packaging solutions

Natural Foods Company Uses Automation to Deal with Holiday Surge

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For most people, the holidays mean spending time with family and friends, creating new memories and enjoying good cheer. For many e-commerce companies that deal with products that are most popular during the holidays, however, it can mean an enormous short-term surge in business volume. Figuring out an efficient way to deal with such a … Read more

Two minute changeovers? Now they are possible-see how

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Nothing kills production rates like a changeover. The line stops. The changes are made. The tests have to be done. Even if everything works correctly when the line re-starts, you’ve lost that time forever.  It would be nice to be able to stockpile product and avoid changeovers that way, but it’s a fat chance if … Read more

Small Packaging Means Big Honors for Staples

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The expression “Good things come in small packages” is holding true for the office supplies chain Staples. The company was recently awarded the Gold Sustainability top honor from the World Packaging Organization for its innovative program to customize the size of the packages it ships to its customers. The program, called Smart-Size Packaging, has resulted … Read more

New Product Facilitates External Shipping Case Coding

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A new product introduced by Videojet Technologies — a manufacturer of coding marking and printing products headquartered in Elk Grove Village, Illinois — promises to provide an integrated conveyor solution for marking the external surfaces of shipping containers, according to a company news release. The new product is a response to an increased need for … Read more

The Future of Packaging May Focus on These 10 Global Trends

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Packaging hasn’t changed all that much in the past 50 years, with cardboard and plastic playing a central role in packaging materials. But over the course of the next few decades, at least one expert says there could be radical changes ahead. During a recent presentation at the Material Handling and Logistics Conference, in Park City, Utah, … Read more

New Packaging Paper Can Interact with Customers’ Smart Phones

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Like something out of a science fiction movie, a new type of specialized paper used for product packaging now has the ability to interact with customers via their smart phones or tablets. The energized paper, called Powercoat, allows for the seamless integration of printed electronics and printed graphics, according to Jose-Anne d’Auvergne, brand manager for … Read more

Time Running Out on Tax Breaks on Packaging Machinery

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Two tax breaks benefit businessesThe clock is ticking on two new tax breaks that are scheduled to expire at the end of this year that benefit businesses that purchase packaging machinery and other capital equipment.

The tax breaks were extended or enhanced as part of the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 and went into effect on January 2. The revised tax laws allow companies that acquire new packaging equipment and other capital during 2013 the chance to substantially increase the value of their purchases.

With half the year now gone, there are only six months remaining to take advantage of these new tax breaks before they are scheduled to expire.

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Why You Should Consider Replacing Your Wood Pallets

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benefits of foam palletsWood has been used to make pallets for decades and there are still millions of wood pallets still being used in warehouses and in the supply chain worldwide. Yet if you have ever worked with wood pallets, you know their drawbacks: They are heavy, can splinter and often expose dangerous sharp nails when their boards become loose, among other problems. If you currently are using wood pallets for your materials handling needs, you might want to consider switching to pallets made from 100% recycled post-industrial recycled foam. They offer a number of advantages, including being moisture-proof, lightweight and nest-able to save space.

A Safer, More Affordable Solution

Heavy-duty structural foam pallets, on the other hand, offer a safer and more durable alternative to your pallet needs.  Their polystyrene foam core is coated with a high-impact polystyrene skin that can’t absorb water. They are food safe and universally approved to transport food products. Wood pallets, on the other hand, can pose serious bio-hazard risks because they are susceptible to bacterial and chemical contamination, including E.  coli and other food borne illnesses.

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