulting on packaging materials for generations. We know the entire realm of packaging materials inside and out. This article will show you some of the packaging materials currently available. We will help you understand each option. Then, you can make an educated decision on which material is suitable for your products. We're going to dive into several different types of packaging materials below. Each section will detail what the packaging material is made of and when it's best to use. Each type of material is linked to a more in-depth article. These articles will offer a deeper exploration of that particular type of material.

If you have been tasked with buying shrink film for your company, chances are, you have noticed that prices for many films and plastic packaging materials have been slowly creeping up since at least September of last year. You may have also noticed that any resin-based plastic packaging supplies are also increasing in price as time goes on. You are probably wondering, what is the cause of these price increases? When can we expect them to stop? Should I stock up on supplies now to save money in the long run? These are but a few of the questions we have been getting from our customers, and we expect to continue receiving such inquiries. To provide some knowledge and peace of mind, we have put this article together to help you better understand what is going on. It is Industrial Packaging's stance that being open and forthright with this information is necessary because it impacts our customers. We believe that we have a requirement to be upfront with any type of news like this in order to maintain the trust we've built with our customers. With the rise of global supply chain disruptions due to customer demand, the plastic resin market is preparing for multiple cost increases as we head into March. Additional price increases for various resin-based plastic packaging supplies are expected to occur over the next few months. This article will provide some insight into the events that have led to these materials' increased prices.

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.

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.

Various trends in the realm of packaging are expected to be hot-button topics in the new year. One of these topics is sustainable, recyclable, and environmentally friendly packaging materials. There has been a growing demand from consumers worldwide for companies to seriously consider the shift from single-use plastics to what many consider to be more environmentally friendly materials. But, as many consumers are slowly finding out, what is actually "environmentally friendly" and what is not can often be confused. This is the result of various forms of green-washing and carefully crafted corporate marketing materials. So, how do you know this article itself is not in fact a green-washing attempt? Well, for one thing, we are going to show you how compostable packaging materials can be properly implemented. We will show you how they can be earth-friendly alternatives while also providing other sustainable packaging options for those you who are unable compost properly. In the end, you can decide for yourself. One of these future potential packaging materials is compostable items such as biodegradable shrink films, biodegradable flexible pouches, and various other types of bio-plastic materials, which are often made at least in part, from plants. This article will help you identify when compostable packaging materials may make sense for you and those situations in which traditional packaging materials are the more environmentally-friendly choice.

We get calls all the time from people who tell us they can’t get their product to come out the way they want it to on their packaging machinery. We hear and understand the frustration when your final product does not look anything like what you thought it would look like. That being said, I’m happy to help anyone who is having a problem, it’s what I do, and I enjoy solving problems. And so, I often find myself consulting customers and trying to help them with their packaging machinery and materials problems. But, then I realized that sometimes when people do online research, they might not fully understand how different machines and materials will react to their products. When I hear someone say: "I purchased a machine from here", another machine from there, and my materials from yet another supplier", my mind starts spinning with all kinds of questions and concerns. For example, we provide technical service for many of our clients. One day, we got a call about a machine purchased overseas that the customer could not get started. The machine did not have a manual, so we had to send away for it. When it came in, our tech started going through all the steps only to find out one of the boards was bad. The time spent on calls and waiting for parts to come from overseas was so frustrating for the customer. Not only that, but the expense to have us come out several times to make repairs on a machine that was purchased online was very costly. While the machine they bought online was less expensive than one bought in the states, it was now costing them almost as much. When ordering online, there is more thought that needs to be given to what your expectations are which include, your desired outcome and the capabilities of each aspect of your process when everything is in place. Having worked at Industrial Packaging and by extension, within the packaging industry for over twenty years, I have come to realize that many consumers often make mistakes when buying machinery and materials on-line and then trying to make adjustments themselves. In this article, I will break down some common issues and help you to better understand how to execute the packaging design you have inside your head. You will be able to translate that idea into a reality with the information presented below.