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The implications of paperboard packaging replacing plastics

With an increased emphasis on being environmentally-friendly, many governments have reviewed their approach and have moved further in this direction. In the US, cities like Washington D.C (tax on plastic bags), San Francisco (complete ban on plastic bags), and Boston (tax and ban on single-use bags), have implemented their own laws. Around the world, Kenya, Chile, UK, Australia, and China have also enforced their own rules. Additionally, India enforced a ban on single-use plastics in July, 2018.

Most plastic bans include: PE bags, disposable plastic cutlery, disposable thermocol items, plastic wrap used for packaging and storage, non-woven polypropylene bags, plastic pouches for storing liquid, plastic packaging for food items, and plastic and thermocol decorations.

It has been determined that these plastics are the most harmful for the environment as they clog water bodies due to improper disposal, lead to ground water pollution, and disturb soil microbes.

With more and more countries adopting alternatives to plastic, the use of paperboard packaging has been gaining further acceptance. This has also been driven by a retail boom and the introduction and increased use of e-commerce. It is also important to note that paperboard packaging is consumer-friendly, provides excellent product protection, is lightweight, easy to transport and stack, and significantly easy to dispose of. However, the underlying and important aspect is that paperboard packaging is bio-degradable.

Given this it is no wonder that the paper packaging market is growing at a rate of 7.5%. In fact, industry estimates suggest that Amazon and Flipkart — top two players in the $17-billion ecommerce sector — consume between 1,200-1,400 tonnes of paper that goes into making boxes and printing bills.

For other large organizations such as Swedish furniture company IKEA, the switch-over to paperboard has been undertaken very quickly. And, as it is clear, the effects of paperboard packaging replacing plastics can greatly reduce climate impact, businesses are climbing on the sustainable bandwagon to underline their positive appeal for the environment.

 

 

Across the ocean, in the US, tech giant Apple has already outlined its longer-term vision in this matter. Through its October 2017 Paper and Packaging Strategy, it details how it “succeeded in reducing the plastic content of the iPhone 7 packaging by 84 per cent compared with that of the iPhone 6s.” Going forward, it is evident that this strategy is being used extensively with regard to its Apple’s smart speaker, Homepod. Here, “an incredibly complex paperboard construction with closures holds the speaker cord in place and there is also a setup to secure the plug.” And as has been mentioned, “there would be have been no doubt that plastic would have been the material of choice for this even up to 10 years ago.”

However, despite all of this, when it comes to replacing plastics there are still challenges that need to be overcome. Some of these include: the high cost of production caused by inadequate availability, the high cost of raw materials, a limited availability of good fibre, as well as technological obsolescence.

Further, major industries such as fresh and frozen foods, dairy, pharmaceuticals, beverages, snacks, and confectionery, have been severely impacted given their current extensive use of plastic packaging.

It is also evident that both the organized and unorganized sector are engaged in the packaging industry. Within the organized sector, SMEs that have been producing plastic packaging cannot quickly switch to paperboard and require time to do so. Thus, the plastic ban has adversely impacted sales and jobs in this sector. Many enterprises have also had to take up loans even though don’t have easy access to financing and funds. So despite the paper and paperboard markets growing rapidly there are still obstacles issues surrounding expansion of capacity.

Regarding the paper industry, it too has its challenges given the overall fragmentation of the market, which is served by around 500 various-sized mills. Further, the capacity for paper production has slowed down primarily due to a shortage of its key raw material – pulp wood. This is coupled with the rising prices of local waste paper. However, though this has been partially mitigated by renewed agroforestry initiatives, the industry has regularly requested for a policy to be implemented that allows access to degraded forest land for paper mills to raise pulp wood plantations for sustainable development. This, unfortunately, has yet to be undertaken.

In 2017, paper companies did not undertake price hikes due to factors such as competition from imports, stabilization in wood prices lower power, and fuel costs but by FY18, domestic paper prices had risen marginally.

In terms of supply there is a shortage of paperboard packaging and a study suggests that the paperboard segment will face a shortfall of 12.5 lac MT.

However, this supply deficit will mostly help players who are self-sufficient with raw materials and have cost optimization plans. It will also benefit major players in the industry who are using cash whilst adversely affecting the unorganized and SME sectors.

The shortfall in supply will also cause delays and disruptions in distribution and the delivery of goods produced as there is a lag for sufficient quantities of paperboard packaging material to enter the market. However, on the plus side, this may result in opportunistic price rises within paperboard packaging materials, that in turn, will raise the costs of goods overall.

It is clear that as technologies develop and more companies understand the reasons behind omitting plastics and looking towards alternatives, paperboard usage will increase. Though nations have adopted other materials at different rates and speeds, there has been a concerted effort on the part of governments, businesses, and environmental groups to push for steps to move away from plastic usage. It still remains to be seen whether current global conditions have already been too adversely effected to reverse the process but the increased move towards paperboard can only be seen as a positive sign.

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Top benefits of working with a Co-Packer

Industries usually deploy co-packers for outsourcing some of the more intricate secondary packaging needs; thereby making the commodities shelf-ready. Lately, this concept has attracted a lot of attention courtesy its massive presence in the food and pharmaceutical market. While it easily improves the operational efficiency, there are a host of other benefits that come along with a co-packing service.

However, before enlisting the benefits associated with a co-packing service, it is important to visualize the impact of a contract manufacturer when it comes to handling the product aesthetics and customer satisfaction levels. We all know that companies emphasize massively on the manufacturing process but it’s the packaging that helps spread the word. This critical marketing component, therefore, needs to be prioritized by bringing certain reliable contract manufacturers into the mix. That said, majority of SMEs are constantly vouching for efficient co-packers, in order to gain a competitive advantage.

1.      Greater Flexibility

There are several food and pharmaceutical businesses that are restricted in terms of infrastructure and therefore fail to experiment with diverse packaging options. Co-packers offer them flexibility as they can easily outsource these services; thereby leveraging a host of innovation packaging techniques. While it allows businesses to work without having a dedicated packaging arena, it also helps them save a lot of money. Lastly, improved flexibility also helps boost company credibility and product image.

2.      Greater Profits

Taking care of the packaging requirements is quite a tricky job. However, businesses need not worry about the same as a contract manufacturer can easily handle the more intricate aspects of secondary and even primary packaging. Be it involving qualified staff for doing the job or facilitating the inclusion of high-end production facilities— an efficient co-packer can handle each aspect without putting undue stress on the concerned business frameworks. With majority of business verticals handled in the best possible manner, the company starts making a lot of profits while saving on a lot of investment— all at once.

3.      Best-seasonal Packaging Options

The concept of seasonal packaging is surely investment intensive. However, if done right, seasonal packaging can be extremely cost-effective in the long run and this is where contract manufacturers pitch in. Co-packers handle these aspects of packaging by taking care of short-term necessities.

4.      Quicker Organizational Output

The entire process of manufacturing thrives on the quickest possible output and this is what co-packing services usually boast of. With the products manufactured at a steady pace, it becomes important to pack and send them out, at the earliest. Companies that have a contract manufacturer to work with can roll out supplies faster than some of the contemporaries, which in turn help improve customer satisfaction levels.

5.      Lesser Manpower Requirement

Once a company starts outsourcing co-packing requirements, the existing workforce automatically gets downsized. This, eventually, lowers the existing costs pertaining to the upgraded machinery, maintenance and even employee training. Once in-house facilities are eliminated and the packaging requirements are outsourced, it becomes easier for the companies to concentrate on the process of manufacturing. This actually improves overall efficiency and helps minimize the associated clutter.

6.      Optimized Processes

Not just the packaging processes, a co-packer can also help improve the manufacturing whereabouts by offering services like contract sewing, bar coding and thermoforming. Once these attributes are included within the scheme of things, it becomes easier for companies to optimize certain intricate manufacturing processes. Apart from that, businesses can also fine-tune the existing manufacturing processes with the more complex ones taken care of.

7.      Sustainable Prospects

Majority of manufacturing, packing and rendering services need a sustainable environment to thrive. With Co-packers at the helm, food and other SMEs can easily inculcate sustainable approaches into the mix while also giving attention to profitability. However, there are companies which install their own packaging firms; thereby putting a lot of undue pressure on the existing processes. A co-packer can therefore render sustainability and extremely user-friendly solutions to the businesses without burdening them with financial stress.

Most of the co-packing companies offer customized solutions to the businesses which typically concentrate on consumer packaged goods and other forms of food packaging. Contract manufacturers or rather contract packagers specialize in these aspects and they skillfully handle most of the concerned requirements while taking care of the labor and even automated machines.

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Why we need to Learn More about Packaging Perishable Commodities ?

Packaging perishable items is a practice that’s driven by convenience, sustainability and product quality. Therefore, companies dealing with food and beverages need to be careful about their packaging standards, precisely for maintaining the quality of products and customers satisfaction levels. Moreover, with the evolving regulatory practices on-board, it becomes all the more important for the companies to abide by the pressing guidelines and offer packaging options that are sustainable and can improve productivity.

Why Food and Beverage Packaging needs to be prioritized?

The food and beverage industry boasts of perishable products and therefore, the packaging techniques for these entities must be different from the conventional ones. Companies packing food items and beverages must look to contain the products in an adequate manner, without changing the consistency of the same. Apart from that, the packaging options must be immune to any kind of mechanical damage. For aerated drinks and other forms of beverages, air tight containers are preferred; precisely for keeping external gases and contaminations at bay. In addition to all that, food packaging must be carefully selected in order to avoid physical and biological degradation of the sheltered stuff. Lastly, accurate product identification is another criterion for the concerned businesses and customers.

Enlisting the Varied Aspects of Packaging

The technical aspects of food and beverage packaging primarily involves two macro-functions i.e. logistics and marketing. While the former aims at protecting the product from physical damages, the aspect of marketing adds certain value to merchandise by concentrating more on vehicle condition and product preservation.

If we were to further segregate these aspects, containment shows up as the most prior requirement. This industrial prerequisite determines the quality of packaging, pertaining to each and every product. The next determinant involves preservation and protection of the concerned merchandise. Information is yet another aspect of industrial packaging as food products and beverages need to furnish every detail regarding the substances and quality on offer.

The Concept of Environmental Sustainability

Needless to say, the underlining concept of product packaging aims at preserving and protecting the concerned food item. However, unlike other products, food-specific entities need to abide by certain rules and regulations that focus primarily on environmental sustainability. Majority of users throw away the packaging materials shipped alongside food and beverages and therefore companies must focus on the biodegradability quotient. Companies offering similar services must look to abide by the basics of recycling and disposal before sending out shipments with food and beverages in them.

Packaging Metrics Explained

Packaging isn’t a random thing but requires a lot of planning. Before starting off with a plan, companies need to analyze a few factors and proceed with the same.

1.       Companies usually start off with material selection as food and beverages cannot be shipped in usual containers. Depending upon the market, companies should focus on hygiene and quality of the materials used for packaging the concerned commodities.

2.       The packaging design is also important when it comes to shipping out food and beverages. Companies must take into consideration that these commodities have limited shelf life and therefore the designs are bound to get complicated, in order to satiate specific requirements.

3.       Once the material and designing aspects are out of the way, companies must start focusing on the consumer choices i.e. their preferences regarding the packaging options. Certain stores offering food and beverages have options for the customers to choose from. The size of the container, at times, is based on the discretion of the customers.

4.       Transportation is also an important criterion for businesses dealing with food and beverages. Companies must readily pair up with firms that are prudent and can deliver products on time.

5.       Another factor that needs to be taken into account is the end-of-life for the packaging material. Every container that covers up the commodity has a specific shelf life, similar to that of the latter.

Inference

The food and beverage industry is completely dependent on bankable packaging solutions. However, unlike traditional ecommerce items, these commodities need to be packed and shipped with additional care. Moreover, businesses must also understand the fact that these are primarily perishable items and there must be a targeted model for making the most of the packaging strategies.

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How Outsourcing Impacts Warehousing, Distribution and Packaging Services?

Running a company is a time-consuming affair— regardless of the involved manpower and existing technologies. Despite the operations being tedious and stressful, it is important for the companies to abide by the federal guidelines when it comes to the quality of products. Manufacturers, therefore, are responsible when it comes to the quality standards and there are times when addressing the aspects of warehousing, packaging and distribution becomes nearly impossible. In this keenly contested arena, it is always advisable to outsource certain services by hiring experienced professionals. A good logistics company can therefore do the trick for the entrepreneurs, assisting them with some of the trickier aspects of retail.

Outsourcing Warehouse Services: Enumerating the Benefits

Maintaining a sizeable warehouse space is difficult, especially for companies that are already manufacturing the products. While constructing personalized storage facilities can incur massive costs, hiring specialized services from logistics companies of repute is always a better option. Needless to say, a startup or even a medium-sized firm cannot afford to spend recklessly on building and operating a bespoke warehouse. Therefore, outsourcing warehouse services is one of the most efficient techniques to grow bigger in this competitive market.

That said, an outsourced warehouse usually functions on a contractual basis which simplifies things further for the manufacturers. Shared storage facilities are quite common as the warehouse expenses are then distributed among select manufactures. A large warehouse offers a host of amenities and multiple small businesses can make the best use of the same without paying up exorbitant rates.

Why Packaging Services Need to be outsourced?

Ecommerce Warehouse

In the modern era, product packaging is more of a compulsion and less of a choice. The entire process is a highly regulated marketing charade that influences a product’s state of well-being. It is necessary that manufacturers opt for the most appropriate form of packaging based on the product and its longevity. Then again, it gets extremely hard for the manufacturers to plan out the packaging strategies, all by themselves. This is why companies need to hire specialized 3PL service providers for outsourcing their packaging requirements. One must understand that packaging is a highly technical process and should only be handled by specialists.

Is it Important to Outsource Distribution Services?

Warehouse Distribution , Logistics 3PL

Put simply, the answer to the question asked would definitely be a big ‘Yes’. For manufacturers to grow their business, it is important for them to cater to diverse customer bases. However, a lot of planning is involved when it comes to making the products available to the customers, via offline and online retail chains. Outsourcing distribution services can help as logistics companies maintain sizeable fleets of dispatchers and skilled drivers, helping the manufacturers with the outreach. While it is important to manufacture a quality product, making it available within a competitive marketplace is what solidifies the position of the concerned brand. Customers will keep purchasing only if the product is delivered to them with care. Proper packaging, as mentioned previously, is an important aspect, synonymous to distribution centers.

The Concept of Outsourcing

Entrepreneurs prefer maximizing revenues without having to invest a lot. For this to materialize, they should take strategic decisions involving qualified 3PL service providers. Product manufacturers already have their hands full and it is therefore necessary that they rely on 3rd party fulfillment services for handling warehousing, distribution and even packaging.

While packaging is essentially a technical aspect, most 3PL service providers basically concentrate on warehousing and distribution for serving the manufacturers better. For a business to grow, it needs to gain competitive advantage as a startup. Outsourcing can eventually simplify the entire process of growth by offering best-in-class benefits to the concerned organization. The good thing about hiring third party services is that the storage facilities and distribution warehouses offered by them are closer to the client base. As outsourcing is mostly a contractual process, it becomes all the more important for the logistics company to offer the best set of services for the existing price point. This approach makes the retail sector extremely scalable.

Bottom Line

Based on a reliable study i.e. The State of Logistics Outsourcing, 2007— at least 69 percent of companies across the globe rely on third party logistics for handling warehousing and distribution services and a majority could already measure the return on investment, synonymous to these services.

Outsourcing isn’t a complicated process when it comes to the implementation. However, the perfect service provider must be zeroed in, based on a company’s manufacturing and marketing requirements.

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Why Warehousing, Distribution and Packaging Impacts Customer Satisfaction Levels?

At present, there isn’t a lot of empirical research going on regarding customer satisfaction and how it impacts the share-of-wallet. Moreover, some basic study modules have revealed that customer satisfaction is actually relatable to word of mouth, market share and even the repurchase intention. That said, enterprises that thrive on product sales are known to have warehouses and logistical considerations to look at. Needless to say, the deployed warehouse management techniques reveal a lot about the concerned organization an how it fares in  terms of customer service and satisfaction.

The Basics of Warehouse Management

There are a host of metrics that determine whether the company is looking to establish long-term relationships with the buyers or just trying to initiate moderate levels of purchases. However, amplified levels of productivity rates and efficient strategies can certainly drive in a lot of credibility for the companies. One aspect that simplifies things for the entrepreneurs is warehouse management that actually takes certain logistical considerations into the mix. Basically, if the existing warehouse is beefed up with products and showcases higher productivity levels, the confidence will surely rub on to the consumers— facilitating enhanced levels of customer satisfaction.

The likes of processing errors, shipping delays and other pitfalls are directly proportional to an incompetent warehouse which in turn sends a wrong message to the existing customer base. Therefore, it is important to make use of management software for minimizing manual interventions and improving overall retention rates and associated services.

The software module is probably the first step towards efficient warehousing— helping organizations with better visibility and customer service considerations. In this digital sphere, most users prefer quicker deliveries and hassle free returns. This is where having a well-managed warehouse sends out the right message.

Measuring Customer Satisfaction: The Handy Determinants

Having warehouse management software at the helm can easily measure certain automated considerations behind the convoluted world of customer service and satisfaction. Be it assessing the reduced customer churn, enhanced lifetime value or existing points of customer differentiation— it is important that organizations are well-versed with these determinants in order to leverage the warehouse management essentials in the best possible manner.

Moreover, customer satisfaction or the absence of it can determine whether the repurchases will be made and how loyal the existing consumer base is. Therefore, it is important to pair up warehouse management techniques with customer service modules, in order to understand the best practices and even the associated inadequacies.

The Concept of Warehousing

In basics terms, a warehouse or rather the storehouse is an area that shelters materials depending upon the distribution, production, packaging and even the maintenance requirements. As demands for products and goods grow, warehouses provide the needed strength to an organization— especially when it comes to making something available on a wider scale.

Be it a single-storied warehouse or a building with multiple stories— the storehouse deign can essentially determine the types of products stored within the establishment.  In simpler terms, the underlining design addresses the nooks and crannies associated with a warehouse management plan which in turn determines how satisfied or dissatisfied the existing customers are.

Warehouse management works in cohesion with storehouse maintenance and inventory control. It is obvious that customers wouldn’t like a product that’s old or expired and therefore maintaining the storehouse becomes exceedingly important. Not just that, the associated inventory or the collection of goods and products should be updated periodically, which then leads us towards inventory control.

Why Stocktaking is Important?

Product segregation is strictly customer-specific and depends on the purchase patterns. Therefore, companies with dedicated storehouses should look to strike the perfect balance between demand and supply. Stocktaking is one such concept that determines the balance between the stored items. This also involves physical checks and timely investigations for minimizing stock discrepancies. For those who are looking to delve deeper into the concept, stocktaking is further segregated into spot-checking, periodic and continuous stocktaking.

How important is Safety?

Warehouse safety, Warehouse management

A customer might not physically visit a warehouse but he or she gets a fair idea upon seeing the condition of the product in hand. This is where safety and security considerations come in handy while discussing warehouse management. While the store management security keeps the products and stocks away from miscreants— there are private security standards courtesy the inclusion of 3PL systems and other e-fulfillment options. Having storehouse security standards in place can readily amplify the stock value by improving upon the operational roles synonymous to an organization. Last but not the least, proper safety measures also keep the production values intact.

Bottom-Line

Warehouse management is a holistic process that involves a wide array of metrics to work with. Be it inventory control or the associated safety measures pertaining to a storehouse, warehousing is a concept that directly or indirectly influences customer satisfaction levels. In addition to the aspects which are already covered, warehouse management also involves packaging, preservation and keeping stock records. These facets work in cohesion with the inventory control and safety considerations; thereby offering an enviable user experience— both in terms of sales and services.

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The Packaging Face-Off: Secure Packages vs. Easy-to-Open Packages

An industrial supply chain framework depends heavily on the logistical factors with packaging being the most vital criterion to look at. There are times when companies spend way too much on marketing and branding thereby ignoring product packaging. Moreover, the type of packaging is also important— depending upon the product type, sales funnel and a host of other industrial metrics.

 

In the subsequent sections, we shall look at the differences between secure packaging and easy-to-open packaging— segregating the requirements of each. We would also analyze which type of industrial packaging is best suited for the companies— depending upon the concerned products.

 

Why to Make the Choice?

 

Before we go any further into this post, it is important to take a look at both the packaging options.

 

Easy-to-open packaging is mostly seen in grocery shops where the products can be carried out instantly. This type of packaging involves lesser materials and is pretty light when the dimensions and weights are considered. Easy-to-open actually targets products that aren’t fragile and susceptible to threats. Moreover, this kind of packaging is often provided sans additional charges from the company.

 

Secure packaging is an intricate form of product management where the essentials are camouflaged by functional layers. This is one form of packaging that is primarily used by ecommerce stores— where products need to be supplied across diverse channels. Fragile goods, confidential stuffs, electronic gadgets and a host of other supplies usually resort to secure packaging services.

 

Determining the Sales Channel

 

While we have loosely described the differences between secure and easy-to-open packaging, there are still myriad aspects to look at before industries can actually take a call regarding which pathway to tread on. The first aspect happens to be the sales channel analysis— involving the nooks and crannies of the existing sales funnel.

 

It needs to be understood that packaging essentials vary according to the industrial regulations and existing standards. Moreover, the packaging team actually focuses on the storage space and shipping features pertaining to the concerned sales channel. While the design choices are important, it all pans down to the type of industrial packaging for a particular set of products.

 

Materials Involved

 

It goes without saying that the packaging format for glassware would definitely vary from that of stationaries. Therefore, the product material is also instrumental in determining the nature of packaging. Industries offering fragile objects usually opt for secure packaging while the ones with sustainable entities prefer easy-to-open packaging formats.

 

Associated Graphics

 

Marketability is something that cannot be ignored when it comes to deciding the packaging format. Graphics, textures and fonts determine the type of product labeling and even the packaging layout. Moreover, the type of packaging is also determined by the layout of the existing camouflage. Companies that spend way too much on the label and package design wouldn’t usually opt for easy-to-open approach as it would then defeat the entire purpose of marketability.

 

Products with a decent shelf life and longer travel itineraries should have exquisite design formats when it comes to packaging. The idea here is to allow customers get a good look at the package which can either be a chipboard entity or a high-end rigid box.

 

Structural Attributes

 

The type of packaging depends on the shelf space, product durability, size, environmental considerations and even the carriage safety. Usually, secure packages take a close note of the concealed product— analyzing the design aesthetics and even the structural attributes.

 

Most importantly, the existing packaging design should be able to protect the product while making it visually appealing at the same time. This theory holds true even for the easy-to-open packages as the dimensions are dependent on the product attributes and physical considerations.

 

Packaging Costs vs. Product Costs

 

Needless to say, a company wouldn’t invest as much on the packaging when compared to the product costs. Industries usually have a sales margin in mind and the packaging costs will surely depend on the presumed profits. Moreover, easy shipping guidelines cost a lot less as compared to the intricacies of customs. This is why most firms opt for easy-to-open packages as they can be managed without hassles.

 

Bottom-Line

 

Whatever be the type of packaging, at the end it all depends on the customer preferences. The idea should be to offer safety to the concerned consumer products without pushing the envelope. Companies must be proactive while designing and selecting the packaging format. While a customer might want an easy-to-open package for his or her journal, the same person might prefer a secure package for a supplement.

 

It actually boils down to the requirements of consumers and companies must keep delivering— every single time.

 

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The importance of packaging design to improve your Brand Personality

Industrial marketing campaigns are heavily inclined towards the visual aspects of branding. When it comes to differentiating organizations based on customer retention and user engagement, packaging designs plays a pivotal role. In simpler terms, having an eye-catching brand name or rather a logo hurts no one. Moreover, branding— clubbed with product packaging can actually help a business flourish as the visually appealing vicinities keep the prospective customers interested.

Why Packaging Design is Even Important?

Needless to say, an organization has a lot on its plate but the concept of packaging design should still be held in high regard; simple reason being the visual enhancements on offer. Customers are tempted into making purchases by the overall layout of a product and not just the associated attributes. Apart from that, the existing marketing campaigns thrive on how the design cues are placed and what colors are incorporated into the packaging design.

Moving further into this post, we would be looking at the nooks and crannies of packaging design and how this concept has transformed the organizational marketing hierarchy.

Leading into the Packaging Design

First things first, a good packaging design should start off with a message— something that clearly describes the personality and vision of the company. While the design has to look appealing, it shouldn’t overshadow the essence of the concerned product. Creating a package might not be the most exciting job in the market but it actually involves a lot of intuitiveness and innovation.  Every packaging design should seamlessly lead into product assessment— thereby addressing the utilitarian nature of the packaged entity.

Making the Perfect Design

Research studies have established the fact that packaging designs are extremely important to the overall cause of an organization. However, it is the simplicity that entices prospects into making purchases. The perfect packaging design should therefore comprise of eye-catching fonts followed by the discrete company slogan that actually resonates with the concerned user base. Apart from that, product labeling should be clearly mentioned with each design.

The idea should be to create a packaging design that offers a lot of information about the sheltered product without killing off the curiosity associated with the same.

That said, the perfect packaging design can only be drafted once the pertinent marketing questions are answered. Companies should first evaluate if the package can actually represent the brand personality in the best possible manner. While the existing conglomerate of textures, colors and fonts might look exciting at the beginning, at the end it all pans down to the brand story and the how the same has been depicted.

The next question should focus on the desired price tag of the concerned product. A company wouldn’t want to spend a lot of money on the packaging design if the product isn’t expected to churn out a sizeable amount of cash. Therefore, even the design must offer value for money and companies should look to analyze the same before proceeding with a design specific campaign.

Lastly, the organization must determine the longevity of the product packaging by zeroing in on the material. The aspects of durability and physical sustainability are important when the supply chain management is considered. Moreover, the materials used need to be environmentally conscious.

Thinking like the Customer

When it comes to assessing the packaging design, the customer viewpoint is probably the most vital cog in the wheel. Apart from simplicity, customers look for authenticity and honesty. Therefore, the details mentioned on the package must be in sync with the actual product— making the brand look trustworthy and genuine. Moreover, the material quality also determines the likeability quotient of the existing customer base.

Lately, customers have been vouching for recyclable, eco-friendly and innovative packaging. In addition to that, company logo also plays a vital role in the entire process. Be it the logo layout or placement, it is important to strategize the package dimensions before starting off with the design.

While most companies are opting for the visually appealing pathway, experience suggests that packaging design should be descriptive in terms of information and minimalistic when it comes to the usage of colors and other frills. Overall, the package must be the mirror image of the brand personality and should look to entice the customers into making purchases.

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Nanotechnology and food packaging: A natural alliance

Although nanotechnology is quite well known, its uptake in the food industry has been slow. The food grown or manufactured using nanotechnology has not gained as wide an acceptance as it was expected to. However, on the packaging side, the story is completely opposite. The nanotechnology based packaging materials are proving to be very successful. They are safe and have additional properties that are beneficial for packaging of food products. As the technology improves, the nano packaging is getting cheaper and its commercial use is expanding rapidly.

What is Nanotechnology

Nanotechnology is nothing but working with the material at the molecular level. This technique of manufacturing is used to create very thin layers (few molecules thick or just a few nanometers thick), of complex molecular structures that are not possible using conventional chemical processes. In its more advanced versions, this technology is also working in medicine and healthcare fields to create complex medicines. In the manufacturing industry, Nanotechnology is used to create thin coatings of active and passive materials to provide strong, flexible and inert layers to store volatile and highly reactive liquids and gases, or reacting with only specific substance while remaining inert to others. It is because of these properties, that nanotechnology is of great use in the packaging industry. It is now used in various kinds of packaging, especially in the food industry to extend the life of packaged food.

Nanotechnology in food packaging:

Traditionally the paper, metal (aluminum foils and tins) and plastic based polymer films of various grades are used for food packaging. However, each has its own disadvantages on various fronts, which nanotechnology overcomes. Some of the applications of nanotechnology in food packaging are listed below.

Barrier Packaging: Food material reacted negatively with Oxygen and becomes stale. The only viable solution is to remove all oxygen from the food environment (within the packaging) and prevent any infusion or leakage of oxygen into the packaging. Metal packaging such as tins are airtight, but are expensive and inflexible. Glass packaging is fragile and inflexible. The plastic polymer based packaging material is low in cost and flexible. However, it is slightly permeable to oxygen and other gases. Over time, the oxygen leaks into the packaging and the food get damaged. This is where nanotechnology is helpful. A coating of an impermeable substance which is just a new nanometers in thickness is sufficient to create a packaging that is impermeable to gases while retaining the flexibility of the base material. Typically a thin metal film which is only a few nanometers thick is applied to polyester or polyethylene films to create flexible, impermeable and inert packaging material that increases the shelf life of food by a great deal.

Antimicrobial packaging:

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Some nanomaterial can actively reduce the growth of microorganisms. These substances are applied to the food facing side of the packaging to reduce the growth of pathogens in the food, thus increasing the shelf life of the food. Silver is one such material which is well known for its anti-pathogen properties. With nanotechnology, a very thin layer of silver is coated on the packaging greatly reducing the amount of silver required and thus saving the costs. Other more active and cheaper materials are being investigated for their antibacterial properties under nanostructure conditions. For example, Zinc oxide nanoparticles become antibacterial as their size gets smaller. Chitin, a natural substance found in the shells of marine crustaceans such as Crabs and Shrimps is also effective in fighting pathogens.

Active or smart packaging: Nanotechnology has created possibilities of creating very small electronic components. Researchers are looking at the possibility of applying these nano electronic components onto packaging, which can actively sense and control the environment inside the packaged food. They can alert the consumer when the food starts to decay. It sounds straight out of a sci-fi movie, but it is getting real. Here are some examples of active packaging.

 

Active cooling:. Self-cooling packaging uses chemical and physical processes (such as evaporation) to keep the temperature inside the package cold and thus increase the life of food. Another very interesting technology under development is keeping the package cool by using a thin powered system, which is powered by the very thin photovoltaic cell. The electricity will be used by the thermoelectric system to lower the temperature inside the package. These systems would reduce the need for refrigeration along the supply chain.

Self-healing polymers: Self-healing polymers are making great progress. The packaging made out of such polymer can accommodate small punctures and tears thus reducing the wastage due to damaged packaging.

Nanosensors. Chemical compounds that change color based on the presence of a gas are applied on the inner side of the transparent packaging polymer. As the food goes stale, it emits various gases. This changes the color of the compound which is visible from outside the package indicating that the food has gone stale. The nanotechnology allows the layer of substance to be very thin to maintain transparency, bonded strongly onto the surface of packaging so that it does not mix with food and yet be visible when its color changes.

 

RFID:

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Radio Frequency Identification is already in use today. Advancements in nanotechnology allow for manufacturing of much smaller and much cheaper RFID tags. This will make them more common eventually replacing the bar codes altogether. This will further speed up the logistics processes and reduce the manpower requirement along the supply chain.

Nanotechnology has much to offer to the food industry. It provides for robust, flexible solutions that increase safety. The smart packaging solutions monitor and control the food environment, increasing its life and easing the logistics requirement. The future of the nanotechnology in packaging industry looks lip smacking.

/ By Karan Mudliar / Blog • Uncategorized/ • • • / 1 Comment

Paper & Paperboard Packaging Market – Trends & Forecast

Paper packaging has been around for very long time. From simple brown bag and cardboard box cartons to much sophisticated waterproof paperboard boxes for Chinese takeaway, paper packaging has come a long away. As eco friendly packaging has started gaining momentum, paper has come back in limelight due to its bio degradability. However that is not the only factor driving the increase in consumption of paper based packaging. Social changes and technical advancements are equally playing their role in determining the direction of the paper packaging industry. Let’s take a look at some of the key trends emerging in paperboard industry.

 

  1. Social changes in developing countries. Most of the educated population in developing countries is moving onto more qualified jobs leading to higher disposable incomes. They are replacing the traditional meals with more modern processed, frozen and packaged foods. As these economies continue to grow, this changed trend in eating habits will continue to grow. There is a trend to move from unpackaged goods to industrially packaged goods. Both of these will lead to increase in consumption of paperboard packaging material. The migration of rural population to urban areas continues to rise. With this the migrant’s consumption patterns also change to consume more packaged and processed food and industrialized goods. Overall, the social changes are leading to higher consumption of packaged goods in both the developing and developed countries. Paperboard being at fore front of retail packaging will continue to see rise in demand across the sectors.
  2. Food delivery on rise. Recent trends show that millennial generation prefers to order take-away instead of going out to dine, to avoid the hassle involved with going out (traffic, parking etc). A study showed that more than 30% of Americans order food deliveries twice a week. With new third party delivery options, even the dine-in restaurants have started providing home delivery options. Because of this the food packaging sales will increase in general. Another interesting factor that has come to forefront due to myriad options for food delivery is the packaging style. Instead of simple boxes, the ‘healthy fast food’ providers, the ‘gourmet food home delivery’ providers amongst others are using customized packaging in forms of tray style packaging with built in partitions for various side dishes for the convenience of the user. It is this customized packaging that will see the maximum rise in sales.
  3. Balance sustainability and productivity. In mature markets, the paperboard manufacturers and are struggling to extract every penny of productivity from their equipment. The improvements in process which they implement extract marginal gains at best. They are now investing in next generation machine that reduce waste and decrease change over times and consume less energy. These not only provide higher productivity, but also reduce the consumption of raw material and have reduced environmental impact as well. To meet the new tighter environmental regulations and changed consumer preference for environmental friendly packaging, the manufacturers are designing machines that use up to 30% less material to produce the packaging material of same strength. There is change from finding balance between the sustainability and productivity, to getting the synergies between the two. Less consumption of material and more effective use of material increase the dollar productivity for the manufacturer and are also more environmentally friendly. This synergy will redefine the way packaging industry works and does business.
  4. Recycled Vs Virgin paper issue.  There is a growing concern about disposal of the packaging after its use, especially in the food industry. There is talk of packaging material that has similar life cycle of that of the product it packs and then it degrades or decomposes. However, the issue of contamination of food product with packing remains in such cases. The package must preserve the health of the consumer at every stage. Self decomposing packaging solutions are not yet suitable to meet this requirement. Using recycled paper comes with own challenges. It has host of inks, glues, chemicals and other ingredients which cannot be ascertained unless confirmed by the original manufacturer of original paper product. In such scenario, one can never be sure about the contamination that recycled paper will add to the product. This means that with increasing consumption, the use of virgin paper in packaging will rise in comparison to recycled paper. The researched are working on barrier coating that will prevent moisture and odour from transferring and preserve freshness and aroma of the food. The new nano-materials, antimicrobial barrier coatings will see the limelight in packaging.
  5. Smaller, more practical packaging. As the social structure of the society is changing, the consumption patterns are also changing. Families are getting smaller and smaller. The nuclear families have become the norm. There are now a significant number of households with just one member. Moreover, people are getting more health conscious. They are conscious of the serving sizes and portions that they are consuming. The remaining food is resealed, needing a re-sealable packaging for larger portions. Consumption on the go is also on the rise. (Prime example being coffee and other beverages). This means that portion sizes not only need to be smaller, the packaging needs to be designed to facilitate and simplify eating on the go. Many consumers are willing to pay more for a single serving pack of food. This will give rise to single serving or multi unit packaging (where one unit can be severed from the rest without opening the product). This will lead to interesting controversy. On one side will be the green initiatives promoting less packaging, less waste, less use of material and on the other side the smaller, individual packaging which will require more material and generate more overall waste.
  6. Premium packaging. As consumer gets more sophisticated, the packaging for premium luxury brands require impeccable details, such as better colour and printing and embossing, better strength and texture of the material itself. These will require high grade of paperboard to be used for packaging. With increased spending capability, craft and gourmet food will have increased share in the market, requiring more premium packaging. There will be shorter runs, speciality coating to give superior impression of the product.

 

 

Overall, the Paper packaging industry is set to grow. Be it the environmental concerns or consumption patterns or ease of production, paper is meeting expectation on every front. With the new methods to restrict the transfer of odour and aroma and anti microbial coating, it may well be on its way to replace plastic containers.

/ By Karan Mudliar / Blog • Uncategorized/ • • • / 0 Comments

8 alternatives to plastic packaging

All products need to be packed in a safe secure packaging that not only provides the protection to the product but also adds to the aesthetic presentation of the product. Today plastic packaging is one of the most common and popular form of packing material. It is cheap, strong, and durable and can be moulded into any shape required. However plastic has one major disadvantage. It is not bio degradable. Once discarded, it goes into the landfills where it sits for thousands of years. With consumer becoming environmentally conscious there is a need to move away from plastic packaging and use more eco friendly alternatives. Most of these alternatives have been around for years. They just need a fresh perspective to add some aesthetic appeal. Here are some alternatives which are not only better than plastic, they also add to the aesthetic appeal of the product.

  1. Paper is degradable. Not only that, paper is also reusable many times: Brown paper bags were quite common until some years ago. They are now making a comeback. Paper is used to make paperboard that is in turn used to make strong boxes which are used commonly to pack small light items. Paperboard has come of age and can be used for making food grade packing as well. Paperboard based sandwich packs are quite common. Paperboard cups are also commonly used for serving beverages. These can be shredded and reused again for different (non food grade) products or can be put down for bio degradation. It is made of wooden pulp that is natural.
  2. Cardboard is a thick form of layered paper is also very common in packaging industry: Cardboard needs no introduction. It is very popular packing material in form of boxes and cartons. It comes in all sizes, for small hand held products such as mobiles and toys to large boxes well above 1 meter on each side. Corrugated cardboard boxes have good strength to handle heavy products. They can be carried unfolded, requiring minimal space and can be easily disposed off. In fact strong large cartons are now being reused at homes to make coffee tables and as storage space among other things. And they disintegrate quickly, just like paper.
  3. Corn Starch: Corn starch is used as a Styrofoam replacement in packaging. It has the strength similar to plastic. It is shaped in form of beans and peanuts for providing cushion in packing large products and in making packing trays for food items. If disposed properly it decomposes into water and carbon dioxide within months, which is much shorter than the decomposition time required for plastic. It is made from corn, which is cheap and readily available.
  4. Zip lock bags: Though these are made of plastic, they are designed to be reused. They are airtight plastic bags that can store any product, which they can accommodate. Many households reuse them for storing food products. They may not be easily decomposable, but they are definitely reusable which increases their usable life and reduces the stress on resources used to produce them.
  5. Glass by itself is made from plain silica: It is an excellent material to store food items as it is water tight, air tight and inert. It also lends a classy look to the product and well designed glass jars are quite presentable. The jars and bottles that have wind up caps instead of crowns can be reused as household storage for Jams, sources, marmalades and many other items. If nothing else, a well designed jar is used as decorative item by itself. It is not only degradable (it is just sand after all), it is highly reusable. In fact soda companies reuse most of their bottles. There’s no reason why a business cannot have a well designed glass container that lends an aesthetic look to their product and remain eco friendly.
  6. Jute has become a coming of age material when it comes to its use as packing material: It was used to make large gunny bags to carry produce and grain (such as potato, rice, wheat etc) in large quantities. But today it is being used as a chic packing material that comes in various shapes, sizes and colours. It gives a rustic, classy old world feel to the product while retaining the earthy look. It is used to pack speciality items such as Tea leaves, dry fruits, speciality wines and gift items. It certainly does lend a certain class to the product. Jute is strong and can carry good amount of weight in small size packing, making it ideal for shipping.
  7. Wood is totally eco friendly: It has been used as packing material for large items for very long time. Even though the plastic pallets all are rage in the industry, wooden pallets are still very commonly used in freight industry. Wooden crates have been used for long. With recent advances in cutting and carving tools, small wooden boxes have become popular to pack speciality items. These are now used to increase the perceived status of the product and are by themselves reusable. This makes them a very effective choice as a packaging material if you want to increase the status of your product.
  8. Various forms of metal have been used for packaging sensitive material: With recent advances, the metal, in form of aluminium cans, foils, steel cans and jars, it has again become popular. It can be reused by consumers in the home for storage, and can also be easily recycled. It has been used for packaging food products like Oils, tea and other aromatic substances that need to be kept away from light and air. The thin aluminium foils are used to pack candies and chocolates. A non reusable but recyclable form of packaging made of metal, is the very popular can of soft drink. These are crushed, melted and reused to make cans again. Metal packaging is very versatile. It has been around for a long time. With new innovation it has become cost effective and attractive.

 

Packaging can be fun. It can be reusable, recyclable and economic. Producers just need a little imagination to use eco friendly products and make their product elegant and attractive.