Branding – Printed Boxes versus Printed Tape

Branding is everywhere.  Whether it’s found on trucks, city billboards, public benches, t-shirts, or even body art (yes, I actually saw a tattoo promoting a micro-brewery recently), it’s hard to look in any direction and not find company or product specific branding somewhere.  In the packaging world, the two most recognizable forms of branding are with printed boxes and printed tapes.  There are several obvious advantages and disadvantages of each choice. 

Advantages and Disadvantages of Printed Boxes

Boxes offer a large print surface.

The most obvious advantage to printed boxes is that you have plenty of space for which to communicate a company’s message.  A box, like all cubes, have six sides on which a company can use (ok, so one of those sides is the bottom of the box, but I’ve seen some creative ways that companies get folks to turn the box over to get the receivers attention) to communicate to the recipient everything from, what the features are of the contents are, to the history of the company providing those items inside.  There’s also plenty of room to introduce other products or services the company may provide, along with advising the recipient of care or maintenance instructions for the box’s contents.  With all the available space, companies have plenty of canvas to catch the recipient’s eye and convey a variety of messages to the end user.

The most notable disadvantages to printed boxes are with regards to initial set up costs, and inventory space.  The initial cost to set up the plates, and colored dyes used in repeated production, can be expensive.  To what extent all depends upon the number of sides on the box that will contain print, and the complexity of the text, symbols, and overall artwork involved.  That cost can range anywhere from a couple hundred dollars to a couple thousand dollars, depending on the intricacy of the artwork being applied to the box.  In addition to the set up costs, boxes take up a lot of valuable space.  Most plants will require, at a minimum, 1,000 boxes to run custom printed work.  Depending upon the size of the box, or boxes since’ one shoe doesn’t fit all’, this can take up anywhere from one to five pallet spaces in a facility, per size.  That’s a lot of real estate that many companies just don’t have to spare.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Printed Tape

On the positive side, printed tape addresses one of the larger drawbacks to printed boxes, and that is space.  A single case of printed 2” x 110 yards tape, 36 rolls in a case, can secure easily secure over 1,500 - 24” x 24” x 24” boxes.  That single case can be tucked away under a table somewhere without ever really taking up any other usable floor space at all.  Those 1,500 24 cube boxes (that’s what we call them in the packaging ‘biz’) would take up six pallet spaces.  Another advantage of printed tape is the security it provides.  Most shippers have access to clear carton sealing tape, and can easily re-seal an opened box, however with branded tape, your end users would know right away if one of the packages you sent them had been opened.  Security is paramount for many companies wanting to ensure that their products are

Printed tape takes up less space.

reaching their destinations in their entirety.  What better way to do that then with printed tapes sealing their precious cargo.

There are a few commonly accepted drawbacks to branding with tape over boxes however.  For starters, there isn’t much room on a 2”, or even 3”, tape to communicate a more than a simple company message, like company or product name, address, phone number, and/or company website.  So if a company wishes to communicate more to its end users than that, well printed tape may not be the ideal choice.  In addition to the space constraints for a company’s message, the initial investment can be expensive.  While the plates themselves can be produced for as little as $50 to $75 dollars, the cost per roll of printed tape can be five to six

times as expensive as clear, unbranded box sealing tape.  While ultimately dependent upon the complexity and quantity of boxes being utilized, as a general rule of thumb, on a per unit cost basis, the assembly of a branded box with unbranded tape is usually less expensive than that of an unbranded box with branded tape.

Regardless as to a company’s personal choice, using packaging products for branding is a wise decision.  To determine which option is the best fit for your company, just contact United Packaging Supply and one of our Packaging Analysts will help analyze your particular needs to help you make the best choice for your company.

Lower Gauges of Machine Stretch Wrap Might Be Worth a Look

Machine stretch wrap has changed over the years.

Today, machine stretch wrap tends to come in lower gauges, which are designed to replace the 60, 70, and 80g materials.

 There are often misconceptions about these lower gauged machine films (45g, 51g, 55g) not being able to perform as well as the heavier films.

However in most cases the “downgauged” film can offer the same or higher load containment, puncture, and pre-stretch, all while reducing costs.

 It might wise to explore the options available and see how much you can optimize your film usage by making the switch to a lower gauge machine stretch wrap!

Plastic Prices on the Rise

You may have recently been told that the price of your plastic products will be increased.

Prices for plastic products are expected to
rise by up to 10 percent in February 2013.

Why, you ask?

Well, according to Frank Esposito a senior reporter at Plastics News, the end user price increase is a ripple effect caused by outages at manufacturing plants in and along the Gulf Coast.

Planned and unplanned outages throughout 2012 led to a 200 million pound decrease in polypropylene and propylene monomer manufacturing.

The decrease in available product has created higher demand, leading to a scheduled price increase of up to 10 percent effective Feb. 1, 2013.

The bad news is, we can't do anything about the impending increase.

The worse news is, the February increase may not be the last that we see.

Many companies are trying to stock up on their plastic consumables, such as bags and stretch film, before the Feb. 1 increase.

While this is a good strategy for the short term, it will ultimately lead to even lower supply and higher demand – which will lead to even higher prices.

So what can a company do to bring costs down?

The best advice that we can offer is to contact your packaging specialist. Product specialists, like ones at United Packaging, can help your company evaluate the products your are currently using and help you create a plan to either:

• Change products
• Economize your usage of your existing products
• Eliminate unnecessary usage/products

For more information about polypropylene and propylene monomer products or the impending price increase, contact a United Packaging product specialist at 1-888-633-0700, by emailing: sales.dept@unitedpkg.com or visit www.UnitedPkg.com.

Sustainability as a Business Plan

Sustainability: of, relating to, or being a method
of harvesting or using a resource so that the resource
is not depleted or permanently damaged.

The word sustainability has become one of the most potent business buzz words of the 2000s.

As customers become more educated about (and concerned for) the environment, companies large and small are jumping on the sustainability bandwagon.

Large companies, like Nestle SA, have been implementing sustainability plans that not only reduce the use of virgin packaging materials, but also reduce energy consumption and promote recycling.

Nestle has been working on its plan for about 20 years and has managed to cut between 80 and 100 million pounds of packaging material from its production in that time, according to an recent article published by Packaging World.

In addition to their reduction of materials, Nestle also cuts energy consumption by creating energy efficient products. The company's popular Nespresso coffee machines are designed to automatically switch off after nine minutes of inactivity.

In the United Kingdom, Nestle trucks use liquefied natural gas or biomethane for transporting certain products, while full-electric trucks deliver ice cream and frozen food in Switzerland.

Smaller companies, like Evive Station, have built their company solely around the idea of waste reduction. (Currently found only on the West Virginia University campus, with new locations coming soon.)

According to an article published by RFID Journal, Evive Station provides customers with a low cost re-fillable water bottle that contains a small radio frequency identification device. Customers then take the Evive bottles to any Evive water kiosk and have the bottle automatically cleaned and refilled with filtered water, for free.

Evive Station water kiosk.

Evive Station earns revenue not by selling water, but instead by selling customized ads that are played on a screen embedded in the kiosk machine while it re-fills a customer's bottle.

So how do these companies turn ecologically friendly business practices into profit? 

The answer is simple, through education and exposure.

Even though Evive and Nestle are very different companies, in scale and product, they share a common practice. Both companies use their strides in sustainability as a direct sales pitch to potential customers.

Nestle touts the recyclability and material reduction of their product packaging right on the package for potential customers to see. Meanwhile, Evive has adopted the mantra “less is more,” meaning their system sends less waste to landfills while saving their customers more money (compared to purchasing bottled water).

Find out how you can raise your company's sustainability while reducing your costs by talking with a United Packaging Supply product specialist.  

Send United Packaging Your Pictures

Send us a picture of you or another employee using any United Packaging product and we'll publish your picture in a upcoming edition of our new monthly newsletter.

Send the picture, along with the employee's name, the product the employee is using and your company contact information. We'll publish the picture in our newsletter and include a link to your company's website.

Send pictures and information to:
Janine.Lynn@UnitedPkg.com

Packaging School Grows in Popularity

Rochester Institute of Technology in one several schools across
the county to offer a degree program in packaging.

Product containment is a multi-billion dollar industry, so it's no surprise that Universities across the country are introducing comprehensive Bachelor and Masters of Science degrees in packaging.

Packaging sciences programs do vary slightly from school to school, but one thing is the same across the board – this is a sci-tech and core-class heavy degree.

Universities urge potential students to take as many advanced math, chemistry, writing, speech and computer courses as possible at the high school level in order to prepare for the demands of the packaging degree program.

Rather than focusing mainly on scientific studies or mainly on communication/marketing studies, a packaging science degree demands students become masters of both fields of study.

The University of Wisconsin – Stout says “Industry's packaging problems are not only technical. They are also social and economical.”

Students wishing to earn their BS in Packaging are required take courses in data analysis, public speaking, physics, micro- and macro- economics, marketing, microbiology and many more. Not to mention the eight or more packaging specific courses that are required.

Students must also complete internships or co-ops in order to develop real world skills and professional contacts.

The course work is intense, and certainly not for everyone, but the rewards can be impressive. The University of Wisconsin – Stout touts a 100 percent placement rate for the 2010-2011 class, with a median starting salary of $53,000 per year.

Obviously, hiring companies are paying close attention to the trends and challenges in the packaging industry – and they are looking for well educated and qualified individuals to help them navigate the future.

Below is a list of just some of the schools offering a Bachelor or Masters of Science in Packaging:

University of Wisconsin – Stout
Michigan State
Clemson University
Rochester Institute of Technology
University of Florida
Indiana State
Rutgers University

Ecologically Friendly and Economically Sound

Switch to recycled or biodegradable packing peanuts.

Customers today expect more than ever from the companies that they do business with.

With the rise of the Internet, consumers have the power of the global economy at their finger tips.

Online ordering and overnight shipping has put bakers in New Jersey in competition with bakers as far away as California, while local corner stores must compete with foreign candy distributors.

In order to stand out and stay ahead, business owners in every industry have to monitor the newest trends in consumer purchasing and adjust their business practices accordingly.

Currently, the trend in consumer purchasing revolves around “going green.”

Joining The Green Movement

Going green is easier for some companies than it is for others. Fortunately, even small changes count for big points with customers.

Making the switch to recycled and/or biodegradable packaging materials can make a big impression on end customers. After all, your packaging is the face of your company inside your customer's home.

Green Packaging Products

There are several good options in green packaging, any of which will help your company stand out in the crowd.

• Recycled cardboard boxes and cartons. Use boxes and cartons that are already recycled and include a small note to your customers to encourage them to reuse or recycle the box or carton again.

• Cornstarch packing peanuts. These packing peanuts dissolve in water, are chemical free and naturally anti-static. Cornstarch peanuts are completely biodegradable and can be easily mixed in to a customer's yard or garden.

Ranpak kraft paper packaging.

• Recycled polystyrene packing peanuts. These peanuts are made from recycled polystyrene plastic and can be recycled again. Be sure to include a note to your customer letting them know to recycle the peanuts.

• Cellulose wadding. Instead of using packing peanuts, why not switch to wadding. Cellulose wadding is made from recycled cellulose fiber and is completely biodegradable.

• Kraft paper. Like the cellulose wadding, kraft paper is made from recycled materials and is completely biodegradable.

• Pallets. If you have larger shipping needs, why not switch to pallets made from recycled plastic. As an added bonus, the pallets are resistant to water and insect damage.

World Protective Packaging Report

Protective packaging, such as polystyrene
packing peanuts are projected to rise in
price over the next three years.

Modern Materials Handling reports that Cleveland-based market research firm The Freedonia Group, Inc. has released a report citing an expected 6.3 percent growth in the global demand for protective packaging through 2016.

The report, entitled "World Protective Packaging," outlines the excepted growth in demand for protective packaging (including polystyrene) in six different global regions, North America, Western Europe, Asia/Pacific, Central and South America, Eastern Europe and Africa/Mideast.

Global demand for protective packaging is expected to top $24 billion by 2016 with North American demand reaching $6.9 billion.

What this means to the end user

Well, as Alfred Marshall explained in his 1890 publication of "Principles of Economics," when demand for a product or service goes up - so does the price.

The increase in urbanization and Internet commerce in the coming years will, according to the study, drive the demand for both traditional polystyrene packaging and newer eco-friendly packaging products.

Preparing for cost increases

The old adage, "knowledge is power," still holds true. By understanding the market and planning ahead, business owners can help take the sting out of future cost increases.

Plan ahead for future costs by closely monitoring your packaging needs today and comparing them to your past needs. Take a look at the last three years. How did your needs change?

There is a good chance that you will have similar changes over the next three years. Armed with this knowledge, you can create a plan of action.

How to keep costs down

• Don't wait until you are low on or out of your packaging materials before you order more. If you wait until the last minute, you don't have any time to negotiate for a better deal.

• Buy in bulk. When you find a great deal on a product that you use a lot of, don't be afraid to buy double or triple your normal order. The upfront costs will be higher, but the long term savings will be worth it.

• Talk to your packaging supply salesperson. Since your salesperson is directly involved in the packaging business, he or she can help you look at your needs and develop a solid plan for the future.