Most customers don’t think twice about the packaging tape that’s used to seal their shipments. For a business, however, the type of tape you use can mean the difference between a professionally done packaging job and one that just barely passes as acceptable. Packaging tape has come a long way from its humble beginnings, and in fact the shipping industry has done a lot to aid in the development of tape across decades. For a shipping company or department, the type of tape you use is of the utmost importance since it can affect much more than just the look of your packages.
Durable Sealing
When it comes to any type of business these days, time is money. Packaging tape that you use should be able to get the job done in as little time as possible. Well-designed packaging tape is built with a few things in mind: durability, adhesive, width, thickness and color. That’s why, when looking at your choice of tapes, you should understand how all of these affect the overall efficiency of your packaging line and purchase tape that is durable enough for your work while = being able to seal quickly.
Types of Packaging Tape
There are a number of different types of tape available for use with packaging materials. These are:
Paper Tape
These tapes come as gum tape or water-activated tape, and are a reliable, cost-effective packaging tape alternative for businesses. Because of the way it sits on the box it is evident from a cursory examination whether the box has been tampered with or not. Unlike pressure sensitive adhesives, such as masking tape, water-activated tape penetrates the surface of the carton or parcel, which bonds the tape into the surface. In addition, it is also eco-friendly which is a bonus for a brand’s image.
Polyprogylene Tape (Poly Pro tape)
A common sight on the tops and bottoms of cartons, Poly Pro box sealing tape can easily be applied with automatic dispensers (making them ideal for high volume applications). Poly Pro tape usually utilizes automatic packing machinery to aid in getting the packaging tape on products in an efficient manner. These machines come in two types, uniform and random. The uniform carton sealers are used in factory packing plants while random sealers are used in distribution centers where the size of each box may be different.
What Works for Business?
In order to figure out what sort of packaging tape best suits your business, you’re going to have to consider your production volume first. High volume applications usually mean that you have to use a carton sealer in order to get any sort of efficiency out of your packaging tape. Smaller, low volume companies can get away with having a simple packing line using common paper tape. To better understand your options for packaging solutions, contact Hughes Enterprises today. We are dedicated to helping our customers understand what sort of packaging solution is best for them and why.