With sincere hope and belief that our readers are not going to shoot or even blame the messenger, I have to let everyone know that we received our first price increase notice (this round) earlier this week. Yes, this follows two previous increases earlier this year in March and June, and I will not attempt to justify this unprecedented third increase in one year, but rather deliver an advance warning and perhaps some cost-reducing options.

How to Minimize the Impact of this Increase

First and foremost, buy ahead of the rush and before the increase takes hold. All indications point to this increase being implemented the third or fourth week of September. If you are in a position to do so, I suggest ordering the boxes you will need through the end of the year, ASAP. For many of our e-commerce customers, this increase comes before the busiest time of their year so getting ahead of it may really help your year-end profitability.

Is available space an issue? Talk with your suppliers about holding product for you to minimize the space required and maximize the cost savings. For example, we have been known to hold stock product for future release and have even agreed to hold custom (customer specific) product under the right conditions.

Other Ways to Reduce Your Corrugated Costs

1. Use less corrugated by downsizing your shipping boxes. If you have not reviewed and right sized your packaging, there is no better time to do so. Please see this ISP post on downsizing your shipping boxes

2. Are you using the most efficient and cost effective style of box for your application? RSC versus die cut mailer, RSC versus tray or sleeve, are just a few of the options available to you. Many people use RSC style boxes even though they may not be the lowest cost option.

3. Replace corrugated shipping boxes with other options such as paper or plastic mailer envelopes. Here is another ISP post about mailer envelopes.

4. This could be a great time to consider reusable packaging options, especially if you are in a “closed loop” scenario where it is easy to justify the initial higher cost. Here is an ISP post discussing several reusable packaging options.

What Can We Look Forward to in 2011?

Like most of our lives and businesses these days, it will all come down to the economy. If the economic signs are improved, you may see this trend of higher prices continue. “Get while the getting is good” appears to be the new strategy so you may see another small increase in early 2011.

On the other hand, if holiday spending is a bust and if the economy tanks after the holidays, you may even see a small price decrease as a hungry corrugated market attempts to create tonnage rather than margin.

Bottom line: no one knows for sure, but I can pretty much guarantee that paper based packaging is NOT going to become less expensive in 2011. How much more expensive it becomes is the big unknown but every shipping box used will be more expensive than it has been.

Please contact us if you have any questions or a desire to develop a cost containment strategy for your packaging materials.

There is no doubt most people know us for our 100% PCW recycled content corrugated, stock, shipping boxes, but over half of the boxes we sell are custom printed with our customers’ brand or design. One of the things we have noticed is that an increasing number are going well beyond the traditional one color logo and using their boxes to make a very memorable and positive impression on their customers.

Some Great Examples of Boxes Designed to Impress and Save Money

Pasolivo Oil – opted for a unique design that wraps around the box creating a lattice or gift ribbon look. They also went against conventional thinking and printed with white ink on a brown, natural Kraft box. The end result is a very natural, and unique white wash look.

Sennco Solutions – when they decided on a new company logo, there was no better way to promote it to their customers than to print it on all of their shipping boxes. We helped them to consolidate their box sizes, while minimizing their printing plate costs. They also discovered that by increasing the number of boxes they ordered, they were able to minimize the additional cost of the printing.

Stonyfield Farm – for a special promotion they chose Globe Guard boxes for their eco consistent message and printed their return address and even the postal indicia directly on the box to minimize labor and labeling. They also decided to reinforce the standard Globe Guard eco message by adding their own use and disposal message on the highly visible side panels.

Earth Turns.com – without a lot of additional expense, two PMS colors can be duplicated for a first-class and consistent image. Earth Turn’s easily recognizable brand is important to them, so how could anyone possibly print this unique brand image in one color or colors that do not match how they look elsewhere in their marketing?

Custom Printing a Box Typically Adds Less than 5% Per Color to Cost

Most people are surprised when they can print their boxes for not much more than they are currently paying for boring brown boxes. Yes, a second or third color adds cost, but after many years we can tell you that in most cases, that is less than 5% per color, so even an elaborate three-color design is likely to add less that 20% to the box cost.

Most customers print two panels, the two that are not obscured by the tape that will eventually be used to tape the box closed. However safety messages and other information can be easily printed on the top flaps where the boxes are usually opened. As I suggest to customers, ink is inexpensive so once you decide to print, don’t hold back. Eliminate costly labels and/or the labor consumed to add additional, often-time handwritten markings and messages.

Keep in mind that printing plates are required but they too are less expensive than most people imagine. Plates vary in cost, depending on the image and box sizes, but they are a onetime expense, normally in the $200 to $300 range per color. Plates are also the customer’s property to be used elsewhere or for other purposes. We are always eager to help with the artwork design so that the same plates can be used for multiple and varying box sizes.

Creating an “Image of Difference”

Thanks to the Internet and a tough economy, regardless of what we sell, our markets are becoming crowded and tougher. Standing out is a challenge but graphics on packaging are relatively inexpensive ways of retaining current customers and capturing new business as well.

With our experience and capabilities, we can help you take the fear, headaches and cost out of the process.

The printing industry was using paper for void fill and water activated paper box sealing tape, long before they became trendy and popular again. Perhaps it was out of appreciation for paper as a valuable, versatile and renewable resource, or maybe because they were simply smarter than the rest of us and understood the economic benefits of using paper based packaging products.

Five Printer Shipping Box Sizes Now in Stock!

We are very pleased to be able to offer five printers box sizes in addition to our ever growing list of standard stock sizes. The following Globe Guard 100% PCW recycled content boxes are now in stock and available in the following sizes:

• GG11 – 11.25” X 8.75” X 6” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG44 – 11.75” X 8.75” X 4.75” high,  32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG45 – 11.75 x 8.75 x 8.75” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG46 – 17.25 x 11.25 x 8” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box
• GG50 – 11.25 x 8.75 x 4” high, 32 C Kraft, Plain RSC shipping box

Additional Green Packaging Supplies for Printers

At our GlobeGuardProducts.com store you will also find a nice selection of packaging paper for wrapping, interleaving or void fill applications. Our products include industrial tissue sheets, 30# newsprint rolls, the ever popular 40# Kraft; 50# recycled gray bogus and even 60# heavy duty indented Kraft rolls for the toughest applications. Most are available in 24” wide rolls as well as 36” wide rolls. If you need a paper that is not in stock, let us know and we’ll get it for you.

Most printers still use reinforced paper tape because it does the best job of holding heavy cases together. We stock plain, our own Globe Guard print and we are a leading distributor of custom printed water activated paper tape. We can quickly and easily print your logo, web site or message on your tape for security and branding purposes.

Most of Our Products Were Once a Specific Customer Request

We have rapidly and steadily increased our list of stock products and are eager to add even more. Usually all that is necessary is a customer who takes the time to tell us what they need and it becomes a stock item for all to use. Our willingness to add new sizes or grades applies to boxes, stretch film, mailers and even packaging papers.

Regular ISP readers probably get tired of hearing it but I too have to remind myself that we are adding new readers all of the time who may not realize that over half of what we do is custom grade, custom size or custom print. Browse through the pages of this blog and you will see we are leaders in custom printed and branded sustainable packaging products.

Please let us know how we can best help you deliver a greener and lower cost package to your customers.

For a purchasing professional, there are many good reasons to visit and use our new and unique eco friendly packaging site but based on initial feedback, most fall into these two broad categories:

Green Packaging Group.com will save you, the B2B buyer, time and money.

You can search through the many “green” websites offering everything from soy candles to organic cotton baby diapers, but packaging is all the five charter companies do and feature on the site. Five distinct vendors at one site, with products listed in an easily sorted format. You will also find an interesting and valuable new connection and link in the section we call “additional green resources and products.” But the primary focus of our site is green packaging, and we offer it in more forms than many people realize are available.

Most purchasing professionals we know these days are short handed, so being able to find the green packaging product you need, without having to weed through pages of Google results can save you a lot of time. Packaging is a broad industry, and from our home page and throughout, our site is designed to get to what you need quickly. On www.greenpackaginggroup.com, you are only a click away from the appropriate and best vendor.

The other thing you will find at Green Packaging Group.com is guidance and “how to” advice, written by experienced industry experts with a proven record of showing clients how to use less and greener products. Chances are we have already worked with hundreds if not thousands of packaging applications similar to yours, so we can help you avoid a costly mistake with personal consultation or one of our informative, related blog posts. Also, don’t be surprised if someone at Nashville Wraps suggests Salazar Packaging or someone at Eco Bags directs you to Distant Village. We will not hesitate to refer you to a different participating company if it is the right thing to do.

Green Packaging Group.com will help you save the planet.

Green typically saves money by reducing waste and your carbon footprint. Whether you believe in global warming, climate change, or neither, most everyone agrees we all have to minimize the amount of packaging we use for the economics as well as the appearance.

Even in the down economy, one of the few market segments that has shown continuous growth is green because more and more customers see the need to change old, wasteful and careless habits. If you sell one of the many new, green products available today, you will send an eco consistent message by utilizing the green packaging vendors we have united for your benefit and that of the earth in bad need of repair.

Please let us know how we can help you save some money, time and a planet.

It’s a picture reminiscent of “Where’s Waldo?” but can you find the missing component in the photo below? A stand for a bag-making machine shipped to us in this box filled with shredded corrugated and twisted paper void fill. Both are excellent and very green products for that type of application. The problem is that a small rubber foot slipped off of the stand during shipment and we had to search through the void fill to find the missing component.

The Right Green Void Fill for the Total Application

We tend to talk a lot about application appropriate green packaging but that is not just about the packaging materials being used. Among other factors, it is also about who is using it, where it is being used, how it is being used, the volume of packages being produced and what is being shipped. The best, green packaging product for shipping an ornamental glass vase is probably not the same green packaging product we might recommend for shipping a machine stand like this. I love shredded corrugated and paper based void fill but whenever shipping products with small, expensive and/or removable pieces, there are probably better options to be utilized. Namely, void fill and cushioning packaging options that do not make it easy to possibly lose critical components.

Replacement Cost for Lost Components

Years ago I worked with a company and learned that in addition to the lost good will and positive shopping experience, they experienced an eighty dollar cost, above and beyond the cost of the missing component which in most cases had a value of less than five dollars. We recently worked with a distributor of high value, small size goods and their “product lost” claims dropped by over 80% when they switched from a loose fill product to an inflatable pillow void fill solution.

Whether product and component loss is real, perceived or even intentional, the cost to you as the shipper is very real and it can quickly make the packaging product cost almost insignificant.

Void Fill Cost versus Price

In addition to the green aspect of any given packaging product, we must also evaluate the true cost rather than just the basic price. Considerations such as shipping cost, storage space, labor costs and even product loss have to be factored in order to perform an accurate cost comparison and analysis.

Let us know if you would like us to help you determine the best and most cost effective solution for your packaging challenges.

We are proud to announce that Mark Harrell and his company, Bad Axe Tool Works, is the first 2010 recipient of the highly coveted Globe Guard Eco-Consistency Award. The fact is that they have been on our green radar screen for some time — ever since we highlighted their very sustainable packaging in an ISP post last June.

Even at that time, we knew Mark and Bad Axe were special. However, we had no idea just how committed they were to walking the eco-walk until we saw their new and improved Web site and a surprising addition they chose to make.

The Globe Guard Eco-Consistency Award Cannot Be Bought

Please note that most Globe Guard Eco Consistency Award winners are not customers. In fact, the only two recipients during all of 2009 were not customers at all: They were Home Depot for their plastic flower pot recycling program and Unilever for their club store Axe Deodorant three-pack.

There are so many companies that fall short in terms of eco-consistency that we feel obligated to point out the ones that do try harder and are successful.

When the Packaging Application Gets Tough, the Tough Turn to Globe Guard

Mark Harrell makes best-of-class cutting tools so sharp edges are a desired end result on every product, not just an occasional packaging problem. At the same time, Mark also understands that his customers care about the environment and expect their suppliers to respect eco-friendly solutions in everything they do. This philosophy, combined with a tremendous personal commitment and belief, is why Mark works so hard to make sure his packaging is effective and as green as possible.

Green and Proud of It

We were blown away when we saw the “About my green packaging” page on his new and improved Web site. After all, we have a lot of great customers who are eco-consistent all the way through their secondary packaging, but none (that we know of) devote a page to it on their Web site. Please note that we are only one of three vendors Mark utilizes to get the job done in a very green way.

During a round table discussion at a sustainability conference I attended last week, a few people mentioned that sometimes companies are reluctant to bring too much attention to their sustainability initiatives. The reasons cited included the possibility of raising unrealistic expectations, inviting criticism, starting something that can’t possibly finish, etc. That is part of the reason we love companies like Bad Axe Tool Works. They eagerly and enthusiastically put their green solutions on display and challenge others to follow their example.

Excellent work, Mark Harrell and Bad Axe Tool Works! Thank you for your eco-consistent green message and for the great plug for our Globe Guard products.

The opportunity to get to know people and their businesses is one we truly appreciate and value. It goes far beyond social media — it is truly connecting with people on a one to one basis when they share their dreams and passion with you.

One who freely shares is Linda Stein, the founder of Zosimos Botanicals. We clicked while working on a recent custom-printed shipping box project, and I am very pleased to be able to share her story with ISP readers.

ISP Readers: Linda has graciously offered us a discount code on her site www.zosimosbotanicals.com. Use promo code GLOBEGUARD for a 15% discount on your purchase.

DS: Linda, we have to begin with your company name. Can you please tell us how you decided on Zosimos and give us your “elevator speech” on what your company does.

LS: First of all, thank you for taking an interest in my company, Dennis. Zosimos refers to a third century alchemist, Zosimos of Panoplis. Because most people have never heard of him, they only think of us when hearing or seeing the Zosimos name. It’s a strong trademark, which helps build brand recognition since there are no competing associations to overcome.

Basically, we make healthy cosmetics by hand. We use only natural or certified organic ingredients like essential oils, floral waters, natural waxes and nut butters. Part of our mission is educating people on the ability to create effective products without harsh chemicals.

The studio is environmentally conscious, right down to the last detail. It matters to me that the shipping envelopes are 100% recycled content and that our boxes are Globe Guard 100% post-consumer waste content.

Plus, there are social responsibility projects we are involved in throughout the year.

DS: Your personal story is a fascinating one because I know you were a practicing Trademark attorney when you became interested in personal care products. Tell us a little about your background and what drove you to become a “green entrepreneur.” (more…)

In our efforts to help companies become more green, we often look for what we refer to as “low hanging sustainable packaging fruit”. That is those little, easy changes that can be implemented quickly with little or no investment required. In fact the sweetest fruit is that which results in immediate savings — and with the help of a good customer, we found a terrific area for immediate and easy green savings!

Slip sheets are those almost invisible layers of packaging material you usually find between a pallet and a product load or even in between layers of a product load. Many companies will add a second slip sheet to the top of the load, in case the pallet is double stacked. Slip sheets provide some level of abrasion protection and are used primarily to keep products clean. On certain types of product loads, they can even be used to eliminate or avoid a pallet altogether. Slip sheets can be made of plastic, paper board or corrugated. Regardless of material type, what they almost always have in common is that slip sheets are certain to wind up as waste, as soon as the load arrives at its destination.  (more…)

The business community is wary of consumer fads, and well it should be. We consumers, after all, are notoriously fickle. I’ve got ties I wore proudly five years ago that look ridiculous today, and I’ll bet you have more than a few fashion skeletons in your closet as well.

Now, some businesses view sustainability and sustainable packaging as the latest industrial version of the leisure suit, but I believe these issues are not trends at all, but represent a very long term change in the market’s values and priorities. Here’s why. (more…)