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April 11, 2024
Downtime: the archnemesis of uptime. When your packaging and shipping department experiences downtime, it can bring your entire operations to a screeching halt. This, in turn, results in prolonged deliveries, customer dissatisfaction, and a significant loss to your bottom line.
Packaging downtime is an unfortunate inevitability for any company. However, there are several ways you can minimize downtime so your business can perform at the optimum level. In this highly functional article, we will cover four ways you can keep packaging downtime at bay.
Practice Preventive Maintenance
A common phrase you’ll hear in health care is “prevention is better than cure”. The same principle applies to your company’s packaging operations: preventing downtime is a lot easier—and cheaper—than resolving it.
Like with any machinery, your packaging equipment can only run continuously for so long before they start to develop problems. And if you’ve got older equipment, they’ll develop their problems sooner than later. To combat this, schedule inspections on a weekly to monthly basis to examine the condition of your equipment.
Make sure you also set up comprehensive maintenance checklists so that each and every component of your equipment is verified to be in top working order. At the same time, make sure your maintenance team is given enough time to thoroughly check over the machines and provide detailed records of their maintenance checks.
Measure Optimum Output During Uptime
You may learn more from your failures than your successes, but your successes still provide some worthy insight into how your operations should function. When your packaging and shipping operations are running smoothly, develop some key performance indicators (KPIs) and take measurements on how things are performing.
When developing your KPIs, ask yourself the essential questions: how many packages or pallets are shipped out an hour, or a day? How long does it take for an item to go through the entire packaging department? Are there any areas or systems that can be improved to increase your output?
With a solid set of KPIs and careful measurement of your operations, you can determine what optimal output looks like so that when downtime strikes, you’ll notice it immediately and then determine the source of the downtime more easily.
Have Spare Parts Stocked Up
Even the best-made plans can go awry. Machine parts, especially those in constant motion, will wear down over time. These old and faulty parts will impair the machine’s performance, or worse, break it. When your parts are well past their prime, they need to be replaced.
A stockpile of spare parts can be a lifesaver in moments of downtime. Thankfully, most manufacturers of industrial equipment are more than willing to sell replacement parts for their machines. Just make sure you have the manual or reference guide with parts numbers at the ready so that you can request the right parts.
Plan Your Budget for Upgrades
Nothing lasts forever, especially not industrial machinery. When your packaging equipment reaches the end of its operational lifespan, it needs to be replaced. However, industrial equipment can be incredibly expensive and perhaps unfeasible if you cannot budget for it.
If maintenance discovers that a piece of equipment is on its way out during a routine maintenance inspection, or the equipment is getting close to the manufacturer’s recommended lifespan, plan early for expensive upgrades. At the beginning of the fiscal year, set aside a percentage of the yearly budget to go exclusively to upgrades and repairs.
A new piece of industrial equipment can be costly, but a critical failure will be costlier.
Cut Down Your Downtime
Life comes with three guarantees: death, taxes, and downtime. Even the world’s most successful businesses, like Amazon, Apple, and General Motors, will encounter packaging downtime that can stop operations in their tracks. The name of the game isn’t making sure you never have downtime—it’s keeping downtime to an absolute minimum.
Preventative maintenance and spare parts are crucial for addressing downtime in the heat of the moment. At the same time, taking measurements during uptime and planning for upgrades can go a long way toward staving off future downtime as much as possible. Your ability to handle downtime all comes down to how prepared you are for it.
For further reading on managing your packaging operations, be sure to check out our article on why you may need to improve your operations with a stretch wrap machine.
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January 29, 2019
Human consumers are the ones you target to sell your product to. As humans, we distinguish our thoughts and decisions through the five senses which have been observed by marketing specialists for years, in designing products, as well as product packaging. Let's focus on how triggering the human senses through packaging design can potentially drive them to purchasing your product.
SIGHT
Obviously, consumers notice the color, shape and text your product packaging displays and a visually distinct packaging makes you stand out from your competition. Here, make sure you do the exact opposite of what your competitors are doing. For example, if their package is loud with all sorts of pictures and text, follow a minimalistic approach while designing your package.
SMELL
Smell is an important aspect to consider as it is mostly overlooked. Remember that your consumers' package unboxing experience must be unique and this can be easily achieved by carefully choosing what materials go into the manufacturing of your packaging and how they are processed. You may also think of incorporating a good quality scent into your packaging as that enhances the olfactory experience of your consumers.
TOUCH
It is possible to interact with your consumers with your packaging. Consider incorporating pull-tabs, plush suede or pop-ups that would be truly a unique unboxing experience for the consumers. Such functional and interesting packaging would be worth sharing and you may stand out from your competitors while increasing the list of loyal customers.
SOUND
The auditory experience while unboxing your package is also an essential element. Don't be too noisy with your packaging as that would be really annoying. You can refine every sound your customer hears by appropriate selection of Packaging Materials. Select heavier materials that sound deep rather than the thinner ones that have a higher pitch as the sound quality relates to the perceived quality of your product as well as brand.
TASTE
The sense of taste is more related to the food packaging. All the above factors - sight, smell, touch and sound impact the perceived taste of your product. How you present the packaging, how it feels and smells, everything plays an important role in perceiving the taste of your food product.
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December 17, 2018
Modern packaging necessities lead manufacturers and other companies to consider thorough research when it comes to selecting a packaging materials supplier. Packaging is a complex area and you need the right players to hit the ball high.
Let us go through a checklist of things to be considered before making a choice.
- Selection of materials
First, you need to assess whether the supplier deals with the materials you would require for your product packaging. Also, an important thing you need to know is whether they always have the stock when you need it. Do they source the required material in definite quantities as requested?
Is your item seasonal?
Some items are sold in specific seasons. Your supplier must be able to cope up with your seasonal material needs.
- Pricing
Pricing should be judged on two parameters - quantity & quality of the packaging material in comparison with that of other competitions. Here you must be clever enough to analyze on a higher perspective like customer service and delivery times rather than only considering the numbers.
- Quality
Product quality is of utmost importance. Ensure that the packaging materials you use adhere to the established quality standards while serving the specific needs of consumers.
- Service
Is your packaging materials vendor able to serve you when you decide to downsize or plan an expansion? Assess the ability of the vendor of being flexible to serve your changing requirements.
- Delivery
Though many would recommend that you order enough stock for use when needed, the truth is, it increases your warehouse costs and may cause loss when items are damaged/ expired even before they could be used. Look for a packaging materials supplier with stellar delivery track record.
- Reports
All said and done, the paperwork matters. Clear, easy-to-read documents, reports and accurate invoices are a primary requisite when it comes to a professional business relationship.
- Sustainability
Environment friendliness is worth a check point when you approach a packaging materials vendor as it represents your company's corporate social responsibility.
COMMUNICATION MATTERS
The untold secret to finding the right business deal is clear - transparent communication. You must ask the right questions to be well-informed about your specific requirements. This would enable you select a vendor who is flexible enough to scale up to your expectations with time.
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November 19, 2018
Packaging manufactured products are important, and businesses look forward to using equipment that has the latest technology. To stay ahead of the competition and make a unique stand in the market, smart packaging of products is the ultimate solution. It requires a hefty investment and striking a balance between investing in smart packaging equipment and maintaining an optimum cashflow becomes a challenge.
Financing for your Packaging Supplies machinery is surely the best option. There are financing strategies available for smart packaging machinery which can be highly beneficial for companies to enhance their packaging methods while also preserving cash for the tough times.
Upgrade Now, There Is No Perfect Time
When thinking of installing a smart packaging system, it would be worth considering upgrading and expanding your production process. Even small modifications can make a large impact. Companies need to focus on finding an efficient way to reduce per second costs while upgrading themselves to advanced mechanisms as time is money in business. Producing a unit in two seconds while others do the same in three seconds would lead to increased marginal profits. Upgrading to newer and finer machineries would be worth investing in and strategic financing option would make it more comfortable as the burden of the large investment amount gets divided over several months or years. Hence, you do not have to wait for the perfect time when you have the necessary funds.
Look for Smart Financing Options
Technology is advancing at a faster pace than never before. The value of advanced machinery you purchase today would be obsolete soon and equipment is known to depreciate at faster rates. So, searching for options that offer financing with flexible terms is important. Smart financing helps big, as well as small companies, to improve their packaging equipment without tying up capital and allowing easy cash inflows and outflows. The cash, on the other hand, can be well spent on research, development and marketing that do not depreciate.
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October 29, 2018
'Packaging' - There is so much buzz around the word itself and there are various dimensions related to it that play an important role in the decision making of buyers. Supermarket shopping has brought convenience to the buyers and competition to the sellers. It is a challenging task to end up in a shopping cart at the supermarket, and the journey is not easy. However, the slightest slip up can cost you money and bring down the sales numbers.
Avoid these mistakes to increase the selling probability of your products:
- Lack of Package Testing
It is very disappointing to find a product damaged inside the packaging due to production error or simply by the environment the package is subjected to. Customers straight away decline purchasing anything from your brand if they come across a poor packaging or witness a damaged product within.
It is extremely important to test your product packaging after design and production for shipping durability, rough handling and tamper resistance.
- Outdated packaging
Never stay slow in the race. Keep an eye on your targeted customers' buying habits and also on what other competitors are doing to attract your loyal buyers. You may need to upgrade your packaging design and strategy frequently to keep users engaged with your brand. You must make sure to provide just what customers are looking for in your packaging - informed label, style, simplicity, usability and recyclability.
- Use of Manual Labor
Manual labor costs money. Automation can help you save enough time and money. Automating the product packaging can seem costly; however, it pays in the long run as you do not have to wait for hours to dispatch a lot of your product into packaging.
- Using the Wrong Shrink Film Specifications
The size and specifications of the Stretch Film you are using to wrap and hold items together also matters. Shrink film is by measured by gauge and width which means heavier and thicker films will cost more than the lighter ones. Lower film gauge can be used to provide the necessary protection by weighing less and reducing the production costs. In this case, you must ensure a perfect stretch wrap for binding your products together to avoid any damage or loss during transit.
- Skipping Preventive Maintenance
When business works well, it is easy to skip a proper maintenance plan. This ignorance can cost you money. A regular routine of preventive maintenance for your packaging machinery is a must. An overlooked minor issue can build up to be a major concern in the long run and then it may be too late. Your machine may break down any time and if you have a major consignment on target, it would be a costly affair.
- Choosing Wrong Packaging Materials
Select Packaging Materials that are in line for your product lines, as otherwise, you will simply lose your customer base. When talking about product packaging, there can be various pointers you may have to consider. Our aim is to help companies avoid packaging mishaps and boost sales!
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October 22, 2018
So, the auction is over and you're all set to ship your items. But do you know that a more important thing comes now? Packing and shipping your goods appropriately, in their original condition, is an important task as no one likes to get a damaged parcel. You see a huge assortment of items that are differently sized and shaped. To save you from packaging mishaps, here are a few take-aways for optimum packaging of auctioned goods.
Order Standard Size Boxes
Don't stack packing boxes in hundreds of numbers as you might end up wasting extra space while packing smaller items like watches and medals. Instead, order packs of 10 or 25 in different sizes so that you have the right size for right item.
Ensure Proper Protection
Bubbles, loose fill chips, tissue papers and what not... You must ensure to fill in so much material to protect your packaged item from shocks during transit. Bubble Wraps are a popular and cost-effective source for packaging delicate or fragile items.
Palletize Securely
Stretch Wraps are the ultimate solution to hold huge loads together while transporting in bundles. Whether it is furniture or any industrial item, stretch wrapping ensures no dust build-up and safe transportation with no tampering.
Label Accurately
Sophisticated labeling adds the required final touch to your products. Shipping Labels contain information that is necessary to intimate the users about the packed goods such as expiry dates, contents packed, price, etc.
With the above packaging materials, you will be readily equipped with what is required to ship the auctioned goods, but some awkward flats, talls and longs you may require special packaging boxes and shipping arrangements. It is not about selling your goods but more about how you interact with the receiver at every step of the selling process, including the packaging and shipping.
As many incidences speak of items mishandled during transit causing loss to both the parties, it is important to follow a proper packaging and shipping process.
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September 24, 2018
“Where do I put the recycling?” Tabitha asked Alan. She just started work at a warehouse, and she was keeping extra plastic scraps for a bin.
“Oh, we don’t have a bin. See that giant trash can—everything goes in there. I take it out once a week with one of the forklifts.” Feeling overly discouraged, Tabitha grabbed the excess stretch wrap and threw it into the trash bin. Plastics, cardboard, and scrap paper began to spill over the sides.
When companies are trying to push out product, recycling might seem like a waste of time. However, a couple small shifts within warehouse areas could reduce waste and help gain extra revenue. Check out steps companies can take to create better work atmospheres below.
1. Make Recycling A Daily Routine
Start with buying corrugated cardboard boxes that can be recycled further. Instead of throwing packaging leftovers in the trash, cut down old boxes and organize storage spaces within warehouse or office spaces.
Purchasing a recycling baler is a great option as well. A baler is designed to squish boxes into a compact form. These ‘bales’ of cardboard can be purchased and relocated to other areas. This saves companies time & storage space!
At the end of each day, crew members within warehouse areas can take 10 minutes to flatten boxes for the baler. Stretch wraps and other plastics can also have an allocated area.
According to Whitaker Brothers, a company that specializes in data destruction and recycling product, “Cardboard is going anywhere from $10.00-$70.00 per bale depending on your geographic location. At a pickup rate of 6 bales for pickup, you could earn anywhere from $60.00 to $420 per pickup.” That’s a good chunk of change for recycling!
2. Label Recycling Materials for Customers
Most buyers do not know how to recycle certain product. Adding a recycling “cheat sheet” to each package could become a valued practice over time. On this cheat sheet, provide specific instructions on how to recycle common materials.
For example, for a Kraft Bubble Mailer it might read: “Cut apart bubble liner from kraft paper. Recycle separately.” Customers now have essential information to pursue recycling further.
3. Educate Coworkers on Packaging Materials
When training new employees, make sure to mention your recycling habits and eco-friendly solutions. Teach all employees how to use balers to break down boxes and reduce waste. During the first week of training, managers might teach new staff members differences in packaging materials.
Smaller items can be shipped within Poly Bubble Mailers. These durable mailers have a bubble wrap lining to absorb shock during transit. Not to mention, Poly Bubble Mailers take up less space than currogated boxes. Buyers are not only saving on shipping costs, but they are using less material during transit. By using the right packaging products, companies are keeping excess waste out of landfills.
4. Create Minimial Packaging Design
Employees can also team up with marketing personel to design packaging that does not break the bank. Simplistic or elegant designs can draw in customers to purchase an item.
Overall, packaging becomes effective when you can convey a meaningful message. Individuals can often send a great message with minimal packaging while saving on the overall cost. The less packaging created—the less material ends up in trash containers.
5. Get Creative Packing Shipments
Minimal packaging does not mean unsafe. Most distribution sites have excess materials to line shipments. Plastic bags filled with air or bubble wraps prevent items from breakage. If your distribution center is attached to an office, consider using shredded scrap paper to line the inside of packages. Add a small note to the item that mentions the paper can be recycled for further use. Saving precious plastic from trash cans and landfills is a great choice overall.
6. Use Stretch Wrap for Larger Shipments
Stretch Wrap safeguards large shipments or pallets from damage during transit. After cutting open stretch films, notify employees to take take any plastic packaging or carboard tubing to the nearest recycling bin. Durable, stretch films from PackagingSuppliesByMail are completely recyclable.
We hope these small shifts in recycling create big waves over time. Our desire is that every corporation eventually makes recycling valued plastics and cardboard products a priority. Employers knowing that items are not being placed into landfills is worth the extra hassle.
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June 11, 2018
Packaging supplies by mail.com is a market leader in the field of industrial packaging materials and supplies and has deservingly gained a lot of trust in the wholesale packaging supplies market since 2009.
We strive hard to provide our customers with:
- Quality packaging material
- Wide variety of supplies
- Affordable pricing range in wholesale as well as retail sales
The wide range of inventory is designed in such a way that all packing supplies accessories and materials that customers may need should be available for sale in wholesale as well as retail quantities.
Even though fair pricing for all customers is the motto, certain restrictions and factors allow bulk pricing for pallet orders to be set lower than the market rates for retail sale. Larger orders directly mean that even with a lower profit margin, as compared to retail rates, manufacturers and resellers can gain solid profits. Also, large orders directly imply that expenses that will be incurred if the same amount of goods are sent to retail order customers will be saved, making it possible for the resellers to provide lowers prices for bulk orders without bearing any losses on their side.
The wide range of products that are available with PackagingSuppliesByMail.com's quality rich inventory includes:
- Color Machine Wrap
- Color Machine Tinted Wrap
- Hand Wrap Down Gauge
- Pre-Stretch Hand Wrap
- Pre-Stretch Color Hand Wrap
- Color Pipe Wrap
- Color Hand Wrap Tinted
- Machine Stretch Wrap
- Blown Hand Stretch Wrap
- Color Stretch Wrap
Gauges
- Narrow Banding Down Gauge
- Extended Core Down Gauge
- Pipe Wrap Down Gauge
- Down Gauge Hand Film
- Clear Packing Tape
- Tan/Brown Hot Melt Packing Tape
- Clear Hot Melt Packing Tape
- Economy Filament Tape
- Filament Tape
- Do Not Break Load Narrow Banding
- Tan/Brown Packing Tape
- Packing List Pouches
- Blue Painters Masking Tape
- Fragile Printed Tape
- White Stop Signed Printed Tape
- Direct Thermal Label Desktop Roll
- Masking Tape
- Gummed Tape
- Duct Tape
- Industrial Grade Filament Tape
- Specialty Stretch Wrap
- Coreless Stretch Wrap
- Cast Hand Stretch Wrap
- Economy Poly Mailers
- Medium Duty Poly Mailer
- Poly Mailers
- Poly Mailer Heavy Duty
- Vinyl Powder Free
The list may appear to be a long one, but it is just a tip of the iceberg when it comes to the stocked products we offer. PackagingSuppliesByMail.com provides the lowest bulk pricing for pallet orders, as well as for retail - smaller orders on all kinds of the best quality packaging supplies and accessories.
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January 29, 2018
The packaging of a product is influencing in today's customer buying decisions, and manufacturers are trending towards using packaging that they think seems attractive to those same buyers. The recent trend has shifted to the use of sustainable packaging designs that are environment-friendly. 'Green' packaging is becoming more and more popular, and people are becoming inclined towards contributing in the universal motive to protect Mother Earth from future contamination of huge amounts of wasted material.
Considering today's societal situation, complete sustainable packaging is near to improbable, but not impossible. If sustainability is considered a journey, the goal of reducing its overall environmental impact becomes more achievable. While stepping forward towards sustainable packaging, we cannot overlook the obvious utility of packaging. It must fulfill its primary functions of enticing customers, protecting products, and facilitating convenient consumption, otherwise, the energy consumed in manufacturing of the product is lost.
Here are a few tips to re-consider while opting for sustainable packaging design:
- Understand the life-cycle approach of packaging materials through Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) to know the environmental impacts of different packaging options.
- Evaluate each component of your package and re-think about possible changes that can be made by using less material without compromising on product integrity and usability.
- Consider alternatives for distribution packaging that reduces waste at the retailer level by creating bundles, pallets, multi-packs, and shelf-ready packaging. Using stretch wrap machines also helps in sustainable wrapping of products.
- Look for opportunities where reusable packaging can be introduced especially in food packaging.
- Employ strategies to encourage product consumption as most of the packaging materials cannot be recycled only due to left-overs sticking back to the packages.
- Choose packaging material suppliers carefully and confirm that they are equally healthy while manufacturing those materials.
- Evaluate your distribution system to reduce environmental impact wherever possible.
When thinking of sustainable packaging solution for your business, ensure that you deal with the right packaging material supplier who adheres to the strict norms and guidelines of the packaging industry. Visit www.packagingsuppliesbymail.com to browse through the selective variety of reliable packaging supplies at very economical prices.