IPG Celebrates National Women's History Month

As we celebrate Women’s History Month 2022, we reflect upon advances women have made over time. Women have increased their earnings, education and fields of occupation, and continue to have longer average life spans than men. 

This month, IPG made special recognition throughout the month of March to various women within our company who hold positions that historically were non-traditional roles for women. Here are two of the highlights...

Get to Know Renee Lucas

Q:  How long have you worked at IPG? 

A:  37 years

 

Q:  What does your job entail?

A:  I lead the Intertape Performance System (IPS) driving excellence throughout the site through employee engagement. My role is to support the plant in identifying and prioritizing high impact initiatives.

 

Q:  What do you like most about your job? 

A:  That no two days are the same

 

Q:  What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?

A:  Be open to trying different things

 

Q:  What previous jobs/experiences have prepared you to succeed in the position you hold today (and set you apart from others)?

A:  Supervision – dealing with different situations

 

Q:  What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

A:  I would like to provide a service helping brides to have a cost-efficient wedding.

 

Q:  What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

A:  Reading

 

Q:  What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?

A:  I like DIY projects.

 

Q:  Where’s your favorite place in the world?

A:  The beach

 

Q:  What is your motto or personal mantra?

A: I don’t like foolishness.

 

Q:  If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

A:  Queen Elizabeth – I would want to know how she survived in a role that had been traditionally male dominated.

 

Q:  Three words to best describe you:

A:  Loyal, Fair, Honest

 

Q:  What is the one thing, you can’t live without?

A:  God

 

Q:  If you could have any superpower what would it be?

A:  To fly

 

Q:  What is one food that you cannot resist?

A:  Chips

Get to Know Madison Dempsey

Q:  How long have you worked at IPG? 

A:  2 years

Q:  What does your job entail?

A:  Identifying opportunities to improve scrim production output, scrim quality, and safety; and working with the textile team to implement solutions.

Q:  What do you like most about your job? 

A:  I like the versatility of being able to work on various types of projects. I can create a detailed plan to redesign the layout of the looms, I can troubleshoot quality issues to determine a root cause, I can identify opportunities to improve warpout cycle downtime. Having such a wide variety of tasks keeps it interesting.

Q:  What is the best career lesson you’ve learned so far?

A:  When trying to make change, it is critical to clearly communicate with the people it is affecting. They will be more likely to change if they have an understanding of why the change is happening.

Q:  What previous jobs/experiences have prepared you to succeed in the position you hold today (and set you apart from others)?

A:  I previously worked at McCain Foods as a procurement specialist which helped me develop communication and leadership skills. I co-founded a women’s group where we focused on showcasing women in leadership roles within the company and providing resources to women to help them build confidence and leadership skills. I also previously worked at Irving Oil as an engineering co-op student which helped me develop organization skills and gave me experience with leading projects and working with a team.

Q:  What would you do (for a career) if you weren’t doing this?

A:  Math Teacher – I was once a math tutor for a small group of high school kids, and I enjoyed helping them learn and building a connection with them.

Q:  What do you like to do when you aren’t working?

A:  Yoga, crochet, hanging out with my ‘Little Sister’ (I volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters)

Q:  What’s a fun fact about you many people may not know?

A:  I was once a nationally competitive cheerleader

Q:  Where’s your favorite place in the world?

A:  The beach – anywhere as long as it’s warm!

Q:  If you could meet anyone in the world, dead or alive, who would it be and why?

A:  Mindy Kaling – she is an intelligent, confident, driven woman with an amazing sense of humor.

Q:  Three words to best describe you:

A:  Introvert, curious, kind

Q:  If you could have any superpower what would it be?

A:  The ability to teleport anywhere I want at any time

Q:  What is one food that you cannot resist?

A:  Chocolate cake

IPG's Shrink Film Contains Certified Pre-Consumer Shrink Film Repro

 

View certificate (PDF)

In October 2021 SCS Global Services certified IPG’s Shrink Film Repro as Pre-Consumer recycled resin. Certified Pre-Consumer recycled content is now part of ExlfilmPlus GPL, ExlfilmPlus GPS, and ExlfilmPlus SHIELD film formulations produced in our Tremonton Utah plant. Distributors and end users seeking a premium polyolefin shrink film containing certified pre-consumer shrink film repro will find their solution in ExlfilmPlus shrink films. This approval distinguishes IPG as the industry leader in the quest for meaningful sustainable solutions.

This achievement is one of many sustainable initiatives IPG has secured for its Exlfilm polyolefin shrink film product offering. Past achievements include Cradle to Cradle Silver certification, How2Recycle store drop off pre-approval, Operation Clean Sweep Pledge, and Energy Star Award for Sustained Excellence.  

To learn more, reach out to us at itape.com or 800-474-8273. Or visit our sustainability website.

More IPG Products Achieve Cradle to Cradle Certification

 

IPG is pleased to announce two additional product lines have achieved Cradle to Cradle Certification™

In an ongoing effort to provide the market with sustainable packaging alternatives, IPG has implemented the demanding standards held under the Cradle to Cradle certification process. William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart first introduced Cradle to Cradle® as a circular design philosophy in the 1990s. Together, they founded the Cradle to Cradle Products Innovation Institute in 2010. The institute is a non-profit organization whose mission is dedicated to transforming the safety, health and sustainability of products through the administration of the Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Product Standard.

Cradle to Cradle Certification is a rigorous auditing process across five critical performance categories: material health, material reuse, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness. A product is assigned an achievement level (Basic, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) for each category. A product’s lowest category achievement also represents its overall certification level.

ExlfilmPlus® Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver

In July 2020, IPG ExlfilmPlus performance shrink films were Cradle to Cradle Certified Silver. ExlfilmPlus polyolefin shrink film is the first Cradle to Cradle certified shrink film in the world. Exlfilmplus films are crosslinked, providing customers with a stronger film capable of working on a wider variety of equipment and sealing systems.

NovaShield® Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze

In August 2020, NovaShield Structure Membrane products were awarded Cradle to Cradle certification and became the first structure membrane fabric in the world to be Cradle to Cradle Certified. NovaShield Structure Membrane products are used to construct fabric buildings for all climates. Featuring a patented weave which produces impressive strength-to-weight ratios, NovaShield's lighter weight makes for easier, faster, money-saving installations.

Water-Activated Tape Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze

In February of this year, IPG’s Natural Kraft Water-Activated Tape (also known as WAT or Gum Tape) was Cradle to Cradle Certified Bronze. All of IPG’s WAT is recyclable with the carton it is applied on. Cartons are one of the most widely recycled packaging products in use today. When you use IPG’s WAT tape to seal the carton, the paper from the tape contributes to the recycling stream with the corrugate. 

Doing Our Part for a Sustainable Future

With a keen eye toward validating and continuously improving our process, and our overall stewardship of the industry we serve, IPG is committed to sharing our progress and doing our part to uphold the promise of the UN global compact through the implementation of the Cradle to Cradle Certification design principles.

The Material Health Category requires IPG to evaluate all chemicals down to 100 parts per million to determine each chemical’s effect on human and environmental health. Cradle to Cradle Certification requires products to contribute to the Circular Economy, which means the product is able to be recycled and/or use recycled materials in its production. For Cradle to Cradle certified products, IPG’s Manufacturing was audited to ensure that both the Energy and Water Categories have minimal impact on the environment. Social Responsibility, the final category, requires IPG to be accountable to all stakeholders within the company and the communities where they conduct business. The standard encourages continuous improvement over time by awarding certification on the basis of ascending levels of achievement and requiring certification renewal every two years. These ongoing audits endeavor to ensure IPG’s customers receive a product that leads to a sustainable future.

To view IPG's 2019 Sustainability Report, click here.

Installing Vapor Barriers and Vapor Retarders

 

What are Vapor Barriers?

Vapor barrier in basement/crawlspace

Vapor barriers and vapor retarders provide additional layers of protection in basements and crawlspaces, under foundations and concrete slab. They are important in saving time and money through the mitigation of moisture and air by reducing mold, musty odor, and water penetration. Examples of vapor barriers and vapor retarders include film, non-woven fabrics, and metalized or foil covered laminates. Each provides different properties including surface protection, reflective properties and vapor permeance (water vapor transmission).  

Installation with Vapor Barrier Tapes

To provide effective installation of vapor barriers and vapor retarders, pressure-sensitive vapor barrier tapes are important in sealing, repairing and seaming the vapor barriers or retarders during application. They are used to seal overlapped seams during installation, attach vapor barriers to the top of the footings and against the wall, repair damaged vapor barriers and installation cuts, and seal protrusions such as pipes, duct work, rebar or wire bundles.

Vapor barrier seaming in concrete underlayment application

Vapor barrier tapes used include those tapes providing low permeance, which include: polyethylene tapes of varying thickness providing conformability, polypropylene tapes with aggressive, low permeance adhesive systems, and aluminum foil tapes providing basically zero water vapor transmission.   

Compliance to specifications is essential to the effective installation of vapor barrier and vapor retarder systems. Some standards include ASTM E1643, ASTM 1745 and IRC 408. 

(IPG manufactures vapor barriers and vapor retarders. To learn more, please contact mwaltner@itape.com.)

Filament Tapes for Space Force "Mission Critical" Applications

BY CHRISTOPHER RUHL, SR. BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST, IPG

Image credit: Northrop Grumman

Not all filament tapes are created equal!

Most people look to filament tape for bundling pipes, extrusions, holding items on a pallet, or securing appliance components. It’s removed, discarded and not really considered.

Not in my world! Consider an application that is “mission critical” -- an application where if it doesn’t work properly, hundreds of millions of dollars go up in smoke in a matter of seconds! Or how about a component that is critical to the success of America’s future Space Force and national security?! IPG just developed that product for Northrop Grumman’s OmegA rocket, which is in development to support the Space Force’s National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program. Together, we addressed supply chain challenges to help increase their productivity, resulting in significant savings that helped them meet production goals and free up money which could be used to solve other issues to meet their project timelines and maintain cost projections!

Northrop Grumman test fired the second stage of the OmegA rocket at its facility in Promontory, Utah, in February. Image credit: Northrop Grumman

As shown in picture above and the video below, the casings for the OmegA rocket from Space Force’s NSSL program are made from a series of round composite tubes.

IPG developed a filament tape that performed the important task of compacting the resins and fibers prior to the cure process to ensure no embedded air bubbles exist, which would be truly catastrophic. They use it and discard it, but I assure you, it was REALLY considered. We are all proud to be an important part of the future of our Space and Defense programs!

So if you need a bundling, holding or compression solution, feel confident that IPG has it, and like our space program, it’s Made in America!

Learn more about IPG's Aerospace Solutions, where regardless of the type of manufacturing or maintenance performed – fixed wing or rotary, commercial or military aircraft, component parts, space craft, missile or other aerospace systems – IPG has the right solution for you.

Read the LinkedIn article from the program director at Northrop: The OmegA rocket marches toward National Security Space Launch

IPG Supports Advanced Recycling Initiative by the University of Florida

"Waste to Syngas" Initiative

IPG is proud to be an initial donor of the University of Florida’s “Waste to Syngas” initiative.

University of Florida’s “Waste to Syngas” initiative will be focused on research and development to best convert carbon rich waste into syngas. The leading technological contender is a process known as Plasma Assisted Gasification and Vitrification (PAG/V). PAG/V is a robust advanced recycling technology that can accept all the materials in municipal solid waste (MSW). PAG/V converts carbon rich materials such as plastic packaging materials to syngas, a combination of carbon monoxide and hydrogen - the building blocks of most commonly used plastics.

The University of Florida is leading this initiative. IPG, other donors and the University of Florida support the concept that with research and funding, this nascent technology can evolve into a leading advanced recycling technology. Syngas, which can be produced using PAG/V technology, is commonly converted to methanol, which is a primary feedstock chemical to many products. As more industry participants demand "recycled content" those demands can be potentially  met by "recycled content methanol" produced from waste derived syngas.
 
Our global waste problem cannot be solved solely by mechanical recycling. Many plastic products either cannot be recycled due to their resin type or material mixture. Furthermore, even recyclable products frequently have no viable end markets due to contamination and material quality issues.  Our waste crisis is continuing to grow, and today’s technologies are not robust enough to address current recycling needs and certainly not a viable solution for us to recycle the waste plastic that exists in the global environment. PAG/V has the potential to become a technology to facilitate recycling plastic packaging waste from our existing waste streams or our existing landfills into new and pristine resins. 

At IPG it is our goal to support solutions that improve  the circularity of our products. We are proud to support the efforts of  the University of Florida and this emerging initiative. To learn more, please check out: Syngas is the key to packaging sustainability.

IPG Named 2020 ENERGY STAR Partner of the Year – Sustained Excellence

IPG is pleased to be named an ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award winner for the 5th consecutive year! In 2019, IPG reduced its energy intensity by 3.7 percent over 2018. Here are some other key accomplishments from 2019:

Key 2019 Energy Management Accomplishments

✔ Sharing IPG's knowledge and experience on the importance of continuous energy improvement and the benefits of ENERGY STAR Treasure Hunts through three stories in local and trade publications. IPG participated in the inaugural ENERGY STAR Treasure Hunt Campaign.

✔ Supporting energy management in the community by conducting a Treasure Hunt for a local arts museum, where IPG engineers highlighted energy waste and advised on ways to reduce energy costs.

✔ Training engineers and aligning newly acquired manufacturing facilities in the IPG energy management system.

✔ Promoting energy awareness and ENERGY STAR tools in a regional energy management network and sharing best practices with other ENERGY STAR partners.

✔ Establishing long-term goals for energy intensity and carbon emissions reduction, increased use of renewable energy and additional environmental impacts.

Each year, EPA honors a group of businesses and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to protecting the environment through superior energy efficiency achievements. Whether a first time Partner of the Year winner, or a Sustained Excellence winner, these small and large organizations from across the country are saving money, saving energy, and protecting the environment. Learn how the 2020 ENERGY STAR Award winners are helping millions of individuals, families, and businesses save energy and protect the environment. Get more information at energystar.gov. For a list of 2020 ENERGY STAR AWARD Winners, click here.

Intertape Polymer Group Embraces Sustainability with a Series of Focused Efforts Designed for a More Sustainable Future

- IPG has engaged William McDonough, co-author of Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things, as an advisor on sustainable design for its packaging and protective solutions -

MONTREAL, QUEBEC and SARASOTA, FLORIDA - February 28, 2020 - Intertape Polymer Group Inc. (TSX:ITP) (“IPG” or the “Company”) today announced a series of measures that demonstrate its continuing commitment to creating a more sustainable future by enhancing its product offering, operations and supply-chain management. As part of this comprehensive approach to sustainability, the Company has engaged William McDonough as a strategic advisor for the Company’s sustainability strategy. This is in addition to implementing other measures to position the Company as a leading provider of sustainable packaging and protective solutions.

Sustainability Highlights:

✔ Collaborating with William McDonough of McDonough Innovation on strategic advising for the design, manufacture and delivery of packaging and protective solutions grounded in the Cradle to Cradle Design™ framework

✔ Achieved Cradle to Cradle Certified™ Bronze level for water-activated tape ("WAT")

✔ Launched the Curby™ product line, a new proprietary, curbside recyclable range of solutions

✔ Passed the Western Michigan University Old Corrugated Cardboard ("OCC") Equivalency ("WMU OCC-E") testing protocol to certify the recyclability of IPG non-reinforced WAT

✔ Published the Company’s first annual Sustainability Report in 2019 - https://bit.ly/2v4jUmx

✔ Signed the United Nations Global Compact (the "Compact") agreeing to adopt the ten principals governing Human Rights, Labor, Environment and Anti-Corruption; as a result, IPG expects all of its suppliers to support the Compact's Principals

“Consumers, retailers and distributors are increasingly in search of solutions that offer sustainable benefits. As an essential part of our customers’ supply-chains, IPG is taking a leading role in offering sustainable alternatives. To underscore our approach toward sustainability, we have evolved our corporate strategy to include sustainability as one of our four primary pillars,” said Greg Yull, President and CEO of IPG. “Our sustainable product choices include innovation with recyclable material and products that allow for resource efficiency through reduced waste. As examples, achieving the first Cradle to Cradle Certification™ for WAT and the Western Michigan University OCC Equivalency certification for our non-reinforced WAT, in each case provide our e-commerce customers evidence that these products are made for a circular economy. Our diverse product bundle aligns with our customers’ goals of less waste and more recyclability, product protection and convenient disposal, and is ultimately designed to delight customers and provide them a sustainable packaging alternative.”

William McDonough

William McDonough, IPG’s advisor on sustainable packaging, is a globally recognized leader in sustainable development. McDonough is trained as an architect, yet his interests and influence range widely, and he works at scales from the global to the molecular. McDonough is the architect of many recognized flagships of sustainable design, including the Ford Rouge truck plant in Michigan and NASA’s Sustainability Base, one of the most innovative facilities in the U.S. federal portfolio. He was the Inaugural Chair of the World Economic Forum’s Meta-Council on the Circular Economy (2014-2016) and currently serves on the Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-economy. In 2019, Fortune Magazine named him as one of the 50 World’s Greatest Leaders.

“Bill is the recognized thought leader in sustainable design. In addition to being the co-founder of the Cradle to Cradle philosophy of doing 'more good' instead of just 'less bad', his commitment to continuous improvement is one that we not only share but are delivering on at IPG,” said Greg Yull. “With Bill’s consultation we are establishing a clear path to a structured sustainability strategy and process that we intend to incorporate throughout the Company. As we embrace sustainability as one of our core strategic pillars, Bill’s insight and network will be invaluable in helping us with product design and strengthening our customer relationships and visibility as a leader in sustainable products and operations.”

“IPG is stating its positive intentions to not only reduce packaging waste in the environment but also re-imagine how we package and/or protect everything,” said McDonough. “As part of its journey going beyond being less bad, toward being more good, IPG has already achieved Cradle to Cradle Certification on its first product as an early step in its ambitious and holistic continuous improvement plan. IPG’s intention is to set the industry standard for designing packaging and protective solutions that meet meaningful sustainability objectives by utilizing the Cradle to Cradle Design framework.”

Cradle to Cradle Certified™

The Cradle to Cradle Certified Products Program is a globally recognized protocol for product designers, manufacturers and brands as a pathway for making products with a positive impact on people and the planet. To receive certification, products are assessed for environmental and social performance across five critical sustainability categories: material health, material reuse, renewable energy and carbon management, water stewardship, and social fairness. A product is assigned an achievement level for each category and the product’s lowest category achievement also represents its overall certification level.

Curby™ Family of Products

The Curby family of products is produced with sustainably sourced materials designed to securely ship customer products and ultimately end up as curbside recyclable materials. These products include the Company's non-reinforced WAT, paper void fill, Hexcel paper cushioning and Chill-R cold chain insulation.

IPG has also entered into an exclusive agreement with HexcelPack LLC to produce and sell a new, recyclable, curbside recyclable protective mailer made from paper, called the Curby Mailer, powered by HexcelPack™. It will be lightweight and strong, made exclusively from Forest Stewardship Council or Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification certified paper, and manufactured in the U.S.A. The paper in the Curby Mailer has been qualified by the Sustainable Packaging Coalition’s How2Recycle Program as "Widely Recyclable."

Certified Recyclable Non-Reinforced Water-Activated Paper Tape

IPG's non-reinforced WAT is the first certified recyclable carton sealing tape having passed WMU's OCC-E testing protocol. The WMU OCC-E testing protocol was developed based on modelingguidelines from the Fibre Box Association (FBA). FBA members represent approximately 95% of the corrugators in the United States. The protocol was developed using untreated OCC as the control, which is a valuable and sought after source of secondary fibers.

Inaugural Sustainability Report

IPG published its first annual Sustainability Report, titled “Deepening our commitment to sustainability in packaging and protective solutions” in June 2019. In accordance with IPG’s strategy to incorporate Global Reporting Initiative ("GRI") standards into sustainability reporting, IPG is planning to expand its disclosure of GRI referenced sustainability metrics in its 2019 report, which will be published mid year in 2020.

Read the full report

About Intertape Polymer Group Inc

Intertape Polymer Group Inc. is a recognized leader in the development, manufacture and sale of a variety of paper and film based pressure-sensitive and water-activated tapes, polyethylene and specialized polyolefin films, protective packaging, engineered coated products and packaging machinery for industrial and retail use. Headquartered in Montreal, Québec and Sarasota, Florida, the Company employs approximately 3,700 employees with operations in 31 locations, including 22 manufacturing facilities in North America, four in Asia and one in Europe.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (collectively, "forward-looking statements"), which are made in reliance upon the protections provided by such legislation for forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical facts included in this press release, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the impact of William McDonough's input into our product design and the strengthening of our customer base, and the timing of the publication of the Company's 2019 sustainability report, may constitute forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based on current beliefs, assumptions, expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections made by the Company's management. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, these statements, by their nature, involve risks and uncertainties and are not guarantees of future performance. Such statements are also subject to assumptions and the Company can give no assurance that these assumptions will prove to have been correct and actual outcomes and results may, and often do, differ from what is expressed, implied or projected in such forward-looking statements, and such differences may be material. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement. For additional information regarding important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in these forward-looking statements and other risks and uncertainties, and the assumptions underlying the forward-looking statements, you are encouraged to read "Item 3 Key Information - Risk Factors", "Item 5 Operating and Financial Review and Prospects (Management's Discussion & Analysis)" and statements located elsewhere in the Company's annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2018 and the other statements and factors contained in the Company's filings with the Canadian securities regulators and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Each of these forward-looking statements speaks only as of the date of this Sustainability Report. The Company will not update these statements unless applicable securities laws require it to do so.

For more information about IPG, visit www.itape.com.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Ross Marshall Investor Relations
(T) (416) 526-1563
(E) ross.marshall@loderockadvisors.com

IPG Water-Activated Paper Tape is Now Certified Recyclable!

In support of our sustainability efforts, IPG is proud to announce our line of Water-Activated Paper Tapes (unreinforced) has been certified recyclable. Our WAT paper tape has passed Western Michigan University OCC Equivalency (WMU OCC-E) testing protocol making it the first certified recyclable carton sealing tape!

The OCC-E test protocol was developed modeling guidelines from the Fibre Box Association (FBA). FBA members represent about 95% of the corrugators in the United States. The protocol was developed using untreated OCC (Old Corrugated Cardboard) as the control. OCC is a valuable and sought after source of secondary fibers.

Contamination rates are a major impediment to recycling programs in the US and reducing contamination in our recycling streams is important to successful recycling. IPG’s customers can now use a certified recyclable tape on their cartons which will help reduce contamination in the recycling stream.

IPG's line of curbside recyclable packaging products

Ahead of the Curb

E-commerce shipping volumes are rapidly increasing and consumers have become ever more aware of their environmental impact. In response to this trend, IPG has developed a line of curbside-friendly products, called Curby™, to promote a circular economy and help answer these E-commerce growth challenges.

With the certification of our Water-Activated Paper Tape, IPG is pleased to supplement our Curby line of products that now includes water-activated paper tape, paper void fill, cold chain solutions and fragile wrap.

What is WAT?

Water-activated tape (aka gummed tape, Kraft paper tape) is a carton sealing tape that bonds instantly to both virgin and recycled fiber surfaces of a box or carton and therefore, generates an immediate seal resulting in a tamper evident package - the seal welds the tape to the box. WAT is offered in both fiberglass reinforced and unreinforced plain paper, of which IPG's Unreinforced WAT is now certified "Recyclable" by Western Michigan University's OCC testing Protocols. IPG produces many styles available in standard prints or customized prints to display your corporate message. They all have one common feature, uncompromising quality.

Features and Benefits of IPG’s Unreinforced Water-Activated Paper Tape:

WAT – Water-Activated Tape

✔ Certified recyclable
✔ Contains at least 50% recycled fibers
✔ Custom-printable (while maintaining recyclability)
✔ Tamper evident
✔ Ideal for light to medium weight or standard size cartons shipped in unitized loads or full pallets
✔ Handy for deli and butcher wrap sealing, inner carton sealing, and more

Advantages and Disadvantages of Using Cardboard for Shipping

Whether you are starting a business or adding a new offering to your product line, it is important to consider how you will package items for shipping. In particular, the type of carton you use is crucial. Many businesses choose cardboard boxes, but are they right for your needs?

 Before you make a purchase, it is important to consider the pros and cons of cardboard shipping cartons from many perspectives. In the article below, we cover some of the key characteristics of these containers and the benefits and drawbacks of going with cardboard.

Durability

Shipping cartons need to survive the rigors of whatever shipping channels you use. How does cardboard measure up?

Pros:

• ✔ Cardboard—specifically, corrugated cardboard—has excellent strength.
• ✔ Cardboard has a good strength-to-weight ratio.
• ✔ Corrugated cardboard cartons do a great job of protecting their contents from damage in the shipping stream.
• ✔ Cardboard cartons can be reused by recipients.

Cons:

• ✘ Not for extremely heavy items. If the wrong carton size or insufficient padding is used, cardboard shipping cartons may not be effective with weighty items.
• ✘ May deform under pressure. Despite its strength, cardboard can be crushed, dented, or otherwise damaged under some conditions.
• ✘ Not weatherproof. Cardboard cannot withstand certain weather conditions like rain or snow.

Cost

Is cardboard cost-effective? This is an important consideration.

Pros:

• ✔ Easy storage. Cardboard shipping cartons can be stored flat and built as needed. This can reduce your delivery costs.
• ✔ Sustainable resource. Cardboard is made from a renewable material, which minimizes the environmental cost.
• ✔ Cardboard containers can be recycled, giving them a “second life.” This can take some of the sting out of it when a carton is damaged during packing and a new one must be used.

Cons:

• ✘ Recurring need. Unlike returnable/reusable cartons such as hard plastic shipping containers, the need for new cardboard boxes is ongoing.

Buying in Bulk

Purchasing large quantities of cardboard cartons can be helpful.

Pros:

• ✔ Cost savings. Buying cardboard containers in bulk can save your company money.
• ✔ Extended storage. As long as cartons are protected from water, they can be stored for long periods of time.

Cons:

• ✘ Upfront investment. Buying in bulk means paying more upfront to enjoy the long-term benefit.
• ✘ Storage space. To get the advantage of purchasing large quantities of cardboard cartons, you must have the space to store them.

Sealing Solutions

How will you seal your shipping cartons? You should research your options before you make a purchase.

Pros:

• ✔ Many alternatives. Cardboard containers can be sealed in many ways, including staples, glue, and tape.
• ✔ Water-Activated Tape’s superior seal. Water-activated tape (WAT) creates a strong, secure seal with cardboard cartons that is ideal for e-commerce. For that reason, many businesses every year make the switch to water-activated tape.

Cons:

• ✘ Devices needed. Typically, some type of device is needed to seal cardboard cartons. That may be a tape gun or a water-activated tape dispenser.

Careful Consideration Regarding Cardboard Pays Off

Ultimately, spending some time considering the advantages and disadvantages of using cardboard shipping cartons pays off. You get the type of container that is ideal for your needs and can move ahead with your shipping operations confident you have chosen wisely.

Better Packages and IPG, together, work to provide you the Gold Standard in Secure, Efficient and Reliable carton closure. For more information about the range of Water Activated Tapes available to you from our parent company IPG, please visit us at www.itape.com or contact your local representative for demonstrations and trials of our complete packaging solutions.

If you have questions about our Better Packages dispenser products and how they can help you improve your shipping operations, we’re here to help. Please contact us at your convenience.

Is your shipping tape providing optimal ROI?  We can help you make that determination.

[This post republished from the Better Packages Blog]

What to Look for in a Water-Activated Tape Dispenser

There is plenty of scientific evidence and real-life experience in shipping departments proving that water-activated tape is an excellent choice for fast, efficient, and effective sealing of cartons. 

Also called gummed tape, kraft paper tape, and brown paper tape,  water-activated tape (WAT) produces a strong, secure, one-strip seal. When you’ve decided on water-activated tape, your next consideration is which type of WAT dispenser to use.  

For many shipping departments, nothing less than Better Packages water-activated tape dispensers will do. They are durably engineered, user friendly, and reliable. But which model is right for your business? This blog post will help you decide.

 

Picking Your Water-Activated Tape Dispenser: Manual vs. Electric

The first decision to make in choosing between Better Packages water-activated tape dispensers is whether you want a manual or electric model. A number of factors affect this choice, including:

• ✔ Efficiency. An electric model enables shipping teams to work faster.
• ✔ Options. An electric model has more functionality than a manual.  
• ✔ Maintenance. A manual model is simpler and therefore requires less maintenance.
• ✔ Electricity at the packaging station. Obviously, there must be a power source in your packaging station in order for you to use an electric water-activated tape dispenser.

Once you’ve considered these attributes, you can start to look into the features of manual or electric tape dispensers as appropriate.

Manual Water-Activated Tape Dispensers — The Better Pack 333 Series

If you decide to go with manual tape dispensers, your decision is somewhat easier. We offer two manual models: 333 Plus and 333 Plus w/Top Heater. Some of the characteristics of the 333 Series include:

• ✔ 15 preset tape lengths measured in inches on a dial
• ✔ Top heater warms the water that coats the tape, making the adhesive stickier (Note: While the action for dispensing tape is manual, the top heater model does require electricity to heat the water.)
• ✔ Great for sealing between 1 and 100 cartons per day/per 8-hour shift
• ✔ 333 Plus is ideal for workstations without access to electricity
• ✔ The portability of the 333 Plus works well when there is a need to move the tape dispenser between locations

Electric Water-Activated Tape Dispensers — The Better Pack 555e Series

The Better Pack 555e Series has many features and functions that help shipping departments work efficiently and effectively, including:

• ✔ Available in 7 models with varying keypad increments, measurement types, and voltages to suit country-specific needs and requirements
• ✔ Better Pack 555eS and Better Pack 555eSA are calibrated in inches with 115V (US) versions
• ✔ Better Pack 555eSA has highest level of automation available from the Better Pack dispenser family including automatic tape dispensing mode and microprocessor-based control system that can be interfaced with PCs, printers, shipping systems, and foot pedals 
• ✔ Unique safety features:
• ‣ Thermal cutoff prevents motor from overheating after extensive use
• ‣ Safety interlock switch disables cutting blade when front cover is open
• ‣ Materials like flame-retardant plastic, steel side frames, high grade solenoid link, and zinc-plated stainless-steel parts
• ✔ Ideal for applications like:
• ‣ High-volume, fast-paced shipping environment
• ‣ Packing and sealing more than 100 cartons per day/per 8-hour shift

Electric Water-Activated Tape Dispensers — The Better Pack 755e Series

The 755e Series offers excellent functionality and flexibility, including:

• ✔ Better Pack 755eS Series and Better Pack 755eSA Series both have a low profile for workspaces with limited height and accommodate 4” wide tape (other dispensers use up to 3” wide tape)
• ✔ 755e series does dispense tape at a slower rate than 555e— 32”/second compared to 555e 45”/second 
• ✔ 755eS series has a smooth-touch, easy-to-use, color-coded keypad with 20 preset tape lengths
• ✔ Better Pack 755eSA has tremendous operational flexibility, including several operating modes like 1-2-2 (for the H-Pattern), random length button, and delay control, all of which allow operator to adapt to variable carton sealing needs with simple turn of a dial
• ✔ Both models are ideal for:
• ‣ High-volume, fast paced shipping
• ‣ Random carton packing of heavy and bulky items
• ‣ Limited workspace height (dispenser has a low profile)
• ‣ Cartons being packed and sealed that require 4” wide tape

Options for Every Shipping Environment

No matter what you ship and how often you ship it, there is a Better Packages water-activated tape dispenser for you. We’ve only highlighted some of the top-selling models here. The full list of manual and electric dispensers can be found on our website.

Tape Options

Better Packages and IPG, together, work to provide you the Gold Standard in Secure, Efficient and Reliable carton closure. For more information about the range of Water Activated Tapes available to you from our parent company IPG, please visit us at www.itape.com or contact your local representative for demonstrations and trials of our complete packaging solutions.

Have questions about our products and how they can help you improve your shipping operations? 

Please contact us at your convenience.

[This post republished from the Better Packages Blog]

How to Make Your Shipping Process Highly Efficient

The holidays are here, and with consumer confidence high, experts believe e-commerce companies can expect to be busy. In fact, it is estimated that 60 percent of shoppers will spend more than 50 percent of their holiday dollars online. That’s great news for businesses, but if you oversee the department packaging and shipping those orders, it's sure to be a challenging season.

One of the keys to success when shipping volumes soar is efficiency. Even small improvements in your shipping processes can make a big difference around the holidays. Plus, what is often overlooked is the fact that the shoppers you impress with your quick turnaround time now, are more likely to be customers again in the future. Use the tips below to ensure you and your team are working at peak efficiency.

 

Tip #1: Choose durable cartons and good cushioning.

It is never a good idea for e-commerce companies to use flimsy shipping cartons, and that is especially true around the holidays when shippers are under tremendous stress and potentially not handling packages especially carefully. Corrugated cartons hold up well, provide excellent protection for your products, and help prevent the need to send replacements for damaged goods.  

It is also important to choose the right carton size: too small and you increase the risk of items being crushed; too big and items may shift around and break. (Not to mention the added shipping costs associated with using an oversized carton.) After choosing the right box, you want to be sure to use the appropriate amount of a good cushioning material. Newspaper and similar materials will flatten during shipping and provide less protection. Bottom line: a “Fragile” sticker on the carton is not going to protect your product. You have to be sure the package is well-prepared for a bumpy ride!

Tip #2: Get the right shipping tape to ensure cartons are properly sealed.

Water-activated tape (WAT) produces a strong, tamper-evident, single-strip seal. It is easy to apply and creates a permanent bond with the carton surface. When buying tape and other supplies, it is a good idea to buy in bulk. Doing so can help ensure you don’t run out of critical items and may also save you some money.

Using the right shipping materials also sends a positive message about your organization and companies that purchase your products for their clients. Those companies want their holiday business gifts to arrive safely and in professional packaging.

Tip #3: Review your shipping processes from a safety perspective.

Accidents or injuries in your shipping department may be more likely during the holiday rush. Reviewing your processes with that fact in mind can help you protect your shipping team and ensure that product is not damaged during packaging and handling. Water-activated tape helps here as well, since your shipping crew won’t be using tape guns with their sharp blades and high potential for repetitive stress injuries.

One way to keep your team from having to hurry to keep up with rising volumes is to pre-pack common items. If you do, be sure to write a description of the contents and the package weight on the carton surface so you don’t have to pause to make that determination. 

Tip #4: Take steps to deter “press and grab” thefts and the time spent dealing with them. 

Thieves know that packages shipped during the holiday season often have valuable contents. A common practice is to press down on the top of a package until the low-quality shipping tape releases, pull out an item, and allow the carton flaps to spring back into place so that the theft goes undetected initially. 

The deep bond with the carton material created by gummed tape prevents the packaging from opening in this way, making it difficult for thieves to get what they are after. As a result, you spend less time dealing with missing items and preparing replacement shipments.  

Keep Up With the Holiday Rush!

By streamlining your e-commerce shipping processes and using the right packaging materials, you and your team can be highly efficient this holiday season. 

Check out our free guide to determine what type of packaging tape is best for your needs. 

Plus, we’re always happy to answer your questions. Contact us at your convenience.

[This post republished from the Better Packages Blog]