WAT Dispenser Cost Can Be an Obstacle

I think most people realize paper water activated tape is a more sustainable than plastic pressure sensitive tape and the reasons are well documented, including several times on this blog. Up to now, we offered two WAT dispensers, both of excellent quality but the prices have been $395 for the semi-automatic unit and $995 for our electric unit. This has often been a major problem for low volume customers or even larger volume tape users with multiple packing and taping stations.

An Unfair Comparison of Tape Applicators

“But my plastic tape supplier gives me my tape guns for free”.  I have heard this many times and am amazed some people still don’t realize they are paying for those “free or low cost” pressure sensitive tape applicators, in any number of ways -

• Higher tape prices (applicator cost built into tape cost)
• Larger tape purchase quantities than needed (X case minimum)
• Poor performance resulting in greater usage (multiple tape strips to seal box)
• Damaged or pilfered packages due to poor adhesion (improper use of applicator)

There really is no way to fairly compare a WAT dispenser to in inexpensive, imported plastic, light weight, hand taper that is designed for continued and repeated replacement. In other words, the disposable taper keeps customers using the tape.

A Less Expensive Paper Tape Dispenser Solution

We are pleased to be carrying a manual taper with a two year parts warranty and steel frame construction. It is compact and requires no power making it completely portable and has a low list price of $116. Keeping in mind we always offer discounts for our tape customers, you can usually expect a price under $100 per unit, especially for multiple unit buyers. This enables WAT users to make the change over from plastic tape with little initial expense. Keep in mind that in most cases we are easily able to prove that the water activated tape will cost less per box and per application.

The Time for Greener Packaging Is Now

There has never been an easier and less expensive time to make the more eco friendly move. Whether your application requires plain, reinforced, standard print or even custom printed water activated tape, we can help you analyze the overall cost and determine the best tape and equipment option.

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Visit the Globe Guard Eco Friendly Packaging Store for -

Eco Friendly Corrugated Boxes

Eco Friendly Shipping and Mailing Supplies

Special Deals on Packaging Supplies

and more!

Box sealing tape is a good example. Most shippers use an RSC style corrugated box and use multiple strips of paper or plastic box sealing tape to secure it for shipment. Because an RSC box has two flaps that meet in the center of the box along its length dimension, a good deal of tape is required for the job.

But what if, instead of an RSC, you used a full overlap (FOL) box or a tuck-in folder? Pictured below is a tuck folder. An FOL is similar in concept, only the flap doesn’t tuck in.

With these box styles, one or more “L-Clips” of filament tape can be used to seal the box for shipment. Not only does the L-Clip sealing method reduce packaging material use, it speeds up the case sealing process and is easier for the recipient to open.

Switching to an FOL or tuck folder might result in a box comprised of more corrugated material than the original RSC. In that case, making the change won’t make sense from a sustainable packaging point of view. In many cases, however, a corrugated redesign results in less corrugated material used, making the L-Clip solution more than doubly effective.

Not sure whether L-Clips will work for you? Contact us and we’ll review your application!

Extreme Pressure Sensitive Tape Solutions

1. For machine applied PST applications, use 36 mm (1-3/4″) wide tape. Unless the box is particularly heavy and/or subject to rough shipping conditions, the reduced width will not compromise box integrity. When in doubt, test. It is worth the time to test, though – the payoff is a 12% reduction in the amount of material entering the waste stream.

2. For hand applied PST applications, go to the other extreme – 72 mm (3″) wide tape. Though it is counter intuitive, this option may reduce material usage far more than what is outlined in the first scenario. Why? Because when people apply tape by hand, they tend to overuse it, either because they feel the tape is too flimsy or because they are unable to lay the tape squarely down the center of the RSC (Regular Slotted Container). Using 72 mm tape almost always ensures a one-strip application.

Extreme Paper Box Sealing Tape Solutions

1. Try 2-1/2″ wide tape. If your box is lightweight or moderate weight and/or subject to mild shipping conditions, the narrower width may well do the job. The result – 17% source reduction versus the standard 3″, and 12% source reduction versus the slightly narrower “metric equivalents”.

2. Sorry – there is no extreme wide solution for paper box sealing tapes. 3″ is pretty much as wide as it gets. The good news, however, is that 3″ is so widely use, there are probably thousands of applications where narrower tapes have not been tried.

Bottom line – It’s worth the time to test. Not only do these extreme options enhance sustainability, they reduce your cost. That’s a winning sustainable packaging combination.

From a sustainable packaging perspective, when you manufacture a packaging product made from plastic, you come to market with two – or maybe three – strikes against you.

Still, polypropylene box sealing tapes continue to be popular, even if shippers are buying them reluctantly. Here’s and article from the Pressure Sensitive Tape Council that makes the environmental case for its products. Some key points -

Source reduction – It takes less plastic tape material than paper tape material to seal a box, reducing shipping and disposal/recycling costs.

Life cycle – More energy is required and more pollution generated in the manufacture of paper versus plastic. Plastic tapes take up less space in landfills than the paper tape equivalent.

Recyclability – Plastic tapes do not interfere with or add cost to the corrugated recycling process.

Reusability – Plastic tape can be removed from the corrugated box without extreme delamination. As a result, such boxes can be reused more readily and more frequently than boxes sealed with paper tapes, staples, or hot melt adhesives.

Our View on Source Reduction

I’ll restrict my commentary to my area of expertise – packaging applications. On the issue of source reduction, we have to be careful to separate theory from practice.

In theory, it is true that corrugated boxes can be effectively sealed with a smaller mass of plastic box sealing tape than paper box sealing tape. In practice, however, people tend to overuse plastic tapes because they are perceived as flimsy and/or they cannot lay down the tape evenly across the box flaps with one strip. Using automatic case sealers is the only way to effectively control the amount of tape being applied to the corrugated box. While a good option, automation is only cost effective in high volume operations with suitable material flow patterns.

Users of plastic tape should be confident in the strength of the material. In fact, tapes have become progressively thinner and stronger over the years, thanks to technical innovations with respect to adhesives and backings. By selecting a high quality tape, you will be introducing a minimal amount of material into the waste stream.