eco friendly void fill Tag

05 Apr 2011 Paper Based Packaging Is the Greenest Way to Lower Costs When Plastic Prices Are Soaring

Posted at 08:03h in Sustainable Products by Dennis Salazar
Globe Guard non-plastic mailing optionsA quick look at today’s headlines or the nearest gas pump confirms oil prices are on a steep rise, which ultimately impacts natural gas and plastic resin prices as well as everything we buy or use that contains plastic. Experts tell us there is no end in sight, so as we see plastic packaging going through the roof with some products experiencing multiple price increases in the last six months, it’s a great time to remind our readers that almost any plastic packaging solution has a paper-based alternative.
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25 Jan 2011 Globe Guard “Packaging 101” Lesson: Don’t Let Under Filled Boxes Create Overwhelming Problems (Part 2)

Posted at 08:01h in Inside Sustainable Packaging by Dennis Salazar
[caption id="attachment_2305" align="alignright" width="300" caption="A 3-POUND BRICK EASILY SEPARATES TAPE FROM A SEALED BOX."]3-lb. brick easily seperates tape from box[/caption] Now that we’ve covered what usually causes under filled boxes and what mistakes are made in an effort to solve the problem, let’s get into the solutions The #1 Most Common, Correct Solution Please note that the list of ineffective solutions for under filled boxes provided in part one of this post does not include the item that is most frequently the problem, which is the void fill product being used. Most packing operations have been using the same void fill and packing method for years, and in many cases it is the wrong material and/or it is incorrectly being used. New void fill products are constantly being created or improved, so what may have been the best and least expensive product just a few years ago is rarely still the best answer. Another common mistake people make in regard to void fill is focusing on the price rather than the cost. If the box is sized properly, the correct void fill is used and it is applied correctly, the void fill cost should decrease, not increase.
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20 Jan 2011 Globe Guard “Packaging 101” Lesson: Don’t Let Under Filled Boxes Create Overwhelming Problems (Part 1)

Posted at 08:14h in Inside Sustainable Packaging by Dennis Salazar
[caption id="attachment_2290" align="alignright" width="281" caption="LOOSE FILL SETTLES CREATING UNDER FILLED BOXES."]Loose fill settles creating underfilled boxes[/caption] This year our plan is to continue being one of the best sources for practical sustainable packaging information on the Internet. We have also decided to at least monthly provide basic solutions that can benefit packagers whether they are green minded or not. In other words, providing answers to the problems we most commonly encounter in the field. One of the most frequent problems I have seen over the course of a career measured in decades rather than years (boy do I suddenly feel old) is the classic problem of under filled boxes. What are the reasons boxes are under filled?
  • Using the wrong size (too big) box
  • Packers attempting to be economical with void fill or trying to avoid over stuffing
  • Packers rushing or simply not doing a good job (poorly trained)
  • Using the wrong void fill for the application
  • Product or void fill “settling” after the box is sealed. (This is a common problem with flowable loose fill products.)
  • Air escaping from the product after the box is filled. (Soft goods and paper products are great examples of this.)
  • Using the wrong box sealing tape
  • Applying the tape incorrectly
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16 Nov 2010 Green Packaging Solutions for Fast Rising Plastics Prices

Posted at 07:28h in Inside Sustainable Packaging by Dennis Salazar
A few months ago, we warned you that the corrugated industry was attempting to push through their third price increase of this calendar year. The market softened, and enough customers complained that the third increase planned for 2010 was “postponed indefinitely.” Now we have a similar situation developing on most plastic packaging products. The “Plastics Are Made From Foreign Oil” Myth According to industry experts, more than 70% of plastic packaging products are made of resin that is made from domestic, natural gas, and NOT from foreign oil as many believe. Having said that, a little surge in winter resin pricing is considered normal, but this has been a steady, year-long climb. What is happening here is not related to the seasonal fluctuations of the same natural gas product used for heating many of our businesses and homes during the winter. To the contrary, in 2010 we have seen several increases on almost every plastic packaging product with no price downturn at all. The several increases we have seen this year appear to be related to “high feedstock prices, strong resin exports and unplanned outages.”  Translated into simple English, much like the paper and other industries, there is too little raw/base material manufacturing competition, creating an environment where price can be controlled by a handful of very large corporations. There is nothing illegal or perhaps even unethical about that; it is basic business 101 – control the supply and you control the price.
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04 Jun 2009 Sustainable Packaging and the Magic Bullet

Posted at 05:50h in Sustainable Products by Dennis Salazar
People who are eager to find quick and simple solutions to some of our most complex sustainability problems are often disappointed when they hear me say there is no packaging magic bullet that satisfies all requirements, at all times, and on all products. In fact, I would go so far as to say that rarely does one product do everything that is necessary for a tough application. If there is a “universal solution” to our eco dilemma, it is probably multiple products and resources working together, each bringing something unique, different and green to the application. One Tough Green Packaging Application bad-axe-eco-friendly-packagingSay hello to Bad Axe Tool Works, a company with a neat name, interesting web site and a premier manufacturer of cutting tools for woodworking and other wood related activities like pruning and clearing trees. When we met them they were concerned with preventing damage during shipment and making sure their packaging was as green as possible. Considering the incredibly sharp nature of their products, it was definitely a challenge. One Great, Excellent Packaging Partner Adams Foam in Chicago makes a terrific product called Green Cell Foam. The product is made from non-GMO corn, and after use, it can be recycled, composted or simply dissolved in water. It is also surprisingly tough and able to stand up to rugged applications like the one that was developing at Bad Axe Tools Works. We had conversations with the nice people at Adams Foam but nothing brings packaging people together like a good, challenging application and Bad Axe did indeed bring us together. What it Took to Get the Job Done (See Photos Below)
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