Tape Solutions for Cartons and Cold Chain Improve Packaging Efficiency

Tape is key to maintaining the integrity of cartons and the products inside them.

Choosing or applying the wrong tape can lead to seal failures and other problems, bringing inefficiency and high costs such as rework and production line downtime. Choosing the right tape from the very start of the process keeps cartons sealed, goods safe and production lines running smoothly. However, some packaging situations require specially designed solutions to address the specific challenges of the application or operation. Two major examples are the use of corrugated cartons and cold chain packaging environments.

Of all products shipped in the United States,

more than 90% are sent in corrugated cartons, totaling more than 400 billion square feet of board each year.

According to a report by Smithers, global demand for corrugated packaging has grown by nearly 4% per year since 2018,

and is expected to reach 300 billion US dollars by 2023.

Growing emphasis on improving sustainability is the driving force behind the use of corrugated cartons. As companies become more environmentally conscious, the shipping industry is handling and delivering an ever-increasing volume of corrugated packaging. In addition, the global pandemic has forced consumers to shift their shopping from offline to online, driving e-commerce growth.

This means there is a greater need to ship heavier, bulkier and more valuable parcels, including food, beverages, industrial products and electronics. Therefore, although the industry has been moving toward this transition for years, the higher demand caused by the pandemic has expanded the need for corrugated cartons.

These cartons can be made from 100% virgin fiber, 100% recycled fiber, or any combination of the two.

The shift toward eco-friendly packaging has led to steady growth in both the percentage of cartons made from waste paper and the percentage of recycled fiber in the board itself, and many packaging operations now use 100% recycled corrugated cartons.

This change in carton structure requires adjustments to the adhesives used to seal cartons. Achieving a strong seal on virgin corrugated cartons is much easier. The fibers are longer and the surface has more pores, so it can bond firmly and quickly with the adhesive of the packaging tape.

The recycling process greatly changes the properties of the substrate. This is because the paper is pulped and re-pulped, causing shorter fibers to pack more tightly together. Since corrugated carton fibers can be recycled six times before final disposal, going through this process multiple times results in incredibly short fibers in the carton. The resulting surface has fewer pores than virgin material, which makes it difficult for the tape's adhesive to penetrate quickly and bond with it.

Fortunately, hot melt packaging tape manufacturers have developed adhesive formulations specifically for sealing high-recycled-content corrugated cartons (especially 100% recycled cartons), adapting to the sustainable packaging trend and the growth in shipping demand.

These specially formulated hot melt packaging tapes provide a strong, secure carton sealing tape solution, reducing the chance of packaging damage and thereby reducing returns for manufacturers and distributors.

These aggressive hot melt tapes offer higher shear, tack and holding power than standard hot melt packaging tapes, and are designed for producers to withstand the rigors of transportation. They are specifically designed for situations where manufacturers need fail-safe tape that will unquestionably withstand a demanding supply chain.

When used in combination with an application system that applies the proper rub-down force, the added pressure ensures that more of the tape's adhesive becomes entangled within the fibers of the carton for a strong seal.

Tape solutions not only face the rough surfaces of recyclable packaging, but some industries must also contend with the challenges of cold chain packaging environments. Whether it is frozen food, meat and poultry processing facilities, dairy facilities that must remain refrigerated to maintain health and safety, or unheated warehouses and storage facilities in cold climates, temperatures below 35 degrees Fahrenheit can make it difficult for packaging tape to maintain its state.

Due to viscoelasticity - a combination of liquid and solid properties - tape is difficult to apply correctly in cold environments. When the liquid component of the tape hardens, it loses its tack. If the tape cannot contact the surface, it cannot stick to the packaging. To avoid tape failure, cartons stored in cold environments need adhesives that form a permanent bond with the packaging without freezing.

Acrylic tape has a wide temperature range but is not recommended for automated applications. Acrylic tape has no release coating, which causes them to require greater pull force when unwinding. During automatic application, this places greater stress on the film backing of the tape, leading to premature breakage and tape waste.

In addition, acrylic tape does not have shear strength or holding power in applications that use automatic palletizing. For automated packaging lines in cold environments, the best choice is specially formulated machine-grade hot melt tape with proper unwind properties and a synthetic rubber/resin adhesive that forms an immediate permanent bond at below-freezing temperatures.

Truly tough applications require tough tape. Quality tape ensures materials are packaged safely even under challenging carton and temperature conditions.

——This article is reprinted from China Packaging Network (pack.cn). Original link: http://news.pack.cn/show-377442.html